METROPOLIS them: You can weep when he leaves you; for they are not allowed to weep. . . . When Joh Fredersen's son celebrates his marriage it will be as though all Metropolis celebrated its marriage. When?-Joh Fredersen will decide that. . . . With whom?-Joh Freelersen will decide that. . . . But you will not be the bride. Marial The son of Joh Fredersen will have forgotten you by the day of his wedding." "Never!" said the girl. "Never-never'" And the painless tears of a great, h'ue love fell upon the beauty of her smile. The man got up. He stood still before the girl. He looked at her. He turned'away. As he was crossing the threshold of the next room his shoulder fell against the door~post. He slammed the door to. He stared straight ahead. He looked on the being-his creature of glass and metal-which bore the almost completed head of Maria. His hands moved towards the head, and, the nearer they came to it, the more did it appear as if these hands, these lonely hands, wished not to create but to destroy. "We are bunglers, Futural" he said. CfBunglersl-Bunglersl Can I give you the smile which you make angels fall gladly down to hell? Can I give you the tears whic9 would redeem the chiefest Satan, and make him beatify?-Parody is your namel And Bungler is minel" Shining coo! and lustrous, the being stood there and looked at its creator with its bafRng eyes. And, as he laid his hands on its shoulders, its fine structure tinkled in mysterious laughter.... Freder, on recovering, found himself surrounded by a dull brightness. It came from a window, in the frame of which stood a pale, grey sky. The window was small and gave the impression that it had not been opened for centuries. Freder's eyes wandered through the room. Nothing that he saw penetrated into his consciousness. He remembered nothing. He lay. his back resting on stones which were cold and smooth. AU his limbs and joints were wracked by a . dull pain. He turned his head to one side. He looked at his hands 104
