the moon pool-第23章

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glowing　green　in　the　far…flung　nebulaegreen　as　that　we　had

just　passed　throughand　that　we　call　nebulium？　　Yet　the　sun

is　child　of　the　nebulae　as　the　earth　is　child　of　the　sun　and

the　moon　is　child　of　the　earth。



And　what　miracles　are　there　in　coronium　and　nebulium

which；　as　the　child　of　nebula　and　sun；　we　inherit？　　Yesand

in　Tycho's　enigma　which　came　from　earth　heart？



We　were　flashing　down　to　earth　heart！　　And　what　miracles

were　hidden　there？











CHAPTER　XII



The　End　of　the　Journey



〃SAY　DOC！〃　It　was　Larry's　voice　flung　back　at　me。　　〃I　was

thinking　about　that　frog。　　I　think　it　was　her　pet。　　Damn　me

if　I　see　any　difference　between　a　frog　and　a　snake；　and　one

of　the　nicest　women　I　ever　knew　had　two　pet　pythons　that

followed　her　around　like　kittens。　　Not　such　a　devilish　lot　of

choice　between　a　frog　and　a　snakeexcept　on　the　side　of

the　frog？　　What？　　Anyway；　any　pet　that　girl　wants　is　hers；

I　don't　care　if　it's　a　leaping　twelve…toed　lobster　or　a　whale…

bodied　scorpion。　　Get　me？〃



By　which　I　knew　that　our　remarks　upon　the　frog　woman

were　still　bothering　O'Keefe。



〃He　thinks　of　foolish　nothings　like　the　foolish　sailor！〃

grunted　Marakinoff；　acid　contempt　in　his　words。　　〃What　are

their　women　tothis？〃　He　swept　out　a　hand　and　as　though

at　a　signal　the　car　poised　itself　for　an　instant；　then　dipped；

literally　dipped　down　into　sheer　space；　skimmed　forward　in

what　was　clearly　curved　flight；　rose　as　upon　a　sweeping　up…

grade　and　then　began　swiftly　to　slacken　its　fearful　speed。



Far　ahead　a　point　of　light　showed；　grew　steadily；　we　were

within　itand　softly　all　movement　ceased。　　How　acute　had

been　the　strain　of　our　journey　I　did　not　realize　until　I　tried

to　standand　sank　back；　leg…muscles　too　shaky　to　bear　my

weight。　　The　car　rested　in　a　slit　in　the　centre　of　a　smooth

walled　chamber　perhaps　twenty　feet　square。　　The　wall　facing

us　was　pierced　by　a　low　doorway　through　which　we　could

see　a　flight　of　steps　leading　downward。



The　light　streamed　through　a　small　opening；　the　base　of

which　was　twice　a　tall　man's　height　from　the　floor。　　A　curving

flight　of　broad；　low　steps　led　up　to　it。　　And　now　it　came　to　my

steadying　brain　that　there　was　something　puzzling；　peculiar；

strangely　unfamiliar　about　this　light。　　It　was　silvery；　shaded

faintly　with　a　delicate　blue　and　flushed　lightly　with　a　nacre…

ous　rose；　but　a　rose　that　differed　from　that　of　the　terraces　of

the　Pool　Chamber　as　the　rose　within　the　opal　differs　from

that　within　the　pearl。　　In　it　were　tiny；　gleaming　points　like

the　motes　in　a　sunbeam；　but　sparkling　white　like　the　dust　of

diamonds；　and　with　a　quality　of　vibrant　vitality；　they　were

as　though　they　were　alive。　　The　light　cast　no　shadows！



A　little　breeze　came　through　the　oval　and　played　about　us。

It　was　laden　with　what　seemed　the　mingled　breath　of　spice

flowers　and　pines。　　It　was　curiously　vivifying；　and　in　it　the

diamonded　atoms　of　light　shook　and　danced。



I　stepped　out　of　the　car；　the　Russian　following；　and　began

to　ascend　the　curved　steps　toward　the　opening；　at　the　top　of

which　O'Keefe　and　Olaf　already　stood。　　As　they　looked　out　I

saw　both　their　faces　changeOlaf's　with　awe；　O'Keefe's

with　incredulous　amaze。　　I　hurried　to　their　side。



At　first　all　that　I　could　see　was　spacea　space　filled　with

the　same　coruscating　effulgence　that　pulsed　about　me。　　I

glanced　upward；　obeying　that　instinctive　impulse　of　earth

folk　that　bids　them　seek　within　the　sky　for　sources　of　light。

There　was　no　skyat　least　no　sky　such　as　we　knowall

was　a　sparkling　nebulosity　rising　into　infinite　distances　as　the

azure　above　the　day…world　seems　to　fill　all　the　heavens

through　it　ran　pulsing　waves　and　flashing　javelin　rays　that

were　like　shining　shadows　of　the　aurora；　echoes；　octaves

lower；　of　those　brilliant　arpeggios　and　chords　that　play　about

the　poles。　　My　eyes　fell　beneath　its　splendour；　I　stared　out…

ward。



Miles　away；　gigantic　luminous　cliffs　sprang　sheer　from

the　limits　of　a　lake　whose　waters　were　of　milky　opalescence。

It　was　from　these　cliffs　that　the　spangled　radiance　came；

shimmering　out　from　all　their　lustrous　surfaces。　　To　left　and

to　right；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see；　they　stretchedand

they　vanished　in　the　auroral　nebulosity　on　high！



〃Look　at　that！〃　exclaimed　Larry。　　I　followed　his　pointing

finger。　　On　the　face　of　the　shining　wall；　stretched　between　two

colossal　columns；　hung　an　incredible　veil；　prismatic；　gleam…

ing　with　all　the　colours　of　the　spectrum。　　It　was　like　a　web

of　rainbows　woven　by　the　fingers　of　the　daughters　of　the

Jinn。　　In　front　of　it　and　a　little　at　each　side　was　a　semi…circular

pier；　or；　better；　a　plaza　of　what　appeared　to　be　glistening；

pale…yellow　ivory。　　At　each　end　of　its　half…circle　clustered　a

few　low…walled；　rose…stone　structures；　each　of　them　sur…

mounted　by　a　number　of　high；　slender　pinnacles。



We　looked　at　each　other；　I　think；　a　bit　helplesslyand

back　again　through　the　opening。　　We　were　standing；　as　I　have

said；　at　its　base。　　The　wall　in　which　it　was　set　was　at　least　ten

feet　thick；　and　so；　of　course；　all　that　we　could　see　of　that

which　was　without　were　the　distances　that　revealed　them…

selves　above　the　outer　ledge　of　the　oval。



〃Let's　take　a　look　at　what's　under　us；〃　said　Larry。



He　crept　out　upon　the　ledge　and　peered　down；　the　rest　of

us　following。　　A　hundred　yards　beneath　us　stretched　gardens

that　must　have　been　like　those　of　many…columned　Iram；

which　the　ancient　Addite　King　had　built　for　his　pleasure　ages

before　the　deluge；　and　which　Allah；　so　the　Arab　legend　tells；

took　and　hid　from　man；　within　the　Sahara；　beyond　all　hope　of

findingjealous　because　they　were　more　beautiful　than　his

in　paradise。　　Within　them　flowers　and　groves　of　laced；　fern…

like　trees；　pillared　pavilions　nestled。



The　trunks　of　the　trees　were　of　emerald；　of　vermilion；　and

of　azure…blue；　and　the　blossoms；　whose　fragrance　was　borne

to　us；　shone　like　jewels。　　The　graceful　pillars　were　tinted

delicately。　　I　noted　that　the　pavilions　were　doublein　a　way；

two…storiedand　that　they　were　oddly　splotched　with　circles；

with　squares；　and　with　oblongs　ofopacity；　noted　too　that

over　many　this　opacity　stretched　like　a　roof；　yet　it　did　not

seem　material；　rather　was　itimpenetrable　shadow！



Down　through　this　city　of　gardens　ran　a　broad　shining

green　thoroughfare；　glistening　like　glass　and　spanned　at　reg…

ular　intervals　with　graceful；　arched　bridges。　　The　road　flashed

to　a　wide　square；　where　rose；　from　a　base　of　that　same　silvery

stone　that　formed　the　lip　of　the　Moon　Pool；　a　titanic　struc…

ture　of　seven　terraces；　and　along　it　flitted　objects　that　bore

a　curious　resemblance　to　the　shell　of　the　Nautilus。　　Within

them　werehuman　figures！　　And　upon　tree…bordered　prome…

nades　on　each　side　walked　others！



Far　to　the　right　we　caught　the　glint　of　another　emerald…

paved　road。



And　between　the　two　the　gardens　grew　sweetly　down　to

the　hither　side　of　that　opalescent　water　across　which　were

the　radiant　cliffs　and　the　curtain　of　mystery。



Thus　it　was　that　we　first　saw　the　city　of　the　Dweller；

blessed　and　accursed　as　no　place　on　earth；　or　under　or　above

earth　has　ever　beenor；　that　force　willing　which　some　call

God；　ever　again　shall　be！



〃Chert！〃　whispered　Marakinoff。　　〃Incredible！〃



〃Trolldom！〃　gasped　Olaf　Huldricksson。　　〃It　is　Trolldom！〃



〃Listen；　Olaf！〃　said　Larry。　　〃Cut　out　that　Trolldom　stuff！

There's　no　Trolldom；　or　fairies；　outside　Ireland。　　Get　that！

And　this　isn't　Ireland。　　And；　buck　up；　Professor！〃　This　to

Marakinoff。　　〃What　you　see　down　there　are　peopleJUST　PLAIN

PEOPLE。　　And　wherever　there's　people　is　where　I　live。　　Get　me？



〃There's　no　way　in　but　inand　no　way　out　but　out；〃　said

O'Keefe。　　〃And　there's　the　stairway。　　Eggs　are　eggs　no　matter

how　they're　cookedand　people　are　just　people；　fellow

travellers；　no　matter　what　dish　they　are　in；〃　he　concluded。

〃Come　on！〃



With　the　three　of　us　close