the moon pool-第26章

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〃Are　there　many　like　you　in　the　world　from　which　you　come？〃

she　asked　softly。　　〃Well；　we　soon　shall〃



Lugur　interrupted　her　almost　rudely　and　glowering。



〃Best　we　should　know　how　they　came　hence；〃　he　growled。



She　darted　a　quick　look　at　him；　and　again　the　little　devils

danced　in　her　wondrous　eyes。







Unquestionably　there　is　a　subtle　difference　between　time　as　we　know

it　and　time　in　this　subterranean　landits　progress　there　being　slower。

This；　however；　is　only　in　accord　with　the　well…known　doctrine　of　rela…

tivity；　which　predicates　both　space　and　time　as　necessary　inventions　of

the　human　mind　to　orient　itself　to　the　conditions　under　which　it　finds

itself。　　I　tried　often　to　measure　this　difference；　but　could　never　do　so

to　my　entire　satisfaction。　　The　closest　I　can　come　to　it　is　to　say　that

an　hour　of　our　time　is　the　equivalent　of　an　hour　and　five…eighths　in

Muria。　　For　further　information　upon　this　matter　of　relativity　the

reader　may　consult　any　of　the　numerous　books　upon　the　subject。

W。　T。　G。



〃Yes；　that　is　true；〃　she　said。　　〃How　came　you　here？〃



Again　it　was　Marakinoff　who　answeredslowly；　consider…

ing　every　word。



〃In　the　world　above；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　ruins　of　cities

not　built　by　any　of　those　who　now　dwell　there。　　To　us　these

places　called；　and　we　sought　for　knowledge　of　the　wise　ones

who　made　them。　　We　found　a　passageway。　　The　way　led　us

downward　to　a　door　in　yonder　cliff；　and　through　it　we　came

here。〃



〃Then　have　you　found　what　you　sought？〃　spoke　she。　　〃For

we　are　of　those　who　built　the　cities。　　But　this　gateway　in　the

rockwhere　is　it？〃



〃After　we　passed；　it　closed　upon　us；　nor　could　we　after

find　trace　of　it；〃　answered　Marakinoff。



The　incredulity　that　had　shown　upon　the　face　of　the　green

dwarf　fell　upon　theirs；　on　Lugur's　it　was　clouded　with　furious

anger。



He　turned　to　Rador。



〃I　could　find　no　opening；　lord；〃　said　the　green　dwarf

quickly。



And　there　was　so　fierce　a　fire　in　the　eyes　of　Lugur　as　he

swung　back　upon　us　that　O'Keefe's　hand　slipped　stealthily

down　toward　his　pistol。



〃Best　it　is　to　speak　truth　to　Yolara；　priestess　of　the　Shining

One；　and　to　Lugur；　the　Voice；〃　he　cried　menacingly。



〃It　is　the　truth；〃　I　interposed。　　〃We　came　down　the　pass…

age。　　At　its　end　was　a　carved　vine；　a　vine　of　five　flowers〃the

fire　died　from　the　red　dwarf's　eyes；　and　I　could　have　sworn

to　a　swift　pallor。　　〃I　rested　a　hand　upon　these　flowers；　and　a

door　opened。　　But　when　we　had　gone　through　it　and　turned；

behind　us　was　nothing　but　unbroken　cliff。　　The　door　had

vanished。〃



I　had　taken　my　cue　from　Marakinoff。　　If　he　had　eliminated

the　episode　of　car　and　Moon　Pool；　he　had　good　reason；　I　had

no　doubt；　and　I　would　be　as　cautious。　　And　deep　within　me

something　cautioned　me　to　say　nothing　of　my　quest；　to　stifle

all　thought　of　Throckmartinsomething　that　warned；　per…

emptorily；　finally；　as　though　it　were　a　message　from　Throck…

martin　himself！



〃A　vine　with　five　flowers！〃　exclaimed　the　red　dwarf。　　〃Was

it　like　this；　say？〃



He　thrust　forward　a　long　arm。　　Upon　the　thumb　of　the

hand　was　an　immense　ring；　set　with　a　dull…blue　stone。

Graven　on　the　face　of　the　jewel　was　the　symbol　of　the　rosy

walls　of　the　Moon　Chamber　that　had　opened　to　us　their　two

portals。　　But　cut　over　the　vine　were　seven　circles；　one　about

each　of　the　flowers　and　two　larger　ones　covering；　intersect…

ing　them。



〃This　is　the　same；〃　I　said；　〃but　these　were　not　there〃

I　indicated　the　circles。



The　woman　drew　a　deep　breath　and　looked　deep　into

Lugur's　eyes。



〃The　sign　of　the　Silent　Ones！〃　he　half　whispered。



It　was　the　woman　who　first　recovered　herself。



〃The　strangers　are　weary；　Lugur；〃　she　said。　　〃When　they

are　rested　they　shall　show　where　the　rocks　opened。〃



I　sensed　a　subtle　change　in　their　attitude　toward　us；　a　new

intentness；　a　doubt　plainly　tinged　with　apprehension。　　What

was　it　they　feared？　　Why　had　the　symbol　of　the　vine　wrought

the　change？　　And　who　or　what　were　the　Silent　Ones？



Yolara's　eyes　turned　to　Olaf；　hardened；　and　grew　cold

grey。　　Subconsciously　I　had　noticed　that　from　the　first　the

Norseman　had　been　absorbed　in　his　regard　of　the　pair；　had；

indeed；　never　taken　his　gaze　from　them；　had　noticed；　too；

the　priestess　dart　swift　glances　toward　him。



He　returned　her　scrutiny　fearlessly；　a　touch　of　contempt　in

the　clear　eyeslike　a　child　watching　a　snake　which　he　did

not　dread；　but　whose　danger　be　well　knew。



Under　that　look　Yolara　stirred　impatiently；　sensing；　I

know；　its　meaning。



〃Why　do　you　look　at　me　so？〃　she　cried。



An　expression　of　bewilderment　passed　over　Olaf's　face。



〃I　do　not　understand；〃　he　said　in　English。



I　caught　a　quickly　repressed　gleam　in　O'Keefe's　eyes。　　He

knew；　as　I　knew；　that　Olaf　must　have　understood。　　But　did

Marakinoff？



Apparently　he　did　not。　　But　why　was　Olaf　feigning　igno…

rance？



〃This　man　is　a　sailor　from　what　we　call　the　North；〃　thus

Larry　haltingly。　　〃He　is　crazed；　I　think。　　He　tells　a　strange　tale

of　a　something　of　cold　fire　that　took　his　wife　and　babe。

We　found　him　wandering　where　we　were。　　And　because　he　is

strong　we　brought　him　with　us。　　That　is　all；　O　lady；　whose

voice　is　sweeter　than　the　honey　of　the　wild　bees！〃



〃A　shape　of　cold　fire？〃　she　repeated。



〃A　shape　of　cold　fire　that　whirled　beneath　the　moon；　with

the　sound　of　little　bells；〃　answered　Larry；　watching　her　in…

tently。



She　looked　at　Lugur　and　laughed。



〃Then　he；　too；　is　fortunate；〃　she　said。　　〃For　he　has　come

to　the　place　of　his　something　of　cold　fireand　tell　him　that

he　shall　join　his　wife　and　child；　in　time；　that　I　promise　him。〃



Upon　the　Norseman's　face　there　was　no　hint　of　compre…

hension；　and　at　that　moment　I　formed　an　entirely　new　opin…

ion　of　Olaf's　intelligence；　for　certainly　it　must　have　been　a

prodigious　effort　of　the　will；　indeed；　that　enabled　him；　under…

standing；　to　control　himself。



〃What　does　she　say？〃　he　asked。



Larry　repeated。



〃Good！〃　said　Olaf。　　〃Good！〃



He　looked　at　Yolara　with　well…assumed　gratitude。　　Lugur；

who　had　been　scanning　his　bulk；　drew　close。　　He　felt　the　giant

muscles　which　Huldricksson　accommodatingly　flexed　for

him。



〃But　he　shall　meet　Valdor　and　Tahola　before　he　sees　those

kin　of　his；〃　he　laughed　mockingly。　　〃And　if　he　bests　them

for　rewardhis　wife　and　babe！〃



A　shudder；　quickly　repressed；　shook　the　seaman's　frame。

The　woman　bent　her　supremely　beautiful　head。



〃These　two；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　Russian　and　to　me；

〃seem　to　be　men　of　learning。　　They　may　be　useful。　　As　for　this

man；〃she　smiled　at　Larry〃I　would　have　him　explain　to

me　some　things。〃　She　hesitated。　　〃What　'hon…ey　of　'e　wild

bees…s'　is。〃　Larry　had　spoken　the　words　in　English；　and　she

was　trying　to　repeat　them。　　〃As　for　this　man；　the　sailor；　do

as　you　please　with　him；　Lugur；　always　remembering　that　I

have　given　my　word　that　he　shall　join　that　wife　and　babe　of

his！〃　She　laughed　sweetly；　sinisterly。　　〃And　nowtake　them；

Radorgive　them　food　and　drink　and　let　them　rest　till　we

shall　call　them　again。〃



She　stretched　out　a　hand　toward　O'Keefe。　　The　Irishman

bowed　low　over　it；　raised　it　softly　to　his　lips。　　There　was　a

vicious　hiss　from　Lugur；　but　Yolara　regarded　Larry　with

eyes　now　all　tender　blue。



〃You　please　me；〃　she　whispered。



And　the　face　of　Lugur　grew　darker。



We　turned　to　go。　　The　rosy；　azure…shot　globe　at　her　side

suddenly　dulled。　　From　it　came　a　faint　bell　sound　as　of　chimes

far　away。　　She　bent　over　it。　　It　vibrated；　and　then　its　surface

ran　with　little　waves　of　dull　colour；　from　it　came　a　whisper…

ing　so　low　that　I　could　not　distinguish　the　wordsif　words

they　were。



She　spoke　to　the　red　dwarf。



〃They　have　brought　the　three　who　blasphemed　the　Shin…

ing　One；〃　she　said　slowly。　　〃Now　it　is　in　my　mind　to　show

these　strangers　the　justice　of　Lora。　　What　say　you；　Lugur？〃



The　red　dwa