the moon pool- 第15部分

voice：



〃The　stoneit　is　open〃　And　then　a　shriek；　a　wail　of

blended　anguish　and　pity；　of　rage　and　despairand　the

sound　of　swift　footsteps　racing　through　the　wall　beneath　me！



I　dropped　to　the　ground。　　The　moon　door　was　wide　open；

and　through　it　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　corridor　filled　with　a

faint；　pearly　vaporous　light　like　earliest　misty　dawn。　　But　of

Olaf　I　could　seenothing！　　And　even　as　I　stood；　gaping；　from

behind　me　came　the　sharp　crack　of　a　rifle；　the　glass　of　the

condenser　at　Larry's　side　flew　into　fragments；　he　dropped

swiftly　to　the　ground；　the　automatic　in　his　hand　flashed　once；

twice；　into　the　darkness。



And　the　moon　door　began　to　pivot　slowly；　slowly　back

into　its　place！



I　rushed　toward　the　turning　stone　with　the　wild　idea　of

holding　it　open。　　As　I　thrust　my　hands　against　it　there　came

at　my　back　a　snarl　and　an　oath　and　Larry　staggered　under

the　impact　of　a　body　that　had　flung　itself　straight　at　his

throat。　　He　reeled　at　the　lip　of　the　shallow　cup　at　the　base

of　the　slab；　slipped　upon　its　polished　curve；　fell　and　rolled

with　that　which　had　attacked　him；　kicking　and　writhing；

straight　through　the　narrowing　portal　into　the　passage！



Forgetting　all　else；　I　sprang　to　his　aid。　　As　I　leaped　I　felt　the

closing　edge　of　the　moon　door　graze　my　side。　　Then；　as　Larry

raised　a　fist；　brought　it　down　upon　the　temple　of　the　man

who　had　grappled　with　him　and　rose　from　the　twitching

body　unsteadily　to　his　feet；　I　heard　shuddering　past　me　a

mournful　whisper；　spun　about　as　though　some　giant's　hand

had　whirled　me



The　end　of　the　corridor　no　longer　opened　out　into　the

moonlit　square　of　ruined　Nan…Tauach。　　It　was　barred　by　a

solid　mass　of　glimmering　stone。　　The　moon　door　had　closed！



O'Keefe　took　a　stumbling　step　toward　the　barrier　behind

us。　There　was　no　mark　of　juncture　with　the　shining　walls；

the　slab　fitted　into　the　sides　as　closely　as　a　mosaic。



〃It's　shut　all　right；〃　said　Larry。　　〃But　if　there's　a　way　in；

there's　a　way　out。　　Anyway；　Doc；　we're　right　in　the　pew　we've

been　heading　forso　why　worry？〃　He　grinned　at　me　cheer…

fully。　　The　man　on　the　floor　groaned；　and　he　dropped　to　his

knees　beside　him。



〃Marakinoff！〃　he　cried。



At　my　exclamation　he　moved　aside；　turning　the　face　so　I

could　see　it。　　It　was　clearly　Russian；　and　just　as　clearly　its

possessor　was　one　of　unusual　force　and　intellect。



The　strong；　massive　brow　with　orbital　ridge　unusually　de…

veloped；　the　dominant；　high…bridged　nose；　the　straight　lips

with　their　more　than　suggestion　of　latent　cruelty；　and　the

strong　lines　of　the　jaw　beneath　a　black；　pointed　beard　all

gave　evidence　that　here　was　a　personality　beyond　the　ordi…

nary。



〃Couldn't　be　anybody　else；〃　said　Larry；　breaking　in　on

my　thoughts。　　〃He　must　have　been　watching　us　over　there

from　Chau…ta…leur's　vault　all　the　time。〃



Swiftly　he　ran　practised　hands　over　his　body；　then　stood

erect；　holding　out　to　me　two　wicked…looking　magazine　pis…

tols　and　a　knife。　　〃He　got　one　of　my　bullets　through　his　right

forearm；　too；〃　he　said。　　〃Just　a　flesh　wound；　but　it　made　him

drop　his　rifle。　　Some　arsenal；　our　little　Russian　scientist；

what？〃



I　opened　my　medical　kit。　　The　wound　was　a　slight　one；

and　Larry　stood　looking　on　as　I　bandaged　it。



〃Got　another　one　of　those　condensers？〃　he　asked；　sud…

denly。　　〃And　do　you　suppose　Olaf　will　know　enough　to　use

it？〃



〃Larry；〃　I　answered；　〃Olaf's　not　outside！　　He's　in　here

somewhere！〃



His　jaw　dropped。



〃The　hell　you　say！〃　he　whispered。



〃Didn't　you　hear　him　shriek　when　the　stone　opened？〃　I

asked。



〃I　heard　him　yell；　yes；〃　he　said。　　〃But　I　didn't　know　what

was　the　matter。　　And　then　this　wildcat　jumped　me〃　　He

paused　and　his　eyes　widened。　　〃Which　way　did　he　go？〃　he

asked　swiftly。　　I　pointed　down　the　faintly　glowing　passage。



〃There's　only　one　way；〃　I　said。



〃Watch　that　bird　close；〃　hissed　O'Keefe；　pointing　to　Mara…

kinoffand　pistol　in　hand　stretched　his　long　legs　and　raced

away。　　I　looked　down　at　the　Russian。　　His　eyes　were　open；

and　he　reached　out　a　hand　to　me。　　I　lifted　him　to　his　feet。



〃I　have　heard；〃　he　said。　　〃We　follow；　quick。　　If　you　will　take

my　arm；　please；　I　am　shaken　yet；　yes〃　　I　gripped　his

shoulder　without　a　word；　and　the　two　of　us　set　off　down　the

corridor　after　O'Keefe。　　Marakinoff　was　gasping；　and　his

weight　pressed　upon　me　heavily；　but　he　moved　with　all　the

will　and　strength　that　were　in　him。



As　we　ran　I　took　hasty　note　of　the　tunnel。　　Its　sides　were

smooth　and　polished；　and　the　light　seemed　to　come　not　from

their　surfaces；　but　from　far　within　themgiving　to　the　walls

an　illusive　aspect　of　distance　and　depth；　rendering　them　in　a

peculiarly　weird　wayspacious。　　The　passage　turned；

twisted；　ran　down；　turned　again。　　It　came　to　me　that　the　light

that　illumined　the　tunnel　was　given　out　by　tiny　points　deep

within　the　stone；　sprang　from　the　points　ripplingly　and

spread　upon　their　polished　faces。



There　was　a　cry　from　Larry　far　ahead。



〃Olaf！〃



I　gripped　Marakinoff's　arm　closer　and　we　sped　on。　　Now

we　were　coming　fast　to　the　end　of　the　passage。　　Before　us

was　a　high　arch；　and　through　it　I　glimpsed　a　dim；　shifting

luminosity　as　of　mist　filled　with　rainbows。　　We　reached　the

portal　and　I　looked　into　a　chamber　that　might　have　been

transported　from　that　enchanted　palace　of　the　Jinn　King

that　rises　beyond　the　magic　mountains　of　Kaf。



Before　me　stood　O'Keefe　and　a　dozen　feet　in　front　of　him；

Huldricksson；　with　something　clasped　tightly　in　his　arms。

The　Norseman's　feet　were　at　the　verge　of　a　shining；　silvery

lip　of　stone　within　whose　oval　lay　a　blue　pool。　　And　down

upon　this　pool　staring　upward　like　a　gigantic　eye；　fell　seven

pillars　of　phantom　lightone　of　them　amethyst；　one　of　rose；

another　of　white；　a　fourth　of　blue；　and　three　of　emerald；　of

silver；　and　of　amber。　　They　fell　each　upon　the　azure　surface；

and　I　knew　that　these　were　the　seven　streams　of　radiance；

within　which　the　Dweller　took　shapenow　but　pale　ghosts

of　their　brilliancy　when　the　full　energy　of　the　moon　stream

raced　through　them。



Huldricksson　bent　and　placed　on　the　shining　silver　lip　of

the　Pool　that　which　he　heldand　I　saw　that　it　was　the　body

of　a　child！　　He　set　it　there　so　gently；　bent　over　the　side　and

thrust　a　hand　down　into　the　water。　　And　as　he　did　so　he

moaned　and　lurched　against　the　little　body　that　lay　before

him。　　Instantly　the　form　movedand　slipped　over　the　verge

into　the　blue。　　Huldricksson　threw　his　body　over　the　stone；

hands　clutching；　arms　thrust　deep　downand　from　his　lips

issued　a　long…drawn；　heart…shrivelling　wail　of　pain　and　of

anguish　that　held　in　it　nothing　human！



Close　on　its　wake　came　a　cry　from　Marakinoff。



〃Catch　him！〃　shouted　the　Russian。　　〃Drag　him　back！

Quick！〃



He　leaped　forward；　but　before　he　could　half　clear　the　dis…

tance；　O'Keefe　had　leaped　too；　had　caught　the　Norseman　by

the　shoulders　and　toppled　him　backward；　where　he　lay

whimpering　and　sobbing。　　And　as　I　rushed　behind　Marakinoff

I　saw　Larry　lean　over　the　lip　of　the　Pool　and　cover　his　eyes

with　a　shaking　hand；　saw　the　Russian　peer　into　it　with　real

pity　in　his　cold　eyes。



Then　I　stared　down　myself　into　the　Moon　Pool；　and　there；

sinking；　was　a　little　maid　whose　dead　face　and　fixed；　terror…

filled　eyes　looked　straight　into　mine；　and　ever　sinking

slowly；　slowlyvanished！　　And　I　knew　that　this　was　Olaf's

Freda；　his　beloved　yndling！



But　where　was　the　mother；　and　where　had　Olaf　found　his

babe？



The　Russian　was　first　to　speak。



〃You　have　nitroglycerin　there；　yes？〃　he　asked；　pointing

toward　my　medical　kit　that　I　had　gripped　unconsciously　and

carried　with　me　during　the　mad　rush　down　the　passage。　　I

nodded　and　drew　it　out。



〃Hypodermic；〃　he　ordered　next；　curtly；　took　the　syringe；

filled　it　accurately　with　its　one　one…hundredth　of　a　grain

dosage；　and　leaned　over　Huldricksson。　　He　rolled　up　the

sailor's　sleeves　half…way　to　the　shoulder。　　The　arms　were

white　with　somewhat　of　that　weird　semitranslucence　that　I

had　seen　on　Throckmartin's　breast　where　a　tendril　of　the

Dweller　had　touched　him；　and　his　hands　were　of　the　same

whitenesslike　a　baroque　pearl。　　Above　the　line　of　white；

Marakinoff　thrust　the　needle。



〃He　will　need　all　his　heart　can　do；〃　he　said　to　me。



Then　he　reached　down　into　a　belt　about　his　waist　and　drew

from　it　a　small；　flat　flask　of　what　seemed　to　be　lead。　　He

opened　it　and　let　a　few　drops　of　its　contents　fall　on　each　arm

of　the　Norwegian。　　The　liquid　sparkled　and　instantly　began

to　spread　over　the　skin　much　as　oil　or　gasoline　dropped　on

water　doesonly　far　more　rapidly。　　And　as　it　spread　it　drew

a　sparkling　film　over　the　marbled　flesh　and　little　wisps　of

vapour　rose　from　it。　　The　Norseman's　mighty　chest　heaved

with　agony。　　His　hands　clenched。　　The　Russian　gave　a　grunt

of　satisfaction　at　this；　dropped　a　little　more　of　the　liquid；　and

then；　watching　closely；　grunted　again　and　leaned　back。　　Hul…

dricksson's　laboured　breathing　ceased；　his　head　dropped

upon　Larry's　knee；　and　from　his　arms　and　hands　the　white…

ness　swiftly　withdrew。



Marakinoff　arose　and　contemplated　usalmost　benevo…

lently。



〃He　will　all　right　be　in　five　minutes；〃　he　said。　　〃I　know。　　I

do　it　to　pay　for　that　shot　of　mine；　and　also　because　we　will

need　him。　　Yes。〃　He　turned　to　Larry。　　〃You　have　a　poonch　like

a　mule　kick；　my　young　friend；〃　he　said。　　〃Some　time　you　pay

me　for　that；　too；　eh？〃　He　smiled；　and　the　quality　of　the

grimace　was　not　exactly　reassuring。　　Larry　looked　him　over

quizzically。



〃You're　Marakinoff；　of　course；〃　he　said。　　The　Russian

nodded；　betraying　no　surprise　at　the　recognition。



〃And　you？〃　he　asked。



〃Lieutenant　O'Keefe　of　the　Royal　Flying　Corps；〃　replied

Larry；　saluting。　　〃And　this　gentleman　is　Dr。　Walter　T。　Good…

win。〃



Marakinoff's　face　brightened。



〃The　American　botanist？〃　he　queried。　　I　nodded。