the moon pool-第27章

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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　dwarf　nodded；　his　eyes　sparkling　with　a　malicious

anticipation。



The　woman　spoke　again　to　the　globe。　　〃Bring　them　here！〃



And　again　it　ran　swiftly　with　its　film　of　colours；　darkened；

and　shone　rosy　once　more。　　From　without　there　came　a　rustle

of　many　feet　upon　the　rugs。　　Yolara　pressed　a　slender　hand

upon　the　base　of　the　pedestal　of　the　globe　beside　her。

Abruptly　the　light　faded　from　all；　and　on　the　same　instant

the　four　walls　of　blackness　vanished；　revealing　on　two　sides

the　lovely；　unfamiliar　garden　through　the　guarding　rows　of

pillars；　at　our　backs　soft　draperies　hid　what　lay　beyond；

before　us；　flanked　by　flowered　screens；　was　the　corridor

through　which　we　had　entered；　crowded　now　by　the　green

dwarfs　of　the　great　hall。



The　dwarfs　advanced。　　Each；　I　now　noted；　had　the　same

clustering　black　hair　of　Rador。　　They　separated；　and　from

them　stepped　three　figuresa　youth　of　not　more　than　twenty；

short；　but　with　the　great　shoulders　of　all　the　males　we　had

seen　of　this　race；　a　girl　of　seventeen；　I　judged；　white…faced；

a　head　taller　than　the　boy；　her　long；　black　hair　dishevelled；

and　behind　these　two　a　stunted；　gnarled　shape　whose　head

was　sunk　deep　between　the　enormous　shoulders；　whose　white

beard　fell　like　that　of　some　ancient　gnome　down　to　his　waist；

and　whose　eyes　were　a　white　flame　of　hate。　　The　girl　cast　her…

self　weeping　at　the　feet　of　the　priestess；　the　youth　regarded

her　curiously。



〃You　are　Songar　of　the　Lower　Waters？〃　murmured　Yolara

almost　caressingly。　　〃And　this　is　your　daughter　and　her

lover？〃



The　gnome　nodded；　the　flame　in　his　eyes　leaping　higher。



〃It　has　come　to　me　that　you　three　have　dared　blaspheme

the　Shining　One；　its　priestess；　and　its　Voice；〃　went　on　Yo…

lara　smoothly。　　〃Also　that　you　have　called　out　to　the　three

Silent　Ones。　　Is　it　true？〃



〃Your　spies　have　spokenand　have　you　not　already

judged　us？〃　The　voice　of　the　old　dwarf　was　bitter。



A　flicker　shot　through　the　eyes　of　Yolara；　again　cold　grey。

The　girl　reached　a　trembling　hand　out　to　the　hem　of　the

priestess's　veils。



〃Tell　us　why　you　did　these　things；　Songar；〃　she　said。　　〃Why

you　did　them；　knowing　full　well　what　yourrewardwould　be。〃



The　dwarf　stiffened；　he　raised　his　withered　arms；　and　his

eyes　blazed。



〃Because　evil　are　your　thoughts　and　evil　are　your　deeds；〃

he　cried。　　〃Yours　and　your　lover's；　there〃he　levelled　a

finger　at　Lugur。　　〃Because　of　the　Shining　One　you　have　made

evil；　too；　and　the　greater　wickedness　you　contemplate

you　and　he　with　the　Shining　One。　　But　I　tell　you　that　your

measure　of　iniquity　is　full；　the　tale　of　your　sin　near　ended！

Yeathe　Silent　Ones　have　been　patient；　but　soon　they　will

speak。〃　He　pointed　at　us。　　〃A　sign　are　THEYa　warning

harlot！〃　　He　spat　the　word。



In　Yolara's　eyes；　grown　black；　the　devils　leaped　unrestrained。



〃Is　it　even　so；　Songar？〃　her　voice　caressed。　　〃Now　ask　the

Silent　Ones　to　help　you！　　They　sit　afarbut　surely　they　will

hear　you。〃　The　sweet　voice　was　mocking。　　〃As　for　these　two；

they　shall　pray　to　the　Shining　One　for　forgivenessand

surely　the　Shining　One　will　take　them　to　its　bosom！　　As　for

youyou　have　lived　long　enough；　Songar！　　Pray　to　the　Silent

Ones；　Songar；　and　pass　out　into　the　nothingnessyou！〃



She　dipped　down　into　her　bosom　and　drew　forth　some…

thing　that　resembled　a　small　cone　of　tarnished　silver。　　She

levelled　it；　a　covering　clicked　from　its　base；　and　out　of　it

darted　a　slender　ray　of　intense　green　light。



It　struck　the　old　dwarf　squarely　over　the　heart；　and　spread

swift　as　light　itself；　covering　him　with　a　gleaming；　pale　film。

She　clenched　her　hand　upon　the　cone；　and　the　ray　disap…

peared。　　She　thrust　the　cone　back　into　her　breast　and　leaned

forward　expectantly；　so　Lugur　and　so　the　other　dwarfs。

From　the　girl　came　a　low　wail　of　anguish；　the　boy　dropped

upon　his　knees；　covering　his　face。



For　the　moment　the　white　beard　stood　rigid；　then　the

robe　that　had　covered　him　seemed　to　melt　away；　revealing

all　the　knotted；　monstrous　body。　　And　in　that　body　a　vibra…

tion　began；　increasing　to　incredible　rapidity。　　It　wavered　be…

fore　us　like　a　reflection　in　a　still　pond　stirred　by　a　sudden

wind。　　It　grew　and　grewto　a　rhythm　whose　rapidity　was

intolerable　to　watch　and　that　still　chained　the　eyes。



The　figure　grew　indistinct；　misty。　　Tiny　sparks　in　infinite

numbers　leaped　from　itlike；　I　thought；　the　radiant　shower

of　particles　hurled　out　by　radium　when　seen　under　the

microscope。　　Mistier　still　it　grewthere　trembled　before　us

for　a　moment　a　faintly　luminous　shadow　which　held；　here

and　there；　tiny　sparkling　atoms　like　those　that　pulsed　in　the

light　about　us！　　The　glowing　shadow　vanished；　the　sparkling

atoms　were　still　for　a　momentand　shot　away；　joining　those

dancing　others。



Where　the　gnomelike　form　had　been　but　a　few　seconds

beforethere　was　nothing！



O'Keefe　drew　a　long　breath；　and　I　was　sensible　of　a　prick…

ling　along　my　scalp。



Yolara　leaned　toward　us。



〃You　have　seen；〃　she　said。　　Her　eyes　lingered　tigerishly

upon　Olaf's　pallid　face。　　〃Heed！〃　she　whispered。　　She　turned

to　the　men　in　green；　who　were　laughing　softly　among　them…

selves。



〃Take　these　two；　and　go！〃　she　commanded。



〃The　justice　of　Lora；〃　said　the　red　dwarf。　　〃The　justice　of

Lora　and　the　Shining　One　under　Thanaroa！〃



Upon　the　utterance　of　the　last　word　I　saw　Marakinoff　start

violently。　　The　hand　at　his　side　made　a　swift；　surreptitious

gesture；　so　fleeting　that　I　hardly　caught　it。　　The　red　dwarf

stared　at　the　Russian；　and　there　was　amazement　upon　his

face。



Swiftly　as　Marakinoff；　he　returned　it。



〃Yolara；〃　the　red　dwarf　spoke；　〃it　would　please　me　to

take　this　man　of　wisdom　to　my　own　place　for　a　time。　　The

giant　I　would　have；　too。〃



The　woman　awoke　from　her　brooding；　nodded。



〃As　you　will；　Lugur；〃　she　said。



And　as；　shaken　to　the　core；　we　passed　out　into　the　garden

into　the　full　throbbing　of　the　light；　I　wondered　if　all　the　tiny

sparkling　diamond　points　that　shook　about　us　had　once　been

men　like　Songar　of　the　Lower　Watersand　felt　my　very　soul

grow　sick！











CHAPTER　XV



The　Angry；　Whispering　Globe



OUR　WAY　led　along　a　winding　path　between　banked　masses

of　softly　radiant　blooms；　groups　of　feathery　ferns　whose

plumes　were　starred　with　fragrant　white　and　blue　flowerets；

slender　creepers　swinging　from　the　branches　of　the　strangely

trunked　trees；　bearing　along　their　threads　orchid…like　blos…

soms　both　delicately　frail　and　gorgeously　flamboyant。



The　path　we　trod　was　an　exquisite　mosaicpastel　greens

and　pinks　upon　a　soft　grey　base；　garlands　of　nimbused　forms

like　the　flaming　rose　of　the　Rosicrucians　held　in　the　mouths

of　the　flying　serpents。　　A　smaller　pavilion　arose　before　us；

single…storied；　front　wide　open。



Upon　its　threshold　Rador　paused；　bowed　deeply；　and　mo…

tioned　us　within。　　The　chamber　we　entered　was　large；　closed

on　two　sides　by　screens　of　grey；　at　the　back　gay；　concealing

curtains。　　The　low　table　of　blue　stone；　dressed　with　fine　white

cloths；　stretched　at　one　side　flanked　by　the　cushioned　divans。



At　the　left　was　a　high　tripod　bearing　one　of　the　rosy　globes

we　had　seen　in　the　house　of　Yolara；　at　the　head　of　the　table

a　smaller　globe　similar　to　the　whispering　one。　　Rador　pressed

upon　its　base；　and　two　other　screens　slid　into　place　across

the　entrance；　shutting　in　the　room。



He　clapped　his　hands；　the　curtains　parted；　and　two　girls

came　through　them。　　Tall　and　willow　lithe；　their　bluish…black

hair　falling　in　ringlets　just　below　their　white　shoulders；　their

clear　eyes　of　forget…me…not　blue；　and　skins　of　extraordinary

fineness　and　puritythey　were　singularly　attractive。　　Each

was　clad　in　an　extremely　scanty　bodice　of　silken　blue；　girdled

above　a　kirtle　that　came　barely　to　their　very　pretty　k