Железный человек
The Space-Being and the Iron Man
Nowonderthepeoplestaredupwithfrightenedfaces. Nowondertheastronomerswatcheditthroughtheirtelescopeswithworriedfrowns.
Butallofasudden–astrangething!
Thestarseemedtohavestopped.
Thereithung,adeepandgloomyred,justthesizeofthemoon.Itgotnosmaller. Itgotnobigger.Itwasn’tcominganynearer. Butitwasn’tgoingawayeither.
Noweverybodytriedtoexplainwhyandhowthiswas. Whathadhappened?Whatwashappening?Whatwasgoingtohappen?
Andnowitwasthatthenextstrangethingoccurred–theastronomersnoticeditfirst.
Inthemiddleofthegiantstar,atinyblackspeckhadappeared. Onthesecondnightthisspeckwasseentobewriggling,andmuchbigger. Onthethirdnight,youcouldseeitwithoutatelescope.Astrugglingblackspeckinthecentreofthatgiant,red,gloomystar.
Onthefifthnight,theastronomerssawthatitseemedtobeeitherabat,orablackangel,oraflyinglizard –adreadfulsilhouette,flyingoutofthecentreofthatgiantstar,straighttowardstheearth. Whatwascomingoutofthegiantstar?
Eachnight,whentheastronomersreturnedtotheirtelescopestopeerup,thisblackflyinghorrorwasbigger. Withslow,giganticwing-beats,withlong,slowwrithingsofitsbody,itwascomingdownthroughspace, outlinedblackagainstitsredstar.
Withinafewmorenights,itsshapehadcompletelyblottedouttheredstar. Thenameless,immensebat-angelwasflyingdownattheearth,likeagreatblackswan. Itwasdefinitelycomingstraightattheearth.
