the moon pool-第30章

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alone　againand　then　giving　myself　up　to　the　urge　of　buoy…

ant　well…being　I　shouted　like　a　boy；　stripped　and　joined　the

two　in　the　pool。　　The　water　was　warm　and　I　felt　the　unwonted

tingling　of　life　in　every　vein　increase；　something　from　it

seemed　to　pulse　through　the　skin；　carrying　a　clean　vigorous

vitality　that　toned　every　fibre。　　Tiring　at　last；　we　swam　to　the

edge　and　drew　ourselves　out。　　The　green　dwarf　quickly

clothed　himself　and　Larry　rather　carefully　donned　his　uni…

form。



〃The　Afyo　Maie　has　summoned　us；　Doc；〃　he　said。　　〃We're

towellI　suppose　you'd　call　it　breakfast　with　her。　　After

that；　Rador　tells　me；　we're　to　have　a　session　with　the　Council

of　Nine。　　I　suppose　Yolara　is　as　curious　as　any　lady　ofthe

upper　world；　as　you　might　put　itand　just　naturally　can't

wait；〃　he　added。



He　gave　himself　a　last　shake；　patted　the　automatic　hidden

under　his　left　arm；　whistled　cheerfully；



〃After　you；　my　dear　Alphonse；〃　he　said　to　Rador；　with　a

low　bow。　　The　dwarf　laughed；　bent　in　an　absurd　imitation　of

Larry's　mocking　courtesy　and　started　ahead　of　us　to　the

house　of　the　priestess。　　When　he　had　gone　a　little　way　on　the

orchid…walled　path　I　whispered　to　O'Keefe：



〃Larry；　when　you　were　falling　off　to　sleepdid　you　think

you　saw　anything？〃



〃See　anything！〃　he　grinned。　　〃Doc；　sleep　hit　me　like　a　Hun

shell。　　I　thought　they　were　pulling　the　gas　on　us。　　II　had

some　intention　of　bidding　you　tender　farewells；〃　he　con…

tinued；　half　sheepishly。　　〃I　think　I　did　start　'em；　didn't　I？〃



I　nodded。



〃But　wait　a　minute〃　he　hesitated。　　〃I　had　a　queer　sort　of

dream〃



'What　was　it？〃　I　asked　eagerly；



〃Well；〃　he　answered　slowly；　〃I　suppose　it　was　because　I'd

been　thinking　ofGolden　Eyes。　　Anyway；　I　thought　she

came　through　the　wall　and　leaned　over　meyes；　and　put

one　of　those　long　white　hands　of　hers　on　my　headI

couldn't　raise　my　lidsbut　in　some　queer　way　I　could　see

her。　　Then　it　got　real　dreamish。　　Why　do　you　ask？〃



Rador　turned　back　toward　us；



〃Later；〃　I　answered；　〃Not　now。　　When　we're　alone。〃



But　through　me　went　a　little　glow　of　reassurance。　　What…

ever　the　maze　through　which　we　were　moving；　whatever　of

menacing　evil　lurking　therethe　Golden　Girl　was　clearly

watching　over　us；　watching　with　whatever　unknown　powers

she　could　muster。



We　passed　the　pillared　entrance；　went　through　a　long

bowered　corridor　and　stopped　before　a　door　that　seemed

to　be　sliced　from　a　monolith　of　pale　jadehigh；　narrow；

set　in　a　wall　of　opal。



Rador　stamped　twice　and　the　same　supernally　sweet；　silver

bell　tones　ofyesterday；　I　must　call　it；　although　in　that　place

of　eternal　day　the　term　is　meaninglessbade　us　enter。　　The

door　slipped　aside。　　The　chamber　was　small；　the　opal　walls

screening　it　on　three　sides；　the　black　opacity　covering　it；　the

fourth　side　opening　out　into　a　delicious　little　walled　garden

a　mass　of　the　fragrant；　luminous　blooms　and　delicately

colored　fruit。　　Facing　it　was　a　small　table　of　reddish　wood

and　from　the　omnipresent　cushions　heaped　around　it　arose　to

greet　usYolara。



Larry　drew　in　his　breath　with　an　involuntary　gasp　of

admiration　and　bowed　low。　　My　own　admiration　was　as　frank

and　the　priestess　was　well　pleased　with　our　homage。



She　was　swathed　in　the　filmy；　half…revelant　webs；　now　of

palest　blue。　　The　corn…silk　hair　was　caught　within　a　wide…

meshed　golden　net　in　which　sparkled　tiny　brilliants；　like

blended　sapphires　and　diamonds。　　Her　own　azure　eyes

sparkled　as　brightly　as　they；　and　I　noted　again　in　their　clear

depths　the　half…eager　approval　as　they　rested　upon　O'Keefe's

lithe；　well…knit　figure　and　his　keen；　clean…cut　face。　　The　high…

arched；　slender　feet　rested　upon　soft　sandals　whose　gauzy

withes　laced　the　exquisitely　formed　leg　to　just　below　the

dimpled　knee。



〃Some　giddy　wonder！〃　exclaimed　Larry；　looking　at　me

and　placing　a　hand　over　his　heart。　　〃Put　her　on　a　New　York

roof　and　she'd　empty　Broadway。　　Take　the　cue　from　me；

Doc。〃



He　turned　to　Yolara；　whose　face　was　somewhat　puzzled。



〃I　said；　O　lady　whose　shining　hair　is　a　web　for　hearts；　that

in　our　world　your　beauty　would　dazzle　the　sight　of　men　as

would　a　little　woman　sun！〃　he　said；　in　the　florid　imagery　to

which　the　tongue　lends　itself　so　well。



A　flush　stole　up　through　the　translucent　skin。　　The　blue

eyes　softened　and　she　waved　us　toward　the　cushions。　　Black…

haired　maids　stole　in；　placing　before　us　the　fruits；　the　little

loaves　and　a　steaming　drink　somewhat　the　colour　and　odor

of　chocolate。　　I　was　conscious　of　outrageous　hunger。



〃What　are　you　named；　strangers？〃　she　asked。



〃This　man　is　named　Goodwin；〃　said　O'Keefe。　　〃As　for　me；

call　me　Larry。〃



〃Nothing　like　getting　acquainted　quick；〃　he　said　to　me

but　kept　his　eyes　upon　Yolara　as　though　he　were　voicing

another　honeyed　phrase。　　And　so　she　took　it；　for：　〃You　must

teach　me　your　tongue；〃　she　murmured。



〃Then　shall　I　have　two　words　where　now　I　have　one　to

tell　you　of　your　loveliness；〃　he　answered。



〃And　also　that'll　take　time；〃　he　spoke　to　me。　　〃Essential

occupation　out　of　which　we　can't　be　drafted　to　make　these

fun…loving　folk　any　Roman　holiday。　　Get　me！〃



〃Larree；〃　mused　Yolara。　　〃I　like　the　sound。　　It　is　sweet〃

and　indeed　it　was　as　she　spoke　it。



〃And　what　is　your　land　named；　Larree？〃　she　continued。

〃And　Goodwin's？〃　She　caught　the　sound　perfectly。



〃My　land；　O　lady　of　loveliness；　is　twoIreland　and

America；　his　but　oneAmerica。〃



She　repeated　the　two　namesslowly；　over　and　over。　　We

seized　the　opportunity　to　attack　the　food；　halting　half　guilt…

ily　as　she　spoke　again。



〃Oh；　but　you　are　hungry！〃　she　cried。　　〃Eat　then。〃　She

leaned　her　chin　upon　her　hands　and　regarded　us；　whole

fountains　of　questions　brimming　up　in　her　eyes。



〃How　is　it；　Larree；　that　you　have　two　countries　and　Good…

win　but　one？〃　she　asked；　at　last　unable　to　keep　silent　longer。



〃I　was　born　in　Ireland；　he　in　America。　　But　I　have　dwelt

long　in　his　land　and　my　heart　loves　each；〃　he　said。



She　nodded；　understandingly。



〃Are　all　the　men　of　Ireland　like　you；　Larree？　　As　all　the

men　here　are　like　Lugur　or　Rador？　　I　like　to　look　at　you；〃

she　went　on；　with　naive　frankness。　　〃I　am　tired　of　men　like

Lugur　and　Rador。　　But　they　are　strong；〃　she　added；　swiftly。

〃Lugur　can　hold　up　ten　in　his　two　arms　and　raise　six　with

but　one　hand。〃



We　could　not　understand　her　numerals　and　she　raised

white　fingers　to　illustrate。



〃That　is　little；　O　lady；　to　the　men　of　Ireland；〃　replied

O'Keefe。　　〃Lo；　I　have　seen　one　of　my　race　hold　up　ten　times

ten　of　ourwhat　call　you　that　swift　thing　in　which　Rador

brought　us　here？〃



〃Corial；〃　said　she。



〃Hold　up　ten　times　twenty　of　our　corials　with　but　two

fingersand　these　corials　of　ours〃



〃Coria；〃　said　she。



〃And　these　coria　of　ours　are　each　greater　in　weight　than

ten　of　yours。　　Yes；　and　I　have　seen　another　with　but　one　blow

of　his　hand　raise　hell！



〃And　so　I　have；〃　he　murmured　to　me。　　〃And　both　at　Forty…

second　and　Fifth　Avenue；　N。　Y。U。　S。　A。〃



Yolara　considered　all　this　with　manifest　doubt。



〃Hell？〃　she　inquired　at　last。　　〃I　know　not　the　word。〃



〃Well；〃　answered　O'Keefe。　　〃Say　Muria　then。　　In　many

ways　they　are；　I　gather；　O　heart's　delight；　one　and　the　same。〃



Now　the　doubt　in　the　blue　eyes　was　strong　indeed。　　She

shook　her　head。



〃None　of　our　men　can　do　THAT！〃　she　answered；　at　length。

〃Nor　do　I　think　you　could；　Larree。〃



〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Larry　easily。　　〃I　never　tried　to　be　that

strong。　　I　fly；〃　he　added；　casually。



The　priestess　rose　to　her　feet；　gazing　at　him　with　startled　eyes。



〃Fly！〃　she　repeated　incredulously。　　〃Like　a　_Zitia_？　　A　bird？〃



Larry　noddedand　then　seeing　the　dawning　command　in

her　eyes；　went　on　hastily。



〃Not　with　my　own　wings；　Yolara。　　In　aa　corial　that

moves　throughwhat's　the　word　for　air；　Docwell；

through　this〃　He　made　a　wide　gesture　up　toward　the

nebulous　haze　above　us。