Chapter 18

10 min

“Little sister....”

“Yes?”

“I am so hungry, sister...!”

“I'm so hungry, sister...!”

“Hungry...!” echoed out of the depths.

“Hungry...!” echoed from the depths.

“Don’t you want to hear the end of my story?”

“Yes.... But sister, when you’ve finished, can’t we go out and have dinner?”

“Yes.... But sister, when you’re finished, can’t we go out for dinner?”

“Of course ... as soon as my story’s finished.... Just think: Foxy Fox went for a walk—went for a walk through the beautiful flowery meadows; he had his Sunday coat on, and he held his bushy red tail bolt upright, and he was smoking his little pipe and singing all the while.... Do you know what Foxy Fox sang?—

“Of course ... as soon as I finish my story.... Just think: Foxy Fox went for a walk. He walked through the beautiful, flowery meadows. He wore his Sunday coat and held his bushy red tail straight up. He smoked his little pipe and sang all the while.... Do you know what Foxy Fox sang?

I am the cheerful Fox—Hurray! I am the cheerful Fox—Hurray!

I am the cheerful Fox, hooray! I am the cheerful Fox, hooray!

And then he hopped for joy! And little Mr. Hedgehog was sitting on his hillock and he was so glad that his radishes were coming on so nicely, and his wife was standing by the hedge, gossiping with Mrs. Mole, who had just got a new fur for the Autumn....”

And then he hopped for joy! Little Mr. Hedgehog sat on his hillock, delighted that his radishes were growing so well. His wife stood by the hedge, gossiping with Mrs. Mole, who had just gotten a new fur for autumn....”

“Sister....”

“Yes?”

“Can the water from down there be coming up after us?”

“Could the water from down there be rising after us?”

“Why, little brother?”

“I can hear it gurgling....”

“Don’t listen to the water, little brother ... just listen to what Mrs. Hedgehog has to chatter about!”

“Don’t listen to the water, little brother. Just listen to what Mrs. Hedgehog has to say!”

“Yes, sister, but the water is chattering so loud ... I think it chatters much louder than Mrs. Mole....”

“Yes, sister, but the water is chattering so loudly... I think it chatters much louder than Mrs. Mole....”

“Come away from the stupid water, little brother.... Come here to me! You can’t hear the water here!”

“I can’t come to you sister! I can’t move, sister.... Can’t you come and fetch me?”

“I can’t come to you, sister! I can’t move, sister.... Can’t you come and get me?”

“Me too, sister—yes, me too!—me too!”

“Me too, sister! Yes, me too! Me too!”

“I can’t do that, little brothers, little sisters! Your youngest brothers and sisters are on my lap. They have gone to sleep and I mustn’t wake them!”

“I can’t do that, little brothers and sisters! Your youngest brothers and sisters are on my lap. They’re asleep, and I mustn’t wake them!”

“Oh sister, are we sure to get out?”

“Oh, sister, are we sure we can get out?”

“Why do you ask as if you were frightened, little brother?”

“Why do you ask as if you’re scared, little brother?”

“The floor is shaking so and stones are tumbling down from the ceiling!”

“The floor is shaking so much, and stones are falling from the ceiling!”

“Have those silly stones hurt you?”

“Did those silly stones hurt you?”

“No, but my little sister’s lying down and she’s not moving any more.”

“No, but my little sister is lying down, and she’s not moving anymore.”

“Don’t disturb her, little brother. Your sister’s asleep!”

“Yes, but she was crying just now...!”

“Don’t be sorry little brother that she had gone where she need not cry any more....”

“Don’t be sad, little brother, that she has gone somewhere she doesn’t have to cry anymore....”

“Where has she gone to, then, sister?”

“Where has she gone, then, sister?”

“To heaven, I think.”

“Is heaven so near, then?”

“So heaven is that close?”

“Oh yes, quite near. I can even see the door from here! And if I’m not wrong, Saint Peter is standing there, in front of it, with a large golden key, waiting until he can let us in....”

“Oh yes, very close. I can even see the door from here! And if I’m not mistaken, Saint Peter is standing in front of it with a large golden key. He’s waiting to let us in....”

“Oh, sister ... sister!! Now the water’s coming up—! Now it’s got hold of my feet! Now it’s lifting me up—!”

“Oh, sister ... sister!! The water’s rising! It’s reached my feet! It’s lifting me up!”

“Sister!! Help me, sister.—The water has come—!!”

“Sister! Help me, sister! The water is here!”

“God can help you—Almighty God!”

“God can help you, Almighty God!”

“Sister, I’m frightened!”

“Sister, I’m scared!”

“Are you frightened of going into the lovely heaven?”

“Are you afraid to go into the lovely heaven?”

“Is it lovely in heaven?”

“Is heaven lovely?”

“Oh—glorious—glorious!”

“Oh, glorious, glorious!”

“Is Foxy Fox in heaven, too—and little Mr. Hedgehog?”

“Is Foxy Fox in heaven too, and little Mr. Hedgehog?”

“I don’t know! Shall I ask Saint Peter about it?”

“I don’t know! Should I ask Saint Peter about it?”

“Yes, sister.... Are you crying?”

“No, why should I be crying?—Saint Peter—! Saint Peter—!”

“No, why should I be crying? Saint Peter! Saint Peter!”

“Did he hear?”

“Dear God, how cold the water is....”

“Dear God, the water is so cold....”

“Saint Peter—! Saint Peter—!!”

“Saint Peter! Saint Peter!!”

“Sister.... I think he answered, just now....”

“Sister... I think he just answered...”

“Really, little brother?”

“Yes ... somebody was calling....”

“Yes, I heard it, too!”

“... So did I....”

“Hush, children, hush....”

“Quiet, children, quiet....”

“Oh, sister, sister—!”

“Oh, sister, sister!”

“Hush, please—please—!”

“Quiet, please, please!”

“... Maria—!”

“... Maria...!”

“Freder—!!!”

“Freder!!!”

“Maria—are you there—?”

“Maria, are you there?”

“Freder—Freder—here I am! Here I am, Freder—!!”

“Freder, Freder, here I am! Here I am, Freder!”

“On the stairs?”

“Yes!”

“Why don’t you come up?”

“I can’t raise the door!”

“I can’t lift the door!”

“Ten trains have run together.... I can’t come to you! I must go and get help!”

“Ten trains have collided.... I can’t come to you! I have to get help!”

“Oh, Freder, the water’s already close behind us!”

“Oh, Freder, the water is already close behind us!”

“The water—?”

“The water...?”

“Yes!—And the walls are falling in!”

“Yes! And the walls are falling in!”

“Are you hurt—?”

“Are you hurt?”

“No, no.... Oh, Freder, if you could only force open the door wide enough for me to push the little children’s bodies through....”

“No, no.... Oh, Freder, if only you could force the door open wide enough for me to push the little children’s bodies through....”

The man above her did not give her an answer.

The man above her did not answer her.

When steeling his muscles and sinews in the “Club of the Sons,” playfully wrestling with his friends, he surely never guessed that he would need them one day to force a path through ruined cables, upright pistons and out-spread wheels of fallen machines to the woman he loved. He thrust the pistons aside like human arms, clutched into steel as into soft, yielding flesh. He worked his way nearer the door and threw himself on the ground.

When he strengthened his muscles and tendons in the “Club of the Sons,” he playfully wrestled with his friends. He surely never guessed he would one day need that strength to reach the woman he loved. He would have to force his way through tangled cables, upright pistons, and the spread-out wheels of fallen machines. He shoved the pistons aside as if they were human arms, gripping the steel as if it were soft flesh. He worked his way closer to the door and threw himself to the ground.

“Maria—?”

“Maria?”

“Freder?”

“Where are you? Why does your voice sound so far away?”

“I want to be the last whom you save, Freder! I am carrying the tiniest ones on my shoulders and arms....”

“I want to be the last one you save, Freder! I’m carrying the tiniest ones on my shoulders and in my arms....”

“Is the water still rising?”

“Yes.”

“Is it rising fast or slowly?”

“Is it rising quickly or slowly?”

“Fast.”

“My God, my God.... I can’t get the door loose! The machines are piled up on top of it like mountains! I must explode the ruins, Maria!”

“My God, my God.... I can’t get the door open! The machines are piled on top of it like mountains! I have to blow up the wreckage, Maria!”

“Very well.” Maria’s voice sounded as though she were smiling. “Meanwhile I can finish telling my story....”

“All right.” Maria sounded as if she were smiling. “Meanwhile, I can finish telling my story....”

Freder dashed away. He did not know where his feet should carry him. He thought vaguely of God.... “Thy will be done.... Deliver us from evil.... For Thine is the ... power....”

Freder rushed away. He did not know where to go. He thought vaguely of God.... “Your will be done.... Deliver us from evil.... For yours is the ... power....”

From the sooty black sky a frightful gleam, of the colour of spilt blood, fell upon the city, which appeared as a silhouette of tattered velvet in the painful scarcity of light. There was not a soul to be seen and yet the air throbbed under the unbearable knife-edge of shrieks of women from the vicinity of Yoshiwara, and, while the organ of the cathedral was shrilling and whistling, as though its mighty body were wounded unto death, the windows of the cathedral, lighted from within, began, phantom-like to glow.

A terrifying blood-red glow fell from the soot-black sky onto the city. In the painfully scarce light, the city looked like a silhouette of tattered velvet. Not a soul was in sight, yet the air throbbed with the unbearable, knife-sharp shrieks of women near Yoshiwara. The cathedral organ shrilled and whistled, as if its mighty body had been mortally wounded. As it sounded, the cathedral windows, lit from within, began to glow like ghosts.

Freder staggered along to the tower-house in which the heart of the great machine-city of Metropolis had lived, and which it had torn open from top to bottom, when racing itself to death, in the fever of the “12,” so that the house now looked like a ripped open, gaping gate.

Freder staggered toward the tower-house where the heart of the great machine-city of Metropolis had lived. In the fever of the “12,” the heart had raced itself to death, tearing the house open from top to bottom. Now the house looked like a gate ripped open and gaping wide.

A lump of humanity was crawling about the ruins, seeming, from the sounds it emitted, to be nothing but a single curse, on two legs. The horror which lay over Metropolis was Paradise compared with the last, cruel destruction which the lump of humanity was invoking from the lowest and hottest of hells upon the city and its inhabitants.

A lump of humanity crawled among the ruins. From the sounds it made, it seemed to be nothing but a single curse on two legs. The horror hanging over Metropolis was Paradise compared with the final, cruel destruction the lump of humanity was calling down from the lowest, hottest depths of hell upon the city and its inhabitants.

He found something among the ruins, raised it to his face, recognised it and broke out into howls, similar to the howls of a kicked dog. He rubbed his sobbing mouth upon the little piece of steel.

He found something among the ruins and raised it to his face. When he recognized it, he began to howl like a kicked dog. He rubbed his sobbing mouth against the little piece of steel.

“May the stinking plague gnaw you, you lice—! May you sit in muck up to your eyes—! May you swill gas instead of water and burst every day—for ten thousand years—over and over again—!”

“May the stinking plague eat you alive, you lice! May you sit in filth up to your eyes! May you drink gas instead of water and burst every day for ten thousand years, over and over again!”

“Grot!”

“Filth—!”

“Filth!”

“Grot!!—Thank God.... Grot, come here!”

“Grot! Thank God. Grot, come here!”

“Who’s that—”

“Who’s that...”

“I am Joh Fredersen’s son—”

“I am Joh Fredersen’s son...”

“Aaah—Hell and the devil—I wanted you—! Come here, you toad—! I must have you between my fists. I’d much rather have had your father, but you’re a bit of him and better than nothing! Come along here, if you’ve got the guts. Ah—my lad, wouldn’t I like to get hold of you! I’d like to smear you from top to toe in mustard and eat you! D’you know what your father’s done—?”

“Aaah, hell and the devil! I wanted you! Come here, you toad! I have to get you in my fists. I’d much rather have had your father, but you’re part of him, and better than nothing! Come here, if you’ve got the guts. Ah, boy, I’d love to get my hands on you! I’d like to cover you from head to toe in mustard and eat you! Do you know what your father has done?”

“Grot—!”

“Grot!”

“Let me finish—I tell you! Do you know what he did—? He made me give up ... he made me give up my machine....”

“Let me finish, I’m telling you! Do you know what he did? He made me give up ... he made me give up my machine....”

And once more the miserable howling of a kicked dog.

And once again, the miserable howl of a kicked dog.

“My machine ... my—my machine—! That devil up there! That God-damned devil!...”

“My machine ... my, my machine! That devil up there! That goddamn devil!...”

“Grot, listen to me—”

“Grot, listen to me...”

“I won’t listen to anything!—”

“I won’t listen to anything!”

“Grot, in the underground city, the water has broken in....”

“Grot, water has broken into the underground city....”

Seconds of silence. Then—roars of laughter, and, on the heap of ruins, the dance of a four-legged lump, which kicked its stumps amid wild yells, clapping its hands the while.

Seconds of silence. Then came roars of laughter. On the pile of ruins, a four-legged lump danced, kicking its stumps and clapping its hands amid wild yells.

“That’s right—! Hallelujah Amen—!”

“That’s right! Hallelujah, Amen!”

“Grot—!” Freder laid fast hold of the dancing lump and shook it so that its teeth rattled. “The water has flooded the city! The lights lie in ruins! The water has risen up the steps! And upon the door—upon the only door, there lie tons upon tons of trains which collided with each other there!”

“Grot!” Freder grabbed the dancing lump and shook it until its teeth rattled. “The water has flooded the city! The lights are in ruins! The water has risen up the steps! And against the door, the only door, lie tons upon tons of trains that collided there!”

“Let the rats drown—!”

“Let the rats drown!”

“The children, Grot—!!”

“The children, Grot!!”

Grot stood as if paralysed.

Grot stood as if paralyzed.

“A girl,” continued Freder, clutching his hand into the man’s shoulder, “a girl,” he said sobbingly, bending his head as if to bury it in the man’s breast, “a girl has tried to save the children and is now shut in with them and can’t get out—”

“A girl,” Freder continued, gripping the man’s shoulder. “A girl,” he said, sobbing and bowing his head as if to bury it in the man’s chest. “A girl tried to save the children. Now she’s trapped in there with them and can’t get out.”

Grot began to run.

Grot started running.

“We must explode the ruins, Grot!”

“We must blow up the ruins, Grot!”

Grot stumbled, turned about and went on running, Freder behind him, closer than his shadow....

Grot stumbled, turned around, and kept running. Freder followed him, closer than his shadow....

“... But Foxy Fox knew very well that Mr. Hedgehog would come to help him out of the trap, and he wasn’t a bit frightened and waited quite cheerfully, although it was a good long time before Mr. Hedgehog—gallant Mr. Hedgehog! came back....”

“... But Foxy Fox knew very well that Mr. Hedgehog would come and help him out of the trap. He wasn’t frightened at all and waited quite cheerfully. Still, it was a long time before Mr. Hedgehog came back. Gallant Mr. Hedgehog!....”

“Maria—!”

“Maria...!”

“Oh Christ.... Freder?”

“Oh Christ... Freder?”

“Don’t be startled, do you hear?”

“Don’t be startled, do you hear me?”

“Freder, you’re not in danger?”

No answer. Silence. A crackling sound. Then a childish voice:

No answer. Silence. A crackling sound. Then a child's voice:

“And did Mr. Hedgehog come, sister?”

“Yes—”

“Yes...”

But the “yes” was drowned by the tearing of thousands of steel cables, the roar of tens of thousands of rocks which were hurled up to the dome of heaven, to burst the dome and to sink, to hurtle downwards, causing the earth to sway under their fall.

But the “yes” was drowned out by the snapping of thousands of steel cables. Tens of thousands of rocks roared as they were hurled up to the dome of heaven. They burst through the dome, then plunged downward, making the earth sway when they fell.

Supplementary crackling. Grey, leisurely clouds. Distant rumbling. And steps. Childish crying. And, up above, the door which was hauled upwards:

More crackling. Grey clouds drifting slowly. Distant rumbling. And footsteps. A child crying. And, high above, the door being pulled upward:

“Maria—!”

“Maria...!”

A blackened face bent downwards; filthy hands stretched out, gropingly.

A blackened face bent down. Filthy hands reached out, groping.

“Maria—!”

“Maria...!”

“Here I am, Freder!”

“I can hardly hear you....”

“Get the children out first, Freder.... The wall’s sinking....”

“Get the children out first, Freder.... The wall is sinking....”

Grot came lumbering along and threw himself on the ground by Freder’s side, clutching down into the pit from which the children were scrambling out, screaming. He grabbed the children by the hair, by the neck, by the head, and hauled them up, as one pulls up radishes. His eyes were popping out of his head with fear. He hurled the children over his body, so that they tumbled over, shrieking miserably. He cursed like a hundred devils.

Grot lumbered over and threw himself on the ground beside Freder. He reached down into the pit, where the children were scrambling out and screaming. He grabbed them by their hair, necks, and heads and pulled them up like radishes. His eyes bulged with fear. He threw the children over his body, and they tumbled over, shrieking miserably. He cursed like a hundred devils.

“Isn’t that nearly all of them—?”

“Isn’t that nearly all of them?”

He bawled down two names....

He shouted two names down....

“Father, father—!” sobbed two little voices in the depths.

“Father, father!” sobbed two little voices from the depths.

“The devil take you, you couple of Jackanapes!” roared the man. He rummaged the children aside with his fists, as if he were shovelling rubbish on the dustheap. Then he gulped, snorted, clutched out, and had two children hanging around his neck, wet and shivering piteously, but alive—and their limbs stood more in danger of his fumbling fists than previously of the water and the tumbling stones.

“Damn you, you pair of little rascals!” the man roared. He shoved the children aside with his fists, as if shoveling rubbish onto a trash heap. Then he gulped, snorted, and reached out. He pulled two children around his neck. They were wet and shivering pitifully, but alive. And their limbs were in more danger from his clumsy fists than they had been from the water and tumbling stones.

With the children in both arms, Grot rolled over on his side. He sat up and planted the couple before him.

Holding both children in his arms, Grot rolled onto his side. He sat up and set them down in front of him.

“You God-damned pair of ragamuffins!” he said, amidst sobs. He wiped the tears from his eyes. And sprang up, hurling the children aside, like two little hay-stooks. With the furious roar of a lion, he ran to the door, from the depths of which Maria was emerging, with closed eyes, supported by Freder’s arm.

“You God-damned pair of ragamuffins!” he said, sobbing. He wiped the tears from his eyes. Then he sprang up, tossing the children aside like two little piles of hay. Roaring like an angry lion, he ran to the door. Maria was emerging from the doorway with her eyes closed, supported by Freder’s arm.

“You bloody—!” he howled out. He dragged Freder aside, shoved the girl back into the depths, slammed the trap-door to, and slung his entire weight upon it, drumming the rhythm of his laughter upon it with clenched fists.

“You bloody...!” he howled. He dragged Freder aside and shoved the girl back into the depths. He slammed the trapdoor shut and threw his full weight onto it, drumming on it with clenched fists to the rhythm of his laughter.

A grim effort had kept Freder on his feet. Beside himself, he fell upon the maniac to tug him from the trap-door, fell over him and rolled with him, in furious embrace, among the ruins of the machines.

Only a desperate effort had kept Freder on his feet. Beside himself, he attacked the maniac, trying to pull him away from the trapdoor. Freder fell over him, and they rolled together among the ruined machines, locked in a furious embrace.

“Let me go, you dog, you mangy dog!” howled Grot, trying to bite at the angry fist which held him. “That woman murdered my machine—That dam’ woman led the rabble—! That woman alone turned the lever to ‘12’—! I saw it when they were trampling on me—! The woman can drown down there—! I’m going to kill that woman—!”

“Let me go, you dog, you mangy dog!” Grot howled, trying to bite the angry fist holding him. “That woman murdered my machine! That damn woman led the mob! That woman alone turned the lever to ‘12’! I saw her do it while they were trampling me! She can drown down there! I’m going to kill that woman!”

With marvellous tension of all his muscles Grot drew himself up and heaved himself, with a jerk, away from the raving man—with such infuriated strength that he, Grot, shot, describing a curve, amidst the children.

With tremendous tension in all his muscles, Grot straightened up and jerked himself away from the raging man. He did it with such furious strength that he flew in an arc into the children.

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, which 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, unscared by the blood-shot eyes with which the giant glared at the dwarves, cudgelling him.

Cursing fiercely, he picked himself up again. But though he was unhurt, he could not move a limb. He was stuck like a helpless spoon in a porridge of children clinging to his arms, legs, and fists. No steel chains could have held him as helplessly as those little cold, wet hands. The children were defending the woman who had rescued them all. Yes, his own children stood before him, angrily pounding his clenched fists. The giant glared at the dwarves beating him, but his bloodshot eyes did not frighten them.

“That woman murdered my machine—!” 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.

“That woman murdered my machine!” he finally howled, sounding more upset than angry. He looked at the girl resting on Freder’s arm, as if expecting her to back him up.

“What does he mean?” asked Maria. “And what has happened?”

“What does he mean?” Maria asked. “And what 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.

She looked at the destruction around her and at the snorting Grot. Her eyes showed horror tempered only by deep exhaustion.

Freder did not answer.

“Come,” he said. And he raised her up in his arms and carried her out. The children followed them like a flock 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.

“Come,” he said. He lifted her into his arms and carried her out. The children followed them like a flock of little lambs. Grot had no choice but to follow their little feet, wherever their little hands tugged him.