the moon pool- 第18部分

blackness；　an　utter　and　appalling　blackness　that　seemed　to

gather　itself　from　infinite　depths。　　The　rose…glow　in　which

we　stood　was　cut　off　by　the　blackness　as　though　it　had　sub…

stance；　it　shimmered　out　to　meet　it；　and　was　checked　as

though　by　a　blow；　indeed；　so　strong　was　the　suggestion　of

sinister；　straining　force　within　the　rayless　opacity　that　I

shrank　back；　and　Marakinoff　with　me。　　Not　so　O'Keefe。　　Olaf

beside　him；　he　strode　to　the　wall　and　peered　over。　　He　beck…

oned　us。



〃Flash　your　pocket…light　down　there；〃　be　said　to　me；　point…

ing　into　the　thick　darkness　below　us。　　The　little　electric　circle

quivered　down　as　though　afraid；　and　came　to　rest　upon　a

surface　that　resembled　nothing　so　much　as　clear；　black　ice。　　I

ran　the　light　acrosshere　and　there。　　The　floor　of　the　corridor

was　of　a　substance　so　smooth；　so　polished；　that　no　man　could

have　walked　upon　it；　it　sloped　downward　at　a　slowly　increas…

ing　angle。



〃We'd　have　to　have　non…skid　chains　and　brakes　on　our

feet　to　tackle　that；〃　mused　Larry。　　Abstractedly　be　ran　his

hands　over　the　edge　on　which　he　was　leaning。　　Suddenly　they

hesitated　and　then　gripped　tightly。



〃That's　a　queer　one！〃　he　exclaimed。　　His　right　palm　was

resting　upon　a　rounded　protuberance；　on　the　side　of　which

were　three　small　circular　indentations。



〃A　queer　one〃　he　repeatedand　pressed　his　fingers

upon　the　circles。



There　was　a　sharp　click；　the　slabs　that　had　opened　to　let

us　through　swung　swiftly　together；　a　curiously　rapid　vibra…

tion　thrilled　through　us；　a　wind　arose　and　passed　over　our

headsa　wind　that　grew　and　grew　until　it　became　a　whistling

shriek；　then　a　roar　and　then　a　mighty　humming；　to　which

every　atom　in　our　bodies　pulsed　in　rhythm　painful　almost

to　disintegration！



The　rosy　wall　dwindled　in　a　flash　to　a　point　of　light　and

disappeared！



Wrapped　in　the　clinging；　impenetrable　blackness　we　were

racing；　dropping；　hurling　at　a　frightful　speedwhere？



And　ever　that　awful　humming　of　the　rushing　wind　and

the　lightning　cleaving　of　the　tangible　darkso；　it　came　to

me　oddly；　must　the　newly　released　soul　race　through　the

sheer　blackness　of　outer　space　up　to　that　Throne　of　Justice；

where　God　sits　high　above　all　suns！



I　felt　Marakinoff　creep　close　to　me；　gripped　my　nerve　and

flashed　my　pocket…light；　saw　Larry　standing；　peering；　peer…

ing　ahead；　and　Huldricksson；　one　strong　arm　around　his

shoulders；　bracing　him。　　And　then　the　speed　began　to　slacken。



Millions　of　miles；　it　seemed；　below　the　sound　of　the　un…

earthly　hurricane　I　heard　Larry's　voice；　thin　and　ghostlike；

beneath　its　clamour。



〃Got　it！〃　shrilled　the　voice。　　〃Got　it！　　Don't　worry！〃



The　wind　died　down　to　the　roar；　passed　back　into　the

whistling　shriek　and　diminished　to　a　steady　whisper。　　In　the

comparative　quiet　O'Keefe's　tones　now　came　in　normal

volume。



〃Some　little　shoot…the…chutes；　what？〃　he　shouted。　　〃Say

if　they　had　this　at　Coney　Island　or　the　Crystal　Palace！　　Press

all　the　way　in　these　holes　and　she　goes　top…high。　　Diminish

pressurediminish　speed。　　The　curve　of　thisdashboard

here　sends　the　wind　shooting　up　over　our　headslike　a

windshield。　　What's　behind　you？〃



I　flashed　the　light　back。　　The　mechanism　on　which　we

were　ended　in　another　wall　exactly　similar　to　that　over　which

O'Keefe　crouched。



〃Well；　we　can't　fall　out；　anyway；〃　he　laughed。　　〃Wish　to

hell　I　knew　where　the　brakes　were！　　Look　out！〃



We　dropped　dizzily　down　an　abrupt；　seemingly　endless

slope；　fellfell　as　into　an　abyssthen　shot　abruptly　out　of

the　blackness　into　a　throbbing　green　radiance。　　O'Keefe's

fingers　must　have　pressed　down　upon　the　controls；　for　we

leaped　forward　almost　with　the　speed　of　light。　　I　caught　a

glimpse　of　luminous　immensities　on　the　verge　of　which　we

flew；　of　depths　inconceivable；　and　flitting　through　the　incred…

ible　spacesgigantic　shadows　as　of　the　wings　of　Israfel；

which　are　so　wide；　say　the　Arabs；　the　world　can　cower

under　them　like　a　nestlingand　thenagain　the　living

blackness！



　〃What　was　that？〃　This　from　Larry；　with　the　nearest　ap…

proach　to　awe　that　he　had　yet　shown。



〃Trolldom！〃　croaked　the　voice　of　Olaf。



〃Chert！〃　　This　from　Marakinoff。　　〃What　a　space！〃



〃Have　you　considered；　Dr。　Goodwin；〃　be　went　on　after　a

pause；　〃a　curious　thing？　　We　know；　or；　at　least；　is　it　not　that

nine　out　of　ten　astronomers　believe；　that　the　moon　was

hurled　out　of　this　same　region　we　now　call　the　Pacific　when

the　earth　was　yet　like　molasses；　almost　molten；　I　should　say。

And　is　it　not　curious　that　that　which　comes　from　the　Moon

Chamber　needs　the　moon…rays　to　bring　it　forth；　is　it　not？

And　is　it　not　significant　again　that　the　stone　depends　upon

the　moon　for　operating？　　Da！　　And　lastsuch　a　space　in

mother　earth　as　we　just　glimpsed；　how　else　could　it　have　been

torn　but　by　some　gigantic　birthlike　that　of　the　moon？　　Da！

I　do　not　put　forward　these　as　statements　of　factno！　　But　as

suggestions〃



I　started；　there　was　so　much　that　this　might　explainan

unknown　element　that　responded　to　the　moon…rays　in　open…

ing　the　moon　door；　the　blue　Pool　with　its　weird　radioactivity；

and　the　force　within　it　that　reacted　to　the　same　light

stream



It　was　not　inconceivable　that　a　film　had　drawn　over　the

world　wound；　a　film　of　earth…flesh　which　drew　itself　over

that　colossal　abyss　after　our　planet　had　borne　its　satellite

that　world　womb　did　not　close　when　her　shining　child　sprang

forthit　was　possible；　and　all　that　we　know　of　earth　depth

is　four　miles　of　her　eight　thousand。



What　is　there　at　the　heart　of　earth？　　What　of　that　radiant

unknown　element　upon　the　moon　mount　Tycho？　　What　of

that　element　unknown　to　us　as　part　of　earth　which　is　seen

only　in　the　corona　of　the　sun　at　eclipse　that　we　call　coro…

nium？　　Yet　the　earth　is　child　of　the　sun　as　the　moon　is　earth's

daughter。　　And　what　of　that　other　unknown　element　we　find

glowing　green　in　the　far…flung　nebulaegreen　as　that　we　had

just　passed　throughand　that　we　call　nebulium？　　Yet　the　sun

is　child　of　the　nebulae　as　the　earth　is　child　of　the　sun　and

the　moon　is　child　of　the　earth。



And　what　miracles　are　there　in　coronium　and　nebulium

which；　as　the　child　of　nebula　and　sun；　we　inherit？　　Yesand

in　Tycho's　enigma　which　came　from　earth　heart？



We　were　flashing　down　to　earth　heart！　　And　what　miracles

were　hidden　there？











CHAPTER　XII



The　End　of　the　Journey



〃SAY　DOC！〃　It　was　Larry's　voice　flung　back　at　me。　　〃I　was

thinking　about　that　frog。　　I　think　it　was　her　pet。　　Damn　me

if　I　see　any　difference　between　a　frog　and　a　snake；　and　one

of　the　nicest　women　I　ever　knew　had　two　pet　pythons　that

followed　her　around　like　kittens。　　Not　such　a　devilish　lot　of

choice　between　a　frog　and　a　snakeexcept　on　the　side　of

the　frog？　　What？　　Anyway；　any　pet　that　girl　wants　is　hers；

I　don't　care　if　it's　a　leaping　twelve…toed　lobster　or　a　whale…

bodied　scorpion。　　Get　me？〃



By　which　I　knew　that　our　remarks　upon　the　frog　woman

were　still　bothering　O'Keefe。



〃He　thinks　of　foolish　nothings　like　the　foolish　sailor！〃

grunted　Marakinoff；　acid　contempt　in　his　words。　　〃What　are

their　women　tothis？〃　He　swept　out　a　hand　and　as　though

at　a　signal　the　car　poised　itself　for　an　instant；　then　dipped；

literally　dipped　down　into　sheer　space；　skimmed　forward　in

what　was　clearly　curved　flight；　rose　as　upon　a　sweeping　up…

grade　and　then　began　swiftly　to　slacken　its　fearful　speed。



Far　ahead　a　point　of　light　showed；　grew　steadily；　we　were

within　itand　softly　all　movement　ceased。　　How　acute　had

been　the　strain　of　our　journey　I　did　not　realize　until　I　tried

to　standand　sank　back；　leg…muscles　too　shaky　to　bear　my

weight。　　The　car　rested　in　a　slit　in　the　centre　of　a　smooth

walled　chamber　perhaps　twenty　feet　square。　　The　wall　facing

us　was　pierced　by　a　low　doorway　through　which　we　could

see　a　flight　of　steps　leading　downward。



The　light　streamed　through　a　small　opening；　the　base　of

which　was　twice　a　tall　man's　height　from　the　floor。　　A　curving

flight　of　broad；　low　steps　led　up　to　it。　　And　now　it　came　to　my

steadying　brain　that　there　was　something　puzzling；　peculiar；

strangely　unfamiliar　about　this　light。　　It　was　silvery；　shaded

faintly　with　a　delicate　blue　and　flushed　lightly　with　a　nacre…

ous　rose；　but　a　rose　that　differed　from　that　of　the　terraces　of

the　Pool　Chamber　as　the　rose　within　the　opal　differs　from

that　within　the　pearl。　　In　it　were　tiny；　gleaming　points　like

the　motes　in　a　sunbeam；　but　sparkling　white　like　the　dust　of

diamonds；　and　with　a　quality　of　vibrant　vitality；　they　were

as　though　they　were　alive。　　The　light　cast　no　shadows！



A　little　breeze　came　through　the　oval　and　played　about　us。

It　was　laden　with　what　seemed　the　mingled　breath　of　spice

flowers　and　pines。　　It　was　curiously　vivifying；　and　in　it　the

diamonded　atoms　of　light　shook　and　danced。



I　stepped　out　of　the　car；　the　Russian　following；　and　began

to　ascend　the　curved　steps　toward　the　opening；　at　the　top　of

which　O'Keefe　and　Olaf　already　stood。　　As　they　looked　out　I

saw　both　their　faces　changeOlaf's　with　awe；　O'Keefe's

with　incredulous　amaze。　　I　hurried　to　their　side。



At　first　all　that　I　could　see　was　spacea　space　filled　with

the　same　coruscating　effulgence　that　pulsed　about　me。　　I

glanced　upward；　obeying　that　instinctive　impulse　of　earth

folk　that　bids　them　seek　within　the　sky　for　sources　of　light。

There　was　no　skyat　least　no　sky　such　as　we　knowall

was　a　sparkling　nebulosity　rising　into　infinite　distances　as　the

azure　above　the　day…world　seems　to　fill　all　the　heavens

through　it　ran　pulsing　waves　and　flashing　javelin　rays　that

were　like　shining　shadows　of　the　aurora；　echoes；　octaves

lower；　of　those　brilliant　arpeggios　and　chords　that　play　about

the　poles。　　My　eyes　fell　beneath　its　splendour；　I　stared　out…

ward。



Miles　away；　gigantic　luminous　cliffs　sprang　sheer　from

the　limits　of　a　lake　whose　waters　were　of　m