the moon pool-第39章

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〃Evil！　　Evil！〃　The　Norseman's　voice　was　deep；　nearly　a

chant。　　〃All　here　is　of　evil：　Trolldom　and　Helvede　it　is；　Ja！

And　that　she　_djaevelsk_　of　beautywhat　is　she　but　harlot　of

that　shining　devil　they　worship。　　I；　Olaf　Huldricksson；　know

what　she　meant　when　she　held　out　to　you　power　over　all　the

world；　_Ja！_as　if　the　world　had　not　devils　enough　in　it　now！〃



〃What？〃　The　cry　came　from　both　O'Keefe　and　myself　at

once。



Olaf　made　a　gesture　of　caution；　relapsed　into　sullen

silence。　　There　were　footsteps　on　the　path；　and　into　sight

came　Radorbut　a　Rador　changed。　　Gone　was　every　vestige

of　his　mockery；　curiously　solemn；　he　saluted　O'Keefe　and

Olaf　with　that　salute　which；　before　this；　I　had　seen　given

only　to　Yolara　and　to　Lugur。　　There　came　a　swift　quickening

of　the　tumultdied　away。　　He　shrugged　mighty　shoulders。



〃The　_ladala_　are　awake！〃　he　said。　　〃So　much　for　what　two

brave　men　can　do！〃　He　paused　thoughtfully。　　〃Bones　and　dust

jostle　not　each　other　for　place　against　the　grave　wall！〃　he

added　oddly。　　〃But　if　bones　and　dust　have　revealed　to　them

that　they　stilllive〃



He　stopped　abruptly；　eyes　seeking　the　globe　that　bore　and

sent　forth　speech。1





*1　I　find　that　I　have　neglected　to　explain　the　working　of　these　inter…

esting　mechanisms　that　were　telephonic；　dictaphonic；　telegraphic　in

one。　　I　must　assume　that　my　readers　are　familiar　with　the　receiving

apparatus　of　wireless　telegraphy；　which　must　be　〃tuned〃　by　the　oper…

ator　until　its　own　vibratory　quality　is　in　exact　harmony　with　the

vibrationsthe　extremely　rapid　impactsof　those　short　electric　wave…

lengths　we　call　Hertzian；　and　which　carry　the　wireless　messages。　　I

must　assume　also　that　they　are　familiar　with　the　elementary　fact　of

physics　that　the　vibrations　of　light　and　sound　are　interchangeable。

The　hearing…talking　globes　utilize　both　these　principles；　and　with　con…

summate　simplicity。　　The　light　with　which　they　shone　was　produced

by　an　atomic　〃motor〃　within　their　base；　similar　to　that　which　activated

the　merely　illuminating　globes。　　The　composition　of　the　phonic　spheres

gave　their　surfaces　an　acute　sensitivity　and　resonance。　　In　conjunction

with　its　energizing　power；　the　metal　set　up　what　is　called　a　〃field　of

force；〃　which　linked　it　with　every　particle　of　its　kind　no　matter　how

distant。　　When　vibrations　of　speech　impinged　upon　the　resonant　surface

its　rhythmic　light…vibrations　were　broken；　just　as　a　telephone　trans…

mitter　breaks　an　electric　current。　　Simultaneously　these　light…vibrations

were　changed　into　soundon　the　surfaces　of　all　spheres　tuned　to　that

particular　instrument。　　The　〃crawling〃　colours　which　showed　them…

selves　at　these　times　were　literally　the　voice　of　the　speaker　in　its　spec…

trum　equivalent。　　While　usually　the　sounds　produced　required　consider…

able　familiarity　with　the　apparatus　to　be　understood　quickly；　they

could；　on　occasion；　be　made　startlingly　loud　and　clearas　I　was　soon

to　realizeW。　　T。　G。







〃The　_Afyo　Maie_　has　sent　me　to　watch　over　you　till　she

summons　you；〃　he　announced　clearly。　　〃There　is　to　be　a

feast。　　You；　_Larree_；　you　Goodwin；　are　to　come。　　I　remain　here

withOlaf。〃



〃No　harm　to　him！〃　broke　in　O'Keefe　sharply。　　Rador

touched　his　heart；　his　eyes。



〃By　the　Ancient　Ones；　and　by　my　love　for　you；　and　by

what　you　twain　did　before　the　Shining　OneI　swear　it！〃　he

whispered。



Rador　clapped　palms；　a　soldier　came　round　the　path；　in　his

grip　a　long　flat　box　of　polished　wood。　　The　green　dwarf　took

it；　dismissed　him；　threw　open　the　lid。



〃Here　is　your　apparel　for　the　feast；　_Larree_；〃　he　said；　point…

ing　to　the　contents。



O'Keefe　stared；　reached　down　and　drew　out　a　white；　shim…

mering；　softly　metallic；　long…sleeved　tunic；　a　broad；　silvery

girdle；　leg　swathings　of　the　same　argent　material；　and　san…

dals　that　seemed　to　be　cut　out　from　silver。　　He　made　a　quick

gesture　of　angry　dissent。



〃Nay；　_Larree_！〃　muttered　the　dwarf。　　〃Wear　themI　coun…

sel　itI　pray　itask　me　not　why；〃　he　went　on　swiftly；　look…

ing　again　at　the　globe。



O'Keefe；　as　I；　was　impressed　by　his　earnestness。　　The

dwarf　made　a　curiously　expressive　pleading　gesture。　　O'Keefe

abruptly　took　the　garments；　passed　into　the　room　of　the　foun…

tain。



〃The　Shining　One　dances　not　again？〃　I　asked。



〃No；〃　he　said。　　〃No〃he　hesitate〃it　is　the　usual　feast

that　follows　the　sacrament！　　Lugurand　Double　Tongue；

who　came　with　you；　will　be　there；〃　he　added　slowly。



〃Lugur〃　I　gasped　in　astonishment。　　〃After　what　hap…

penedhe　will　be　there？〃



〃Perhaps　because　of　what　happened；　Goodwin；　my

friend；〃　he　answeredhis　eyes　again　full　of　malice；　〃and

there　will　be　othersfriends　of　Yolarafriends　of　Lugur

and　perhaps　another〃his　voice　was　almost　inaudible

〃one　whom　they　have　not　called〃　He　halted；　half…fear…

fully；　glancing　at　the　globe；　put　finger　to　lips　and　spread

himself　out　upon　one　of　the　couches。



〃Strike　up　the　band〃came　O'Keefe's　voice〃here

comes　the　hero！〃



He　strode　into　the　room。　　I　am　bound　to　say　that　the　ad…

miration　in　Rador's　eyes　was　reflected　in　my　own；　and　even；

if　involuntarily；　in　Olaf's。



〃A　son　of　Siyana！〃　whispered　Rador。



He　knelt；　took　from　his　girdle…pouch　a　silk…wrapped

something；　unwound　itand；　still　kneeling；　drew　out　a　slen…

der　poniard　of　gleaming　white　metal；　hilted　with　the　blue

stones；　he　thrust　it　into　O'Keefe's　girdle；　then　gave　him

again　the　rare　salute。



〃Come；〃　he　ordered　and　took　us　to　the　head　of　the　path…

way。



〃Now；〃　he　said　grimly；　〃let　the　Silent　Ones　show　their

powerif　they　still　have　it！〃



And　with　this　strange　benediction；　be　turned　back。



〃For　God's　sake；　Larry；〃　I　urged　as　we　approached　the

house　of　the　priestess；　〃you'll　be　careful！〃



He　noddedbut　I　saw　with　a　little　deadly　pang　of　ap…

prehension　in　my　heart　a　puzzled；　lurking　doubt　within　his

eyes。



As　we　ascended　the　serpent　steps　Marakinoff　appeared。

He　gave　a　signal　to　our　guardsand　I　wondered　what　in…

fluence　the　Russian　had　attained；　for　promptly；　without

question；　they　drew　aside。　　At　me　he　smiled　amiably。



〃Have　you　found　your　friends　yet？〃　he　went　onand　now

I　sensed　something　deeply　sinister　in　him。　　〃No！　　It　is　too

bad！　　Well；　don't　give　up　hope。〃　He　turned　to　O'Keefe。



〃Lieutenant；　I　would　like　to　speak　to　youalone！〃



〃I've　no　secrets　from　Goodwin；〃　answered　O'Keefe。



〃So？〃　queried　Marakinoff；　suavely。　　He　bent；　whispered　to

Larry。



The　Irishman　started；　eyed　him　with　a　certain　shocked　in…

credulity；　then　turned　to　me。



〃Just　a　minute；　Doc！〃　he　said；　and　I　caught　the　suspicion

of　a　wink。　　They　drew　aside；　out　of　ear…shot。　　The　Russian

talked　rapidly。　　Larry　was　all　attention。　　Marakinoff's　earnest…

ness　became　intense；　O'Keefe　interruptedappeared　to

question。　　Marakinoff　glanced　at　me　and　as　his　gaze　shifted

from　O'Keefe；　I　saw　a　flame　of　rage　and　horror　blaze　up　in

the　latter's　eyes。　　At　last　the　Irishman　appeared　to　consider

gravely；　nodded　as　though　he　had　arrived　at　some　decision；

and　Marakinoff　thrust　his　hand　to　him。



And　only　I　could　have　noticed　Larry's　shrinking；　his

microscopic　hesitation　before　he　took　it；　and　his　involuntary

movement；　as　though　to　shake　off　something　unclean；　when

the　clasp　had　ended。



Marakinoff；　without　another　look　at　me；　turned　and　went

quickly　within。　　The　guards　took　their　places。　　I　looked　at

Larry　inquiringly。



〃Don't　ask　a　thing　now；　Doc！〃　he　said　tensely。　　〃Wait　till

we　get　home。　　But　we've　got　to　get　damned　busy　and　quick

I'll　tell　you　that　now〃











CHAPTER　XX



The　Tempting　of　Larry



WE　PAUSED　before　thick　curtains；　through　which　came　the

faint　murmur　of　many　voices。　　They　parted；　out　came　two

ushers；　I　suppose；　they　werein　cuirasses　and　kilts　that　re…

minded　me　somewhat　of　chain…mailthe　first　armour　of

any　kind　here　that　I　had　seen。　　They　held　open　the　folds。



The　chamber；　on　whose　threshold　we　stood；　was　far　l