he could hear it , could sense its horde of scouting fingers already arrived , touching here and there , setting things off , two hundred twelve things by latest tally , while the mother ship gathered strength somewhere beyond the mountains , gaining speed , heading for them , for him particularly , for him who had the nerve to object , to challenge , to think there was something he could do to stand up to it , to face it down , to stay untouched , refusingthe impudence of it , it would deal with him soon enough .