METROPOLIS "Why do you want to kill her, you devils-? She has saved your children!" Roars of laughter answered him. Women sobbed with laughter, hiting into their own hands. "Yes-yes-she has saved our children-I She saved our children with the song of the dead machinesl She saved our children with the ice cold water-I High Jet her live-high and three time hig!>I" "Go to the 'House of the Sons'-I Your children are therel" "Our children are not in the 'House of the Sonsl' There lives the brood, hatched out by money. Sons of your kind, you dog in white-silken skin'" "Listen, for God's sake-do listen to me-IlJ" "We don't want to hear anything-I" "Maria-helovedlll-Belovedill" "Don't bawl so, son of Joh Fredersenl Or we'll stop your mouthl" "Kill me, if you must kill-but let her live-I" "Each in his turn, son of Joh Fredersenl First you shall see how your heloved dies a heautiful, hot magnillcent death!" A woman-Crot's woman-tore a strip off her 'Skirt and hound 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. "God-I" he shouted, trying to throw himself on his knees, in his bonds. "God-I Where art thou-PO' A wild, red gleam caught his eyes. The pyre Harned 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-I Witch!" Freder's bonds broke. He fell over on his face among the feet of the dancers. And the last he saw of the girl, while her gown and hair
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