Page:Thea von Harbou Metropolis eng 1927.pdf/183

 METROPOLIS murdered my machine-That dam' woman led the rabble-f That woman alone turned the lever to "12"-1 I saw it when they were trampling on me-I The woman can drown down there-I I'm going to kill that woman-I" With marvellous tension of all his muscles Grot drew himself up and heaved himself, with a jerk, away from the raving man-with such infmiated strength that he, Grot, shot, describing a curve, amidst the chilffi"en. Cursing ardently,' he gathered himself up again; but, though he 'was uninjured, he could not move a limb. He stuck, an impotent spoon, in a porridge of children, whicp adhered to his arms, legs and fists. No steel fetters could have condemned him so effectually "to helplessness, as did the little cold, wet hands, which were defending her who had rescued them all. Yes. his own children were standing before him, pommelling angrily upon his clenched fists, unseared by the blot-shot eyes with which the giant glared at the dwarves, cudgelling him. "That woman murdered my machine-I" he howled out at last. more complainingly than angrily, looking at the girl, who was resting upon Freder's arm, as though expecting .her to bear him out. "What does he mean?" asked Maria. "And what has happened?" And she looked with eyes, the horror in' 'which was only modified by the deepest of exhaustion. at the destruction round about, and at the snorting Grot. Freder did not answer. "Come," he said. And he raised her up in his arms and carried her out. The qhildren followed them like a Hock of little lambs, and Grot had no alternative than to run along in the tracks of the tiny feet, whither the little, tugging hands drew him.

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