What
was it that they, who feared neither God nor man, feared?
They strained their eyes, looking into the passage that led darkly away
into blackness.
Dimly down it now could be seen two gleaming spots of light, points in
the Cimmerian darkness. They seemed to be growing larger and coming
nearer as with each hollow reverberation the dull metallic thuds
increased.
Faintly now could be made out in the blackness a huge, stalking figure,
having the shape of a man, with gigantic, powerful shoulders, powerful
arms, a thick body, hips, and thighs that spelled terrific strength,
legs and feet that suggested irresistible force.
"The Automaton!" escaped involuntarily from all lips.
Slowly, irresistibly, the horrendous figure stalked forth into the dim
light. There it paused for a moment--a figure of steel, larger than most
men, yet not so large but that it might have incased a man. And yet its
motions, its every action, were like nothing mortal. Even these hardened
denizens of the underworld shuddered.
In its hand the Automaton carried a five-branched candlestick, for what
purpose none seemed to know. Yet all bowed and quaked at every pantomime
motion of the figure, ready to do the bidding of the least motion of
their inhuman master.
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