the moon pool- 第42部分

curled。



On　and　on　we　sped；　the　high　thrusting　precipices　upon

which　the　bridge's　far　end　rested；　frowned　close；　the　enig…

matic；　dully　shining　dome　loomed　ever　greater。　　Now　we　had

reached　that　end；　were　passing　over　a　smooth　plaza　whose

level　floor　was　enclosed；　save　for　a　rift　in　front　of　us；　by

the　fanged　tops　of　the　black　cliff's。



From　this　rift　stretched　another　span；　half　a　mile　long；

perhaps；　widening　at　its　centre　into　a　broad　platform；　con…

tinuing　straight　to　two　massive　gates　set　within　the　face　of

the　second　cliff　wall　like　panels；　and　of　the　same　dull　gold

as　the　dome　rising　high　beyond。　　And　this　smaller　arch　leaped

a　pit；　an　abyss；　of　which　the　outer　precipices　were　the　rim

holding　back　from　the　pit　the　red　flood。



We　were　rapidly　approaching；　now　upon　the　platform；　my

bearers　were　striding　closely　along　the　side；　I　leaned　far　out

a　giddiness　seized　me！　　I　gazed　down　into　depth　upon　ver…

tiginous　depth；　an　abyss　indeedan　abyss　dropping　to

world's　base　like　that　in　which　the　Babylonians　believed

writhed　Talaat；　the　serpent　mother　of　Chaos；　a　pit　that

struck　down　into　earth's　heart　itself；



Now；　what　was　thatdistance　upon　unfathomable　dis…

tance　below？　　A　stupendous　glowing　like　the　green　fire　of　life

itself。　　What　was　it　like？　　I　had　it！　　It　was　like　the　corona　of　the

sun　in　eclipsethat　burgeoning　that　makes　of　our　luminary

when　moon　veils　it　an　incredible　blossoming　of　splendours

in　the　black　heavens。



And　strangely；　strangely；　it　was　like　the　Dweller's　beauty

when　with　its　dazzling　spirallings　and　writhings　it　raced

amid　its　storm　of　crystal　bell　sounds！



The　abyss　was　behind　us；　we　had　paused　at　the　golden

portals；　they　swung　inward。　　A　wide　corridor　filled　with　soft

light　was　before　us；　and　on　its　threshold　stoodbizarre；

yellow　gems　gleaming；　huge　muzzle　wide　in　what　was　evi…

dently　meant　for　a　smile　of　welcomethe　woman　frog　of

the　Moon　Pool　wall。



Lakla　raised　her　head；　swept　back　the　silken　tent　of　her

hair　and　gazed　at　me　with　eyes　misty　from　weeping。　　The

frog…woman　crept　to　her　side；　gazed　down　upon　Larry；　spoke

SPOKEto　the　Golden　Girl　in　a　swift　stream　of　the　sono…

rous；　reverberant　monosyllables；　and　Lakla　answered　her　in

kind。　　The　webbed　digits　swept　over　O'Keefe's　face；　felt　at

his　heart；　she　shook　her　head　and　moved　ahead　of　us　up　the

passage。



Still　borne　in　the　litters　we　went　on；　winding；　ascending

until　at　last　they　were　set　down　in　a　great　hall　carpeted

with　soft　fragrant　rushes　and　into　which　from　high　narrow

slits　streamed　the　crimson　light　from　without。



I　jumped　over　to　Larry；　there　had　been　no　change　in　his

condition；　still　the　terrifying　limpness；　the　slow；　infrequent

pulsation。　　Rador　and　Olafand　the　fever　now　seemed　to　be

gone　from　himcame　and　stood　beside　me；　silent。



〃I　go　to　the　Three；〃　said　Lakla。　　〃Wait　you　here。〃　　She

passed　through　a　curtaining；　then　as　swiftly　as　she　had　gone

she　returned　through　the　hangings；　tresses　braided；　a　swath…

ing　of　golden　gauze　about　her。



〃Rador；〃　she　said；　〃bear　you　Larryfor　into　your　heart

the　Silent　Ones　would　look。　　And　fear　nothing；〃　she　added　at

the　green　dwarfs　disconcerted；　almost　fearful　start。



Rador　bowed；　was　thrust　aside　by　Olaf。



〃No；〃　said　the　Norseman；　〃I　will　carry　him。〃



He　lifted　Larry　like　a　child　against　his　broad　breast。　　The

dwarf　glanced　quickly　at　Lakla；　she　nodded。



〃Come！〃　she　commanded；　and　held　aside　the　folds。



Of　that　journey　I　have　few　memories。　　I　only　know　that

we　went　through　corridor　upon　corridor；　successions　of　vast

halls　and　chambers；　some　carpeted　with　the　rushes；　others

with　rugs　into　which　the　feet　sank　as　into　deep；　soft　mead…

ows；　spaces　illumined　by　the　rubrous　light；　and　spaces　in

which　softer　lights　held　sway。



We　paused　before　a　slab　of　the　same　crimson　stone　as　that

the　green　dwarf　had　called　the　portal；　and　upon　its　polished

surface　weaved　the　same　unnameable　symbols。　　The　Golden

Girl　pressed　upon　its　side；　it　slipped　softly　back；　a　torrent　of

opalescence　gushed　out　of　the　openingand　as　one　in　a

dream　I　entered。



We　were；　I　knew；　just　under　the　dome；　but　for　the　mo…

ment；　caught　in　the　flood　of　radiance；　I　could　see　nothing。　　It

was　like　being　held　within　a　fire　opalso　brilliant；　so　flash…

ing；　was　it。　　I　closed　my　eyes；　opened　them；　the　lambency

cascaded　from　the　vast　curves　of　the　globular　walls；　in　front

of　me　was　a　long；　narrow　opening　in　them；　through　which；

far　away；　I　could　see　the　end　of　the　wizards'　bridge　and　the

ledged　mouth　of　the　cavern　through　which　we　had　come；

against　the　light　from　within　beat　the　crimson　light　from

withoutand　was　checked　as　though　by　a　barrier。



I　felt　Lakla's　touch；　turned。



A　hundred　paces　away　was　a　dais；　its　rim　raised　a　yard

above　the　floor。　　From　the　edge　of　this　rim　streamed　upward

a　steady；　coruscating　mist　of　the　opalescence；　veined　even　as

was　that　of　the　Dweller's　shining　core　and　shot　with　milky

shadows　like　curdled　moonlight；　up　it　stretched　like　a　wall。



Over　it；　from　it；　down　upon　me；　gazed　three　facestwo

clearly　male；　one　a　woman's。　　At　the　first　I　thought　them

statues；　and　then　the　eyes　of　them　gave　the　lie　to　me；　for

the　eyes　were　alive；　terribly；　and　if　I　could　admit　the　word

SUPERNATURALLYalive。



They　were　thrice　the　size　of　the　human　eye　and　triangular；

the　apex　of　the　angle　upward；　black　as　jet；　pupilless；　filled

with　tiny；　leaping　red　flames；



Over　them　were　foreheads；　not　as　ourshigh　and　broad

and　visored；　their　sides　drawn　forward　into　a　vertical　ridge；

a　prominence；　an　upright　wedge；　somewhat　like　the　visored

heads　of　a　few　of　the　great　lizardsand　the　heads；　long；

narrowing　at　the　back；　were　fully　twice　the　size　of　man…

kind's！



Upon　the　brows　were　capsand　with　a　fearful　certainty

I　knew　that　they　were　NOT　capslong；　thick　strands　of

gleaming　yellow；　feathered　scales　thin　as　sequins！　　Sharp；

curving　noses　like　the　beaks　of　the　giant　condors；　mouths

thin；　austere；　long；　powerful；　pointed　chins；　theFLESH

of　the　faces　white　as　the　whitest　marble；　and　wreathing　up　to

them；　covering　all　their　bodies；　the　shimmering；　curdled；

misty　fires　of　opalescence！



Olaf　stood　rigid；　my　own　heart　leaped　wildly。　　What

what　were　these　beings？



I　forced　myself　to　look　againand　from　their　gaze

streamed　a　current　of　reassurance；　of　good　willnay；　of

intense　spiritual　strength。　　I　saw　that　they　were　not　fierce；

not　ruthless；　not　inhuman；　despite　their　strangeness；　no；

they　were　kindly；　in　some　unmistakable　way；　benign　and

sorrowfulso　sorrowful！　　I　straightened；　gazed　back　at　them

fearlessly。　　Olaf　drew　a　deep　breath；　gazed　steadily　too；　the

hardness；　the　despair　wiped　from　his　face。



Now　Lakla　drew　closer　to　the　dais；　the　three　pairs　of　eyes

searched　hers；　the　woman's　with　an　ineffable　tenderness；

some　message　seemed　to　pass　between　the　Three　and　the

Golden　Girl。　　She　bowed　low；　turned　to　the　Norseman。



〃Place　Larry　there；〃　she　said　softly〃there　at　the　feet　of

the　Silent　Ones。〃



She　pointed　into　the　radiant　mist；　Olaf　started；　hesitated；

stared　from　Lakla　to　the　Three；　searched　for　a　moment　their

eyesand　something　like　a　smile　drifted　through　them。　　He

stepped　forward；　lifted　O'Keefe；　set　him　squarely　within　the

covering　light。　　It　wavered；　rolled　upward；　swirled　about　the

body；　steadied　againand　within　it　there　was　no　sign　of

Larry！



Again　the　mist　wavered；　shook；　and　seemed　to　climb

higher；　hiding　the　chins；　the　beaked　noses；　the　brows　of　that

incredible　Trinitybut　before　it　ceased　to　climb；　I　thought

the　yellow　feathered　heads　bent；　sensed　a　movement　as

though　they　lifted　something。



The　mist　fell；　the　eyes　gleamed　out　again；　inscrutable。



And　groping　out　of　the　radiance；　pausing　at　the　verge　of

the　dais；　leaping　down　from　it；　came　Larry；　laughing；　filled

with　life；　blinking　as　one　who　draws　from　darkness　into　sun…

shine。　　He　saw　Lakla；　sprang　to　her；　gripped　her　in　his　arms。



〃Lakla！〃　he　cried。　〃Mavourneen！〃　　She　slipped　from　his

embrace；　blushing；　glancing　at　the　Three　shyly；　half…fear…

fully。　　And　again　I　saw　the　tenderness　creep　into　the　inky；

flame…shot　orbs　of　the　woman　being；　and　a　tenderness　in　the

others　tooas　though　they　regarded　some　well…beloved

child。



〃You　lay　in　the　arms　of　Death；　Larry；〃　she　said。　　〃And　the

Silent　Ones　drew　you　from　him。　　Do　homage　to　the　Silent

Ones；　Larry；　for　they　are　good　and　they　are　mighty！〃



She　turned　his　head　with　one　of　the　long；　white　hands

and　he　looked　into　the　faces　of　the　Three；　looked　long；　was

shaken　even　as　had　been　Olaf　and　myself；　was　swept　by　that

same　wave　of　power　and　ofofwhat　can　I　call　it？HOLINESS

that　streamed　from　them。



Then　for　the　first　time　I　saw　real　awe　mount　into　his　face。

Another　moment　he　staredand　dropped　upon　one　knee

and　bowed　his　head　before　them　as　would　a　worshipper　be…

fore　the　shrine　of　his　saint。　　AndI　am　not　ashamed　to　tell　it

I　joined　him；　and　with　us　knelt　Lakla　and　Olaf　and　Rador。



The　mist　of　fiery　opal　swirled　up　about　the　Three；　hid

them。



And　with　a　long；　deep；　joyous　sigh　Lakla　took　Larry's

hand；　drew　him　to　his　feet；　and　silently　we　followed　them

out　of　that　hall　of　wonder。



But　why；　in　going；　did　the　thought　come　to　me　that　from

where　the　Three　sat　throned　they　ever　watched　the　cavern

mouth　that　was　the　door　into　their　abode；　and　looked　down

ever　into　the　unfathomable　depth　in　which　glowed　and

pulsed　that　mystic　flower；　colossal；　awesome；　of　green　flame

that　had　seemed　to　me　fire　of　life　itself？











CHAPTER　XXVI



The　Wooing　of　Lakla



I　HAD　SLEPT　soundly　and　dreamlessly；　I　wakened　quietly　in

the　great　chamber　into　which　Rador　had　ushered　O'Keefe

and　myself　after　that　culminating　experience　of　crowded；

nerve…racking　hoursthe　facing　of　the　Three。



Now；　lying　gazing　upward　at　the　high…vaulted　ceiling；　I

heard　L