the moon pool- 第25部分

through　this〃　He　made　a　wide　gesture　up　toward　the

nebulous　haze　above　us。　　He　took　a　pencil　and　on　a　white

cloth　made　a　hasty　sketch　of　an　airplane。　　〃In　aa　corial

like　this〃　She　regarded　the　sketch　gravely；　thrust　a　hand

down　into　her　girdle　and　brought　forth　a　keen…bladed

poniard；　cut　Larry's　markings　out　and　placed　the　fragment

carefully　aside。



〃That　I　can　understand；〃　she　said。



〃Remarkably　intelligent　young　woman；〃　muttered

O'Keefe。　　〃Hope　I'm　not　giving　anything　awaybut　she　had

me。〃



〃But　what　are　your　women　like；　Larree？　　Are　they　like

me？　　And　how　many　have　loved　you？〃　she　whispered。



〃In　all　Ireland　and　America　there　is　none　like　you；　Yo…

lara；〃　he　answered。　　〃And　take　that　any　way　you　please；〃　he

muttered　in　English。　　She　took　it；　it　was　evident；　as　it　most

pleased　her。



〃Do　you　have　goddesses？〃　she　asked。



〃Every　woman　in　Ireland　and　America；　is　a　goddess〃；

thus　Larry。



〃Now　that　I　do　not　believe。〃　There　was　both　anger　and

mockery　in　her　eyes。　　〃I　know　women；　Larreeand　if　that

were　so　there　would　be　no　peace　for　men。〃



〃There　isn't！〃　replied　he。　　The　anger　died　out　and　she

laughed；　sweetly；　understandingly。



〃And　which　goddess　do　you　worship；　Larree？〃



〃You！〃　said　Larry　O'Keefe　boldly。



〃Larry！　　Larry！〃　I　whispered。　　〃Be　careful。　　It's　high　explo…

sive。〃



But　the　priestess　was　laughinglittle　trills　of　sweet　bell

notes；　and　pleasure　was　in　each　note。



〃You　are　indeed　bold；　Larree；〃　she　said；　〃to　offer　me　your

worship。　　Yet　am　I　pleased　by　your　boldness。　　StillLugur　is

strong；　and　you　are　not　of　those　whowhat　did　you　say

have　tried。　　And　your　wings　are　not　hereLarree！〃



Again　her　laughter　rang　out。　　The　Irishman　flushed；　it　was

touche　for　Yolara！



〃Fear　not　for　me　with　Lugur；〃　he　said；　grimly。　　〃Rather

fear　for　him！〃



The　laughter　died；　she　looked　at　him　searchingly；　a　little

enigmatic　smile　about　her　mouthso　sweet　and　so　cruel。



〃Wellwe　shall　see；〃　she　murmured。　　〃You　say　you　battle

in　your　world。　　With　what？〃



〃Oh；　with　this　and　with　that；〃　answered　Larry；　airily。

〃We　manage〃



〃Have　you　the　KethI　mean　that　with　which　I　sent

Songar　into　the　nothingness？〃　she　asked　swiftly。



〃See　what　she's　driving　at？〃　O'Keefe　spoke　to　me；　swiftly。

〃Well　I　do！　　But　here's　where　the　O'Keefe　lands。



〃I　said；〃　he　turned　to　her；　〃O　voice　of　silver　fire；　that　your

spirit　is　high　even　as　your　beautyand　searches　out　men's

souls　as　does　your　loveliness　their　hearts。　　And　now　listen；

Yolara；　for　what　I　speak　is　truth〃into　his　eyes　came　the

far…away　gaze；　into　his　voice　the　Irish　softness〃Lo；　in　my

land　of　Ireland；　this　many　of　your　life's　length　agonesee〃

he　raised　his　ten　fingers；　clenched　and　unclenched　them

times　twenty〃the　mighty　men　of　my　race；　the　Taitha…da…

Dainn；　could　send　men　out　into　the　nothingness　even　as　do

you　with　the　Keth。　　And　this　they　did　by　their　harpings；　and

by　words　spokenwords　of　power；　O　Yolara；　that　have　their

power　stilland　by　pipings　and　by　slaying　sounds。



〃There　was　Cravetheen　who　played　swift　flames　from　his

harp；　flying　flames　that　ate　those　they　were　sent　against。　　And

there　was　Dalua；　of　Hy　Brasil；　whose　pipes　played　away

from　man　and　beast　and　all　living　things　their　shadows

and　at　last　played　them　to　shadows　too；　so　that　wherever

Dalua　went　his　shadows　that　had　been　men　and　beast　fol…

lowed　like　a　storm　of　little　rustling　leaves；　yea；　and　Bel　the

Harper；　who　could　make　women's　hearts　run　like　wax　and

men's　hearts　flame　to　ashes　and　whose　harpings　could　shat…

ter　strong　cliffs　and　bow　great　trees　to　the　sod〃



His　eyes　were　bright；　dream…filled；　she　shrank　a　little

from　him；　faint　pallor　under　the　perfect　skin。



〃I　say　to　you；　Yolara；　that　these　things　were　and　are

in　Ireland。〃　His　voice　rang　strong。　　〃And　I　have　seen　men　as

many　as　those　that　are　in　your　great　chamber　this　many

times　over〃he　clenched　his　hands　once　more；　perhaps　a

dozen　times〃blasted　into　nothingness　before　your　Keth

could　even　have　touched　them。　　Yeaand　rocks　as　mighty

as　those　through　which　we　came　lifted　up　and　shattered

before　the　lids　could　fall　over　your　blue　eyes。　　And　this　is

truth；　Yolaraall　truth！　　Stayhave　you　that　little　cone　of

the　Keth　with　which　you　destroyed　Songar？〃



She　nodded；　gazing　at　him；　fascinated；　fear　and　puzzle…

ment　contending。



〃Then　use　it。〃　He　took　a　vase　of　crystal　from　the　table；

placed　it　on　the　threshold　that　led　into　the　garden。　　〃Use　it

on　thisand　I　will　show　you。〃



〃I　will　use　it　upon　one　of　the　ladala〃　she　began　eagerly。



The　exaltation　dropped　from　him；　there　was　a　touch　of

horror　in　the　eyes　he　turned　to　her；　her　own　dropped　be…

fore　it。



〃It　shall　be　as　you　say；〃　she　said　hurriedly。　　She　drew　the

shining　cone　from　her　breast；　levelled　it　at　the　vase。　　The

green　ray　leaped　forth；　spread　over　the　crystal；　but　before

its　action　could　even　be　begun；　a　flash　of　light　shot　from

O'Keefe's　hand；　his　automatic　spat　and　the　trembling　vase

flew　into　fragments。　　As　quickly　as　he　had　drawn　it；　he

thrust　the　pistol　back　into　place　and　stood　there　empty

handed；　looking　at　her　sternly。　　From　the　anteroom　came

shouting；　a　rush　of　feet。



Yolara's　face　was　white；　her　eyes　strainedbut　her　voice

was　unshaken　as　she　called　to　the　clamouring　guards：



〃It　is　nothinggo　to　your　places！〃



But　when　the　sound　of　their　return　had　ceased　she　stared

tensely　at　the　Irishmanthen　looked　again　at　the　shattered

vase。



〃It　is　true！〃　she　cried；　〃but　see；　the　Keth　isalive！〃



I　followed　her　pointing　finger。　　Each　broken　bit　of　the

crystal　was　vibrating；　shaking　its　particles　out　into　space。

Broken　it　the　bullet　of　Larry's　hadbut　not　released　it　from

the　grip　of　the　disintegrating　force。　　The　priestess's　face　was

triumphant。



〃But　what　matters　it；　O　shining　urn　of　beautywhat　mat…

ters　it　to　the　vase　that　is　broken　what　happens　to　its　frag…

ments？〃　asked　Larry；　gravelyand　pointedly。



The　triumph　died　from　her　face　and　for　a　space　she　was

silent；　brooding。



〃Next；〃　whispered　O'Keefe　to　me。　　〃Lots　of　surprises　in

the　little　box；　keep　your　eye　on　the　opening　and　see　what

comes　out。〃



We　had　not　long　to　wait。　　There　was　a　sparkle　of　anger

about　Yolara；　something　too　of　injured　pride。　　She　clapped

her　hands；　whispered　to　the　maid　who　answered　her　sum…

mons；　and　then　sat　back　regarding　us；　maliciously。



〃You　have　answered　me　as　to　your　strengthbut　you

have　not　proved　it；　but　the　Keth　you　have　answered。　　Now

answer　this！〃　she　said。



She　pointed　out　into　the　garden。　　I　saw　a　flowering　branch

bend　and　snap　as　though　a　hand　had　broken　itbut　no　hand

was　there！　　Saw　then　another　and　another　bend　and　break；

a　little　tree　sway　and　falland　closer　and　closer　to　us　came

the　trail　of　snapping　boughs　while　down　into　the　garden

poured　the　silvery　light　revealingnothing！　　Now　a　great

ewer　beside　a　pillar　rose　swiftly　in　air　and　hurled　itself

crashing　at　my　feet。　　Cushions　close　to　us　swirled　about　as

though　in　the　vortex　of　a　whirlwind。



And　unseen　hands　held　my　arms　in　a　mighty　clutch　fast

to　my　sides；　another　gripped　my　throat　and　I　felt　a　needle…

sharp　poniard　point　pierce　my　shirt；　touch　the　skin　just　over

my　heart！



〃Larry！〃　I　cried；　despairingly。　　I　twisted　my　head；　saw　that

he　too　was　caught　in　this　grip　of　the　invisible。　　But　his　face

was　calm；　even　amused。



〃Keep　cool；　Doc！〃　he　said。　　〃Remembershe　wants　to

learn　the　language！〃



Now　from　Yolara　burst　chime　upon　chime　of　mocking

laughter。　　She　gave　a　commandthe　hands　loosened；　the

poniard　withdrew　from　my　heart；　suddenly　as　I　had　been

caught　I　was　freeand　unpleasantly　weak　and　shaky。



〃Have　you　THAT　in　Ireland；　Larree！〃　cried　the　priestess

and　once　more　trembled　with　laughter。



〃A　good　play；　Yolara。〃　His　voice　was　as　calm　as　his　face。

〃But　they　did　that　in　Ireland　even　before　Dalua　piped　away

his　first　man's　shadow。　　And　in　Goodwin's　land　they　make

shipscoria　that　go　on　waterso　you　can　pass　by　them　and

see　only　sea　and　sky；　and　those　water　coria　are　each　of　them

many　times　greater　than　this　whole　palace　of　yours。〃



But　the　priestess　laughed　on。



〃It　did　get　me　a　little；〃　whispered　Larry。　　〃That　wasn't

quite　up　to　my　mark。　　But　God！　　If　we　could　find　that　trick

out　and　take　it　back　with　us！〃



〃Not　so；　Larree！〃　Yolara　gasped；　through　her　laughter。

〃Not　so！　　Goodwin's　cry　betrayed　you！〃



Her　good　humour　had　entirely　returned；　she　was　like　a

mischievous　child　pleased　over　some　successful　trick；　and

like　a　child　she　cried〃I'll　show　you！〃signalled　again；

whispered　to　the　maid　who；　quickly　returning；　laid　before

her　a　long　metal　case。　　Yolara　took　from　her　girdle　something

that　looked　like　a　small　pencil；　pressed　it　and　shot　a　thin

stream　of　light　for　all　the　world　like　an　electric　flash；　upon

its　hasp。　　The　lid　flew　open。　　Out　of　it　she　drew　three　flat；　oval

crystals；　faint　rose　in　hue。　　She　handed　one　to　O'Keefe　and

one　to　me。



〃Look！〃　she　commanded；　placing　the　third　before　her　own

eyes。　　I　peered　through　the　stone　and　instantly　there　leaped

into　sight；　out　of　thin　airsix　grinning　dwarfs！　　Each　was

covered　from　top　of　head　to　soles　of　feet　in　a　web　so　tenuous

that　through　it　their　bodies　were　plain。　　The　gauzy　stuff

seemed　to　vibrateits　strands　to　run　together　like　quick…

silver。　　I　snatched　the　crystal　from　my　eyes　andthe　chamber

was　empty！　　Put　it　backand　there　were　the　grinning　six！



Yolara　gave　another　sign　and　they　disappeared；　even　from

the　crystals。



〃It　is　what　they　wear；　Larree；〃　explained　Yolara；　gra…

ciously。　　〃It　is　something　that　came　to　us　fromthe　Ancient

Ones。　　But　we　have　so　few〃she　sighed。



〃Such　treasures　must　be　two…edged　swords；　Yolara；〃

commented　O'Keefe。　　〃For　how　know　you　that　one　within

them　creeps　not　to　you　with　hand　eager　to　strike？〃



〃There　is　no　danger；〃　she　said　indiffer