September 24, 2025 • 44 mins
In Jewels of Aptor, Samuel R. Delanys debut novel from 1962, we are transported to a world centuries after a devastating nuclear holocaust known as the Great Fire. Here, a young woman embarks on a quest for her destiny, aided by a mysterious four-armed youth. This captivating tale serves as a prologue to Delanys subsequent work, Captives of the Flame. (Summary by BellonaTimes)
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Chapter eight of the Jewels of Aptur by Samuel R. Delany.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain reading by Maperard.
Chapter eight, The pale woman with the tiny eyes rose
from over him, her hair dropped like white silk threads
(00:23):
over her shoulders. You are awake, she asked, Do you
understand me? Am I at at Hama's temple? He asked,
the remnants of the dream still blowing in at the
edges of his mind like shredding cloth. My friends, where
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are they? The woman laughed, Oh, your friends are all right.
You came out the worst. Another laugh. You ask if
this is Hama's temple. But you can see, can you not?
You have eyes? Don't you recognize the color of the
white goddess. Argo Geo looked round the room. It was
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white marble, and there was no direct source of light.
The walls simply glowed. My friends, Geo said again, they
are fine. We were able to completely restore their flesh
to health. They must have exposed their hands to the
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direct beam of the radiation for only a few seconds.
But the whole first half of your arm had apparently
lain in the deadly rays for some minutes. You were
not as lucky as they. Another thought rushed Geo's mind.
Now the jewels, he started to say, but instead of
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sounding the words, he reached to his throat with both hands.
One fell on his naked chest, and there was something
very wrong with the other. He sat up in the
bed quickly and looked down. My arm, he said, swathed
in white bandages, glimb ended some foot and a half
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short of where it should have My arm, he asked, again,
with the child's bewilderment, what happened to my arm? I
tried to tell you, the woman said softly. We had
to amputate half of your arm. If we had not,
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you would have died my arm, Geus said again, and
lay back in the bed. It is difficult, the woman said.
It is only a little consolation, I know. But we
are blind here. But burned your arm away took our
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sight from us when it was much stronger generations ago.
We learned how to battle many of its effects, and
had we not rescued you from the river, all of
you would have died. You are men who know the
religion of Argo and adhere to it. This another of
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your party has told us. Be thankful, then, that you
have come under the wing of the mother goddess again,
for this is a hostile country. She paused, Do you
wish to talk? Gia shook his head. I hear the
sheets rustle, the woman said, smiling, which means you either
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shook or nodded your head. I know from my study
of the old customs that one means yes and the
other no. But you must have patience with us who
cannot see. We are not used to your people. Do
you wish to talk, she repeated, Oh, said Gia, No, No,
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I don't very well. But the woman said she rose,
still smiling. I will return later. She walked to a
wall in which a door slipped open, and then it
closed again behind her. He lay still on the bed
for a long time. Then he turned over on his stomach.
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Once he brought the stump under his chest and held
the clean bandages in his other hand. Very quickly, he
let go and stretched the limb sideways as far as
possible away from him. That didn't work, either, so he
moved it back down to his side and let it
lay by him under the white sheet. After a long while,
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he got up, sat on the edge of the bed
and looked around the room. It was completely bare, with
neither windows nor visible doors. He went to the spot
through which she had exited, but could find not seam
or crack. His tunic, he saw had been washed, pressed
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and laid on the foot of the bed. He slipped
it over his head, Fumbling with only one arm. Getting
the belt together started out to be a problem, but
he hooked the buckle around one finger and maneuvered the
strap through with the other. He adjusted his leather purse,
now empty on his side. Then he saw that the
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sword was gone. An unreal feeling, white like the walls
of the room, was beginning to fill him up like
a pale mixture of milk and water. He walked around
the edge of the room once more, looking for some break.
There was a sound behind him, and the tiny eyed
woman in her white robe stood in a triangular doorway.
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You're dressed, she smiled, good, are you too tired to
come with me? You will eat and see your friends
if you feel well enough, or I can have the
food brought. I'll come, Geo said. She turned, and he
followed her into a hall of the same luminous substance.
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Her heels touched the back of her white robe with
each step, but she was silent. His own bare feet
on the coal stones seemed louder than those of the
blind woman before him. Suddenly he was in a larger
room with benches. It was a chapel, obviously of Argo
because of the altar at the far end, but its
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detail was strange. Everything was arranged with the white simplicity
that one would expect of a people to whom visual
adornment meant nothing. He sat down on a bench as
the woman said, wait here. She disappeared down another hall. Suddenly,
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the woman returned from the other hallway, followed by a snake.
Geo and the fore armed boy looked at each other silently.
As the woman disappeared again, A wish like a living
thing suddenly writhed into a knot in Geo's stomach that
the boy would say something he himself could not. Again,
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she returned, this time with urson. The big man slapped
into the chapel, saw Geo and exclaimed, friend, what happened?
He came to him quickly and placed his warm hands
on Geo's shoulders. What he began and shook his head.
Geo grinned suddenly and patted his stump with his good hand.
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I guess jellybelly got something from after all. Erson held
his own forearm dex to Greas and compared them. There
was paleness in both. I guess none of us got
out completely all right. I woke up once while they
were taking the scabs off. It was pretty bad, and
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I went to sleep again fast. Jimmy came in. Now well,
I was wondering. He stopped and let out a low whistle. Ah,
guess it really got you, brother. His own arms looked
as though they had been dipped in bleach up to
the mid forearms. How did this happen? Urson asked, when
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we were back doing our tight rope act on those
damn gaddas. Explained, Yimmy, our bodies were in the shadow
of the gaddas and the rays only got to our arms.
I've got something you'll be interested in too, Gyo, just
tell me where where the hell we are? Person said,
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We're in a monastery sacred to argo. Jimmy told him
it's across the river from the city of New Holpe,
which is where we were. That name sounds familiar in
the began Erson Snake gave him a quick glance, and
he stopped and then frowned. We knew of your presence
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in the city of New Hope, explained the blind priestess,
and we found you by the river side. After you
swam across. You managed to cling to life long enough
for us to get you back to the monastery and
apply what art we could to soothe the burns from
the deadly fire. Geo suddenly saw that there was no
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jewel around Yemy's neck either. He could almost feel the
hands ripping it from his neck in the water. Jemmy
must have made the same discovery, because his pale hand
raised to his own chest. The priestess beckoned and started
down another hall, and again they followed. They arrived at
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an even larger room, this one set with white marble
benches and long white tables. This is the main dining
room of the monastery, their guide explained. One table has
been set up for you. You will not eat with
the other priestesses. Of course, why not, asked Jimmy. Surprise
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flowed across the blind face. You are men, she told them,
matter of factly. Then she led them to a table
where wine, meat and balls piled with strange fruit were placed.
As they sat down, she disappeared once more. Geo reached
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for a knife. For a moment, there was silence at
the table as the nub of the arm just over food.
I guess I just have to learn, he said, after
the pause. Halfway through the mill, Ursuline said, what about
the jewels? Did the priestess take them from you? They
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came off in the water, said Jimmy. Jeu nodded corroboration. Well,
now we really have a problem, said Urson. Here we
are at a temple of argos where we could return
the jewels and maybe even get back to the priestess
on the ship and out of this silly mess, and
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the jewels are gone. I guess that also means our
river friends are working for Hama, said Cheo. Well, Jemmy said,
Hama's got his jeweled then and went out of the way.
Perhaps he delivered us into Argo's hands as a reward
both bringing them this far, since we would have died anyway,
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said Geo. I guess he was doing us a favor,
and you knew what that means, Jemmy said, looking at snake. Now, huh,
asked Erson. Then he said, oh, let the boy speak
for himself, all right, forearms. Are you or are you not?
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A spy? For Hama? A pained expression came over Snake's face,
and he shook his head, not in denial but bewilderment.
Suddenly he got up from the table and ran from
the room. Erson looked at the others. Now, don't tell
me I hurt his feelings by asking you didn't, said Jimmy.
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But I may have. I'll keep on forgetting that he
can read minds. What do you mean, person asked just
when you asked him that a lot of things came
together in my mind that would be pretty vicious for
him him if any of it were true. Huh, asked Urson.
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I think I know what you mean, said Geo. I
still it means that he is a spy, explained Jemmy.
And among other things, he was probably lying about the
radio back at the city, and that cost Geo his arm.
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Why the began? Urson and then looked down the hall
where Snake had disappeared. They didn't need much more. When
they got up, Urson felt sleepy and was shown back
to his room. May I show my friend what you
showed me, Jemmy asked the priestess. When she returned, he
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is also student of rituals. Of course, you may, smiled
the priestess. A door opened and they entered another room,
similar to the one in which Geo had awakened. As
she was about to leave, Yemi asked, what can you
tell us how to leave the room ourselves? Why would
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you want to leave? She asked, for exercise, offered Geo,
and to observe the working of the monastery. Believe us
we are true students of Argo's religion. Simply press the
wall with your hand level at your waist, and the
door will open. But you must not wander about the monastery.
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Rites which are not for your eyes are being carried out,
not for your eyes. She repeated, strange, this is a
phrase that has never left our language. Suddenly confronted by
people who can see it makes me feel somehow, She paused, Well,
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that is how to leave the room. She stepped out
and the door closed behind her. Here, said Yimmy, this
is what I wanted to show you. On his bed
were a pile of books, old but legible. Geo flipped
through a few pages. Suddenly he looked up at Jemmy, Hey,
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what are they doing with printed books? Question number one,
said Jimmy, Now for question number two. Look here. He
reached over Geo's shoulder and hastened him to one page.
Why it's the began Geo, Ya dawn right it is,
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said Yimmy. Him to the goddess Argo forked in the
eye of the bright ash. There the heart of Argo broke,
and the hand of the Goddess would dash through the
head of flame, and the smoke burn the grain speck
in the hand and battered the stars with singing. Hailed
the height of a man and also the height of
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a woman. The eyes have imprisoned a vision. The ashtree
dribbles with blood thrust from the gates of the prison
smeared the yew tree with mud. That must be the
full version of the poem. I found the missing stands
it to back in the library at Leptar. As I
was saying, said yemmy, question number two, what is the
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relation between the rituals of Hama and the old rituals
of Argo. Apparently this particular branch of the religion of
the goddess underwent no perch, and no one at ouss
Owen was supposed to know about them. I wonder why
Geo asked, that is question number three. How did you
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get a hold of them? Well, said Yemmy, I sort
of suspected they might be here, so I just asked
for them. I think I've got some answers to those questions. Fine,
go ahead, we'll start from three and go back to
one and then on to two. Nice and orderly, said Yimy.
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Why wasn't anybody supposed to know about the rituals simply
because they were so similar to the rituals of Hama?
You remember some of the others we found in the
abandoned temple. If you don't, you can refresh your memory.
Rob Here the two sets of rituals run almost parallel,
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except for a name changed here, a color switched from
black to white, a switch in the vegetative symbolism. I
guess what happened was that when Hama's forces invaded leptarv.
Five hundred years ago, it didn't take Leptop long to
find out the similarity. From the looks of the city
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of New Hope, I say, I think it's safe to
assume that at one time or another, say five hundred
years ago, abtoor civilization was far higher than Leaptar's and
probably wouldn't have had too hard a time beating her
in an invasion. So when Leptar captured the first Jewel
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and somehow did manage to repel Aptor, the priests of
Leptar assumed that the safest way to avoid infiltration by
Hama and Apdoor again would be to make the rituals
of the two as different as possible from the ones
of their enemy Hamma, the gills, the bats. They parallel
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the stories I've heard other sailors tell too closely to
be accidents. How many people do you think have been
shipwrecked on Aptor and gotten far enough into the place
to see what we've seen, and then gotten off again
to tail about it. I can think of two, said Geo. Humph,
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said Jimmy. Snake and Geordie answered Geo, remember that, Argo
said there had been spies from Apdoor before, and Geordie
is definitely one, And I guess so is Snake? True enough,
said Jimmy, I'll guess that fits into room number one.
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He got up from the bed. Come on, let's take
a walk. I want to see some sunlight. They went
to the wall. Geo pressed it and a triangular panel
slipped back. When they head rounded four or five turns
of hallway, Geo said, I hope you can remember where
we've been. I've got a more or less perfect memory
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for directions, Jemy said. Suddenly, the passage opened on two steps,
and they were looking out upon a huge, unre believed
white chamber down a set of thirty marble steps. Priestesses
filed below them in rows, their heads fixed blindly forward.
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At the end was a raised dais with a mammoth
statue of a kneeling woman sculptured of the same effulgent
agate material. Where do these women come from, whispered Chio,
and where do they keep the men? Jimmy shrugged. Suddenly,
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the figure of the blind priestess was beside them. Excuse me, ma'am,
Jimmy said, sensing her disapproval of their presence. We didn't
mean to be disrespectful, but we are creatures who are
used to natural day and night. We are used to fresh,
a green things. This underground whiteness is oppressive to us
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and makes us restless. Is it any way that you
could show us away into the open? There is not?
Returned the blind priestess quietly and motioned them to follow.
Her from the chamber. Besides, night is coming on, and
you are not creatures who relish darkness. The night air
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and the quiet of evening is refreshing to us, countered, Yimmy,
what do you know the night, answered the priestess, with
faint cynicism in her low voice. Now they reached the
chapel where the friends had first met after the rescue.
What can you tell us about the dark god Hamah,
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Geo asked the blind priestess, shrugged and sat down on
one of the benches. There is little to say to day.
He is a fiction. He does not exist. There is
only Argo, the one white goddess. But we've heard Geo began.
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You were at his abandoned temple, said the priestess. You
saw yourselves. That is all that is left of Hama.
Ghouls prey on the dust of his dead saints. Perhaps
somewhere behind the burning mountain. A few of his disciples
are left, But Hama is dead in Abdor. You have
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seen the remains of his city, the city of New Hope.
You have also been the first ones to go in
and return in nearly five hundred years? Is that how
long the city has been in ruin? Asked Jeo it is,
What can you tell us about the city, Jimmy said,
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The priestess sighed again. There was a time, she began,
generations ago, when Hama was a high god in Aptor.
He had many temples, monasteries, and convents devoted to him.
We had few except for these religious sanctuaries. The land
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was barbaric, wild, uninhabitable for the most part. There had
once been cities in Aptor, but these had been destroyed
even earlier by the Great Fire. All that we had
was a fantastic record of an unbelievable time before the
reign of Flame, of tremendous power, vast science, and a towering,
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though degenerate civilization. These records were extensive and entirely housed
within the monasteries. Outside the monasteries there was only chaos,
where half the children were born dead and the other
half deformed, and with the monstrous races that sprang up
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over the island. Now as a reminder to us, we
declared that the magic contained in these chronicles was evil
and must never be release to the world again. But
the priests of Hamah decided to use the information in
these chronicles spread it to the people, and declared that
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they would not commit the same mistakes that had brought
the Great Fire. They opened the books, and the city
of New Hope grew on the far shore of the river.
They made giant machines that flew through the air. They
constructed immense boats which could sink into the sea and
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emerge hundreds of miles away in another harbor, in another land.
They even harnessed for beneficial use the fire metal uranium,
which had brought such terror to the world before, and
had brought down the flames. But they made the same
mistake as the people before the Great Fire made, suggested Jimmy.
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Not exactly, said the priestess. Is they were not so
stupid as to misuse the fire metal, which ravaged the
world so harshly before. History is cyclic, not repetitive. A
new power was discovered that toward the significance of the
fire metal. It could do all that the fire metal
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could do, and more efficiently destroy cities or warm chilly
huts in winter. But it could also work on men's minds.
They say that before the Great Fire, men wandered the
streets of the cities, terrified that flames would descend on them,
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any moment and destroy them. They panicked bought flimsy, useless
contraptions to guard themselves from the fire Geo yimmy, have
you any idea how terrifying it would be to know that,
while walking the streets, at any moment, your mind might
be snacked from you, raped, violated, and left broken in
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your own skull. Only three of these instruments were constructed,
but the moment their existence was made known by a
few fantastic demonstrations, the city of New Hope began the
swerve down the ark of its own self destruction. It
lasted for a year and ended with a broken wreck
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you escape from last night. During that year, invasions were
launched on the backward nations across the sea, with whom
months before there had been friendly trade. Civil wars broke out,
and internal struggles caused the invasions to fall back to
the homeland. The instruments were hopelessly lost, but not before
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the bird machines had even dropped bombs on the city
of New Hope itself. The House of the Fire Metal
was broken open to release its death once more. For
a hundred years after the end, say our records, the
city flamed with light from the destroyed powerhouse. During the
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first hundred years, more and more of our number were
born blind because of the sinking fire in the city.
At last we moved under ground, but it was too late.
She rose from her seat, And so you see, Hama
destroyed himself. To day, loyal to Argo are all the
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beasts of the air, of the land, and of the water.
What about the three instruments, Geo asked, what happened to them?
The blind priestess turned to him, Your guests, she said, smiling,
is as good as mine. She turned again and glided
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softly from the room. When she left, Jemmy said, something
is fishing, But what is it, said Geo. Well, for
one thing, said Yemmy, we know there is a Hama
from this dream. I would say that it's just about
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the size and organization of this place. Just how big
is this place? Anyway? Geo asked, want to do some
more exploring? Sure, he answered, do you think she does
know about Hama? But was just pretending? Could be, said Jemmy.
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They started off down another corridor. That bit about going
into Min's minds with the jewels, Yemmy went on, it
gives me the crepes it's a creepy thing to watch,
said Cheo. Argo used it on Snake the first time
we saw her. It just turns you into an automaton.
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Then it really is our jewels. She was talking about.
Stairs cut a white tunnel into the wall before them,
and they mounted upward, coming finally to another corridor. They
turned down it and for the first time saw recognizable
doors in the wall. Hey, said, Yimmy, Maybe one of
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these goes outside. Fine, said Cheo. This place is beginning
to get to me. He pushed open a door and
stepped in. Except for the flowing white walls, it duplicated
in miniature the basement of the new Edison Building twin dynamos, Word,
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and the walls were laced with pipes. Nothing in here,
said Yemmy. They tried a door across the hall. Now
in this one sat at white porcelain table and floored
to ceiling cases of glittering instruments. I'll bet this is
the room your arm ca Jimmy said, Probably, replied Geo.
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They came out and continued even farther. In the next room,
the glow was dimmer and there was dust on the walls.
Jimmy ran his finger over it and looked at the
gray crescent left on the bleached flesh. Two huge screens
leaned out from the face of a metal machine. A
few dials and a glass meter hung beneath each two
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yard rounded rectangle of opaque glass. In front of each
was a stand which held something like a set of
binoculars and what looked like a pair of ear muffs.
I bet this place hasn't been used since before these
girls went blind, said g O. E looks it, Jimmy said.
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He stepped up to one of the screens, the one
with a fewer dials on it, and turned a switch.
What did you do that for, Geo asked, Why not,
said Jimmy. Suddenly a flickering of colored lights ran over
the screen, swellings of blue, green, shiny scarlets. They blinked.
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That's the first color I've seen since I've been here,
Jimmy said. The colors grayed, dimmed, congealed into forms, and
in a moment they were looking at a bare white
room in which stood two barefoot young men. One was
a dark Negro with pale hands. The other had an
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unruly shock of black hair and only one arm. Hey
gestured Jimmy and the figure on the screen gestured too,
that's us. He walked forward, and the corresponding figure advanced
on the screen. He flicked a dial and the figures
exploded into colors, and then focused again. What's that? Asked Jemmy.
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In a room stood three of the blind women. On
one wall was a smaller screen, similar to the one
in their own room. The women, of course, were oblivious
to the picture on it. But it was the picture
on the screen that had stopped Geo. It was a face,
a man's face. One of the women had on an
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ear muff apparatus and was talking into a small metal rod,
which he carried with her as she paced. But the picture,
don't you recognize him, demanded Geo. It's Jawny, exclaimed Jemmy.
They must have gotten in contact without sheep and are
arranging to send us back. I wish I could hear
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what they're saying, said Geo. Jemmy looked around and then
picked up the metal ear muss from the stand in
front of the screen. That what she seems to be
listening through, said Yimy, referring to the priestess in the picture.
Try them go on, he helped Geo fit them over
his ears. Hear anything, Geo listened. Yes, of course, the
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priestess was saying. She is set out upon staying in
the harbor for three more days to wait out the week,
reported Geordie. I am sure she will not remain any longer.
She is still bewildered by me, and the men have
become uneasy and may well mutiny if she stays longer.
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We will dispose of the prisoners this evening. There is
no chance of their returning, stated the Priestess. Detain them
for three days, and I do not care what you
do with them, said Jeordie. She does not have the jewels,
she does not know my our power. She will be
sure to leave at the end of the week. It's
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a pity we have no jewels for all our trouble,
said the priestess. But at least all three are back
in Aptor and potentially within our grasp. Geordie laughed. Ha,
and Hama never seems to be able to keep hold
of them for more than ten minutes before they slipped
from him again. Yours is not to judge either Hama
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or Argo, stated the Priestess. You are kept on by
us only to do your job. Do it report, and
do not trouble either us or yourself with opinions. They
are not appreciated. Yes, mistress returned Jordie. Then farewell until
next report. She flipped the switch and the picture in
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the little screen went gray. Geo turned from the big
screen now and was just about to remove the hearing
apparatus when he heard the priestess say, go pair of
the prisoners for the sacrifice of the rising moon. They
have seen enough. The woman left the room. Geo finished
removing the phones, and Jimmy looked at him. What's the matter.
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Geo turned the switch that darkened the screen. When are
they coming to get us, Jimmy asked, excitedly, Right now, probably,
Geo said, Then, as bestI could, he repeated the conversation
he had overheard to Jemmy, whose expression grew more and
more bewildered as Geo went on. At the end, the
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bewilderment suddenly flared into freighted indignation. Why, demanded Jemmy, Why
should we be sacrificed? What is it? We've seen too
much of? What is it? We know? This is a
second Tom. It's come close to getting me killed, and
I wish to hell. I'm knew what I was supposed
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to know. We've got to find Urson and get out
of here, said Geo. Hey, what's wrong? The indignation had
turned into something else. Now Jimmy stood with his eyes
shut tight and his face screwed up. Suddenly he relaxed.
I've just thought out a message as loud as I
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could for Snipe to get up here and to bring
uson if he's anywhere around. But Snake's a spy for
for Hammer, said Jimmy. And you know something I don't care.
He closed his eyes again. After a few moments he
opened them. Well, if he's coming, he's coming. Let's get going.
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But why, began Geo, following Jimmy out of the door.
Because I have a poet's feeling that some fancy mind
reading may come in handy. They hurried down the hall,
bound the stairs, ducked down, and ran along the lower
Rounding a second corner. They emerged into the little chapel
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simultaneously with Urson and Snake. I guess I got through,
said Jimmy. Which way do we go, gentlemen? Gentlemen? Came
a voice from behind them. Snake took off down one
of the passages, and they followed Urson, Looking particularly bewildered.
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The priestess glided behind them, calling softly, please, my friends
come back, return with me. Find out from her how
the hell to get out of this place. Jimmy bawled
up to Snake. The four armed boys suddenly darted up
a flight of stairs, turned a corner, and darted up another.
(37:48):
They came out on a hall and followed Snake to
the end. All four of the boy's hands flew at
the door handle, turning it carefully this way and back.
Two three seconds, Geo glanced back and saw the priestess
mount the top of the stairs and began to come
forward to them. She seemed to float, her white robes
(38:10):
flaring out from her, brushing at the walls. The door
came open. They broke through leaves and were momentarily standing
in a huge field of grass surrounded by woods. The
night was fully lit by the moon. As they ran
through the silver washed grass, Geo turned to look behind him.
(38:31):
The blind priestess had slowed, Her white face turned to
the moon. Her hands went to her throat. She unclasped
her robe, and the first layer fell away behind her.
As she came on, the second layer began to unfold, wet,
deathly white, spreading, growing to her arms, articulating itself along
(38:54):
the white spines, then, with a horribly familiar shriek, up
from the ground and soared upward, her white wings hammering
the air. They fled, and other dark forms were shadowing
the moon. The priestesses across the field joined her. Aloft
(39:16):
in the moon bleached sky, she overtook the running figures,
turned about them, and swooped. The moon lanced white along
bared fangs. The night breeze touched pale furry breasts filled
the bellying wings. Only the tiny, darting blind eyes were
red rubied in a whirl of white. They crashed into
(39:40):
the protective bushes, where the winged things could not follow.
Branches raked his face as he ran behind the sound
the others made once he thought he had lost them,
but a second later he bumped against Jemmy, who had
stopped behind Snake and Urson. In the darkness above the
trees was a sound like beaten cloth, diminishing, growing but constant,
(40:06):
as once more they began to trod through the tangled darkness.
What the hell Jimmy finally breathed softly. After a minute
of walking. You know, it's beginning to make sense, Geo said,
his hand on Jimmy's shoulder. Remember that man wolf we met,
and that blob in the city. The only thing we've
(40:29):
met on this place that can't change shape is the ghouls.
I think most animals on this island undergo some sort
of metamorphosis. What about those first blind things we met,
whispered Urson. They didn't change into anything. We have probably
(40:50):
just been guessed of the female of the species, said Geo.
You mean those others could have changed into men too,
if they wanted. Person asked if they wanted, answered Jea
in front of them now appeared faint shiftings of silver light.
Five minutes later, they were crouching at the edge of
(41:12):
the forest, looking down over the rocks at the white
shimmerings over the river into the water. Geo asked, Snake
shook his head. Wait came the familiar sound in their heads.
Suddenly a hand raised from the water, wet and green.
(41:32):
It stood a foot or so from the shore and
the silver ripples. The chain and the leather thong dangled
down the wrist and swaying. There were two bright beads
of light. Jimmy and Geo froze Ersuon said. The jewels
suddenly crouched low like an animal. The big man sprang
(41:54):
on to the rocks and ran toward the river's edge. Shadows,
one white, too dark, converged above him, cutting the moonlight
away from him. If he saw them, he did not stop.
Jimmy and Geo stood up from their crutch positions. Urson
reached the shore, threw himself along the rock, and swiped
(42:18):
at the hand. Instantly he was covered by flailing wings.
The membraneous sails splashed in the water. Two seconds later,
Urson rolled from beneath the layers of membrane that still struggled,
half on land and half in the water. He started
forward up the rocks. He slipped, regained his footing, and
(42:40):
then came on, nearly falling into Geo's and Yemy's waiting arms.
The jewels Urson breathed. The struggle continued a minute longer
on the water. Something was holding them down, twisting at them.
Then suddenly the creek stilled, and like great leaves, the
(43:03):
three forms drifted apart, caught quietly in the current and
floated away from the rocks. Then two more forms bobbed
to the surface, faces down, rocking gently, backs slicked wet
and green shiny under the moonlight. But those were the
(43:23):
ones who Jail began. Are they dead? His face suddenly
hurt a little with something like the pain of verging tears.
Snake nodded, are you, Shah, asked Jimmy. His voice came slowly.
Their thoughts have stopped, Snake said, Crouched down in front
(43:49):
of them, Urson opened his great hands. The globes blazed
even in the dim light, through the leaves, and the
chain and the wet thong hung over his palm to
the ground. I have them, he said, the jewels. End
of Chapter eight
Chapter eight of the Jewels of Aptur by Samuel R. Delany.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain reading by Maperard.
Chapter eight, The pale woman with the tiny eyes rose
from over him, her hair dropped like white silk threads
(00:23):
over her shoulders. You are awake, she asked, Do you
understand me? Am I at at Hama's temple? He asked,
the remnants of the dream still blowing in at the
edges of his mind like shredding cloth. My friends, where
(00:44):
are they? The woman laughed, Oh, your friends are all right.
You came out the worst. Another laugh. You ask if
this is Hama's temple. But you can see, can you not?
You have eyes? Don't you recognize the color of the
white goddess. Argo Geo looked round the room. It was
(01:09):
white marble, and there was no direct source of light.
The walls simply glowed. My friends, Geo said again, they
are fine. We were able to completely restore their flesh
to health. They must have exposed their hands to the
(01:30):
direct beam of the radiation for only a few seconds.
But the whole first half of your arm had apparently
lain in the deadly rays for some minutes. You were
not as lucky as they. Another thought rushed Geo's mind.
Now the jewels, he started to say, but instead of
(01:54):
sounding the words, he reached to his throat with both hands.
One fell on his naked chest, and there was something
very wrong with the other. He sat up in the
bed quickly and looked down. My arm, he said, swathed
in white bandages, glimb ended some foot and a half
(02:16):
short of where it should have My arm, he asked, again,
with the child's bewilderment, what happened to my arm? I
tried to tell you, the woman said softly. We had
to amputate half of your arm. If we had not,
(02:38):
you would have died my arm, Geus said again, and
lay back in the bed. It is difficult, the woman said.
It is only a little consolation, I know. But we
are blind here. But burned your arm away took our
(02:59):
sight from us when it was much stronger generations ago.
We learned how to battle many of its effects, and
had we not rescued you from the river, all of
you would have died. You are men who know the
religion of Argo and adhere to it. This another of
(03:19):
your party has told us. Be thankful, then, that you
have come under the wing of the mother goddess again,
for this is a hostile country. She paused, Do you
wish to talk? Gia shook his head. I hear the
sheets rustle, the woman said, smiling, which means you either
(03:44):
shook or nodded your head. I know from my study
of the old customs that one means yes and the
other no. But you must have patience with us who
cannot see. We are not used to your people. Do
you wish to talk, she repeated, Oh, said Gia, No, No,
(04:08):
I don't very well. But the woman said she rose,
still smiling. I will return later. She walked to a
wall in which a door slipped open, and then it
closed again behind her. He lay still on the bed
for a long time. Then he turned over on his stomach.
(04:30):
Once he brought the stump under his chest and held
the clean bandages in his other hand. Very quickly, he
let go and stretched the limb sideways as far as
possible away from him. That didn't work, either, so he
moved it back down to his side and let it
lay by him under the white sheet. After a long while,
(04:53):
he got up, sat on the edge of the bed
and looked around the room. It was completely bare, with
neither windows nor visible doors. He went to the spot
through which she had exited, but could find not seam
or crack. His tunic, he saw had been washed, pressed
(05:14):
and laid on the foot of the bed. He slipped
it over his head, Fumbling with only one arm. Getting
the belt together started out to be a problem, but
he hooked the buckle around one finger and maneuvered the
strap through with the other. He adjusted his leather purse,
now empty on his side. Then he saw that the
(05:38):
sword was gone. An unreal feeling, white like the walls
of the room, was beginning to fill him up like
a pale mixture of milk and water. He walked around
the edge of the room once more, looking for some break.
There was a sound behind him, and the tiny eyed
woman in her white robe stood in a triangular doorway.
(06:03):
You're dressed, she smiled, good, are you too tired to
come with me? You will eat and see your friends
if you feel well enough, or I can have the
food brought. I'll come, Geo said. She turned, and he
followed her into a hall of the same luminous substance.
(06:26):
Her heels touched the back of her white robe with
each step, but she was silent. His own bare feet
on the coal stones seemed louder than those of the
blind woman before him. Suddenly he was in a larger
room with benches. It was a chapel, obviously of Argo
because of the altar at the far end, but its
(06:49):
detail was strange. Everything was arranged with the white simplicity
that one would expect of a people to whom visual
adornment meant nothing. He sat down on a bench as
the woman said, wait here. She disappeared down another hall. Suddenly,
(07:10):
the woman returned from the other hallway, followed by a snake.
Geo and the fore armed boy looked at each other silently.
As the woman disappeared again, A wish like a living
thing suddenly writhed into a knot in Geo's stomach that
the boy would say something he himself could not. Again,
(07:33):
she returned, this time with urson. The big man slapped
into the chapel, saw Geo and exclaimed, friend, what happened?
He came to him quickly and placed his warm hands
on Geo's shoulders. What he began and shook his head.
Geo grinned suddenly and patted his stump with his good hand.
(07:57):
I guess jellybelly got something from after all. Erson held
his own forearm dex to Greas and compared them. There
was paleness in both. I guess none of us got
out completely all right. I woke up once while they
were taking the scabs off. It was pretty bad, and
(08:17):
I went to sleep again fast. Jimmy came in. Now well,
I was wondering. He stopped and let out a low whistle. Ah,
guess it really got you, brother. His own arms looked
as though they had been dipped in bleach up to
the mid forearms. How did this happen? Urson asked, when
(08:42):
we were back doing our tight rope act on those
damn gaddas. Explained, Yimmy, our bodies were in the shadow
of the gaddas and the rays only got to our arms.
I've got something you'll be interested in too, Gyo, just
tell me where where the hell we are? Person said,
(09:03):
We're in a monastery sacred to argo. Jimmy told him
it's across the river from the city of New Holpe,
which is where we were. That name sounds familiar in
the began Erson Snake gave him a quick glance, and
he stopped and then frowned. We knew of your presence
(09:27):
in the city of New Hope, explained the blind priestess,
and we found you by the river side. After you
swam across. You managed to cling to life long enough
for us to get you back to the monastery and
apply what art we could to soothe the burns from
the deadly fire. Geo suddenly saw that there was no
(09:50):
jewel around Yemy's neck either. He could almost feel the
hands ripping it from his neck in the water. Jemmy
must have made the same discovery, because his pale hand
raised to his own chest. The priestess beckoned and started
down another hall, and again they followed. They arrived at
(10:11):
an even larger room, this one set with white marble
benches and long white tables. This is the main dining
room of the monastery, their guide explained. One table has
been set up for you. You will not eat with
the other priestesses. Of course, why not, asked Jimmy. Surprise
(10:34):
flowed across the blind face. You are men, she told them,
matter of factly. Then she led them to a table
where wine, meat and balls piled with strange fruit were placed.
As they sat down, she disappeared once more. Geo reached
(10:55):
for a knife. For a moment, there was silence at
the table as the nub of the arm just over food.
I guess I just have to learn, he said, after
the pause. Halfway through the mill, Ursuline said, what about
the jewels? Did the priestess take them from you? They
(11:15):
came off in the water, said Jimmy. Jeu nodded corroboration. Well,
now we really have a problem, said Urson. Here we
are at a temple of argos where we could return
the jewels and maybe even get back to the priestess
on the ship and out of this silly mess, and
(11:36):
the jewels are gone. I guess that also means our
river friends are working for Hama, said Cheo. Well, Jemmy said,
Hama's got his jeweled then and went out of the way.
Perhaps he delivered us into Argo's hands as a reward
both bringing them this far, since we would have died anyway,
(12:00):
said Geo. I guess he was doing us a favor,
and you knew what that means, Jemmy said, looking at snake. Now, huh,
asked Erson. Then he said, oh, let the boy speak
for himself, all right, forearms. Are you or are you not?
(12:21):
A spy? For Hama? A pained expression came over Snake's face,
and he shook his head, not in denial but bewilderment.
Suddenly he got up from the table and ran from
the room. Erson looked at the others. Now, don't tell
me I hurt his feelings by asking you didn't, said Jimmy.
(12:45):
But I may have. I'll keep on forgetting that he
can read minds. What do you mean, person asked just
when you asked him that a lot of things came
together in my mind that would be pretty vicious for
him him if any of it were true. Huh, asked Urson.
(13:06):
I think I know what you mean, said Geo. I
still it means that he is a spy, explained Jemmy.
And among other things, he was probably lying about the
radio back at the city, and that cost Geo his arm.
(13:28):
Why the began? Urson and then looked down the hall
where Snake had disappeared. They didn't need much more. When
they got up, Urson felt sleepy and was shown back
to his room. May I show my friend what you
showed me, Jemmy asked the priestess. When she returned, he
(13:49):
is also student of rituals. Of course, you may, smiled
the priestess. A door opened and they entered another room,
similar to the one in which Geo had awakened. As
she was about to leave, Yemi asked, what can you
tell us how to leave the room ourselves? Why would
(14:11):
you want to leave? She asked, for exercise, offered Geo,
and to observe the working of the monastery. Believe us
we are true students of Argo's religion. Simply press the
wall with your hand level at your waist, and the
door will open. But you must not wander about the monastery.
(14:34):
Rites which are not for your eyes are being carried out,
not for your eyes. She repeated, strange, this is a
phrase that has never left our language. Suddenly confronted by
people who can see it makes me feel somehow, She paused, Well,
(14:56):
that is how to leave the room. She stepped out
and the door closed behind her. Here, said Yimmy, this
is what I wanted to show you. On his bed
were a pile of books, old but legible. Geo flipped
through a few pages. Suddenly he looked up at Jemmy, Hey,
(15:16):
what are they doing with printed books? Question number one,
said Jimmy, Now for question number two. Look here. He
reached over Geo's shoulder and hastened him to one page.
Why it's the began Geo, Ya dawn right it is,
(15:39):
said Yimmy. Him to the goddess Argo forked in the
eye of the bright ash. There the heart of Argo broke,
and the hand of the Goddess would dash through the
head of flame, and the smoke burn the grain speck
in the hand and battered the stars with singing. Hailed
the height of a man and also the height of
(16:01):
a woman. The eyes have imprisoned a vision. The ashtree
dribbles with blood thrust from the gates of the prison
smeared the yew tree with mud. That must be the
full version of the poem. I found the missing stands
it to back in the library at Leptar. As I
was saying, said yemmy, question number two, what is the
(16:26):
relation between the rituals of Hama and the old rituals
of Argo. Apparently this particular branch of the religion of
the goddess underwent no perch, and no one at ouss
Owen was supposed to know about them. I wonder why
Geo asked, that is question number three. How did you
(16:50):
get a hold of them? Well, said Yemmy, I sort
of suspected they might be here, so I just asked
for them. I think I've got some answers to those questions. Fine,
go ahead, we'll start from three and go back to
one and then on to two. Nice and orderly, said Yimy.
(17:15):
Why wasn't anybody supposed to know about the rituals simply
because they were so similar to the rituals of Hama?
You remember some of the others we found in the
abandoned temple. If you don't, you can refresh your memory.
Rob Here the two sets of rituals run almost parallel,
(17:36):
except for a name changed here, a color switched from
black to white, a switch in the vegetative symbolism. I
guess what happened was that when Hama's forces invaded leptarv.
Five hundred years ago, it didn't take Leptop long to
find out the similarity. From the looks of the city
(17:58):
of New Hope, I say, I think it's safe to
assume that at one time or another, say five hundred
years ago, abtoor civilization was far higher than Leaptar's and
probably wouldn't have had too hard a time beating her
in an invasion. So when Leptar captured the first Jewel
(18:22):
and somehow did manage to repel Aptor, the priests of
Leptar assumed that the safest way to avoid infiltration by
Hama and Apdoor again would be to make the rituals
of the two as different as possible from the ones
of their enemy Hamma, the gills, the bats. They parallel
(18:45):
the stories I've heard other sailors tell too closely to
be accidents. How many people do you think have been
shipwrecked on Aptor and gotten far enough into the place
to see what we've seen, and then gotten off again
to tail about it. I can think of two, said Geo. Humph,
(19:07):
said Jimmy. Snake and Geordie answered Geo, remember that, Argo
said there had been spies from Apdoor before, and Geordie
is definitely one, And I guess so is Snake? True enough,
said Jimmy, I'll guess that fits into room number one.
(19:28):
He got up from the bed. Come on, let's take
a walk. I want to see some sunlight. They went
to the wall. Geo pressed it and a triangular panel
slipped back. When they head rounded four or five turns
of hallway, Geo said, I hope you can remember where
we've been. I've got a more or less perfect memory
(19:50):
for directions, Jemy said. Suddenly, the passage opened on two steps,
and they were looking out upon a huge, unre believed
white chamber down a set of thirty marble steps. Priestesses
filed below them in rows, their heads fixed blindly forward.
(20:11):
At the end was a raised dais with a mammoth
statue of a kneeling woman sculptured of the same effulgent
agate material. Where do these women come from, whispered Chio,
and where do they keep the men? Jimmy shrugged. Suddenly,
(20:32):
the figure of the blind priestess was beside them. Excuse me, ma'am,
Jimmy said, sensing her disapproval of their presence. We didn't
mean to be disrespectful, but we are creatures who are
used to natural day and night. We are used to fresh,
a green things. This underground whiteness is oppressive to us
(20:54):
and makes us restless. Is it any way that you
could show us away into the open? There is not?
Returned the blind priestess quietly and motioned them to follow.
Her from the chamber. Besides, night is coming on, and
you are not creatures who relish darkness. The night air
(21:16):
and the quiet of evening is refreshing to us, countered, Yimmy,
what do you know the night, answered the priestess, with
faint cynicism in her low voice. Now they reached the
chapel where the friends had first met after the rescue.
What can you tell us about the dark god Hamah,
(21:36):
Geo asked the blind priestess, shrugged and sat down on
one of the benches. There is little to say to day.
He is a fiction. He does not exist. There is
only Argo, the one white goddess. But we've heard Geo began.
(21:57):
You were at his abandoned temple, said the priestess. You
saw yourselves. That is all that is left of Hama.
Ghouls prey on the dust of his dead saints. Perhaps
somewhere behind the burning mountain. A few of his disciples
are left, But Hama is dead in Abdor. You have
(22:19):
seen the remains of his city, the city of New Hope.
You have also been the first ones to go in
and return in nearly five hundred years? Is that how
long the city has been in ruin? Asked Jeo it is,
What can you tell us about the city, Jimmy said,
(22:43):
The priestess sighed again. There was a time, she began,
generations ago, when Hama was a high god in Aptor.
He had many temples, monasteries, and convents devoted to him.
We had few except for these religious sanctuaries. The land
(23:05):
was barbaric, wild, uninhabitable for the most part. There had
once been cities in Aptor, but these had been destroyed
even earlier by the Great Fire. All that we had
was a fantastic record of an unbelievable time before the
reign of Flame, of tremendous power, vast science, and a towering,
(23:28):
though degenerate civilization. These records were extensive and entirely housed
within the monasteries. Outside the monasteries there was only chaos,
where half the children were born dead and the other
half deformed, and with the monstrous races that sprang up
(23:49):
over the island. Now as a reminder to us, we
declared that the magic contained in these chronicles was evil
and must never be release to the world again. But
the priests of Hamah decided to use the information in
these chronicles spread it to the people, and declared that
(24:10):
they would not commit the same mistakes that had brought
the Great Fire. They opened the books, and the city
of New Hope grew on the far shore of the river.
They made giant machines that flew through the air. They
constructed immense boats which could sink into the sea and
(24:32):
emerge hundreds of miles away in another harbor, in another land.
They even harnessed for beneficial use the fire metal uranium,
which had brought such terror to the world before, and
had brought down the flames. But they made the same
mistake as the people before the Great Fire made, suggested Jimmy.
(24:57):
Not exactly, said the priestess. Is they were not so
stupid as to misuse the fire metal, which ravaged the
world so harshly before. History is cyclic, not repetitive. A
new power was discovered that toward the significance of the
fire metal. It could do all that the fire metal
(25:18):
could do, and more efficiently destroy cities or warm chilly
huts in winter. But it could also work on men's minds.
They say that before the Great Fire, men wandered the
streets of the cities, terrified that flames would descend on them,
(25:39):
any moment and destroy them. They panicked bought flimsy, useless
contraptions to guard themselves from the fire Geo yimmy, have
you any idea how terrifying it would be to know that,
while walking the streets, at any moment, your mind might
be snacked from you, raped, violated, and left broken in
(26:04):
your own skull. Only three of these instruments were constructed,
but the moment their existence was made known by a
few fantastic demonstrations, the city of New Hope began the
swerve down the ark of its own self destruction. It
lasted for a year and ended with a broken wreck
(26:24):
you escape from last night. During that year, invasions were
launched on the backward nations across the sea, with whom
months before there had been friendly trade. Civil wars broke out,
and internal struggles caused the invasions to fall back to
the homeland. The instruments were hopelessly lost, but not before
(26:49):
the bird machines had even dropped bombs on the city
of New Hope itself. The House of the Fire Metal
was broken open to release its death once more. For
a hundred years after the end, say our records, the
city flamed with light from the destroyed powerhouse. During the
(27:11):
first hundred years, more and more of our number were
born blind because of the sinking fire in the city.
At last we moved under ground, but it was too late.
She rose from her seat, And so you see, Hama
destroyed himself. To day, loyal to Argo are all the
(27:34):
beasts of the air, of the land, and of the water.
What about the three instruments, Geo asked, what happened to them?
The blind priestess turned to him, Your guests, she said, smiling,
is as good as mine. She turned again and glided
(27:56):
softly from the room. When she left, Jemmy said, something
is fishing, But what is it, said Geo. Well, for
one thing, said Yemmy, we know there is a Hama
from this dream. I would say that it's just about
(28:17):
the size and organization of this place. Just how big
is this place? Anyway? Geo asked, want to do some
more exploring? Sure, he answered, do you think she does
know about Hama? But was just pretending? Could be, said Jemmy.
(28:38):
They started off down another corridor. That bit about going
into Min's minds with the jewels, Yemmy went on, it
gives me the crepes it's a creepy thing to watch,
said Cheo. Argo used it on Snake the first time
we saw her. It just turns you into an automaton.
(29:00):
Then it really is our jewels. She was talking about.
Stairs cut a white tunnel into the wall before them,
and they mounted upward, coming finally to another corridor. They
turned down it and for the first time saw recognizable
doors in the wall. Hey, said, Yimmy, Maybe one of
(29:22):
these goes outside. Fine, said Cheo. This place is beginning
to get to me. He pushed open a door and
stepped in. Except for the flowing white walls, it duplicated
in miniature the basement of the new Edison Building twin dynamos, Word,
(29:42):
and the walls were laced with pipes. Nothing in here,
said Yemmy. They tried a door across the hall. Now
in this one sat at white porcelain table and floored
to ceiling cases of glittering instruments. I'll bet this is
the room your arm ca Jimmy said, Probably, replied Geo.
(30:06):
They came out and continued even farther. In the next room,
the glow was dimmer and there was dust on the walls.
Jimmy ran his finger over it and looked at the
gray crescent left on the bleached flesh. Two huge screens
leaned out from the face of a metal machine. A
few dials and a glass meter hung beneath each two
(30:30):
yard rounded rectangle of opaque glass. In front of each
was a stand which held something like a set of
binoculars and what looked like a pair of ear muffs.
I bet this place hasn't been used since before these
girls went blind, said g O. E looks it, Jimmy said.
(30:52):
He stepped up to one of the screens, the one
with a fewer dials on it, and turned a switch.
What did you do that for, Geo asked, Why not,
said Jimmy. Suddenly a flickering of colored lights ran over
the screen, swellings of blue, green, shiny scarlets. They blinked.
(31:14):
That's the first color I've seen since I've been here,
Jimmy said. The colors grayed, dimmed, congealed into forms, and
in a moment they were looking at a bare white
room in which stood two barefoot young men. One was
a dark Negro with pale hands. The other had an
(31:36):
unruly shock of black hair and only one arm. Hey
gestured Jimmy and the figure on the screen gestured too,
that's us. He walked forward, and the corresponding figure advanced
on the screen. He flicked a dial and the figures
exploded into colors, and then focused again. What's that? Asked Jemmy.
(32:02):
In a room stood three of the blind women. On
one wall was a smaller screen, similar to the one
in their own room. The women, of course, were oblivious
to the picture on it. But it was the picture
on the screen that had stopped Geo. It was a face,
a man's face. One of the women had on an
(32:26):
ear muff apparatus and was talking into a small metal rod,
which he carried with her as she paced. But the picture,
don't you recognize him, demanded Geo. It's Jawny, exclaimed Jemmy.
They must have gotten in contact without sheep and are
arranging to send us back. I wish I could hear
(32:49):
what they're saying, said Geo. Jemmy looked around and then
picked up the metal ear muss from the stand in
front of the screen. That what she seems to be
listening through, said Yimy, referring to the priestess in the picture.
Try them go on, he helped Geo fit them over
his ears. Hear anything, Geo listened. Yes, of course, the
(33:16):
priestess was saying. She is set out upon staying in
the harbor for three more days to wait out the week,
reported Geordie. I am sure she will not remain any longer.
She is still bewildered by me, and the men have
become uneasy and may well mutiny if she stays longer.
(33:38):
We will dispose of the prisoners this evening. There is
no chance of their returning, stated the Priestess. Detain them
for three days, and I do not care what you
do with them, said Jeordie. She does not have the jewels,
she does not know my our power. She will be
sure to leave at the end of the week. It's
(34:00):
a pity we have no jewels for all our trouble,
said the priestess. But at least all three are back
in Aptor and potentially within our grasp. Geordie laughed. Ha,
and Hama never seems to be able to keep hold
of them for more than ten minutes before they slipped
from him again. Yours is not to judge either Hama
(34:26):
or Argo, stated the Priestess. You are kept on by
us only to do your job. Do it report, and
do not trouble either us or yourself with opinions. They
are not appreciated. Yes, mistress returned Jordie. Then farewell until
next report. She flipped the switch and the picture in
(34:49):
the little screen went gray. Geo turned from the big
screen now and was just about to remove the hearing
apparatus when he heard the priestess say, go pair of
the prisoners for the sacrifice of the rising moon. They
have seen enough. The woman left the room. Geo finished
removing the phones, and Jimmy looked at him. What's the matter.
(35:14):
Geo turned the switch that darkened the screen. When are
they coming to get us, Jimmy asked, excitedly, Right now, probably,
Geo said, Then, as bestI could, he repeated the conversation
he had overheard to Jemmy, whose expression grew more and
more bewildered as Geo went on. At the end, the
(35:35):
bewilderment suddenly flared into freighted indignation. Why, demanded Jemmy, Why
should we be sacrificed? What is it? We've seen too
much of? What is it? We know? This is a
second Tom. It's come close to getting me killed, and
I wish to hell. I'm knew what I was supposed
(35:56):
to know. We've got to find Urson and get out
of here, said Geo. Hey, what's wrong? The indignation had
turned into something else. Now Jimmy stood with his eyes
shut tight and his face screwed up. Suddenly he relaxed.
I've just thought out a message as loud as I
(36:17):
could for Snipe to get up here and to bring
uson if he's anywhere around. But Snake's a spy for
for Hammer, said Jimmy. And you know something I don't care.
He closed his eyes again. After a few moments he
opened them. Well, if he's coming, he's coming. Let's get going.
(36:43):
But why, began Geo, following Jimmy out of the door.
Because I have a poet's feeling that some fancy mind
reading may come in handy. They hurried down the hall,
bound the stairs, ducked down, and ran along the lower
Rounding a second corner. They emerged into the little chapel
(37:04):
simultaneously with Urson and Snake. I guess I got through,
said Jimmy. Which way do we go, gentlemen? Gentlemen? Came
a voice from behind them. Snake took off down one
of the passages, and they followed Urson, Looking particularly bewildered.
(37:27):
The priestess glided behind them, calling softly, please, my friends
come back, return with me. Find out from her how
the hell to get out of this place. Jimmy bawled
up to Snake. The four armed boys suddenly darted up
a flight of stairs, turned a corner, and darted up another.
(37:48):
They came out on a hall and followed Snake to
the end. All four of the boy's hands flew at
the door handle, turning it carefully this way and back.
Two three seconds, Geo glanced back and saw the priestess
mount the top of the stairs and began to come
forward to them. She seemed to float, her white robes
(38:10):
flaring out from her, brushing at the walls. The door
came open. They broke through leaves and were momentarily standing
in a huge field of grass surrounded by woods. The
night was fully lit by the moon. As they ran
through the silver washed grass, Geo turned to look behind him.
(38:31):
The blind priestess had slowed, Her white face turned to
the moon. Her hands went to her throat. She unclasped
her robe, and the first layer fell away behind her.
As she came on, the second layer began to unfold, wet,
deathly white, spreading, growing to her arms, articulating itself along
(38:54):
the white spines, then, with a horribly familiar shriek, up
from the ground and soared upward, her white wings hammering
the air. They fled, and other dark forms were shadowing
the moon. The priestesses across the field joined her. Aloft
(39:16):
in the moon bleached sky, she overtook the running figures,
turned about them, and swooped. The moon lanced white along
bared fangs. The night breeze touched pale furry breasts filled
the bellying wings. Only the tiny, darting blind eyes were
red rubied in a whirl of white. They crashed into
(39:40):
the protective bushes, where the winged things could not follow.
Branches raked his face as he ran behind the sound
the others made once he thought he had lost them,
but a second later he bumped against Jemmy, who had
stopped behind Snake and Urson. In the darkness above the
trees was a sound like beaten cloth, diminishing, growing but constant,
(40:06):
as once more they began to trod through the tangled darkness.
What the hell Jimmy finally breathed softly. After a minute
of walking. You know, it's beginning to make sense, Geo said,
his hand on Jimmy's shoulder. Remember that man wolf we met,
and that blob in the city. The only thing we've
(40:29):
met on this place that can't change shape is the ghouls.
I think most animals on this island undergo some sort
of metamorphosis. What about those first blind things we met,
whispered Urson. They didn't change into anything. We have probably
(40:50):
just been guessed of the female of the species, said Geo.
You mean those others could have changed into men too,
if they wanted. Person asked if they wanted, answered Jea
in front of them now appeared faint shiftings of silver light.
Five minutes later, they were crouching at the edge of
(41:12):
the forest, looking down over the rocks at the white
shimmerings over the river into the water. Geo asked, Snake
shook his head. Wait came the familiar sound in their heads.
Suddenly a hand raised from the water, wet and green.
(41:32):
It stood a foot or so from the shore and
the silver ripples. The chain and the leather thong dangled
down the wrist and swaying. There were two bright beads
of light. Jimmy and Geo froze Ersuon said. The jewels
suddenly crouched low like an animal. The big man sprang
(41:54):
on to the rocks and ran toward the river's edge. Shadows,
one white, too dark, converged above him, cutting the moonlight
away from him. If he saw them, he did not stop.
Jimmy and Geo stood up from their crutch positions. Urson
reached the shore, threw himself along the rock, and swiped
(42:18):
at the hand. Instantly he was covered by flailing wings.
The membraneous sails splashed in the water. Two seconds later,
Urson rolled from beneath the layers of membrane that still struggled,
half on land and half in the water. He started
forward up the rocks. He slipped, regained his footing, and
(42:40):
then came on, nearly falling into Geo's and Yemy's waiting arms.
The jewels Urson breathed. The struggle continued a minute longer
on the water. Something was holding them down, twisting at them.
Then suddenly the creek stilled, and like great leaves, the
(43:03):
three forms drifted apart, caught quietly in the current and
floated away from the rocks. Then two more forms bobbed
to the surface, faces down, rocking gently, backs slicked wet
and green shiny under the moonlight. But those were the
(43:23):
ones who Jail began. Are they dead? His face suddenly
hurt a little with something like the pain of verging tears.
Snake nodded, are you, Shah, asked Jimmy. His voice came slowly.
Their thoughts have stopped, Snake said, Crouched down in front
(43:49):
of them, Urson opened his great hands. The globes blazed
even in the dim light, through the leaves, and the
chain and the wet thong hung over his palm to
the ground. I have them, he said, the jewels. End
of Chapter eight
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