the moon pool-第25章

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us　to　the　piles　of　cushions　and　then　threw　himself　beside　us。

The　vehicle　started　off　smoothly；　the　now　silent　throng　mak…

ing　way；　and　swept　down　the　green　roadway　at　a　terrific　pace

and　wholly　without　vibration；　toward　the　seven…terraced

tower。



As　we　flew　along　I　tried　to　discover　the　source　of　the

power；　but　I　could　notthen。　　There　was　no　sign　of　mechan…

ism；　but　that　the　shell　responded　to　some　form　of　energy　was

certainthe　driver　grasping　a　small　lever　which　seemed　to

control　not　only　our　speed；　but　our　direction。



We　turned　abruptly　and　swept　up　a　runway　through　one

of　the　gardens；　and　stopped　softly　before　a　pillared　pavilion。

I　saw　now　that　these　were　much　larger　than　I　had　thought。

The　structure　to　which　we　had　been　carried　covered；　I　esti…

mated；　fully　an　acre。　　Oblong；　with　its　slender；　vari…coloured

columns　spaced　regularly；　its　walls　were　like　the　sliding

screens　of　the　Japaneseshoji。



The　green　dwarf　hurried　us　up　a　flight　of　broad　steps

flanked　by　great　carved　serpents；　winged　and　scaled。　　He

stamped　twice　upon　mosaicked　stones　between　two　of　the

pillars；　and　a　screen　rolled　aside；　revealing　an　immense　hall

scattered　about　with　low　divans　on　which　lolled　a　dozen　or

more　of　the　dwarfish　men；　dressed　identically　as　he。



They　sauntered　up　to　us　leisurely；　the　surprised　interest

in　their　faces　tempered　by　the　same　inhumanly　gay　malice

that　seemed　to　be　characteristic　of　all　these　people　we　had

as　yet　seen。



〃The　Afyo　Maie　awaits　them；　Rador；〃　said　one。



The　green　dwarf　nodded；　beckoned　us；　and　led　the　way

through　the　great　hall　and　into　a　smaller　chamber　whose　far

side　was　covered　with　the　opacity　I　had　noted　from　the　aerie

of　the　cliff。　　I　examined　theblacknesswith　lively　interest。



It　had　neither　substance　nor　texture；　it　was　not　matter

and　yet　it　suggested　solidity；　an　entire　cessation；　a　complete

absorption　of　light；　an　ebon　veil　at　once　immaterial　and　pal…

pable。　　I　stretched；　involuntarily；　my　hand　out　toward　it；　and

felt　it　quickly　drawn　back。



〃Do　you　seek　your　end　so　soon？〃　whispered　Rador。　　〃But

I　forgetyou　do　not　know；〃　he　added。　　〃On　your　life　touch

not　the　blackness；　ever。　　It〃



He　stopped；　for　abruptly　in　the　density　a　portal　appeared；

swinging　out　of　the　shadow　like　a　picture　thrown　by　a　lan…

tern　upon　a　screen。　　Through　it　was　revealed　a　chamber　filled

with　a　soft　rosy　glow。　　Rising　from　cushioned　couches；　a

woman　and　a　man　regarded　us；　half　leaning　over　a　long；

low　table　of　what　seemed　polished　jet；　laden　with　flowers

and　unfamiliar　fruits。



About　the　roomthat　part　of　it；　at　least；　that　I　could　see

were　a　few　oddly　shaped　chairs　of　the　same　substance。　　On

high；　silvery　tripods　three　immense　globes　stood；　and　it　was

from　them　that　the　rose　glow　emanated。　　At　the　side　of　the

woman　was　a　smaller　globe　whose　roseate　gleam　was　tem…

pered　by　quivering　waves　of　blue。



〃Enter　Rador　with　the　strangers！〃　a　clear；　sweet　voice

called。



Rador　bowed　deeply　and　stood　aside；　motioning　us　to

pass。　　We　entered；　the　green　dwarf　behind　us；　and　out　of　the

corner　of　my　eye　I　saw　the　doorway　fade　as　abruptly　as　it

had　appeared　and　again　the　dense　shadow　fill　its　place。



〃Come　closer；　strangers。　　Be　not　afraid！〃　commanded　the

bell…toned　voice。



We　approached。



The　woman；　sober　scientist　that　I　am；　made　the　breath

catch　in　my　throat。　　Never　had　I　seen　a　woman　so　beautiful

as　was　Yolara　of　the　Dweller's　cityand　none　of　so　perilous

a　beauty。　　Her　hair　was　of　the　colour　of　the　young　tassels　of

the　corn　and　coiled　in　a　regal　crown　above　her　broad；　white

brows；　her　wide　eyes　were　of　grey　that　could　change　to　a

cornflower　blue　and　in　anger　deepen　to　purple；　grey　or　blue；

they　had　little　laughing　devils　within　them；　but　when　the

storm　of　anger　darkened　themthey　were　not　laughing；　no！

The　silken　webs　that　half　covered；　half　revealed　her　did　not

hide　the　ivory　whiteness　of　her　flesh　nor　the　sweet　curve　of

shoulders　and　breasts。　　But　for　all　her　amazing　beauty；　she

wassinister！　　There　was　cruelty　about　the　curving　mouth；

and　in　the　music　of　her　voicenot　conscious　cruelty；　but

the　more　terrifying；　careless　cruelty　of　nature　itself。



The　girl　of　the　rose　wall　had　been　beautiful；　yes！　　But　her

beauty　was　human；　understandable。　　You　could　imagine　her

with　a　babe　in　her　armsbut　you　could　not　so　imagine　this

woman。　　About　her　loveliness　hovered　something　unearthly。

A　sweet　feminine　echo　of　the　Dweller　was　Yolara；　the　Dwell…

er's　priestessand　as　gloriously；　terrifyingly　evil！











CHAPTER　XIV




The　Justice　of　Lora



AS　I　LOOKED　at　her　the　man　arose　and　made　his　way　round

the　table　toward　us。　　For　the　first　time　my　eyes　took　in

Lugur。　　A　few　inches　taller　than　the　green　dwarf；　he　was　far

broader；　more　filled　with　the　suggestion　of　appalling　strength。



The　tremendous　shoulders　were　four　feet　wide　if　an　inch；

tapering　down　to　mighty　thewed　thighs。　　The　muscles　of　his

chest　stood　out　beneath　his　tunic　of　red。　　Around　his　forehead

shone　a　chaplet　of　bright…blue　stones；　sparkling　among　the

thick　curls　of　his　silver…ash　hair。



Upon　his　face　pride　and　ambition　were　written　large

and　power　still　larger。　　All　the　mockery；　the　malice；　the　hint

of　callous　indifference　that　I　had　noted　in　the　other　dwarfish

men　were　there；　toobut　intensified；　touched　with　the

satanic。



The　woman　spoke　again。



〃Who　are　you　strangers；　and　how　came　you　here？〃　　She

turned　to　Rador。　　〃Or　is　it　that　they　do　not　understand　our

tongue？〃



〃One　understands　and　speaks　itbut　very　badly；　O

Yolara；〃　answered　the　green　dwarf。



〃Speak；　then；　that　one　of　you；〃　she　commanded。



But　it　was　Marakinoff　who　found　his　voice　first；　and　I

marvelled　at　the　fluency；　so　much　greater　than　mine；　with

which　he　spoke。



〃We　came　for　different　purposes。　　I　to　seek　knowledge　of　a

kind；　he〃pointing　to　me　〃of　another。　　This　man〃he

looked　at　Olaf〃to　find　a　wife　and　child。〃



The　grey…blue　eyes　had　been　regarding　O'Keefe　steadily

and　with　plainly　increasing　interest。



〃And　why　did　YOU　come？〃　she　asked　him。　　〃NayI　would

have　him　speak　for　himself；　if　he　can；〃　she　stilled　Marakinoff

peremptorily。



When　Larry　spoke　it　was　haltingly；　in　the　tongue　that　was

strange　to　him；　searching　for　the　proper　words。



〃I　came　to　help　these　menand　because　something　I

could　not　then　understand　called　me；　O　lady；　whose　eyes　are

like　forest　pools　at　dawn；〃　he　answered；　and　even　in　the　un…

familiar　words　there　was　a　touch　of　the　Irish　brogue；　and

little　merry　lights　danced　in　the　eyes　Larry　had　so　apostro…

phized。



〃I　could　find　fault　with　your　speech；　but　none　with　its

burden；〃　she　said。　　〃What　forest　pools　are　I　know　not；　and　the

dawn　has　not　shone　upon　the　people　of　Lora　these　many

sais　of　laya。1　　But　I　sense　what　you　mean！〃





*1　Later　I　was　to　find　that　Murian　reckoning　rested　upon　the　ex…

traordinary　increased　luminosity　of　the　cliffs　at　the　time　of　full　moon

on　earththis　action；　to　my　mind；　being　linked　either　with　the　effect

of　the　light　streaming　globes　upon　the　Moon　Pool；　whose　source　was

in　the　shining　cliffs；　or　else　upon　some　mysterious　affinity　of　their

radiant　element　with　the　flood　of　moonlight　on　earththe　latter；　most

probably；　because　even　when　the　moon　must　have　been　clouded　above；

it　made　no　difference　in　the　phenomenon。　　Thirteen　of　these　shinings

forth　constituted　a　laya；　one　of　them　a　lat。　　Ten　was　sa；　ten　times　ten

times　ten　a　said；　or　thousand；　ten　times　a　thousand　was　a　sais。　　A　sais

of　laya　was　then　literally　ten　thousand　years。　　What　we　would　call　an

hour　was　by　them　called　a　va。　　The　whole　time　system　was；　of　course；

a　mingling　of　time　as　it　had　been　known　to　their　remote；　surface…

dwelling　ancestors；　and　the　peculiar　determining　factors　in　the　vast　cavern。







The　eyes　deepened　to　blue　as　she　regarded　him。　　She　smiled。



〃Are　there　many　like　you　in　the　world　from