METROPOLIS And they all had the same faces. Wild faces, with eyes like fire-brands. And they all sang the same song-song without melody, but an oath-a storm vow: "We've passed sentence upon the machinesl We have condemned the machines to death.
The machines must die, to hell with theml Deathl-Deathl-Death to the machines-I" The girl danced along before the streaming, bawling multitude. She led the multitude on. She led the tramping multitude forward against the heart of the Machine city of Metropolis. She said: "eome ... I Come ... I Come ... I I will lead you . . . I I will dance the dance of Death before yOll. . ... I will dance the dance of the row'derers before you ... I"
"Destroy-destroy-destl'oy-I" yelled the crowd. They acted without plan, and yet following a law. Destruction was the name of the law; they obeyed it.
The multitude divided. A hroad stream poured itself, frothing, down into the tunnel of the underground railway. The trains were standing ready on all the tracks. Searchlights wedged themselves into the darkness which crouched in the shafts, above the rails.
The multitude yelled. Here was a plaything for giantsl Were they not as strong as three thousand giants? They dragged the drivers hom the drivers' places. They released the trains and let them run-one after the other-forwardforwardsl The rails rumbled. The thundering carriage snakes, glitteringly lighted, hurled along hy their emptiness, dashed into the brownish darkness. Two, three, four of the drivers fought like men possessed. But the mob sucked'them up. "Will you shut yoW' mouths, you dogs-? We are the mastersl We want to playl We want to play like giantsI" They howled the song-the soog of their deadly hatred: "We've passed sentence upon the machines! We have condemned the machines to deathl"
160
