the moon pool- 第2部分

pent　racing　over　the　edge　of　the　world　straight　and　surely

toward　the　ship。



Throckmartin　stiffened　to　it　as　a　pointer　does　to　a　hidden

covey。　　To　me　from　him　pulsed　a　thrill　of　horrorbut

horror　tinged　with　an　unfamiliar；　an　infernal　joy。　　It　came

to　me　and　passed　awayleaving　me　trembling　with　its

shock　of　bitter　sweet。



He　bent　forward；　all　his　soul　in　his　eyes。　　The　moon　path

swept　closer；　closer　still。　　It　was　now　less　than　half　a　mile

away。　　From　it　the　ship　fledalmost　as　though　pursued。

Down　upon　it；　swift　and　straight；　a　radiant　torrent　cleaving

the　waves；　raced　the　moon　stream。



〃Good　God！〃　breathed　Throckmartin；　and　if　ever　the

words　were　a　prayer　and　an　invocation　they　were。



And　then；　for　the　first　timeI　sawIT！



The　moon　path　stretched　to　the　horizon　and　was　bor…

dered　by　darkness。　　It　was　as　though　the　clouds　above　had

been　parted　to　form　a　lane…drawn　aside　like　curtains　or　as

the　waters　of　the　Red　Sea　were　held　back　to　let　the　hosts

of　Israel　through。　　On　each　side　of　the　stream　was　the　black

shadow　cast　by　the　folds　of　the　high　canopies　And　straight

as　a　road　between　the　opaque　walls　gleamed；　shimmered；

and　danced　the　shining；　racing；　rapids　of　the　moonlight



Far；　it　seemed　immeasurably　far；　along　this　stream　of

silver　fire　I　sensed；　rather　than　saw；　something　coming。　　It

drew　first　into　sight　as　a　deeper　glow　within　the　light。　　On

and　on　it　swept　toward　usan　opalescent　mistiness　that

sped　with　the　suggestion　of　some　winged　creature　in

arrowed　flight。　　Dimly　there　crept　into　my　mind　memory　of

the　Dyak　legend　of　the　winged　messenger　of　Buddha

the　Akla　bird　whose　feathers　are　woven　of　the　moon　rays；

whose　heart　is　a　living　opal；　whose　wings　in　flight　echo　the

crystal　clear　music　of　the　white　starsbut　whose　beak　is

of　frozen　flame　and　shreds　the　souls　of　unbelievers。



Closer　it　drew　and　now　there　came　to　me　sweet；　insistent

tinklingslike　pizzicati　on　violins　of　glass；　crystal　clear；

diamonds　melting　into　sounds！



Now　the　Thing　was　close　to　the　end　of　the　white　path；

close　up　to　the　barrier　of　darkness　still　between　the　ship

and　the　sparkling　head　of　the　moon　stream。　　Now　it　beat　up

against　that　barrier　as　a　bird　against　the　bars　of　its　cage。　　It

whirled　with　shimmering　plumes；　with　swirls　of　lacy　light；

with　spirals　of　living　vapour。　　It　held　within　it　odd；　un…

familiar　gleams　as　of　shifting　mother…of…pearl。　　Coruscations

and　glittering　atoms　drifted　through　it　as　though　it　drew

them　from　the　rays　that　bathed　it。



Nearer　and　nearer　it　came；　borne　on　the　sparkling　waves；

and　ever　thinner　shrank　the　protecting　wall　of　shadow　be…

tween　it　and　us。　　Within　the　mistiness　was　a　core；　a　nucleus

of　intenser　lightveined；　opaline；　effulgent；　intensely　alive。

And　above　it；　tangled　in　the　plumes　and　spirals　that

throbbed　and　whirled　were　seven　glowing　lights。



Through　all　the　incessant　but　strangely　ordered　move…

ment　of　theTHINGthese　lights　held　firm　and　steady。　　They

were　sevenlike　seven　little　moons。　　One　was　of　a　pearly

pink；　one　of　a　delicate　nacreous　blue；　one　of　lambent

saffron；　one　of　the　emerald　you　see　in　the　shallow　waters

of　tropic　isles；　a　deathly　white；　a　ghostly　amethyst；　and

one　of　the　silver　that　is　seen　only　when　the　flying　fish　leap

beneath　the　moon。



The　tinkling　music　was　louder　still。　　It　pierced　the　ears

with　a　shower　of　tiny　lances；　it　made　the　heart　beat　jubi…

lantlyand　checked　it　dolorously。　　It　closed　the　throat　with

a　throb　of　rapture　and　gripped　it　tight　with　the　hand　of

infinite　sorrow！



Came　to　me　now　a　murmuring　cry；　stilling　the　crystal

notes。　　It　was　articulatebut　as　though　from　something

utterly　foreign　to　this　world。　　The　ear　took　the　cry　and　trans…

lated　with　conscious　labour　into　the　sounds　of　earth。　　And

even　as　it　compassed；　the　brain　shrank　from　it　irresistibly；

and　simultaneously　it　seemed　reached　toward　it　with　irre…

sistible　eagerness。



Throckmartin　strode　toward　the　front　of　the　deck；

straight　toward　the　vision；　now　but　a　few　yards　away　from

the　stern。　　His　face　had　lost　all　human　semblance。　　Utter

agony　and　utter　ecstasythere　they　were　side　by　side；　not

resisting　each　other；　unholy　inhuman　companions　blending

into　a　look　that　none　of　God's　creatures　should　wear

and　deep；　deep　as　his　soul！　　A　devil　and　a　God　dwelling

harmoniously　side　by　side！　　So　must　Satan；　newly　fallen；

still　divine；　seeing　heaven　and　contemplating　hell；　have

appeared。



And　thenswiftly　the　moon　path　faded！　　The　clouds

swept　over　the　sky　as　though　a　hand　had　drawn　them　to…

gether。　　Up　from　the　south　came　a　roaring　squall。　　As　the

moon　vanished　what　I　had　seen　vanished　with　itblotted

out　as　an　image　on　a　magic　lantern；　the　tinkling　ceased

abruptlyleaving　a　silence　like　that　which　follows　an

abrupt　thunder　clap。　　There　was　nothing　about　us　but　silence

and　blackness！



Through　me　passed　a　trembling　as　one　who　has　stood　on

the　very　verge　of　the　gulf　wherein　the　men　of　the　Louisades

says　lurks　the　fisher　of　the　souls　of　men；　and　has　been

plucked　back　by　sheerest　chance。



Throckmartin　passed　an　arm　around　me。



〃It　is　as　I　thought；〃　he　said。　　In　his　voice　was　a　new　note；

the　calm　certainty　that　has　swept　aside　a　waiting　terror　of

the　unknown。　　〃Now　I　know！　　Come　with　me　to　my　cabin；

old　friend。　　For　now　that　you　too　have　seen　I　can　tell　you〃

he　hesitated〃what　it　was　you　saw；〃　he　ended。



As　we　passed　through　the　door　we　met　the　ship's　first

officer。　　Throckmartin　composed　his　face　into　at　least　a　sem…

blance　of　normality。



　〃Going　to　have　much　of　a　storm？〃　he　asked。



　〃Yes；〃　said　the　mate。　　〃Probably　all　the　way　to　Mel…

bourne。〃



Throckmartin　straightened　as　though　with　a　new　thought。

He　gripped　the　officer's　sleeve　eagerly。



〃You　mean　at　least　cloudy　weatherfor〃he　hesitated

〃for　the　next　three　nights；　say？〃



　〃And　for　three　more；〃　replied　the　mate。



〃Thank　God！〃　cried　Throckmartin；　and　I　think　I　never

heard　such　relief　and　hope　as　was　in　his　voice。



　The　sailor　stood　amazed。　　〃Thank　God？〃　he　repeated。

〃Thankwhat　d'ye　mean？〃



But　Throckmartin　was　moving　onward　to　his　cabin。　　I

started　to　follow。　　The　first　officer　stopped　me。



　〃Your　friend；〃　he　said；　〃is　he　ill？〃



〃The　sea！〃　I　answered　hurriedly。　　〃He's　not　used　to　it。　　I

am　going　to　look　after　him。〃



Doubt　and　disbelief　were　plain　in　the　seaman's　eyes　but

I　hurried　on。　　For　I　knew　now　that　Throckmartin　was　ill

indeedbut　with　a　sickness　the　ship's　doctor　nor　any　other

could　heal。











CHAPTER　II



〃Dead！　　All　Dead！〃



HE　WAS　SITTING；　face　in　hands；　on　the　side　of　his　berth

as　I　entered。　　He　had　taken　off　his　coat。



〃Throck；〃　I　cried。　　〃What　was　it？　　What　are　you　flying

from；　man？　　Where　is　your　wifeand　Stanton？〃



〃Dead！〃　he　replied　monotonously。　　〃Dead！　　All　dead！〃

Then　as　I　recoiled　from　him〃All　dead。　　Edith；　Stanton；

Thoradeador　worse。　　And　Edith　in　the　Moon　Pool

with　themdrawn　by　what　you　saw　on　the　moon　path

that　has　put　its　brand　upon　meand　follows　me！〃



He　ripped　open　his　shirt。



〃Look　at　this；〃　he　said。　　Around　his　chest；　above　his

heart；　the　skin　was　white　as　pearl。　　This　whiteness　was

sharply　defined　against　the　healthy　tint　of　the　body。　　It

circled　him　with　an　even　cincture　about　two　inches　wide。



〃Burn　it！〃　he　said；　and　offered　me　his　cigarette。　　I　drew

back。　　He　gesturedperemptorily。　　I　pressed　the　glowing

end　of　the　cigarette　into　the　ribbon　of　white　flesh。　　He　did

not　flinch　nor　was　there　odour　of　burning　nor；　as　I　drew

the　little　cylinder　away；　any　mark　upon　the　whiteness。



〃Feel　it！〃　he　commanded　again。　　I　placed　my　fingers　upon

the　band。　　It　was　coldlike　frozen　marble。



He　drew　his　shirt　around　him。



〃Two　things　you　have　seen；〃　he　said。　　〃ITand　its　mark。

Seeing；　you　must　believe　my　story。　　Goodwin；　I　tell　you

again　that　my　wife　is　deador　worseI　do　not　know；　the

prey　ofwhat　you　saw；　so；　too；　is　Stanton；　so　Thora。

How〃



Tears　rolled　down　the　seared　face。



〃Why　did　God　let　it　conquer　us？　　Why　did　He　let　it　take

my　Edith？〃　he　cried　in　utter　bitterness。　　〃Are　there　things

stronger　than　God；　do　you　think；　Walter？〃



　I　hesitated。



　〃Are　there？　　Are　there？〃　His　wild　eyes　searched　me。



〃I　do　not　know　just　how　you　define　God；〃　I　managed　at

last　through　my　astonishment　to　make　answer。　　〃If　you

mean　the　will　to　know；　working　through　science〃



He　waved　me　aside　impatiently。



〃Science；〃　he　said。　　〃What　is　our　science　againstthat？

Or　against　the　science　of　whatever　devils　that　made　itor

made　the　way　for　it　to　enter　this　world　of　ours？〃



With　an　effort　he　regained　control。



〃Goodwin；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　know　at　all　of　the　ruins　on

the　Carolines；　the　cyclopean；　megalithic　cities　and　harbours

of　Ponape　and　Lele；　of　Kusaie；　of　Ruk　and　Hogolu；　and　a

score　of　other　islets　there？　　Particularly；　do　you　know　of

the　Nan…Matal　and　the　Metalanim？〃



〃Of　the　Metalanim　I　have　heard　and　seen　photographs；〃

I　said。　　〃They　call　it；　don't　they；　the　Lost　Venice　of　the

Pacific？〃



〃Look　at　this　map；〃　said　Throckmartin。　　〃That；〃　he　went

on；　〃is　Christian's　chart　of　Metalanim　harbour　and　the　Nan…

Matal。　　Do　you　see　the　rectangles　marked　Nan…Tauach？〃



〃Yes；〃　I　said。



〃There；〃　he　said；　〃under　those　walls　is　the　Moon　Pool

and　the　seven　gleaming　lights　that　raise　the　Dweller　in　the

Pool；　and　the　altar　and　shrine　of　the　Dweller。　　And　there　in

the　Moon　Pool　with　it　lie　Edith　and　Stanton　and　Thora。〃



　〃The　Dweller　in　the　Moon　Pool？〃　I　repeated　half…

incredulously。



　〃The　Thing　you　saw；〃　said　Throckmartin　solemnly。



A　solid　sheet　of　rain　swept　the　ports；　and　the　Southern

Queen　began　to　roll　on　the　rising　swells。　　Throckmartin

drew　another　deep　breath　of　relief；　and　drawing　aside　a

curtain　peered　out　into　the　night。　　Its　blackness　seemed　to

reassure　him。　　At　any　rate；　when　he　sat　again　he