the moon pool-第15章

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〃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

meet　neither　the　Dolphin　nor　anything　with　wireless　on

board　going　up。　　Because；　Dr。　Goodwin；　I'd　dearly　love　to

take　a　crack　at　your　Dweller。



〃And　another　thing；〃　said　O'Keefe。　　〃After　thiscut　out

the　trimmings；　Doc；　and　call　me　plain　Larry；　for　whether　I

think　you're　crazy　or　whether　I　don't；　you're　there　with　the

nerve；　Professor；　and　I'm　for　YOU。



〃Good　night！〃　said　Larry　and　took　himself　out　to　the　deck

hammock　he　had　insisted　upon　having　slung　for　him；　re…

fusing　the　captain's　importunities　to　use　his　own　cabin。



And　it　was　with　extremely　mixed　emotions　as　to　his　com…

pliment　that　I　watched　him　go。　　Superstitious。　　I；　whose　pride

was　my　scientific　devotion　to　fact　and　fact　alone！　　Supersti…

tiousand　this　from　a　man　who　believed　in　banshees　and

ghostly　harpers　and　Irish　wood　nymphs　and　no　doubt　in

leprechauns　and　all　their　tribe！



Half　laughing；　half　irritated；　and　wholly　happy　in　even

the　part　promise　of　Larry　O'Keefe's　comradeship　on　my　ven…

ture；　I　arranged　a　couple　of　pillows；　stretched　myself　out　on

two　chairs　and　took　up　my　vigil　beside　Olaf　Huldricksson。











CHAPTER　IX



A　Lost　Page　of　Earth



WHEN　I　awakened　the　sun　was　streaming　through　the　cabin

porthole。　　Outside　a　fresh　voice　lilted。　　I　lay　on　my　two　chairs

and　listened。　　The　song　was　one　with　the　wholesome　sunshine

and　the　breeze　blowing　stiffly　and　whipping　the　curtains。　　It

was　Larry　O'Keefe　at　his　matins：





The　little　red　lark　is　shaking　his　wings；

Straight　from　the　breast　of　his　love　he　springs





Larry's　voice　soared。





His　wings　and　his　feathers　are　sunrise　red；

He　hails　the　sun　and　his　golden　head；

Good　morning；　Doc；　you　are　long　abed。







This　last　was　a　most　irreverent　interpolation；　I　well　knew。

I　opened　my　door。　　O'Keefe　stood　outside　laughing。　　The

Suwarna；　her　engines　silent；　was　making　fine　headway　under

all　sail；　the　Brunhilda　skipping　in　her　wake　cheerfully　with

half　her　canvas　up。



The　sea　was　crisping　and　dimpling　under　the　wind。　　Blue

and　white　was　the　world　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。

Schools　of　little　silvery　green　flying　fish　broke　through　the

water　rushing　on　each　side　of　us；　flashed　for　an　instant　and

were　gone。　　Behind　us　gulls　hovered　and　dipped。　　The　shadow

of　mystery　had　retreated　far　over　the　rim　of　this　wide　awake

and　beautiful　world　and　if；　subconsciously；　I　knew　that　some…

where　it　was　brooding　and　waiting；　for　a　little　while　at　least

I　was　consciously　free　of　its　oppression。



〃How's　the　patient？〃　asked　O'Keefe。



He　was　answered　by　Huldricksson　himself；　who　must　have

risen　just　as　I　left　the　cabin。　　The　Norseman　had　slipped　on　a

pair　of　pajamas　and；　giant　torso　naked　under　the　sun；　he

strode　out　upon　us。　　We　all　of　us　looked　at　him　a　trifle　anx…

iously。　　But　Olaf's　madness　had　left　him。　　In　his　eyes　was

much　sorrow；　but　the　berserk　rage　was　gone。



He　spoke　straight　to　me：　〃You　said　last　night　we　follow？〃



I　nodded。



〃It　is　where？〃　he　asked　again。



〃We　go　first　to　Ponape　and　from　there　to　Metalanim　Har…

bourto　the　Nan…Matal。　　You　know　the　place？〃



Huldricksson　boweda　white　gleam　as　of　ice　showing　in

his　blue　eyes。



〃It　is　there？〃　he　asked。



〃It　is　there　that　we　must　first　search；〃　I　answered。



〃Good！〃　said　Olaf　Huldricksson。　　〃It　is　good！〃



He　looked　at　Da　Costa　inquiringly　and　the　little　Portu…

guese；　following　his　thought；　answered　his　unspoken　ques…

tion。



〃We　should　be　at　Ponape　tomorrow　morning　early；　Olaf。〃



〃Good！〃　repeated　the　Norseman。　　He　looked　away；　his　eyes

tear…filled。



A　restraint　fell　upon　us；　the　embarrassment　all　men　ex…

perience　when　they　feel　a　great　sympathy　and　a　great　pity；

to　neither　of　which　they　quite　know　how　to　give　expression。

By　silent　consent　we　discussed　at　breakfast　only　the　most

casual　topics。



When　the　meal　was　over　Huldricksson　expressed　a　desire

to　go　aboard　the　Brunhilda。



The　Suwarna　hove　to　and　Da　Costa　and　he　dropped　into

the　small　boat。　　When　they　reached　the　Brunhilda's　deck　I

saw　Olaf　take　the　wheel　and　the　two　fall　into　earnest　talk。　　I

beckoned　to　O'Keefe　and　we　stretched　ourselves　out　on　the

bow　hatch　under　cover　of　the　foresail。　　He　lighted　a　cigarette；

took　a　couple　of　leisurely　puffs；　and　looked　at　me　expect…

antly。



〃Well？〃　I　asked。



〃Well；〃　said　O'Keefe；　〃suppose　you　tell　me　what　you

thinkand　then　I'll　proceed　to　point　out　your　scientific

errors。〃　His　eyes　twinkled　mischievously。



〃Larry；〃　I　replied；　somewhat　severely；　〃you　may　not　know

that　I　have　a　scientific　reputation　which；　putting　aside　all

modesty；　I　may　say　is　an　enviable　one。　　You　used　a　word　last

night　to　which　I　must　interpose　serious　objection。　　You　more

than　hinted　that　I　hidsuperstitions。　　Let　me　inform　you；

Larry　O'Keefe；　that　I　am　solely　a　seeker；　observer；　analyst；

and　synthesist　of　facts。　　I　am　not〃and　I　tried　to　make　my

tone　as　pointed　as　my　words〃I　am　not　a　believer　in　phan…

toms　or　spooks；　leprechauns；　banshees；　or　ghostly　harpers。〃



O'Keefe　leaned　back　and　shouted　with　laughter。



〃Forgive　me；　Goodwin；〃　he　gasped。　　〃But　if　you　could

have　seen　yourself　solemnly　disclaiming　the　banshee〃

another　twinkle　showed　in　his　eyes〃and　then　with　all　this

sunshine　and　this　wide…open　world〃he　shrugged　his

shoulders〃it's　hard　to　visualize　anything　such　as　you　and

Huldricksson　have　described。〃



〃I　know　how　hard　it　is；　Larry；〃　I　answered。　　〃And　don't

think　I　have　any　idea　that　the　phenomenon　is　supernatural

in　the　sense　spiritualists　and　table　turners　have　given　that

word。　　I　do　think　it　is　supernormal；　energized　by　a　force　un…

known　to　modern　sciencebut　that　doesn't　mean　I　think　it

outside　the　radius　of　science。〃



〃Tell　me　your　theory；　Goodwin；〃　he　said。　　I　hesitated

for　not　yet　had　I　been　able　to　put　into　form　to　satisfy　myself

any　explanation　of　the　Dweller。



〃I　think；〃　I　hazarded　finally；　〃it　is　possible　that　some

members　of　that　race　peopling　the　ancient　continent　which

we　know　existed　here　in　the　Pacific；　have　survived。　　We　know

that　many　of　these　islands　are　honeycombed　with　caverns

and　vast　subterranean　spaces；　literally　underground　lands

running　in　some　cases　far　out　beneath　the　ocean　floor。　　It　is

possible　that　for　some　reason　survivors　of　this　race　sought

refuge　in　the　abysmal　spaces；　one　of　whose　entrances　is　on

the　islet　where　Throckmartin's　party　met　its　end。



〃As　for　their　persistence　in　these　cavernswe　know　they

possessed　a　high　science。　　They　may　have　gone　far　in　the

mastery　of　certain　universal　forms　of　energyespecially

that　we　call　light。　　They　may　have　developed　a　civilization

and　a　science　far　more　advanced　than　ours。　　What　I　call　the

Dweller　may　be　one　of　the　results　of　this　science。　　Larryit

may　well　be　that　this　lost　race　is　planning　to　emerge　again

upon　earth's　surface！〃



〃And　is　sending　out　your　Dweller　as　a　messenger；　a　sci…

entific　dove　from　their　Ark？〃　I　chose　to　overlook　the　banter

in　his　question。



〃Did　you　ever　hear　of　the　Chamats？〃　I　asked　him。　　He

shook　his　head。



〃In　Papua；〃　I　explained；　〃there　is　a　wide…spread　and　im…

measurably　old　tradition　that　'imprisoned　under　the　hills'　is

a　race　of　giants　who　once　ruled　this　region　'when　it　stretched

from　sun　to　sun　before　the　moon　god　drew　the　waters　over

it'I　quote　from　the　legend。　　Not　only　in　Papua　but　through…

out　Malaysia　you　find　this　story。　　And；　so　the　tradition　runs；

these　peoplethe　Chamatswill　one　day　break　through　the

hills　and　rule　the　world；　'make　over　the　world'　is　the　literal

translation　of　the　constant　phrase　in　the　tale。　　It　was　Herbert

Spencer　who　pointed　out　that　there　is　a　basis　of　fact　in　every

myth　and　legend　of　man。　　It　is　possible　that　these　survivors　I

am　discussing　form　Spencer's　fact　basis　for　the　Malaysian　legend。1





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