the moon pool-第36章

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At　first　all　that　my　staggering　consciousness　could　realize

was　an　immensity；　an　immeasurable　uprearing　that　brought

with　it　the　same　throat…gripping　vertigo　as　comes　from　gaz…

ing　downward　from　some　great　heightthen　a　blur　of　white

facesintolerable　shinings　of　hundreds　upon　thousands　of

eyes。　　Huge；　incredibly　huge；　a　colossal　amphitheatre　of　jet；

a　stupendous　semi…circle；　held　within　its　mighty　arc　the　ivory

platform　on　which　I　stood。



It　reared　itself　almost　perpendicularly　hundreds　of　feet　up

into　the　sparkling　heavens；　and　thrust　down　on　each　side　its

ebon　bulwarkslike　monstrous　paws。　　Now；　the　giddiness

from　its　sheer　greatness　passing；　I　saw　that　it　was　indeed　an

amphitheatre　sloping　slightly　backward　tier　after　tier；　and

that　the　white　blur　of　faces　against　its　blackness；　the　gleam…

ing　of　countless　eyes　were　those　of　myriads　of　the　people　who

sat　silent；　flower…garlanded；　their　gaze　focused　upon　the　rain…

bow　curtain　and　sweeping　over　me　like　a　torrenttangible；

appalling！



Five　hundred　feet　beyond；　the　smooth；　high　retaining　wall

of　the　amphitheatre　raised　itselfabove　it　the　first　terrace

of　the　seats；　and　above　this；　dividing　the　tiers　for　another　half

a　thousand　feet　upward；　set　within　them　like　a　panel；　was　a

dead…black　surface　in　which　shone　faintly　with　a　bluish　radi…

ance　a　gigantic　disk；　above　it　and　around　it　a　cluster　of　in…

numerable　smaller　ones。



On　each　side　of　me；　bordering　the　platform；　were　scores

of　small　pillared　alcoves；　a　low　wall　stretching　across　their

fronts；　delicate；　fretted　grills　shielding　them；　save　where　in

each　lattice　an　opening　staredit　came　to　me　that　they　were

like　those　stalls　in　ancient　Gothic　cathedrals　wherein　for

centuries　had　kneeled　paladins　and　people　of　my　own　race

on　earth's　fair　face。　　And　within　these　alcoves　were　gathered；

score　upon　score；　the　elfin　beauties；　the　dwarfish　men　of　the

fair…haired　folk。　　At　my　right；　a　few　feet　from　the　opening

through　which　we　had　come；　a　passageway　led　back　between

the　fretted　stalls。　　Half…way　between　us　and　the　massive　base

of　the　amphitheatre　a　dais　rose。　　Up　the　platform　to　it　a　wide

ramp　ascended；　and　on　ramp　and　dais　and　along　the　centre

of　the　gleaming　platform　down　to　where　it　kissed　the　white

waters；　a　broad　ribbon　of　the　radiant　flowers　lay　like　a　fairy

carpet。



On　one　side　of　this　dais；　meshed　in　a　silken　web　that　hid

no　line　or　curve　of　her　sweet　body；　white　flesh　gleaming

through　its　folds；　stood　Yolara；　and　opposite　her；　crowned

with　a　circlet　of　flashing　blue　stones；　his　mighty　body　stark

bare；　was　Lugur！



O'Keefe　drew　a　long　breath；　Rador　touched　my　arm　and；

still　dazed；　I　let　myself　be　drawn　into　the　aisle　and　through

a　corridor　that　ran　behind　the　alcoves。　　At　the　back　of　one　of

these　the　green　dwarf　paused；　opened　a　door；　and　motioned

us　within。



Entering；　I　found　that　we　were　exactly　opposite　where　the

ramp　ran　up　to　the　daisand　that　Yolara　was　not　more　than

fifty　feet　away。　　She　glanced　at　O'Keefe　and　smiled。　　Her　eyes

were　ablaze　with　little　dancing　points　of　light；　her　body

seemed　to　palpitate；　the　rounded　delicate　muscles　beneath

the　translucent　skin　to　run　with　joyful　little　eager　waves！



Larry　whistled　softly。



〃There's　Marakinoff！〃　he　said。



I　looked　where　he　pointed。　　Opposite　us　sat　the　Russian；

clothed　as　we　were；　leaning　forward；　his　eyes　eager　behind

his　glasses；　but　if　he　saw　us　he　gave　no　sign。



〃And　there's　Olaf！〃　said　O'Keefe。



Beneath　the　carved　stall　in　which　sat　the　Russian　was　an

aperture　and　within　it　was　Huldricksson。　　Unprotected　by

pillars　or　by　grills；　opening　clear　upon　the　platform；　near　him

stretched　the　trail　of　flowers　up　to　the　great　dais　which　Lugur

and　Yolara　the　priestess　guarded。　　He　sat　alone；　and　my　heart

went　out　to　him。



O'Keefe's　face　softened。



〃Bring　him　here；〃　he　said　to　Rador。



The　green　dwarf　was　looking　at　the　Norseman；　too；　a

shade　of　pity　upon　his　mocking　face。　　He　shook　his　head。



〃Wait！〃　he　said。　　〃You　can　do　nothing　nowand　it　may

be　there　will　be　no　need　to　do　anything；〃　he　added；　but　I

could　feel　that　there　was　little　of　conviction　in　his　words。











CHAPTER　XIX



The　Madness　of　Olaf



YOLARA　threw　her　white　arms　high。　　From　the　mountainous

tiers　came　a　mighty　sigh；　a　rippling　ran　through　them。　　And

upon　the　moment；　before　Yolara's　arms　fell；　there　issued；

apparently　from　the　air　around　us；　a　peal　of　sound　that

might　have　been　the　shouting　of　some　playful　god　hurling

great　suns　through　the　net　of　stars。　　It　was　like　the　deepest

notes　of　all　the　organs　in　the　world　combined　in　one；　sum…

moning；　majestic；　cosmic！



It　held　within　it　the　thunder　of　the　spheres　rolling　through

the　infinite；　the　birth…song　of　suns　made　manifest　in　the

womb　of　space；　echoes　of　creation's　supernal　chord！　　It　shook

the　body　like　a　pulse　from　the　heart　of　the　universepulsed

and　died　away。



On　its　death　came　a　blaring　as　of　all　the　trumpets　of　con…

quering　hosts　since　the　first　Pharaoh　led　his　swarms

triumphal；　compelling！　　Alexander's　clamouring　hosts；

brazen…throated　wolf…horns　of　Caesar's　legions；　blare　of

trumpets　of　Genghis　Khan　and　his　golden　horde；　clangor　of

the　locust　levies　of　Tamerlane；　bugles　of　Napoleon's　armies

war…shout　of　all　earth's　conquerors！　　And　it　died！



Fast　upon　it；　a　throbbing；　muffled　tumult　of　harp　sounds；

mellownesses　of　myriads　of　wood　horns；　the　subdued　sweet

shrilling　of　multitudes　of　flutes；　Pandean　pipingsinviting；

carrying　with　them　the　calling　of　waterfalls　in　the　hidden

places；　rushing　brooks　and　murmuring　forest　windscall…

ing；　calling；　languorous；　lulling；　dripping　into　the　brain　like

the　very　honeyed　essence　of　sound。



And　after　them　a　silence　in　which　the　memory　of　the

music　seemed　to　beat；　to　beat　ever　more　faintly；　through

every　quivering　nerve。



From　me　all　fear；　all　apprehension；　had　fled。　　In　their

place　was　nothing　but　joyous　anticipation；　a　supernal　free…

dom　from　even　the　shadow　of　the　shadow　of　care　or　sorrow；

not　now　did　anything　matterOlaf　or　his　haunted；　hate…

filled　eyes；　Throckmartin　or　his　fatenothing　of　pain；　noth…

ing　of　agony；　nothing　of　striving　nor　endeavour　nor　despair

in　that　wide　outer　world　that　had　turned　suddenly　to　a

troubled　dream。



Once　more　the　first　great　note　pealed　out！　　Once　more　it

died　and　from　the　clustered　spheres　a　kaleidoscopic　blaze

shot　as　though　drawn　from　the　majestic　sound　itself。　　The

many…coloured　rays　darted　across　the　white　waters　and

sought　the　face　of　the　irised　Veil。　　As　they　touched；　it　spar…

kled；　flamed；　wavered；　and　shook　with　fountains　of　prismatic

colour。



The　light　increasedand　in　its　intensity　the　silver　air

darkened。　　Faded　into　shadow　that　white　mosaic　of　flower…

crowned　faces　set　in　the　amphitheatre　of　jet；　and　vast　shad…

ows　dropped　upon　the　high…flung　tiers　and　shrouded　them。

But　on　the　skirts　of　the　rays　the　fretted　stalls　in　which　we

sat　with　the　fair…haired　ones　blazed　out；　iridescent；　like

jewels。



I　was　sensible　of　an　acceleration　of　every　pulse；　a　wild

stimulation　of　every　nerve。　　I　felt　myself　being　lifted　above

the　worldclose　to　the　threshold　of　the　high　godssoon

their　essence　and　their　power　would　stream　out　into　me！　　I

glanced　at　Larry。　　His　eyes　werewildwith　life！



I　looked　at　Olafand　in　his　face　was　none　of　thisonly

hate；　and　hate；　and　hate。



The　peacock　waves　streamed　out　over　the　waters；　cleaving

the　seeming　darkness；　a　rainbow　path　of　glory。　　And　the　Veil

flashed　as　though　all　the　rainbows　that　had　ever　shone　were

burning　within　it。　　Again　the　mighty　sound　pealed。



Into　the　centre　of　the　Veil　the　light　drew　itself；　grew　into

an　intolerable　brightnessand　with　a　storm　of　tinklings；　a

tempest　of　crystalline　notes；　a　tumult　of　tiny　chimings；

through　it　spedthe　Shining　One！



Straight　down　that　radiant　path；　its　high…flung　plumes　of

feathery　flame　shimmering