iful　mists　to　hide　what　awaited　us　there；　no　mists　anywhere。　In　that　brief；　agonized　glance　every　detail　of　the　Pit　was　disclosed　with　an　abnormal　clarity。
  We　tottered　on　the　brink。　The　ledge　melted。
  Down；　down　we　plunged；　locked　in　each　other's　arms；　hurtling　to　the　shattering　death　so　far　below！
  CHAPTER　XXIII
  THE　TREACHERY　OF　YURUK
  Was　it　true　that　Time　is　within　ourselvesthat　like　Space；　its　twin；　it　is　only　a　self…created　illusion　of　the　human　mind？　There　are　hours　that　flash　by　on　hummingbird　wings；　there　are　seconds　that　shuffle　on　shod　in　leaden　shoes。
  Was　it　true　that　when　death　faces　us　the　consciousness　finds　power　through　its　will　to　live　to　conquer　the　illusion　to　prolong　Time？　That；　recoiling　from　oblivion；　we　can　recreate　in　a　fractional　moment　whole　years　gone　past；　years　yet　to　comestriving　to　lengthen　our　existence；　stretching　out　our　apperception　beyond　the　phantom　boundaries；　overdrawing　upon　a　Barmecide　deposit　of　minutes；　staking　fresh　claims　upon　a　mirage？
  How　else　explain　the　seeming　slowness　with　which　we　were　fallingthe　seeming　leisureness　with　which　the　wall　drifted　up　past　us？
  And　was　this　punishmenta　sentence　meted　out　for　profaning　with　our　eyes　a　forbidden　place；　a　penalty　for　touching　with　our　gaze　the　ark　of　the　Metal　Tribes　their　holy　of　holiesthe　budding　place　of　the　Metal　Babes？
  The　valley　was　swingingswinging　in　slow　broad　curves；　was　oscillating　dizzily。
  Slowly　the　colossal　wall　slipped　upward。
  Realization　swept　me；　left　me　amazed；　only　half　believing。　This　was　no　illusion。　After　that　first　swift　plunge　our　fall　had　been　checked。　We　were　swingingnot　the　valley。
  Deliberately；　in　wide　arcs　like　pendulums；　we　were　swinging　across　the　City's　scarp；　three　feet　out　from　it；　and　as　we　swung；　slowly　sinking。
  And　now　I　saw　the　countless　eyes　of　the　watching　wall　again　were　twinkling；　regarding　us　with　impish　mockery。
  It　was　the　grip　of　the　living　wall　that　held　us；　that　rocked　us　from　side　to　side　as　though　giving　greater　breadths　of　it　chance　to　behold　us；　that　was　dropping　us　gently；　carefully；　to　the　valley　floor　now　a　scant　two　thousand　feet　below。
  A　storm　of　rage；　of　intensest　resentment　swept　me；　as　once　before　any　gratitude　I　should　have　felt　for　escape　was　submerged　in　the　utter　humiliation　with　which　it　was　charged。
  I　shook　my　fists　at　the　twinkling　wall；　strove　to　kick　and　smite　it　like　an　angry　child；　cursed　itnot　childishly。　Dared　it　to　hurl　me　down　to　death。
  I　felt　Drake's　hand　touch　mine。
  〃Steady；〃　he　said。　〃Steady；　old　boy。　It's　no　use。　Steady。　Look　down。〃
  Hot　with　shame　for　my　outburst；　weak　from　its　violence；　I　obeyed。　The　valley　floor　was　not　more　than　a　thousand　feet　away。　Thronging　about　where　we　must　at　last　touch；　clustered　and　seething；　was　a　multitude　of　the　Metal　Things。　They　seemed　to　be　looking　up　at　us；　watching；　waiting　for　us。
  〃Reception　committee；〃　grinned　Drake。
  I　glanced　away；　over　the　valley。　It　was　luminously　clear；　yet　the　sky　was　overcast；　no　stars　showing。　The　light　was　no　stronger　than　that　of　the　moon　at　full；　but　it　held　a　quality　unfamiliar　to　me。　It　cast　no　shadows；　though　soft；　it　was　piercing；　revealing　all　it　bathed　with　the　distinctness　of　bright　sunshine。　The　illumination　came；　I　thought；　from　the　encircling　veils　falling　from　the　band　of　amethyst。
  And；　as　I　peered；　out　of　the　veils　and　far　away　sped　a　violet　spark。　With　meteor　speed　it　flew　toward　us。　Close　to　the　base　of　the　vast　facade　it　landed　with　a　flashing　of　blue　incandescence。　I　knew　it　for　one　of　the　Flying　Things；　the　Mark　Makersone　of　the　incredible　messengers。
  Close　upon　its　fall　came　increase　in　the　turmoil　of　the　crowding　throng　awaiting　us。　Came；　too；　an　abrupt　change　in　our　own　motion。　The　long　arcs　lessened。　We　were　dropped　more　swiftly。
  Far　away　in　the　direction　from　which　the　Flying　Thing　had　flown　I　sensed　another　movement；　something　coming　that　carried　with　it　subtle　suggestion　of　unlikeness　to　all　the　other　incessant；　linked　movement　over　the　pit。　Closer　it　drew。
  〃Norhala！〃　gasped　Drake。
  Robed　in　her　silken　amber　swathings；　red…copper　hair　streaming；　woven　with　elfin　sparklings；　she　was　racing　toward　the　City　like　some　lovely　witch；　riding　upon　the　back　of　a　steed　of　huge　cubes。
  Nearer　she　raced。　More　direct　became　our　fall。　Now　we　were　dropping　as　though　at　the　end　of　an　unreeling　plummet　cord；　the　floor　of　the　valley　was　no　more　than　two　hundred　feet　below。
  〃Norhala！〃　we　shouted；　and　again　and　againagain　〃Norhala！〃
  Before　our　cries　could　have　reached　her　the　cubes　swerved；　came　to　a　halt　beneath　us。　Through　the　hundred　feet　of　space　between　I　caught　the　brilliancy　of　the　weird　constellations　in　Norhala's　great　eyessaw　with　a　vague　but　no　less　dire　foreboding　that　on　her　face　dwelt　a　terrifying；　a　blasting　wrath。
  As　softly　as　though　by　the　hand　of　a　giant　of　cloud　we　were　lifted　out　from　the　wall；　and　were　set　with　no　perceptible　shock　beside　her　on　the　back　of　the　cubes。
  〃Norhala〃　I　stopped。　For　this　was　no　Norhala　whom　we　had　known。　Gone　was　all　calm；　vanished　every　trace　of　unearthly　tranquillity。　It　was　a　Norhala　awakened　at　lastall　human。
  Yet　in　the　still　rage　that　filled　her　I　sensed　a　force；　an　intensity；　more　than　human。　Over　the　blazing　eyes　the　brows　were　knit　in　a　rigid；　golden　bar；　the　delicate　nostrils　were　pinched；　the　sweet　red　mouth　was　white　and　merciless。　It　was　as　though　in　its　long　sleep　her　human　self　had　gathered　more　than　human　strength；　and　that　now；　awakened　and　unleashed；　the　violence　of　its　rage　touched　the　vibrant　zenith　of　that　sphere　of　which　her　quiet　had　been　the　nadir。
  She　was　like　an　urn　filled　and　flaming　with　the　fires　of　the　Gods　of　wrath。
  What　was　it　that　had　awakened　herwhat　in　awakening　had　changed　the　inpouring　human　consciousness　into　this　flood　of　fury？　Foreboding　gripped　me。
  〃Norhala！〃　My　voice　was　shaking。　〃Those　we　left〃
  〃They　are　gone！〃　The　golden　voice　was　octaves　deeper；　vibrant；　throbbing　with　that　muffled；　menacing　note　that　must　have　pulsed　from　the　golden　tambours　that　summoned　to　battle　Timur's　fierce　hordes。　〃They　weretaken。〃
  〃Taken！〃　I　gasped。　〃Taken　by　whatthese？〃　I　swept　my　hands　out　toward　the　Metal　Things　milling　around　us。
  〃No！　THESE　are　mine。　These　are　they　who　obey　me。〃　The　golden　voice　now　shrilled　with　her　passion。　〃Taken　bymen！〃
  Drake　had　read　my　face　although　he　could　not　understand　our　words。
  〃Ruth〃
  〃Taken；〃　I　said。　〃Both　Ruth　and　Ventnor。　Taken　by　the　armored　menthe　men　of　Cherkis！〃
  〃Cherkis！〃　She　had　caught　the　word。　〃YesCherkis！　And　now　he　and　all　his　menand　all　his　womenand　every　living　thing　he　rules　shall　pay。　And　fear　notyou　two。　For　I；　Norhala；　will　bring　back　my　own。
  〃Woe；　woe　to　you；　Cherkis；　and　to　all　of　yours！　For　I；　Norhala；　am　awake；　and　I；　Norhala；　remember。　Woe　to　you；　Cherkis；　woefor　now　all　ends　for　you！
  〃Not　by　the　gods　of　my　mother　who　turned　their　strength　against　her　do　I　promise　this。　I；　Norhala；　have　no　need　for　themI；　Norhala；　who　have　strength　greater　than　they。　And　would　I　could　crush　those　gods　as　I　shall　crush　you；　Cherkisand　every　living　thing　of　yours！　Yeaand　every　UNLIVING　thing　as　well！〃
  Not　halting　now　was　Norhala's　speech；　it　poured　from　the　ruthless　lipsflamingly。
  〃We　go；〃　she　cried。　〃And　something　of　vengeance　I　have　saved　for　youas　is　your　right。〃
  She　tossed　her　arms　high；　stamped　upon　the　back　of　the　Metal　Thing　that　held　us。
  It　quivered　and　sped　away。　Swiftly　dwindled　the　City's　bulk；　fast　faded　its　glimmering　watchful　face。
  Not　toward　the　veils　of　light　but　out　over　the　plain　we　flew。　Above　us；　crouching　against　the　blast　of　our　going；　streamed　like　a　silken　banner　Norhala's　hair；　gemmed　with　the　witch　lights。
  We　were　far　out　now；　the　City　far　away。　The　cube　slowed。　Norhala　threw　high　her　head。　From　the　arched；　exquisite　throat　pealed　a　trumpet　callgolden；　summoning；　imperious。　Thrice　it　rang　forthand　all　the　surrounding　valley　seemed　to　halt　and　listen。
  Followed　upon　its　ending；　a　chanting　as　goldenly　sonorous。　Wild；　peremptory；　triumphant。　It　was　like　a　mustering　shouting　to　adventurous　stars；　buglings　to　buccaneering　winds；　cadenced　beckonings　to　restless　ranks　of　viking　waves；　signaling　to　all　the　corsairs　and　picaroons　of　the　elemental。
  A　cosmic　call　to　slay！
  The　gigantic　block　upon　which　we　rode　quivered；　I　myself　felt　a　thousand　needle…pointed　roving　arrows　prick　me；　urging　me　on　to　some　jubilant；　reckless　orgy　of　destruction。
  Obeying　that　summoning　there　swirled　to　us　cube　and　globe　and　pyramid　by　the　scoreby　the　hundreds。　They　swept　into　our　wake　and　followedlifting　up　behind　us；　an　ever…rising　sea。
  Higher　and　higher　arose　the　metal　wavemounting；　ever　mounting　as　other　score　upon　score　leaped　upon　it；　rushed　up　it　and　swelled　its　crest。　And　soon　so　great　it　was　that　it　shadowed　us；　hung　over　us。
  The　cubes　we　rode　angled　in　their　course；　raced　now　with　ever…increasing　speed　toward　the　spangled　curtains。
  And　still　Norhala's　golden　chant　lured；　higher　and　even　higher　reached　the　following　wave。　Now　we　were　rising　upon　a　steep　slope；　now　the　amethystine；　gleaming　ring　was　almost　overheard。
  Norhala's　song　ceased。　One　breathless；　soundless　moment　and　we　had　pierced　the　veils。　A　globule　of　sapphire