the moon pool- 第31部分

ders；　looked　down　into　his　very　soul。



〃My　lord；〃　she　murmured。　　〃Now　listen　well　for　I；　Yolara；

give　you　three　thingsmyself；　and　the　Shining　One；　and　the

power　that　is　the　Shining　One'syea；　and　still　a　fourth　thing

that　is　all　threepower　over　all　upon　that　world　from

whence　you　came！　　These；　my　lord；　ye　shall　have。　　I　swear　it〃

she　turned　toward　the　altaruplifted　her　arms〃by　Siya

and　by　Siyana；　and　by　the　flame；　by　the　water；　and　by　the

light！〃1





*1　I　have　no　space　here　even　to　outline　the　eschatology　of　this　people；

nor　to　catalogue　their　pantheon。　　Siya　and　Siyana　typified　worldly　love。

Their　ritual　was；　however；　singularly　free　from　those　degrading　ele…

ments　usually　found　in　love…cults。　　Priests　and　priestesses　of　all　cults

dwelt　in　the　immense　seven…terraced　structure；　of　which　the　jet　amphi…

theatre　was　the　water　side。　　The　symbol；　icon；　representation；　of　Siya

and　Siyanathe　globe　and　the　up…striving　figurestypified　earthly

love；　feet　bound　to　earth；　but　eyes　among　the　stars。　　Hell　or　heaven　I

never　heard　formulated；　nor　their　equivalents；　unless　that　existence

in　the　Shining　One's　domain　could　serve　for　either。　　Over　all　this　was

Thanaroa；　remote；　unheeding；　but　still　maker　and　ruler　of　allan

absentee　First　Cause　personified！　　Thanaroa　seemed　to　be　the　one

article　of　belief　in　the　creed　of　the　soldiersRador；　with　his　reverence

for　the　Ancient　Ones；　was　an　exception。　　Whatever　there　was；　indeed；

of　high；　truly　religious　impulse　among　the　Murians；　this　far；　High

God　had。　　I　found　this　exceedingly　interesting；　because　it　had　long　been

my　theoryto　put　the　matter　in　the　shape　of　a　geometrical　formula

that　the　real　attractiveness　of　gods　to　man　increases　uniformly　accord…

ing　to　the　square　of　their　distanceW。　　T。　G。







Her　eyes　grew　purple　dark。



〃Let　none　dare　to　take　you　from　me！　　Nor　ye　go　from　me

unbidden！〃　she　whispered　fiercely。



Then　swiftly；　still　ignoring　us；　she　threw　her　arms　about

O'Keefe；　pressed　her　white　body　to　his　breast；　lips　raised；

eyes　closed；　seeking　his。　　O'Keefe's　arms　tightened　around

her；　his　head　dropped　lips　seeking；　finding　herspassion…

ately！　　From　Olaf　came　a　deep　indrawn　breath　that　was　al…

most　a　groan。　　But　not　in　my　heart　could　I　find　blame　for　the

Irishman！



The　priestess　opened　eyes　now　all　misty　blue；　thrust　him

back；　stood　regarding　him。　　O'Keefe；　dead…white；　raised　a

trembling　hand　to　his　face。



〃And　thus　have　I　sealed　my　oath；　O　my　lord！〃　she　whis…

pered。　　For　the　first　time　she　seemed　to　recognize　our　pres…

ence；　stared　at　us　a　moment；　then　through　us；　and　turned　to

O'Keefe。



〃Go；　now！〃　she　said。　　〃Soon　Rador　shall　come　for　you。

Thenwell；　after　that　let　happen　what　will！〃











She　smiled　once　more　at　himso　sweetly；　turned　toward

the　figures　upon　the　great　globe；　sank　upon　her　knees　before

them。　　Quietly　we　crept　away；　still　silent；　made　our　way　to

the　little　pavilion。　　But　as　we　passed　we　heard　a　tumult　from

the　green　roadway；　shouts　of　men；　now　and　then　a　woman's

scream。　　Through　a　rift　in　the　garden　I　glimpsed　a　jostling

crowd　on　one　of　the　bridges：　green　dwarfs　struggling　with

the　_ladala_and　all　about　droned　a　humming　as　of　a　giant

hive　disturbed！



Larry　threw　himself　down　upon　one　of　the　divans；　cov…

ered　his　face　with　his　hands；　dropped　them　to　catch　in　Olaf's

eyes　troubled　reproach；　looked　at　me。



〃_I_　couldn't　help　it；〃　he　said；　half　defiantlyhalf…miser…

ably。　　〃God；　what　a　woman！　　I　COULDN'T　help　it！〃



〃Larry；〃　I　asked。　　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　her　you　didn't　love

herthen？〃



He　gazed　at　methe　old　twinkle　back　in　his　eye。



〃Spoken　like　a　scientist；　Doc！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　suppose

if　a　burning　angel　struck　you　out　of　nowhere　and　threw　it…

self　about　you；　you　would　most　dignifiedly　tell　it　you　didn't

want　to　be　burned。　　For　God's　sake；　don't　talk　nonsense；

Goodwin！〃　he　ended；　almost　peevishly。



〃Evil！　　Evil！〃　The　Norseman's　voice　was　deep；　nearly　a

chant。　　〃All　here　is　of　evil：　Trolldom　and　Helvede　it　is；　Ja！

And　that　she　_djaevelsk_　of　beautywhat　is　she　but　harlot　of

that　shining　devil　they　worship。　　I；　Olaf　Huldricksson；　know

what　she　meant　when　she　held　out　to　you　power　over　all　the

world；　_Ja！_as　if　the　world　had　not　devils　enough　in　it　now！〃



〃What？〃　The　cry　came　from　both　O'Keefe　and　myself　at

once。



Olaf　made　a　gesture　of　caution；　relapsed　into　sullen

silence。　　There　were　footsteps　on　the　path；　and　into　sight

came　Radorbut　a　Rador　changed。　　Gone　was　every　vestige

of　his　mockery；　curiously　solemn；　he　saluted　O'Keefe　and

Olaf　with　that　salute　which；　before　this；　I　had　seen　given

only　to　Yolara　and　to　Lugur。　　There　came　a　swift　quickening

of　the　tumultdied　away。　　He　shrugged　mighty　shoulders。



〃The　_ladala_　are　awake！〃　he　said。　　〃So　much　for　what　two

brave　men　can　do！〃　He　paused　thoughtfully。　　〃Bones　and　dust

jostle　not　each　other　for　place　against　the　grave　wall！〃　he

added　oddly。　　〃But　if　bones　and　dust　have　revealed　to　them

that　they　stilllive〃



He　stopped　abruptly；　eyes　seeking　the　globe　that　bore　and

sent　forth　speech。1





*1　I　find　that　I　have　neglected　to　explain　the　working　of　these　inter…

esting　mechanisms　that　were　telephonic；　dictaphonic；　telegraphic　in

one。　　I　must　assume　that　my　readers　are　familiar　with　the　receiving

apparatus　of　wireless　telegraphy；　which　must　be　〃tuned〃　by　the　oper…

ator　until　its　own　vibratory　quality　is　in　exact　harmony　with　the

vibrationsthe　extremely　rapid　impactsof　those　short　electric　wave…

lengths　we　call　Hertzian；　and　which　carry　the　wireless　messages。　　I

must　assume　also　that　they　are　familiar　with　the　elementary　fact　of

physics　that　the　vibrations　of　light　and　sound　are　interchangeable。

The　hearing…talking　globes　utilize　both　these　principles；　and　with　con…

summate　simplicity。　　The　light　with　which　they　shone　was　produced

by　an　atomic　〃motor〃　within　their　base；　similar　to　that　which　activated

the　merely　illuminating　globes。　　The　composition　of　the　phonic　spheres

gave　their　surfaces　an　acute　sensitivity　and　resonance。　　In　conjunction

with　its　energizing　power；　the　metal　set　up　what　is　called　a　〃field　of

force；〃　which　linked　it　with　every　particle　of　its　kind　no　matter　how

distant。　　When　vibrations　of　speech　impinged　upon　the　resonant　surface

its　rhythmic　light…vibrations　were　broken；　just　as　a　telephone　trans…

mitter　breaks　an　electric　current。　　Simultaneously　these　light…vibrations

were　changed　into　soundon　the　surfaces　of　all　spheres　tuned　to　that

particular　instrument。　　The　〃crawling〃　colours　which　showed　them…

selves　at　these　times　were　literally　the　voice　of　the　speaker　in　its　spec…

trum　equivalent。　　While　usually　the　sounds　produced　required　consider…

able　familiarity　with　the　apparatus　to　be　understood　quickly；　they

could；　on　occasion；　be　made　startlingly　loud　and　clearas　I　was　soon

to　realizeW。　　T。　G。







〃The　_Afyo　Maie_　has　sent　me　to　watch　over　you　till　she

summons　you；〃　he　announced　clearly。　　〃There　is　to　be　a

feast。　　You；　_Larree_；　you　Goodwin；　are　to　come。　　I　remain　here

withOlaf。〃



〃No　harm　to　him！〃　broke　in　O'Keefe　sharply。　　Rador

touched　his　heart；　his　eyes。



〃By　the　Ancient　Ones；　and　by　my　love　for　you；　and　by

what　you　twain　did　before　the　Shining　OneI　swear　it！〃　he

whispered。



Rador　clapped　palms；　a　soldier　came　round　the　path；　in　his

grip　a　long　flat　box　of　polished　wood。　　The　green　dwarf　took

it；　dismissed　him；　threw　open　the　lid。



〃Here　is　your　apparel　for　the　feast；　_Larree_；〃　he　said；　point…

ing　to　the　contents。



O'Keefe　stared；　reached　down　and　drew　out　a　white；　shim…

mering；　softly　metallic；　long…sleeved　tunic；　a　broad；　silvery

girdle；　leg　swathings　of　the　same　argent　material；　and　san…

dals　that　seemed　to　be　cut　out　from　silver。　　He　made　a　quick

gesture　of　angry　dissent。



〃Nay；　_Larree_！〃　muttered　the　dwarf。　　〃Wear　themI　coun…

sel　itI　pray　itask　me　not　why；〃　he　went　on　swiftly；　look…

ing　again　at　the　globe。



O'Keefe；　as　I；　was　impressed　by　his　earnestness。　　The

dwarf　made　a　curiously　expressive　pleading　gesture。　　O'Keefe

abruptly　took　the　garments；　passed　into　the　room　of　the　foun…

tain。



〃The　Shining　One　dances　not　again？〃　I　asked。



〃No；〃　he　said。　　〃No〃he　hesitate〃it　is　the　usual　feast

that　follows　the　sacrament！　　Lugurand　Double　Tongue；

who　came　with　you；　will　be　there；〃　he　added　slowly。



〃Lugur〃　I　gasped　in　astonishment。　　〃After　what　hap…

penedhe　will　be　there？〃



〃Perhaps　because　of　what　happened；　Goodwin；　my

friend；〃　he　answeredhis　eyes　again　full　of　malice；　〃and

there　will　be　othersfriends　of　Yolarafriends　of　Lugur

and　perhaps　another〃his　voice　was　almost　inaudible

〃one　whom　they　have　not　called〃　He　halted；　half…fear…

fully；　glancing　at　the　globe；　put　finger　to　lips　and　spread

himself　out　upon　one　of　the　couches。



〃Strike　up　the　band〃came　O'Keefe's　voice〃here

comes　the　hero！〃



He　strode　into　the　room。　　I　am　bound　to　say　that　the　ad…

miration　in　Rador's　eyes　was　reflected　in　my　own；　and　even；

if　involuntarily；　in　Olaf's。



〃A　son　of　Siyana！〃　whispered　Rador。



He　knelt；　took　from　his　girdle…pouch　a　silk…wrapped

something；　unwound　itand；　still　kneeling；　drew　out　a　slen…

der　poniard　of　gleaming　white　metal；　hilted　with　the　blue

stones；　he　thrust　it　into　O'Keefe's　girdle；　then　gave　him

again　the　rare　salute。



〃Come；〃　he　ordered　and　took　us　to　the　head　of　the　path…

way。



〃Now；〃　he　said　grimly；　〃let　the　Silent　Ones　show　their

powerif　they　still　have　it！〃



And　with　this　strange　benediction；　be　turned　back。



〃For　God's　sake；　Larry；〃　I　urged　as　we　approached　the

house　of　the　priestess；　〃you'll　be　careful！〃



He　noddedbut　I　saw　with　a　little　deadly　pang　of　ap…

prehension　in　my　heart　a　puzzled；　lurking　doubt　within　his

eyes。



As　we　ascended　the　serpent　steps　Marakinoff　appeared。

He　gave　a　signal　to　our　guardsand　I　wondered　what　in…

fluence　the　Russian　ha