Garth's fingers tried to find some purchase on the smooth surface of
the panel. He failed....
A Zarno called a question. Garth turned back to the eye-slit, trying
to fight back his dizziness. Heads were lifted, he saw, watching him
inquiringly, as though the silicate creatures expected something. Well--
He made the robot move again, its arms reaching out in ancient
ceremonial gestures. A gasp of awe came from the Zarno.
Their chant thundered out, deeper, sonorous and inhuman.
* * * * *
Garth felt the beginning of a throbbing ache in his temples. He was
trapped here. How long could he stand it? He was human, not one of the
Ancients. He needed air--
He held the Zarno, but not for long. Once more bulbous heads were
lifted, oval eyes watching him inquiringly. They were expecting
something--what? Garth tried to remember what he had seen in the
recorder.
More heads were lifted.
Garth made the robot step forward, raising its metal arms. He had to
say something--anything that would hold the Zarno quiet for a while,
long enough for Doc and the others to escape. Words he had forgotten
since childhood came suddenly unexpectedly to him. The English phrases
meant nothing to the Zarno, but the sonorous, powerful chant kept them
silent.
"He shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter; and from the
noisome pestilence.... Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by
night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day.... A thousand shall fall
beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come
nigh thee...."
The agony flamed up again in Garth's brain, consuming, terrible. The
huge robot body of the dais swayed, caught itself, and the chant
thundered out again through the great cavern.
"If I take the wings of the morning; and remain in the uttermost parts
of the sea; even there also shall thy hand lead me...."
The distant, harsh clangor of a bell sounded. Garth had heard it
before, when he had crossed the threshold of the black temple in the
forest. At the sound the Zarno stirred, and a few of them sprang up.
Garth thrust out his hand, fighting back the pain that tore at him like
white flame.