the moon pool-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



mouth　came　the　woe…laden　wailing。　　I　ran　to　the　port　and

drew　the　curtains。　　Da　Costa　snapped　the　lights。



The　Norseman's　dolorous　crying　stopped　as　abruptly　as

though　cut。　　His　gaze　rolled　toward　us。　　And　at　one　bound

he　broke　through　the　leashes　I　had　buckled　round　him　and

faced　us；　his　eyes　glaring；　his　yellow　hair　almost　erect　with

the　force　of　the　rage　visibly　surging　through　him。　　Da　Costa

shrunk　behind　me。　　O'Keefe；　coolly　watchful；　took　a　quick

step　that　brought　him　in　front　of　me。



〃Where　do　you　take　me？〃　said　Huldricksson；　and　his

voice　was　like　the　growl　of　a　beast。　　〃Where　is　my　boat？〃



I　touched　O'Keefe　gently　and　stood　before　the　giant。



〃Listen；　Olaf　Huldricksson；〃　I　said。　　〃We　take　you　to

where　the　sparkling　devil　took　your　Helma　and　your　Freda。

We　follow　the　sparkling　devil　that　came　down　from　the

moon。　　Do　you　hear　me？〃　I　spoke　slowly；　distinctly；　striving

to　pierce　the　mists　that　I　knew　swirled　around　the　strained

brain。　　And　the　words　did　pierce。



He　thrust　out　a　shaking　hand。



〃You　say　you　follow？〃　he　asked　falteringly。　　〃You　know

where　to　follow？　　Where　it　took　my　Helma　and　my　little

Freda？〃



〃Just　that；　Olaf　Huldricksson；〃　I　answered。　　〃Just　that！　　I

pledge　you　my　life　that　I　know。〃



Da　Costa　stepped　forward。　　〃He　speaks　true；　Olaf。　　You　go

faster　on　the　Suwarna　than　on　the　Br…rw…un'ilda；　Olaf；　yes。〃



The　giant　Norseman；　still　gripping　my　hand；　looked　at

him。　　〃I　know　you；　Da　Costa；〃　he　muttered。　　〃You　are　all

right。　　Ja！　　You　are　a　fair　man。　　Where　is　the　Brunhilda？〃



〃She　follow　be'ind　on　a　big　rope；　Olaf；〃　soothed　the　Por…

tuguese。　　〃Soon　you　see　her。　　But　now　lie　down　an'　tell　us；　if

you　can；　why　you　tie　yourself　to　your　wheel　an'　what　it　is

that　happen；　Olaf。〃



〃If　you'll　tell　us　how　the　sparkling　devil　came　it　will　help

us　all　when　we　get　to　where　it　is；　Huldricksson；〃　I　said。



On　O'Keefe's　face　there　was　an　expression　of　well…nigh　lu…

dicrous　doubt　and　amazement。　　He　glanced　from　one　to　the

other。　　The　giant　shifted　his　own　tense　look　from　me　to　the

Irishman。　　A　gleam　of　approval　lighted　in　his　eyes。　　He　loosed

me；　and　gripped　O'Keefe's　arm。　〃Staerk！〃　he　said。　〃Ja

strong；　and　with　a　strong　heart。　　A　manja！　　He　comes　too

we　shall　need　himja！〃



〃I　tell；〃　he　muttered；　and　seated　himself　on　the　side　of　the

bunk。　　〃It　was　four　nights　ago。　　My　Freda〃his　voice　shook

〃Mine　Yndling！　　She　loved　the　moonlight。　　I　was　at　the

wheel　and　my　Freda　and　my　Helma　they　were　behind　me。

The　moon　was　behind　us　and　the　Brunhilda　was　like　a　swan…

boat　sailing　down　with　the　moonlight　sending　her；　ja。



〃I　heard　my　Freda　say：　'I　see　a　nisse　coming　down　the

track　of　the　moon。'　And　I　hear　her　mother　laugh；　low；　like　a

mother　does　when　her　Yndling　dreams。　　I　was　happythat

nightwith　my　Helma　and　my　Freda；　and　the　Brunhilda

sailing　like　a　swan…boat；　ja。　　I　heard　the　child　say；　'The　nisse

comes　fast！'　And　then　I　heard　a　scream　from　my　Helma；　a

great　screamlike　a　mare　when　her　foal　is　torn　from　her。　　I

spun　around　fast；　ja！　　I　dropped　the　wheel　and　spun　fast！　　I

saw〃　He　covered　his　eyes　with　his　hands。



The　Portuguese　had　crept　close　to　me；　and　I　heard　him

panting　like　a　frightened　dog。



〃I　saw　a　white　fire　spring　over　the　rail；〃　whispered　Olaf

Huldricksson。　　〃It　whirled　round　and　round；　and　it　shone　like

like　stars　in　a　whirlwind　mist。　　There　was　a　noise　in　my

ears。　　It　sounded　like　bellslittle　bells；　ja！　　Like　the　music

you　make　when　you　run　your　finger　round　goblets。　　It　made

me　sick　and　dizzythe　hell　noise。



〃My　Helma　wasindeholdewhat　you　sayin　the　mid…

dle　of　the　white　fire。　　She　turned　her　face　to　me　and　she

turned　it　on　the　child；　and　my　Helma's　face　burned　into　my

heart。　　Because　it　was　full　of　fear；　and　it　was　full　of　happi…

nessof　glaede。　　I　tell　you　that　the　fear　in　my　Helma's　face

made　me　ice　here〃he　beat　his　breast　with　clenched　hand

〃but　the　happiness　in　it　burned　on　me　like　fire。　　And　I　could

not　moveI　could　not　move。



〃I　said　in　here〃he　touched　his　head〃I　said；　'It　is　Loki

come　out　of　Helvede。　　But　he　cannot　take　my　Helma；　for

Christ　lives　and　Loki　has　no　power　to　hurt　my　Helma　or　my

Freda！　　Christ　lives！　　Christ　lives！'　I　said。　　But　the　sparkling

devil　did　not　let　my　Helma　go。　　It　drew　her　to　the　rail；　half

over　it。　　I　saw　her　eyes　upon　the　child　and　a　little　she　broke

away　and　reached　to　it。　　And　my　Freda　jumped　into　her

arms。　　And　the　fire　wrapped　them　both　and　they　were　gone！　　A

little　I　saw　them　whirling　on　the　moon　track　behind　the

Brunhildaand　they　were　gone！



〃The　sparkling　devil　took　them！　　Loki　was　loosed；　and　he

had　power。　　I　turned　the　Brunhilda；　and　I　followed　where

my　Helma　and　mine　Yndling　had　gone。　　My　boys　crept　up

and　asked　me　to　turn　again。　　But　I　would　not。　　They　dropped

a　boat　and　left　me。　　I　steered　straight　on　the　path。　　I　lashed

my　hands　to　the　wheel　that　sleep　might　not　loose　them。　　I

steered　on　and　on　and　on



〃Where　was　the　God　I　prayed　when　my　wife　and　child

were　taken？〃　cried　Olaf　Huldrickssonand　it　was　as　though

I　heard　Throckmartin　asking　that　same　bitter　question。　　〃I

have　left　Him　as　He　left　me；　ja！　　I　pray　now　to　Thor　and　to

Odin；　who　can　fetter　Loki。〃　He　sank　back；　covering　again

his　eyes。



〃Olaf；〃　I　said；　〃what　you　have　called　the　sparkling　devil

has　taken　ones　dear　to　me。　　I；　too；　was　following　it　when　we

found　you。　　You　shall　go　with　me　to　its　home；　and　there　we

will　try　to　take　from　it　your　wife　and　your　child　and　my

friends　as　well。　　But　now　that　you　may　be　strong　for　what　is

before　us；　you　must　sleep　again。〃



Olaf　Huldricksson　looked　upon　me　and　in　his　eyes　was

that　something　which　souls　must　see　in　the　eyes　of　Him　the

old　Egyptians　called　the　Searcher　of　Hearts　in　the　Judgment

Hall　of　Osiris。



〃You　speak　truth！〃　he　said　at　last　slowly。　　〃I　will　do　what

you　say！〃



He　stretched　out　an　arm　at　my　bidding。　　I　gave　him　a　sec…

ond　injection。　　He　lay　back　and　soon　he　was　sleeping。　　I　turned

toward　Da　Costa。　　His　face　was　livid　and　sweating；　and　he

was　trembling　pitiably。　　O'Keefe　stirred。



〃You　did　that　mighty　well；　Dr。　Goodwin；〃　he　said。　　〃So

well　that　I　almost　believed　you　myself。〃



〃What　did　you　think　of　his　story；　Mr。　O'Keefe？〃　I　asked。



His　answer　was　almost　painfully　brief　and　colloquial。



〃Nuts！〃　he　said。　I　was　a　little　shocked；　I　admit。　〃I　think

he's　crazy；　Dr。　Goodwin；〃　he　corrected　himself；　quickly。

〃What　else　could　I　think？〃



I　turned　to　the　little　Portuguese　without　answering。



〃There's　no　need　for　any　anxiety　tonight；　Captain；〃　I　said。

〃Take　my　word　for　it。　You　need　some　rest　yourself。　　Shall　I

give　you　a　sleeping　draft？〃



〃I　do　wish　you　would；　Dr。　Goodwin；　sair；〃　he　answered

gratefully。　　〃Tomorrow；　when　I　feel　bettairI　would　have　a

talk　with　you。〃



I　nodded。　　He　did　know　something　then！　　I　mixed　him　an

opiate　of　considerable　strength。　　He　took　it　and　went　to　his

own　cabin。



I　locked　the　door　behind　him　and　then；　sitting　beside　the

sleeping　Norseman；　I　told　O'Keefe　my　story　from　end　to　end。

He　asked　few　questions　as　I　spoke。　　But　after　I　had　finished

he　cross…examined　me　rather　minutely　upon　my　recollec…

tions　of　the　radiant　phases　upon　each　appearance；　checking

these　with　Throckmartin's　observations　of　the　same　phe…

nomena　in　the　Chamber　of　the　Moon　Pool。



〃And　now　what　do　you　think　of　it　all？〃　I　asked。



He　sat　silent　for　a　while；　looking　at　Huldricksson。



〃Not　what　you　seem　to　think；　Dr。　Goodwin；〃　he　answered

at　last；　gravely。　　〃Let　me　sleep　over　it。　　One　thing　of　course

is　certainyou　and　your　friend　Throckmartin　and　this　man

here　sawsomething。　　But〃　he　was　silent　again　and　then

continued　with　a　kindness　that　I　found　vaguely　irritating

〃but　I've　noticed　that　when　a　scientist　gets　superstitious　it

ertakes　very　hard！



〃Here's　a　few　things　I　can　tell　you　now　though；〃　he　went

on　while　I　struggled　to　speak〃I　pray　in　my　heart　that　we'll

me