the moon pool- 第51部分

lacked　power　to　swirl　unaided　into　and　through　the　above。

Then　it　counselled　them；　instructing　them　what　to　do。　　They

hollowed　the　chamber　wherein　first　I　saw　you；　cutting　their

way　to　it　that　path　down　which　from　it　you　sped。



〃It　revealed　to　them　that　the　force　that　is　within　moon

flame　is　kin　to　the　force　that　is　within　it；　for　the　chamber　of

its　birth　was　the　chamber　too　of　moon　birth　and　into　it　went

the　subtle　essence　and　powers　that　flow　in　that　earth　child：

and　it　taught　them　how　to　make　that　which　fills　what　you　call

the　Moon　Pool　whose　opening　is　close　behind　its　Veil　hang…

ing　upon　the　gleaming　cliffs。



〃When　this　was　done　it　taught　them　how　to　make　and　how

to　place　the　seven　lights　through　which　moon　flame　streams

into　Moon　Poolthe　seven　lights　that　are　kin　to　its　own

seven　orbs　even　as　its　fires　are　kin　to　moon　firesand　which

would　open　for　it　a　path　that　it　could　tread。　　And　all　this　the

_Taithu_　did；　working　so　secretly　that　neither　those　of　their

race　whose　faces　were　set　against　the　Shining　One　nor　the

busy　men　above　know　aught　of　it。



〃When　it　was　done　they　moved　up　the　path；　clustering

within　the　Moon　Pool　Chamber。　　Moon　flame　streamed

through　the　seven　globes；　poured　down　upon　the　pool；　they

saw　mists　arise；　embrace；　and　become　one　with　the　moon

flameand　then　up　through　Moon　Pool；　shaping　itself　within

the　mists　of　light；　whirling；　radiantthe　Shining　One！



〃Almost　free；　almost　loosed　upon　the　world　it　coveted！



〃Again　it　counselled　them；　and　they　pierced　the　passage

whose　portal　you　found　first；　set　the　fires　within　its　stones；

and　revealing　themselves　to　the　moon　king　and　his　priests

spake　to　them　even　as　the　Shining　One　had　instructed。



〃Now　was　the　moon　king　filled　with　fear　when　he　looked

upon　the　_Taithu_；　shrouded　with　protecting　mists　of　light　in

Moon　Pool　Chamber；　and　heard　their　words。　　Yet；　being

crafty；　he　thought　of　the　power　that　would　be　his　if　he

heeded　and　how　quickly　the　strength　of　the　sun　king　would

dwindle。　　So　he　and　his　made　a　pact　with　the　Shining　One's

messengers。



〃When　next　the　moon　was　round　and　poured　its　flames

down　upon　Moon　Pool；　the　_Taithu_　gathered　there　again；

watched　the　child　of　the　Three　take　shape　within　the　pillars；

speed　awayand　out！　　They　heard　a　mighty　shouting；　a

tumult　of　terror；　of　awe　and　of　worship；　a　silence；　a　vast

sighingand　they　waited；　wrapped　in　their　mists　of　light；

for　they　feared　to　follow　nor　were　they　near　the　paths　that

would　have　enabled　them　to　look　without。



〃Another　tumultand　back　came　the　Shining　One；　mur…

muring　with　joy；　pulsing；　triumphant；　and　clasped　within　its

vapours　a　man　and　woman；　ruddy…haired；　golden…eyed；　in

whose　faces　rapture　and　horror　lay　side　by　sidegloriously；

hideously。　　And　still　holding　them　it　danced　above　the　Moon

Pool　andsank！



〃Now　must　I　be　brief。　_Lat_　after　_lat_　the　Shining　One　went

forth；　returning　with　its　sacrifices。　　And　stronger　after　each

it　grewand　gayer　and　more　cruel。　　Ever　when　it　passed

with　its　prey　toward　the　pool；　the　_Taithu_　who　watched　felt

a　swift；　strong　intoxication；　a　drunkenness　of　spirit；　stream…

ing　from　it　to　them。　　And　the　Shining　One　forgot　what　it　had

promised　them　of　dominionand　in　this　new　evil　delight

they　too　forgot。



〃The　outer　land　was　torn　with　hatred　and　open　strife。

The　moon　king　and　his　kind；　through　the　guidance　of　the

evil　_Taithu_　and　the　favour　of　the　Shining　One；　had　become

powerful　and　the　sun　king　and　his　were　darkened。　　And　the

moon　priests　preached　that　the　child　of　the　Three　was　the

moon　god　itself　come　to　dwell　with　them。



〃Now　vast　tides　arose　and　when　they　withdrew　they　took

with　them　great　portions　of　this　country。　　And　the　land　itself

began　to　sink。　　Then　said　the　moon　king　that　the　moon　had

called　to　ocean　to　destroy　because　wroth　that　another　than

he　was　worshipped。　　The　people　believed　and　there　was

slaughter。　　When　it　was　over　there　was　no　more　a　sun　king

nor　any　of　the　ruddy…haired　folk；　slain　were　they；　slain　down

to　the　babe　at　breast。



〃But　still　the　tides　swept　higher；　still　dwindled　the　land！



〃As　it　shrank　multitudes　of　the　fleeing　people　were　led

through　Moon　Pool　Chamber　and　carried　here。　　They　were

what　now　are　called　the　_ladala_；　and　they　were　given　place

and　set　to　work；　and　they　thrived。　　Came　many　of　the　fair…

haired；　and　they　were　given　dwellings。　　They　sat　beside　the

evil　_Taithu_；　they　became　drunk　even　as　they　with　the　dan…

cing　of　the　Shining　One；　they　learnednot　all；　only　a　little

part　but　little　enoughof　their　arts。　　And　ever　the　Shining

One　danced　more　gaily　out　there　within　the　black　amphi…

theatre；　grew　ever　strongerand　ever　the　hordes　of　its

slaves　behind　the　Veil　increased。



〃Nor　did　the　_Taithu_　who　clung　to　the　old　ways　check　this

they　could　not。　　By　the　sinking　of　the　land　above；　their

own　spaces　were　imperilled。　　All　of　their　strength　and　all　of

their　wisdom　it　took　to　keep　this　land　from　perishing；　nor

had　they　help　from　those　others　mad　for　the　poison　of　the

Shining　One；　and　they　had　no　time　to　deal　with　them　nor

the　earth　race　with　whom　they　had　foregathered。




〃At　last　came　a　slow；　vast　flood。　　It　rolled　even　to　the

bases　of　the　walled　islets　of　the　city　of　the　godsand　within

these　now　were　all　that　were　left　of　my　people　on　earth　face。



〃I　am　of　those　people；〃　she　paused；　looking　at　me　proudly；

〃one　of　the　daughters　of　the　sun　king　whose　seed　is　still　alive

in　the　_ladala_！〃



As　Larry　opened　his　mouth　to　speak　she　waved　a　silencing　hand。



〃This　tide　did　not　recede；〃　she　went　on。　　〃And　after　a　time

the　remnant；　the　moon　king　leading　them；　joined　those　who

had　already　fled　below。　　The　rocks　became　still；　the　quakings

ceased；　and　now　those　Ancient　Ones　who　had　been　labouring

could　take　breath。　　And　anger　grew　within　them　as　they

looked　upon　the　work　of　their　evil　kin。　　Again　they　sought

the　Threeand　the　Three　now　knew　what　they　had　done　and

their　pride　was　humbled。　　They　would　not　slay　the　Shining

One　themselves；　for　still　they　loved　it；　but　they　instructed

these　others　how　to　undo　their　work；　how　also　they　might

destroy　the　evil　_Taithu_　were　it　necessary。



〃Armed　with　the　wisdom　of　the　Three　they　went　forth

but　now　the　Shining　One　was　strong　indeed。　　They　could　not

slay　it！



〃Nay；　it　knew　and　was　prepared；　they　could　not　even　pass

beyond　its　Veil　nor　seal　its　abode。　　Ah；　strong；　strong；　mighty

of　will；　full　of　craft　and　cunning　had　the　Shining　One　be…

come。　　So　they　turned　upon　their　kind　who　had　gone　astray

and　made　them　perish；　to　the　last。　　The　Shining　One　came

not　to　the　aid　of　its　servantsthough　they　called；　for　within

its　will　was　the　thought　that　they　were　of　no　further　use　to　it；

that　it　would　rest　awhile　and　dance　with　themwho　had　so

little　of　the　power　and　wisdom　of　its　_Taithu_　and　therefore

no　reins　upon　it。　　And　while　this　was　happening　black…haired

and　fair…haired　ran　and　hid　and　were　but　shaking　vessels　of

terror。



〃The　Ancient　Ones　took　counsel。　　This　was　their　decision；

that　they　would　go　from　the　gardens　before　the　Silver　Waters

leaving；　since　they　could　not　kill　it；　the　Shining　One　with

its　worshippers。　　They　sealed　the　mouth　of　the　passage　that

leads　to　the　Moon　Pool　Chamber　and　they　changed　the　face

of　the　cliff　so　that　none　might　tell　where　it　had　been。　　But

the　passage　itself　they　left　openhaving　foreknowledge　I

think；　of　a　thing　that　was　to　come　to　pass　in　the　far　future

perhaps　it　was　your　journey　here；　my　Larry　and　Goodwin

verily　I　think　so。　　And　they　destroyed　all　the　ways　save　that

which　we　three　trod　to　the　Dweller's　abode。



〃For　the　last　time　they　went　to　the　Threeto　pass　sen…

tence　upon　them。　　This　was　the　doomthat　here　they　should

remain；　alone；　among　the　_Akka_；　served　by　them；　until　that

time　dawned　when　they　would　have　will　to　destroy　the　evil

they　had　createdand　even　nowloved；　nor　might　they

seek　death；　nor　follow　their　judges　until　this　had　come　to

pass。　　This　was　the　doom　they　put　upon　the　Three　for　the

wickedness　that　had　sprung　from　their　pride；　and　they

strengthened　it　with　their　arts　that　it　might　not　be　broken。



〃Then　they　passedto　a　far　land　they　had　chosen　where

the　Shining　One　could　not　go；　beyond　the　Black　Precipices

of　Doul；　a　green　land〃



〃Ireland！〃　interrupted　Larry；　with　conviction；　〃I　knew　it。〃



〃Since　then　time　upon　time　had　passed；〃　she　went　on；

unheeding。　　〃The　people　called　this　place　Muria　after　their

sunken　land　and　soon　they　forgot　where　had　been　the

passage　the　_Taithu_　had　sealed。　　The　moon　king　became　the

Voice　of　the　Dweller　and　always　with　the　Voice　is　a　woman

of　the　moon　king's　kin　who　is　its　priestess。



〃And　many　have　been　the　journeys　upward　of　the　Shining

One；　through　the　Moon　Poolreturning　with　still　others　in

its　coils。



〃And　now　again　has　it　grown　restless；　longing　for　the

wider　spaces。　　It　has　spoken　to　Yolara　and　to　Lugur　even　as

it　did　to　the　dead　_Taithu_；　promising　them　dominion。　　And　it

has　grown　stronger；　drawing　to　itself　power　to　go　far　on　the

moon　stream　where　it　will。　　Thus　was　it　able　to　seize　your

friend；　Goodwin；　and　Olaf's　wife　and　babeand　many

more。　　Yolara　and　Lugur　plan　to　open　way　to　earth　face；　to

depart　with　their　court　and　under　the　Shining　One　grasp　the

world！



〃And　this　is　the　tale　the　Silent　Ones　bade　me　tell　you

and　it　is　done。〃



Breathlessly　I　had　listened　to　the　stupendous　epic　of　a

long…lost　world。　　Now　I　found　speech　to　voice　the　question

ever　with　me；　the　thing　that　lay　as　close　to　my　heart　as　did

the　welfare　of　Larry；　indeed　the　whole　object　of　my　quest

the　fate　of　Throckmartin　and　those　who　had　passed　with

him　into　the　Dweller's　lair；　yes；　and　of　Olaf's　wife；　too。



〃Lakla；〃　I　said；　〃the　friend　who　drew　me　here　and　those

he　loved　who　went　before　himcan　we　not　save　them？〃



〃The　Three　say　no；　Goodwin。〃　There　was　again　in　her