the moon pool-第17章

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dread　of　the　natives；　when　we　sought　among　them　for　car…

riers　and　workmen　to　accompany　us；　I　will　not　dwell。　　It　is

enough　to　say　that　no　payment　we　offered　could　induce　a

single　one　of　them　to　go　to　the　Nan…Matal。　　Nor　would　they

say　why。



Finally　it　was　agreed　that　the　Brunhilda　should　be　left　in

charge　of　a　half…breed　Chinaman；　whom　both　Da　Costa　and

Huldricksson　knew　and　trusted。　　We　piled　her　long…boat　up

with　my　instruments　and　food　and　camping　equipment。　　The

Suwarna　took　us　around　to　Metalanim　Harbour；　and　there；

with　the　tops　of　ancient　sea　walls　deep　in　the　blue　water　be…

neath　us；　and　the　ruins　looming　up　out　of　the　mangroves；　a

scant　mile　from　us；　left　us。



Then　with　Huldricksson　manipulating　our　small　sail；　and

Larry　at　the　rudder；　we　rounded　the　titanic　wall　that　swept

down　into　the　depths；　and　turned　at　last　into　the　canal　that

Throckmartin；　on　his　map；　had　marked　as　that　which；　run…

ning　between　frowning　Nan…Tauach　and　its　satellite　islet；

Tau；　led　straight　to　the　gate　of　the　place　of　ancient　mysteries。



And　as　we　entered　that　channel　we　were　enveloped　by　a

silence；　a　silence　so　intense；　soweighted　that　it　seemed　to

have　substance；　an　alien　silence　that　clung　and　stifled　and

still　stood　aloof　from　usthe　living。　　It　was　a　stillness；　such

as　might　follow　the　long　tramping　of　millions　into　the　grave；

it　wasparadoxical　as　it　may　befilled　with　the　withdrawal

of　life。



Standing　down　in　the　chambered　depths　of　the　Great

Pyramid　I　had　known　something　of　such　silencebut　never

such　intensity　as　this。　　Larry　felt　it　and　I　saw　him　look　at　me

askance。　　If　Olaf；　sitting　in　the　bow；　felt　it；　too；　he　gave　no

sign；　his　blue　eyes；　with　again　the　glint　of　ice　within　them；

watched　the　channel　before　us。



As　we　passed；　there　arose　upon　our　left　sheer　walls　of

black　basalt　blocks；　cyclopean；　towering　fifty　feet　or　more；

broken　here　and　there　by　the　sinking　of　their　deep　founda…

tions。



In　front　of　us　the　mangroves　widened　out　and　filled　the

acanal。　　On　our　right　the　lesser　walls　of　Tau；　sombre　blocks

smoothed　and　squared　and　set　with　a　cold；　mathematical

nicety　that　filled　me　with　vague　awe；　slipped　by。　　Through

breaks　I　caught　glimpses　of　dark　ruins　and　of　great　fallen

stones　that　seemed　to　crouch　and　menace　us；　as　we　passed。

Somewhere　there；　hidden；　were　the　seven　globes　that　poured

the　moon　fire　down　upon　the　Moon　Pool。



Now　we　were　among　the　mangroves　and；　sail　down；　the

three　of　us　pushed　and　pulled　the　boat　through　their　tangled

roots　and　branches。　　The　noise　of　our　passing　split　the　silence

like　a　profanation；　and　from　the　ancient　bastions　came　mur…

mursforbidding；　strangely　sinister。　　And　now　we　were

through；　floating　on　a　little　open　space　of　shadow…filled

water。　　Before　us　lifted　the　gateway　of　Nan…Tauach；　gigantic；

broken；　incredibly　old；　shattered　portals　through　which　had

passed　men　and　women　of　earth's　dawn；　old　with　a　weight

of　years　that　pressed　leadenly　upon　the　eyes　that　looked

upon　it；　and　yet　was　in　some　curious　indefinable　waymen…

acingly　defiant。



Beyond　the　gate；　back　from　the　portals；　stretched　a　flight

of　enormous　basalt　slabs；　a　giant's　stairway　indeed；　and

from　each　side　of　it　marched　the　high　walls　that　were　the

Dweller's　pathway。　　None　of　us　spoke　as　we　grounded　the

boat　and　dragged　it　upon　a　half…submerged　pier。　　And　when

we　did　speak　it　was　in　whispers。



〃What　next？〃　asked　Larry。



〃I　think　we　ought　to　take　a　look　around；〃　I　replied　in　the

same　low　tones。　　〃We'll　climb　the　wall　here　and　take　a　flash

about。　　The　whole　place　ought　to　be　plain　as　day　from　that

height。〃



Huldricksson；　his　blue　eyes　alert；　nodded。　　With　the　great…

est　difficulty　we　clambered　up　the　broken　blocks。



To　the　east　and　south　of　us；　set　like　children's　blocks　in

the　midst　of　the　sapphire　sea；　lay　dozens　of　islets；　none　of

them　covering　more　than　two　square　miles　of　surface；　each

of　them　a　perfect　square　or　oblong　within　its　protecting

walls。



On　none　was　there　sign　of　life；　save　for　a　few　great　birds

that　hovered　here　and　there；　and　gulls　dipping　in　the　blue

waves　beyond。



We　turned　our　gaze　down　upon　the　island　on　which　we

stood。　　It　was；　I　estimated；　about　three…quarters　of　a　mile

square。　　The　sea　wall　enclosed　it。　it　was　really　an　enormous

basalt…sided　open　cube；　and　within　it　two　other　open　cubes。

The　enclosure　between　the　first　and　second　wall　was　stone

paved；　with　here　and　there　a　broken　pillar　and　long　stone

benches。　　The　hibiscus；　the　aloe　tree；　and　a　number　of　small

shrubs　had　found　place；　but　seemed　only　to　intensify　its　stark

loneliness。



〃Wonder　where　the　Russian　can　be？〃　asked　Larry。



I　shook　my　head。　　There　was　no　sign　of　life　here。　　Had

Marakinoff　goneor　had　the　Dweller　taken　him；　too？　　What…

ever　had　happened；　there　was　no　trace　of　him　below　us　or

on　any　of　the　islets　within　our　range　of　vision。　　We　scram…

bled　down　the　side　of　the　gateway。　　Olaf　looked　at　me　wist…

fully。



〃We　start　the　search　now；　Olaf；〃　I　said。　　〃And　first；

O'Keefe；　let　us　see　whether　the　grey　stone　is　really　here。

After　that　we　will　set　up　camp；　and　while　I　unpack；　you　and

Olaf　search　the　island。　　It　won't　take　long。〃



Larry　gave　a　look　at　his　service　automatic　and　grinned。

〃Lead　on；　Macduff；〃　he　said。　　We　made　our　way　up　the　steps；

through　the　outer　enclosures　and　into　the　central　square；　I

confess　to　a　fire　of　scientific　curiosity　and　eagerness　tinged

with　a　dread　that　O'Keefe's　analysis　might　be　true。　　Would

we　find　the　moving　slab　and；　if　so；　would　it　be　as　Throck…

martin　had　described？　　If　so；　then　even　Larry　would　have　to

admit　that　here　was　something　that　theories　of　gases　and

luminous　emanations　would　not　explain；　and　the　first　test　of

the　whole　amazing　story　would　be　passed。　　But　if　not



And　there　before　us；　the　faintest　tinge　of　grey　setting　it

apart　from　its　neighbouring　blocks　of　basalt；　was　the　moon

door！



There　was　no　mistaking　it。　　This　was；　in　very　deed；　the

portal　through　which　Throckmartin　had　seen　pass　that　glori…

ously　dreadful　apparition　he　called　the　Dweller。　　At　its　base

was　the　curious；　seemingly　polished　cup…like　depression

within　which；　my　lost　friend　had　told　me；　the　opening　door

swung。



What　was　that　portalmore　enigmatic　than　was　ever

sphinx？　　And　what　lay　beyond　it？　　What　did　that　smooth

stone；　whose　wan　deadness　whispered　of　ages…old　corridors

of　time　opening　out　into　alien；　unimaginable　vistas；　hide？　　It

had　cost　the　world　of　science　Throckmartin's　great　brain

as　it　had　cost　Throckmartin　those　he　loved。　　It　had　drawn　me

to　it　in　search　of　Throckmartinand　its　shadow　had　fallen

upon　the　soul　of　Olaf　the　Norseman；　and　upon　what　thou…

sands　upon　thousands　more　I　wondered；　since　the　brains

that　had　conceived　it　had　vanished　with　their　secret　knowl…

edge？



What　lay　beyond　it？



I　stretched　out　a　shaking　hand　and　touched　the　surface　of

the　slab。　　A　faint　thrill　passed　through　my　hand　and　arm；

oddly　unfamiliar　and　as　oddly　unpleasant；　as　of　electric　con…

tact　holding　the　very　essence　of　cold。　　O'Keefe；　watching；

imitated　my　action。　　As　his　fingers　rested　on　the　stone　his　face

filled　with　astonishment。



〃It's　the　door？〃　he　asked。　　I　nodded。　　There　was　a　low

whistle　from　him　and　he　pointed　up　toward　the　top　of　the

grey　stone。　　I　followed　the　gesture　and　saw；　above　the　moon

door　and　on　each　side　of　it；　two　gently　curving　bosses　of

rock；　perhaps　a　foot　in　diameter。



〃The　moon　door's　keys；〃　I　said。



〃It　begins　to　look　so；〃　answered　Larry。　　〃If　we　can　find

them；〃　he　added。



〃There's　nothing　we　can　do　till　moonrise；〃　I　replied。　　〃And

we've　none　too　much　time　to　prepare　as　it　is。　　Come！〃



A　little　later　we　were　beside　our　boat。　　We　lightered　it；

set　up　the　tent；　and　as　it　was　now　but　a　short　hour　to　sun…

down　I　bade　them　leave　me　and　make　their　search。　　They

went　off　together；　and　I　busied　myself　with　opening　some　of

th