Page:Thea von Harbou Metropolis eng 1927.pdf/165

 METROPOLIS illness, chasing the red waves of its fever along to all the machines which were fed by its pulse. No machine in all Metropolis which did not receive its power from this heart. Then all the god-machines were taken with the fever..•• From the Towers of Silence there broke forth the vapour of decomposition. Blue Hames hovered in the space above them. And the towers. the huge towers, which used other· wise to tum about but once in the course of the day, tottered around on their pedestals in a drunken, spinning dance, full to bursting point. Mahomet's curved sword was as circular lightning in the air. It met with no resistance. it cut and cut. It grew angry because it had nothing to cut. The power which, squandered. too uselessly. was still increasing, now gathered itself together and, hissing, sent out snakes, green, hissing snakes, in all directions.

From the projecting arms of the crosses of Golgotha there swept long, white, crackling springs of sparks. Swaying under impacts which had shaken the earth itself, the unslain. the m8nM crushing car of Juggernaut began to glide, began to roll-checked itself, hanging crookedly on the platform-trembled like 8 ship. perishing on the rocks, lashed by the breakers-and shook itself free. amidst groans. Then, from their glittering thrones, Baal and Moloch. HUitzilopochtli and Durgh8 arose. AU the god~machines got up, stretching their limbs in a fearful liberty. Huitzilopochtli shrieked for the jewel-sacrifice. Durgha moved eight murderous arms, crackling the wWle. Hungry fifes smoulM dered up from the bellies of Baal and Moloch, licking out of their jaws. And, roaring like a herd of 8 thousand buffaloes, at being cheated of a purpose, Asa Thor swung the infallible hammer. A lost grain of dust among the soles of the gods, Freder reeled his way through the wWte rooms, the roaring temples. "Father-II" he shouted. And he heard the voice of his father: "Yesl-Here I amI-What do you want?-Come here to mel"

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