Chapter 20

8 min

“Freder—!!! Grot—!!! Freder—!!!”

“Freder!!! Grot!!! Freder!!!”

Josaphat shouted so that his voice cracked, and raced with the bounds of a harried wolf, through passages, across steps of the great pump-works. His shouts were not heard. In the machine-rooms were wounded machines in agony, wanting to obey and not being able. The door was closed. Josaphat hammered against it with his fists, with his feet. It was Grot who opened it to him, revolver in hand.

Josaphat shouted until his voice cracked. He raced through the passages and up the steps of the great pump-works, bounding like a hunted wolf. No one heard his shouts. In the machine rooms, wounded machines were in agony, trying to obey but unable to do so. The door was closed. Josaphat hammered on it with his fists and feet. Grot opened the door, a revolver in his hand.

“What in the name of seething hell....”

“What in the name of boiling hell....”

“Get out of the way—! Where’s Freder—?”

“Get out of the way! Where’s Freder?”

“Here! What’s the matter?”

“Hey! What’s the matter?”

“Freder, they’ve taken Maria captive—”

“Freder, they’ve captured Maria...”

“What?”

“They’ve taken Maria captive and they’re killing her—!”

“They’ve captured Maria, and they’re killing her!”

Freder reeled. Josaphat dragged him towards the door. Like a log, Grot stood in his way, his lips mumbling, his eyes glaring.

Freder staggered. Josaphat dragged him toward the door. Grot stood in their way, stiff as a log. His lips moved as he mumbled, and his eyes glared.

“The woman who killed my machine—!”

“The woman who killed my machine!”

“Shut up, you fool—get out of the way!”

“Shut up, you fool! Get out of the way!”

“Grot!” A sound born half of madness....

“Grot!” A sound born partly of madness....

“Yes, Mr. Freder!”

“You stop with the machines!”

“You stay with the machines!”

“Yes, Mr. Freder!”

“Come on, Josaphat—!”

“Come on, Josaphat!”

The sound of running, running, retreating, ghost-like.

The sound of running, running, fading away like a ghost.

Grot turned round. He saw the paralysed machines. He lifted his arm and struck the machine with the full of his fist, as one strikes a stubborn horse between the eyes.

Grot turned around. He saw that the machines had stopped. He raised his arm and struck the machine with his fist, as if hitting a stubborn horse between the eyes.

“The woman,” he shouted with a howl, “who saved my little children—!”

“The woman,” he shouted with a howl, “who saved my little children!”

And he flung himself upon the machine with grinding teeth....

And he threw himself at the machine, grinding his teeth....

“Tell me—!” said Freder, almost softly. It was as if he did not want to waste an atom of strength. His face was a white stone in which his two eyes flamed like jewels. He jumped to the wheel of the little car in which Josaphat had come. For the pump-works lay at the extreme end of the great Metropolis.

“Tell me!” Freder said, almost softly. It was as if he did not want to waste a bit of strength. His face was white as stone, and his eyes blazed like jewels. He jumped behind the wheel of the little car Josaphat had arrived in. The pump-works were at the far end of the great Metropolis.

It was still night.

The car started.

“We must go terribly out of our way,” said Josaphat, fixing the flashlight. “Many bridges between the houseblocks are blown up....”

“We have to take a very long detour,” said Josaphat, adjusting the flashlight. “Many bridges between the blocks of houses have been blown up....”

“Tell me,” said Freder. His teeth met, chattering, as if he were cold.

“Tell me,” said Freder. His teeth chattered as if he were cold.

“I don’t know who found it out.... Probably the women, who were thinking of their children and wanted to get home. You can’t get anything out of the raving multitude. But anyway: When they saw the black water running towards them from the shafts of the underground railway, and when they realised that the pump-works, the safe-guard of their city, had been destroyed by the stopping of the machines, then they went mad with despair. They say that some mothers, blind and deaf to all remonstrance, tried, as if possessed, to dive down through the flooded shafts, and just the terrible absoluteness of the futility of any attempt at rescue has turned them into beasts and they lust for revenge....”

“I don’t know who found out.... Probably the women, who were thinking of their children and wanted to get home. You can’t get anything out of the frantic crowd. But anyway, they saw black water rushing toward them from the underground railway shafts. They realized that stopping the machines had destroyed the pumps that protected their city. Then they went mad with despair. They say some mothers, deaf to all pleas, tried to dive down the flooded shafts as if possessed. The terrible certainty that no rescue was possible has turned them into beasts, hungry for revenge....”

“Revenge ... on whom?”

“Revenge ... on who?”

“On the girl who seduced them....”

“On the girl...?”

“Go on....”

“Freder, the engine can’t keep up that speed....”

“Go on....”

“I do not know how it happened that the girl ran into their hands. I was on my way to you when I saw a woman running across the cathedral square, with her hair flying, the roaring rabble behind her. There has been the very hell of a night anyway. The Gothics are parading through the town scourging themselves, and they have put the monk Desertus on the cross. They are preaching: Doomsday had come, and it seems that they have converted a good many already, for September is crouching before the smoking ruins of Yoshiwara. A troop of torch dancers joined itself to the flagellants and, with frothing curses upon the Mother of Abominations, the great whore of Babylon, they burned Yoshiwara down to the ground....”

“I don’t know how the girl fell into their hands. I was on my way to you when I saw a woman running across the cathedral square. Her hair was flying, and a roaring mob was chasing her. It has been a hell of a night anyway. The Gothics are marching through town, whipping themselves, and they have crucified the monk Desertus. They are preaching that Doomsday has come. It seems they have already converted quite a few people, for September is crouching before the smoking ruins of Yoshiwara. A group of torch dancers joined the flagellants. Frothing as they cursed the Mother of Abominations, the great whore of Babylon, they burned Yoshiwara to the ground....”

“The girl, Josaphat—”

“The girl, Josaphat...”

“She did not reach the cathedral, Freder, where she wanted to take refuge. They overtook her on the steps because she fell on the steps—her gown hung down in ribbons from her body. A woman, whose white eyes were glowing with insanity shrieked out, as one inspired with the gift of prophecy:

“She never reached the cathedral, Freder, where she had hoped to take refuge. They caught up with her because she fell on the steps. Her gown hung from her body in ribbons. A woman whose white eyes glowed with madness shrieked as if she had been given the gift of prophecy:

“'Look—! Look—! The saints have climbed down from their pedestals and will not let the witch into the cathedral.’”

“‘Look! Look! The saints have climbed down from their pedestals and won't let the witch into the cathedral.’”

“And—”

“And...”

“Before the cathedral they are erecting a bonfire on which to burn the witch....”

“They are building a bonfire in front of the cathedral to burn the witch....”

Freder said nothing. He bent down lower. The car groaned and leapt.

Freder said nothing. He bent down lower. The car groaned and leaped.

Josaphat buried his hand in Freder’s arm.

Josaphat gripped Freder’s arm.

“Stop—for God’s sake!!!”

“Stop, for God’s sake!!!”

The car stopped.

“We must go to the left—don’t you see? The bridge has gone!”

“We have to go left. Don’t you see? The bridge is gone!”

“The next bridge?”

“Is impassable!”

“Impossible to get through!”

“Listen....”

“What is there to hear—”

“What is there to hear?”

“Don’t you hear anything?”

“No....”

“You must hear it—!”

“You must hear it!”

“But what, Freder—?”

“But what, Freder?”

“Shrieks ... distant shrieks....”

“I can’t hear anything....”

“But you must be able to hear it—!!”

“But you must be able to hear it!!”

“Won’t you drive on, Freder?”

“Won’t you keep driving, Freder?”

“And don’t you see that the air over there is getting bright red?”

“And can’t you see that the air over there is turning bright red?”

“From the torches, Freder....”

“They don’t burn so brightly....”

“They don’t burn as brightly....”

“Freder, we’re losing time here—!”

“Freder, we’re losing time here!”

Freder did not answer. He was staring at the tatters of the iron bridge which were dangling down into the ravine of the street. He must cross over, yes, he must cross over, to get to the cathedral by a short cut....

Freder did not answer. He stared at the torn remains of the iron bridge, dangling into the deep street below. He had to cross it. Yes, he had to cross it to take a shortcut to the cathedral....

The frame-support of a ripped-open tower had fallen over from this side of the street to the other, gleaming metallically in the uncertain light of the fading night.

The frame of a torn-open tower had fallen across the street. Its metal gleamed in the dim light of the fading night.

“Get out,” said Freder.

“Why?”

“Get out, I tell you....”

“I want to know why?”

“I want to know why.”

“Because I’m going across there....”

“Because I’m going over there....”

“Across where?”

“Across the frame-support.”

“Across the frame support.”

“Going to drive across—?”

“Going to drive across?”

“Yes.”

“It’s suicide, Freder!”

“I didn’t ask you to accompany me. Get out!”

“I didn’t ask you to come with me. Get out!”

“I won’t permit it—it’s blazing lunacy!”

“I won’t allow it. It’s completely insane!”

“The fire over there is blazing, man—!”

“The fire over there is blazing, man!”

The words seemed not to come from Freder’s mouth.

The words didn't seem to come from Freder's mouth.

Every wound of the dying city seemed to be roaring out of him.

Every wound of the dying city seemed to roar out of him.

“Drive on!” said Josaphat through clenched teeth.

“Drive on!” Josaphat said through clenched teeth.

The car gave a jump. It climbed. The narrow irons received the sucking, skidding wheels, with an evil, maliciously hypocritical sound.

The car jolted. It climbed. The sucking, skidding wheels met the narrow rails with an evil, falsely innocent sound.

Blood was trickling from Freder’s lips.

“Don’t—don’t put the brake on—for God’s sake don’t put the brake on!” shouted the man beside him making a clutch of madness at Freder’s hand. The car, already half-slipping, shot forward again. A split in the frame-work—over, onwards. Behind them the dead frame-work crashed into space amid shrieks.

“Don’t, don’t put on the brakes! For God’s sake, don’t put on the brakes!” shouted the man beside him, grabbing wildly at Freder’s hand. The car, already half slipping, shot forward again. A gap in the framework. They cleared it and raced on. Behind them, the broken framework crashed into space amid screams.

They reached the other side with an impetus which was no longer to be checked. The wheels rushed into blackness and nothing. The car over-turned. Freder fell and got up again. The other remained lying.

They reached the other side with momentum that could no longer be stopped. The wheels rushed into darkness and nothingness. The car overturned. Freder fell and got up again. The other person remained lying there.

“Josaphat—!!”

“Josaphat!!”

“Run! It’s nothing!—I swear to God it’s nothing!” a distorted smile upon the white face. “Think of Maria—and run!”

“Run! It’s nothing! I swear to God it’s nothing!” A twisted smile crossed the pale face. “Think of Maria and run!”

And Freder raced off.

Josaphat turned his head. He saw the blackness of the street flashing bright red. He heard the screams of the thousands. He thought dully, with a thrust of his fist in the air: “Shouldn’t I like to be Grot now, to be able to swear properly....”

Josaphat turned his head. He saw bright red flashes in the darkness of the street. He heard thousands of people screaming. He thrust his fist into the air and thought dully, “I wish I were Grot right now, so I could swear properly....”

Then his head fell back into the filth of the street, and every consciousness faded but that of pain....

Then his head fell back into the filth of the street, and he became aware of nothing but pain....

But Freder ran as he had never run. It was not his feet which carried him. It was his wild heart—it was his thoughts.

But Freder ran faster than he ever had before. His feet did not carry him. His wild heart and his thoughts did.

Streets and stairs and streets and at last the cathedral square. Black in the background, the cathedral, ungodded, unlighted, the place before the broad steps swarming with human beings—and amid them, surrounded by gasps of madly despairing laughter, the howling of songs of fury, the smouldering of torches and brands, high up on the pyre....

Streets and stairs and streets, and at last the cathedral square. The cathedral stood black in the background, without a god or any lights. The square before its broad steps swarmed with people. And among them, surrounded by gasps of wildly despairing laughter, howls of furious songs, and smoldering torches and burning sticks, high up on the pyre....

“Maria—!”

“Maria!”

Freder fell on his knees as though his sinews were sawn through.

Freder fell to his knees as if his tendons had been sawn through.

“Maria—!”

“Maria!”

The girl whom he took to be Maria raised her head. She sought him. Her glance found him. She smiled—laughed.

The girl he thought was Maria raised her head. She looked for him. Her eyes found him. She smiled, then laughed.

“Dance with me, my dearest—!” flew her voice, sharp as a flashing knife, through uproar.

“Dance with me, my dearest!” Her voice cut through the uproar, sharp as a flashing knife.

Freder got up. The mob recognised him. The mob lurched towards him, shrieking and yelling.

Freder got up. The mob recognized him. They surged toward him, shrieking and yelling.

“Jooooo—oh! Joh Fredersen’s son—! Joh Fredersen’s son—”

“Jooooo, oh! Joh Fredersen’s son! Joh Fredersen’s son!”

They made to seize him. He dodged them wildly. He threw himself with his back against the parapet of the street.

They tried to grab him. He dodged them wildly. He threw himself back against the street's parapet.

“Why do you want to kill her, you devils—? She has saved your children!”

“Why do you want to kill her, you devils? She saved your children!”

Roars of laughter answered him. Women sobbed with laughter, biting into their own hands.

Roars of laughter answered him. Women sobbed with laughter, biting their own hands.

“Yes—yes—she has saved our children—! She saved our children with the song of the dead machines! She saved our children with the ice cold water—! High let her live—high and three time high!”

“Yes, yes! She saved our children! She saved our children with the song of the dead machines! She saved our children with the ice-cold water! Three cheers for her!”

“Go to the ‘House of the Sons’—! Your children are there!”

“Go to the ‘House of the Sons’! Your children are there!”

“Our children are not in the ‘House of the Sons!’ There lives the brood, hatched out by money. Sons of your kind, you dog in white-silken skin!”

“Our children are not in the ‘House of the Sons!’ The brood hatched by money lives there. Sons of your kind, you dog in white silk!”

“Listen, for God’s sake—do listen to me—!!!”

“Listen, for God’s sake, please listen to me!”

“We don’t want to hear anything—!”

“We don’t want to hear anything!”

“Maria—beloved!!!—Beloved!!!”

“Maria, my love!!! My love!!!”

“Don’t bawl so, son of Joh Fredersen! Or we’ll stop your mouth!”

“Don’t cry so loudly, son of Joh Fredersen! Or we’ll shut you up!”

“Kill me, if you must kill—but let her live—!”

“Kill me if you must kill, but let her live!”

“Each in his turn, son of Joh Fredersen! First you shall see how your beloved dies a beautiful, hot magnificent death!”

“Everyone will get their turn, son of Joh Fredersen! First, you will watch your beloved die a beautiful, hot, magnificent death!”

A woman—Grot’s woman—tore a strip off her skirt and bound Freder’s hands. He was bound fast to the parapet with cords. He struggled like a wild beast, shouting that the veins of this throat were in danger of bursting. Bound, impotent, he threw back his head and saw the sky over Metropolis, pure, tender, greenish-blue, for morning would soon follow after this night.

Grot’s woman tore a strip from her skirt and bound Freder’s hands. Cords held him fast to the parapet. He struggled like a wild beast, shouting so hard that the veins in his throat seemed ready to burst. Bound and helpless, he threw back his head and saw the sky over Metropolis. It was pure, soft, and greenish-blue, for morning would soon follow the night.

“God—!” he shouted, trying to throw himself on his knees, in his bonds. “God—! Where art thou—?”

“God!” he shouted, trying to fall to his knees despite his bonds. “God! Where are you?”

A wild, red gleam caught his eyes. The pyre flamed up in long flames. The men, the women, seized hands and tore around the bonfire, faster, faster and faster, in rings growing ever wider and wider, laughing, screaming with stamping feet, “Witch—! Witch!”

A wild red glow caught his eyes. Long flames rose from the pyre. The men and women held hands and raced around the bonfire, faster and faster, in ever-widening circles. They laughed, screamed, and stamped their feet, shouting, “Witch! Witch!”

Freder’s bonds broke. He fell over on his face among the feet of the dancers.

Freder’s bonds broke. He fell face down among the dancers’ feet.

And the last he saw of the girl, while her gown and hair stood blazing around her as a mantle of fire, was the loving smile and the wonder of her eyes—and her mouth of deadly sin, which lured among the flames:

And the last he saw of the girl was her loving smile and the wonder in her eyes. Her dress and hair blazed around her like a cloak of fire. Amid the flames, her mouth of deadly sin beckoned:

“Dance with me, my dearest! Dance with me—!”

“Dance with me, my darling! Dance with me!”