the moon pool-第37章

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through　it　spedthe　Shining　One！



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

feathery　flame　shimmering；　its　coruscating　spirals　whirling；

its　seven　globes　of　seven　colours　shining　above　its　glowing

core；　it　raced　toward　us。　　The　hurricane　of　bells　of　diamond

glass　were　jubilant；　joyous。　　I　felt　O'Keefe　grip　my　arm；

Yolara　threw　her　white　arms　out　in　a　welcoming　gesture；　I

heard　from　the　tier　a　sigh　of　raptureand　in　it　a　poignant；

wailing　under…tone　of　agony！



Over　the　waters；　down　the　light　stream；　to　the　end　of　the

ivory　pier；　flew　the　Shining　One。　　Through　its　crystal　_pizzicati_

drifted　inarticulate　murmuringsdeadly　sweet；　stilling　the

heart　and　setting　it　leaping　madly。



For　a　moment　it　paused；　poised　itself；　and　then　came

whirling　down　the　flower　path　to　its　priestess；　slowly；　ever

more　slowly。　　It　hovered　for　a　moment　between　the　woman

and　the　dwarf；　as　though　contemplating　them；　turned　to　her

with　its　storm　of　tinklings　softened；　its　murmurings　infinitely

caressing。　　Bent　toward　it；　Yolara　seemed　to　gather　within

herself　pulsing　waves　of　power；　she　was　terrifying；　glori…

ously；　maddeningly　evil；　and　as　gloriously；　maddeningly

heavenly！　　Aphrodite　and　the　Virgin！　　Tanith　of　the

Carthaginians　and　St。　Bride　of　the　Isles！　　A　queen　of　hell

and　a　princess　of　heavenin　one！



Only　for　a　moment　did　that　which　we　had　called　the

Dweller　and　which　these　named　the　Shining　One；　pause。　　It

swept　up　the　ramp　to　the　dais；　rested　there；　slowly　turning；

plumes　and　spirals　lacing　and　unlacing；　throbbing；　pulsing。

Now　its　nucleus　grew　plainer；　strongerhuman　in　a　fashion；

and　all　inhuman；　neither　man　nor　woman；　neither　god　nor

devil；　subtly　partaking　of　all。　　Nor　could　I　doubt　that　what…

ever　it　was；　within　that　shining　nucleus　was　something　sen…

tient；　something　that　had　will　and　energy；　and　in　some　aw…

ful；　supernormal　fashionintelligence！



Another　trumpetinga　sound　of　stones　openinga　long；

low　wail　of　utter　anguishsomething　moved　shadowy　in　the

river　of　light；　and　slowly　at　first；　then　ever　more　rapidly；

shapes　swam　through　it。　　There　were　half　a　score　of　them

girls　and　youths；　women　and　men。　　The　Shining　One　poised

itself；　regarded　them。　　They　drew　closer；　and　in　the　eyes　of

each　and　in　their　faces　was　the　bud　of　that　awful　inter…

mingling　of　emotions；　of　joy　and　sorrow；　ecstasy　and　terror；

that　I　had　seen　in　full　blossom　on　Throckmartin's。



The　Thing　began　again　its　murmuringsnow　infinitely

caressing；　coaxinglike　the　song　of　a　siren　from　some

witched　star！　　And　the　bell…sounds　rang　outcompellingly；

callingcallingcalling



I　saw　Olaf　lean　far　out　of　his　place；　saw；　half…consciously；

at　Lugur's　signal；　three　of　the　dwarfs　creep　in　and　take

places；　unnoticed；　behind　him。



Now　the　first　of　the　figures　rushed　upon　the　daisand

paused。　　It　was　the　girl　who　had　been　brought　before　Yolara

when　the　gnome　named　Songar　was　driven　into　the　nothing…

ness！　　With　all　the　quickness　of　light　a　spiral　of　the　Shining

One　stretched　out　and　encircled　her。



At　its　touch　there　was　an　infinitely　dreadful　shrinking

and；　it　seemed；　a　simultaneous　hurling　of　herself　into　its

radiance。　　As　it　wrapped　its　swirls　around　her；　permeated　her

the　crystal　chorus　burst　forthtumultuously；　through　and

through　her　the　radiance　pulsed。　　Began　then　that　infinitely

dreadful；　but　infinitely　glorious；　rhythm　they　called　the　dance

of　the　Shining　One。　　And　as　the　girl　swirled　within　its　spar…

kling　mists　another　and　another　flew　into　its　embrace；　until；

at　last；　the　dais　was　an　incredible　vision；　a　mad　star's

Witches'　Sabbath；　an　altar　of　white　faces　and　bodies　gleam…

ing　through　living　flame；　transfused　with　rapture　insupport…

able　and　horror　that　was　hellishand　ever；　radiant　plumes

and　spirals　expanding；　the　core　of　the　Shining　One　waxed

growing　greateras　it　consumed；　as　it　drew　into　and　through

itself　the　life…force　of　these　lost　ones！



So　they　spun；　interlacedand　there　began　to　pulse　from

them　life；　vitality；　as　though　the　very　essence　of　nature　was

filling　us。　　Dimly　I　recognized　that　what　I　was　beholding　was

vampirism　inconceivable！　　The　banked　tiers　chanted。　　The

mighty　sounds　pealed　forth！



It　was　a　Saturnalia　of　demigods！



Then；　whirling；　bell…notes　storming；　the　Shining　One　with…

drew　slowly　from　the　dais　down　the　ramp；　still　embracing；

still　interwoven　with　those　who　had　thrown　themselves　into

its　spirals。　　They　drifted　with　it　as　though　half…carried　in

dreadful　dance；　white　faces　sealedforeverinto　that　sem…

blance　of　those　who　held　within　linked　God　and　devilI

covered　my　eyes！



I　heard　a　gasp　from　O'Keefe；　opened　my　eyes　and　sought

his；　saw　the　wildness　vanish　from　them　as　he　strained　for…

ward。　　Olaf　had　leaned　far　out；　and　as　he　did　so　the　dwarfs

beside　him　caught　him；　and　whether　by　design　or　through　his

own　swift；　involuntary　movement；　thrust　him　half　into　the

Dweller's　path。　　The　Dweller　paused　in　its　gyrationsseemed

to　watch　him。　　The　Norseman's　face　was　crimson；　his　eyes

blazing。　　He　threw　himself　back　and；　with　one　defiant　shout；

gripped　one　of　the　dwarfs　about　the　middle　and　sent　him

hurtling　through　the　air；　straight　at　the　radiant　Thing！　　A

whirling　mass　of　legs　and　arms；　the　dwarf　flewthen　in　mid…

flight　stopped　as　though　some　gigantic　invisible　hand　had

caught　him；　andwas　dashed　down　upon　the　platform　not　a

yard　from　the　Shining　One！



Like　a　broken　spider　he　movedfeeblyonce；　twice。

From　the　Dweller　shot　a　shimmering　tentacletouched　him

recoiled。　　Its　crystal　tinklings　changed　into　an　angry　chim…

ing。　　From　all　aboutjewelled　stalls　and　jet　peakcame　a

sigh　of　incredulous　horror。



Lugur　leaped　forward。　　On　the　instant　Larry　was　over　the

low　barrier　between　the　pillars；　rushing　to　the　Norseman's

side。　　And　even　as　they　ran　there　was　another　wild　shout　from

Olaf；　and　he　hurled　himself　out；　straight　at　the　throat　of　the

Dweller！



But　before　he　could　touch　the　Shining　One；　now　motion…

lessand　never　was　the　thing　more　horrible　than　then；　with

the　purely　human　suggestion　of　surprise　plain　in　its　poise

Larry　had　struck　him　aside。



I　tried　to　followand　was　held　by　Rador。　　He　was　trem…

blingbut　not　with　fear。　　In　his　face　was　incredulous　hope；

inexplicable　eagerness。



〃Wait！〃　he　said。　　〃Wait！〃



The　Shining　One　stretched　out　a　slow　spiral；　and　as　it　did

so　I　saw　the　bravest　thing　man　has　ever　witnessed。　　Instantly

O'Keefe　thrust　himself　between　it　and　Olaf；　pistol　out。　　The

tentacle　touched　him；　and　the　dull　blue　of　his　robe　flashed

out　into　blinding；　intense　azure　light。　　From　the　automatic　in

his　gloved　hand　came　three　quick　bursts　of　flame　straight

into　the　Thing。　　The　Dweller　drew　back；　the　bell…sounds

swelled。



Lugur　paused；　his　hand　darted　up；　and　in　it　was　one　of

the　silver　_Keth_　cones。　　But　before　he　could　flash　it　upon　the

Norseman；　Larry　had　unlooped　his　robe；　thrown　its　fold

over　Olaf；　and；　holding　him　with　one　hand　away　from　the

Shining　One；　thrust　with　the　other　his　pistol　into　the　dwarf's

stomach。　　His　lips　moved；　but　I　could　not　hear　what　he　said。

But　Lugur　understood；　for　his　hand　dropped。



Now　Yolara　was　thereall　this　had　taken　barely　more

than　five　seconds。　　She　thrust　herself　between　the　three　men

and　the　Dweller。　　She　spoke　to　itand　the　wild　buzzing　died

down；　the　gay　crystal　tinklings　burst　forth　again。　　The　Thing

murmured　to　herbegan　to　whirlfaster；　fasterpassed

down　the　ivory　pier；　out　upon　the　waters；　bearing　with　it；

meshed　in　its　light；　the　sacrificesswept　on　ever　more

swiftly；　triumphantly　and　turning；　turning；　with　its　ghastly

crew；　vanished　through　the　Veil！



Abruptly　the　polychromatic　path　snapped　out。　　The　silver

light　poured　in　upon　us。　　From　all　the　amphitheatre　arose　a

clamour；　a　shouting。　　Marakinoff；　his　eyes　staring；　was　lean…

ing　out；　listening。　　Unrestrained　now　by　Rador；　I　vaulted　the

wall　and　rushed　forward。　　But　not　before　I　had　heard　the