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第35章

the moon pool-第35章

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through me race a wave of mingled panic and eagerness。



〃The Shining One dances!〃 had answered the green dwarf。

〃And you are to worship!〃



What was this dancing of the Shining One; of which so

often he had spoken?



Whatever my forebodings; Larry evidently had none。



〃Great stuff!〃 he cried; when we had met in the great ante…

chamber now empty of the dwarfs。  〃Hope it will be worth

seeinghave to be something damned good; though; to

catch me; after what I've seen of shows at the front;〃 he

added。



And remembering; with a little shock of apprehension;

that he had no knowledge of the Dweller beyond my poor

description of itfor there are no words actually to describe

what that miracle of interwoven glory and horror wasI

wondered what Larry O'Keefe would say and do when he

did behold it!



Rador began to show impatience。



〃Come!〃 he urged。  〃There is much to be doneand the

time grows short!〃



He led us to a tiny fountain room in whose miniature pool

the white waters were concentrated; pearl…like and opales…

cent in their circling rim。



〃Bathe!〃 he commanded; and set the example by strip…

ping himself and plunging within。  Only a minute or two did

the green dwarf allow us; and he checked us as we were

about to don our clothing。



Then; to my intense embarrassment; without warning; two

of the black…haired girls entered; bearing robes of a peculiar

dull…blue hue。  At our manifest discomfort Rador's laughter

roared out。  He took the garments from the pair; motioned

them to leave us; and; still laughing; threw one around me。

Its texture was soft; but decidedly metalliclike some blue

metal spun to the fineness of a spider's thread。  The garment

buckled tightly at the throat; was girdled at the waist; and;

below this cincture; fell to the floor; its folds being held to…

gether by a half…dozen looped cords; from the shoulders a

hood resembling a monk's cowl。



Rador cast this over my head; it completely covered my

face; but was of so transparent a texture that I could see;

though somewhat mistily; through it。  Finally he handed us

both a pair of long gloves of the same material and high

stockings; the feet of which were glovedfive…toed。



And again his laughter rang out at our manifest surprise。



〃The priestess of the Shining One does not altogether

trust the Shining One's Voice;〃 he said at last。  〃And these

are to guard against any suddenerrors。  And fear not;

Goodwin;〃 he went on kindly。  〃Not for the Shining One

itself would Yolara see harm come to _Larree_ herenor;

because of him; to you。  But I would not stake much on the

great white one。  And for him I am sorry; for him I do like

well。〃



〃Is he to be with us?〃 asked Larry eagerly。



〃He is to be where we go;〃 replied the dwarf soberly。



Grimly Larry reached down and drew from his uniform his

automatic。  He popped a fresh clip into the pocket fold of his

girdle。  The pistol he slung high up beneath his arm…pit。



The green dwarf looked at the weapon curiously。  O'Keefe

tapped it。



〃This;〃 said Larry; 〃slays quicker than the _Keth_I take

it so no harm shall come to the blue…eyed one whose name is

Olaf。  If I should raise itbe you not in its way; Rador!〃 he

added significantly。



The dwarf nodded again; his eyes sparkling。  He thrust a

hand out to both of us。



〃A change comes;〃 he said。  〃What it is I know not; nor

how it will fall。  But this rememberRador is more friend

to you than you yet can know。  And now let us go!〃 he ended

abruptly。



He led us; not through the entrance; but into a sloping

passage ending in a blind wall; touched a symbol graven

there; and it opened; precisely as had the rosy barrier of the

Moon Pool Chamber。  And; just as there; but far smaller;

was a passage end; a low curved wall facing a shaft not black

as had been that abode of living darkness; but faintly lumi…

nescent。  Rador leaned over the wall。  The mechanism clicked

and started; the door swung shut; the sides of the car slipped

into place; and we swept swiftly down the passage; over…

head the wind whistled。  In a few moments the moving plat…

form began to slow down。  It stopped in a closed chamber no

larger than itself。



Rador drew his poniard and struck twice upon the wall

with its hilt。  Immediately a panel moved away; revealing a

space filled with faint; misty blue radiance。  And at each side

of the open portal stood four of the dwarfish men; grey…

headed; old; clad in flowing garments of white; each point…

ing toward us a short silver rod。



Rador drew from his girdle a ring and held it out to the

first dwarf。  He examined it; handed it to the one beside him;

and not until each had inspected the ring did they lower their

curious weapons; containers of that terrific energy they

called the _Keth_; I thought; and later was to know that I had

been right。



We stepped out; the doors closed behind us。  The place

was weird enough。  Its pave was a greenish…blue stone re…

sembling lapis lazuli。  On each side were high pedestals hold…

ing carved figures of the same material。  There were perhaps

a score of these; but in the mistiness I could not make out

their outlines。  A droning; rushing roar beat upon our ears;

filled the whole cavern。



〃I smell the sea;〃 said Larry suddenly。



The roaring became deep…toned; clamorous; and close in

front of us a rift opened。  Twenty feet in width; it cut the

cavern floor and vanished into the blue mist on each side。

The cleft was spanned by one solid slab of rock not more

than two yards wide。  It had neither railing nor other protec…

tion。



The four leading priests marched out upon it one by one;

and we followed。  In the middle of the span they knelt。  Ten

feet beneath us was a torrent of blue sea…water racing with

prodigious speed between polished walls。  It gave the impres…

sion of vast depth。  It roared as it sped by; and far to the right

was a low arch through which it disappeared。  It was so swift

that its surface shone like polished blue steel; and from it

came the blessed; OUR WORLDLY; familiar ocean breath that

strengthened my soul amazingly and made me realize how

earth…sick I was。



Whence came the stream; I marvelled; forgetting for the

moment; as we passed on again; all else。  Were we closer to

the surface of earth than I had thought; or was this some

mighty flood falling through an opening in sea floor; Heaven

alone knew how many miles above us; losing itself in deeper

abysses beyond these?  How near and how far this was from

the truth I was to learnand never did truth come to man

in more dreadful guise!



The roaring fell away; the blue haze lessened。  In front of

us stretched a wide flight of steps; huge as those which had

led us into the courtyard of Nan…Tauach through the ruined

sea…gate。  We scaled it; it narrowed; from above light poured

through a still narrower opening。  Side by side Larry and I

passed out of it。



We had emerged upon an enormous platform of what

seemed to be glistening ivory。  It stretched before us for a

hundred yards or more and then shelved gently into the

white waters。  Oppositenot a mile awaywas that prodi…

gious web of woven rainbows Rador had called the Veil of

the Shining One。  There it shone in all its unearthly grandeur;

on each side of the Cyclopean pillars; as though a mountain

should stretch up arms raising between them a fairy banner

of auroral glories。  Beneath it was the curved; scimitar sweep

of the pier with its clustered; gleaming temples。



Before that brief; fascinated glance was done; there

dropped upon my soul a sensation as of brooding weight in…

tolerable; a spiritual oppression as though some vastness was

falling; pressing; stifling me; I turnedand Larry caught me

as I reeled。



〃Steady!  Steady; old man!〃 he whispered。



At first all that my staggering consciousness could realize

was an immensity; an

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