Page:Thea von Harbou Metropolis eng 1927.pdf/146

 METROPOLIS stared at the girl with a gaze in which helief in eternal damnation was to be read. It seemed as if he were already dead. and as though his lifeless body were falling. ghostlike upon the flsts of-those who wished to murder him. A voice roared: "Dog in white silken skin.,.II" An arm shot up. a knife Hashed out.... Upon the billowing neck of the multitude stood the girl. It was as if the knife came Bying hom out her eyes. ... But. before the knife could plunge into the white silk which covered the heart of the son of Joh Fredersen, a man t;lrew himself as a shield before his breast. and the knife ripped open blue linen. Blue linen was dyed purple-red.... "Brothers . . . I" said the man. Dying, yet standing upright, he was covering the son. of Joh Fredersen with his whole body. He turned his head a little to catch Freder's gl~?ce. He said ~th a smile which was transfigured in pain; Brothers. ... Freder recognised him. It was Georgi. It was number eleven thousand eight hundred and eleven which was now going out, and which, going out, was protecting him. He wanted to push past Georgi. But the dying man stood like one crucified. with out-stretched arms and hands clawing into the edge of the niches which were behind him. He held his eyes. which were like jewels. fixedly set on the multitude which was storming towaxds him. "Brothers .. .0' he said. "He said: <Murderers. . . . .Brother murderers. . / .,. said the dying mouth. The multitude left him alone and raced on. On the shoulders of the multitude the girl was dancing and singing. She sang with her blood-red mouth of deadly sinl «We've passed sentence upon the machinesI We have condemned the machines to deathl The machines must die-to hell with them I Deathl-Deathl-Death to the machines-I"

Like the rush of a thousand wings the step of the multitude thundered through the narrow passages of the City of the '151