the moon pool-第40章

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



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

than　either　anteroom　or　hall　of　audience。　　Not　less　than　three

hundred　feet　long　and　half　that　in　depth；　from　end　to　end　of

it　ran　two　huge　semi…circular　tables；　paralleling　each　other；

divided　by　a　wide　aisle；　and　heaped　with　flowers；　with　fruits；

with　viands　unknown　to　me；　and　glittering　with　crystal

flagons；　beakers；　goblets　of　as　many　hues　as　the　blooms。　　On

the　gay…cushioned　couches　that　flanked　the　tables；　lounging

luxuriously；　were　scores　of　the　fair…haired　ruling　class　and

there　rose　a　little　buzz　of　admiration；　oddly　mixed　with　a

half…startled　amaze；　as　their　gaze　fell　upon　O'Keefe　in　all

his　silvery　magnificence。　　Everywhere　the　light…giving　globes

sent　their　roseate　radiance。



The　cuirassed　dwarfs　led　us　through　the　aisle。　　Within　the

arc　of　the　inner　halfcircle　was　another　glittering　board；　an

oval。　　But　of　those　seated　there；　facing　usI　had　eyes　for

only　oneYolara！　　She　swayed　up　to　greet　O'Keefeand

she　was　like　one　of　those　white　lily　maids；　whose　beauty

Hoang…Ku；　the　sage；　says　made　the　Gobi　first　a　paradise；

and　whose　lusts　later　the　burned…out　desert　that　it　is。　　She　held

out　hands　to　Larry；　and　on　her　face　was　passionuna…

shamed；　unhiding。



She　was　Circebut　Circe　conquered。　　Webs　of　filmiest

white　clung　to　the　rose…leaf　body。　　Twisted　through　the　corn…

silk　hair　a　threaded　circlet　of　pale　sapphires　shone；　but　they

were　pale　beside　Yolara's　eyes。　　O'Keefe　bent；　kissed　her

hands；　something　more　than　mere　admiration　flaming　from

him。　　She　sawand；　smiling；　drew　him　down　beside　her。



It　came　to　me　that　of　all；　only　these　two；　Yolara　and

O'Keefe；　were　in　whiteand　I　wondered；　then　with　a　tight…

ening　of　nerves　ceased　to　wonder　as　there　enteredLugur！

He　was　all　in　scarlet；　and　as　he　strode　forward　a　silence　fell

a　tense；　strained　silence。



His　gaze　turned　upon　Yolara；　rested　upon　O'Keefe；　and

instantly　his　face　grewdreadfulthere　is　no　other　word

than　that　for　it。　　Marakinoff　leaned　forward　from　the　centre

of　the　table；　near　whose　end　I　sat；　touched　and　whispered　to

him　swiftly。　　With　appalling　effort　the　red　dwarf　controlled

himself；　he　saluted　the　priestess　ironically；　I　thought；　took　his

place　at　the　further　end　of　the　oval。　　And　now　I　noted　that　the

figures　between　were　the　seven　of　that　Council　of　which　the

Shining　One's　priestess　and　Voice　were　the　heads。　　The　ten…

sion　relaxed；　but　did　not　passas　though　a　storm…cloud

should　turn　away；　but　still　lurk；　threatening。



My　gaze　ran　back。　　This　end　of　the　room　was　draped　with

the　exquisitely　coloured；　graceful　curtains　looped　with　gor…

geous　garlands。　　Between　curtains　and　table；　where　sat　Larry

and　the　nine；　a　circular　platform；　perhaps　ten　yards　in　diam…

eter；　raised　itself　a　few　feet　above　the　floor；　its　gleaming　sur…

face　half…covered　with　the　luminous　petals；　fragrant；　delicate。



On　each　side　below　it；　were　low　carven　stools。　　The　cur…

tains　parted　and　softly　entered　girls　bearing　their　flutes；　their

harps；　the　curiously　emotion…exciting；　octaved　drums。　　They

sank　into　their　places。　　They　touched　their　instruments；　a

faint；　languorous　measure　throbbed　through　the　rosy　air。



The　stage　was　set！　　What　was　to　be　the　play？



Now　about　the　tables　passed　other　dusky…haired　maids；

fair　bosoms　bare；　their　scanty　kirtles　looped　high；　pouring

out　the　wines　for　the　feasters。



My　eyes　sought　O'Keefe。　　Whatever　it　had　been　that　Mara…

kinoff　had　said；　clearly　it　now　filled　his　mindeven　to　the

exclusion　of　the　wondrous　woman　beside　him。　　His　eyes　were

stern；　coldand　now　and　then；　as　be　turned　them　toward

the　Russian；　filled　with　a　curious　speculation。　　Yolara

watched　him；　frowned；　gave　a　low　order　to　the　Hebe　behind

her。



The　girl　disappeared；　entered　again　with　a　ewer　that

seemed　cut　of　amber。　　The　priestess　poured　from　it　into

Larry's　glass　a　clear　liquid　that　shook　with　tiny　sparkles　of

light。　　She　raised　the　glass　to　her　lips；　handed　it　to　him。　　Half…

smiling；　half…abstractedly；　he　took　it；　touched　his　own　lips

where　hers　had　kissed；　drained　it。　　A　nod　from　Yolara　and

the　maid　refilled　his　goblet。



At　once　there　was　a　swift　transformation　in　the　Irishman。

His　abstraction　vanished；　the　sternness　fled；　his　eyes　spar…

kled。　　He　leaned　caressingly　toward　Yolara；　whispered。　　Her

blue　eyes　flashed　triumphantly；　her　chiming　laughter　rang。

She　raised　her　own　glassbut　within　it　was　not　that　clear

drink　that　filled　Larry's！　　And　again　he　drained　his　own；　and；

lifting　it；　full　once　more；　caught　the　baleful　eyes　of　Lugur；

and　held　it　toward　him　mockingly。　　Yolara　swayed　close

alluring；　tempting。　　He　arose；　face　all　reckless　gaiety；　rollick…

ing　deviltry。



〃A　toast！〃　he　cried　in　English；　〃to　the　Shining　Oneand

may　the　hell　where　it　belongs　soon　claim　it！〃



He　had　used　their　own　word　for　their　godall　else　had

been　in　his　own　tongue；　and　so；　fortunately；　they　did　not

understand。　　But　the　contempt　in　his　action　they　did　recog…

nizeand　a　dead；　a　fearful　silence　fell　upon　them　all。　　Lu…

gur's　eyes　blazed；　little　sparks　of　crimson　in　their　green。　　The

priestess　reached　up；　caught　at　O'Keefe。　　He　seized　the　soft

hand；　caressed　it；　his　gaze　grew　far　away；　sombre。



〃The　Shining　One。〃　He　spoke　low。　　〃An'　now　again　I　see

the　faces　of　those　who　dance　with　it。　　It　is　the　Fires　of　Mora

come；　God　alone　knows　howfrom　Erinto　this　place。

The　Fires　of　Mora！〃　He　contemplated　the　hushed　folk　be…

fore　him；　and　then　from　his　lips　came　that　weirdest；　most

haunting　of　the　lyric　legends　of　Erinthe　Curse　of　Mora：





〃The　fretted　fires　of　Mora　blew　o'er　him　in　the　night；

He　thrills　no　more　to　loving；　nor　weeps　for　past　delight。

For　when　those　flames　have　bitten；　both　grief　and　joy　take　flight〃







Again　Yolara　tried　to　draw　him　down　beside　her；　and

once　more　he　gripped　her　hand。　　His　eyes　grew　fixedhe

crooned：





〃And　through　the　sleeping　silence　his　feet　must　track　the　tune；

When　the　world　is　barred　and　speckled　with　silver　of　the　moon〃







He　stood；　swaying；　for　a　moment；　and　then；　laughing；　let

the　priestess　have　her　way；　drained　again　the　glass。



And　now　my　heart　was　cold；　indeedfor　what　hope

was　there　left　with　Larry　mad；　wild　drunk！



The　silence　was　unbrokenelfin　women　and　dwarfs

glancing　furtively　at　each　other。　　But　now　Yolara　arose；　face

set；　eyes　flashing　grey。



〃Hear　you；　the　Council；　and　you；　Lugurand　all　who　are

here！〃　she　cried。　　〃Now　I；　the　priestess　of　the　Shining　One；

take；　as　is　my　right；　my　mate。　　And　this　is　he！〃　She　pointed

down　upon　Larry。　　He　glanced　up　at　her。



〃Can't　quite　make　out　what　you　say；　Yolara；〃　he　mut…

tered　thickly。　　〃But　say　anythingyou　likeI　love　your

voice！〃



I　turned　sick　with　dread。　　Yolara's　hand　stole　softly　upon

the　Irishman's　curls　caressingly。



〃You　know　the　law；　Yolara。〃　Lugur's　voice　was　flat；

deadly；　〃You　may　not　mate　with　other　than　your　own　kind。

And　this　man　is　a　strangera　barbarianfood　for　the　Shin…

ing　One！〃　Literally；　he　spat　the　phrase。



〃No；　not　of　our　kindLugurhigher！〃　Yolara　answered

serenely。　　〃Lo；　a　son　of　Siya　and　of　Siyana！〃



〃A　lie！〃　roared　the　red　dwarf。　　〃A　lie！〃



〃The　Shining　One　revealed　it　to　me！〃　said　Yolara　sweetly。

〃And　if　ye　believe　not；　Lugurgo　ask　of　the　Shining　One

if　it　be　not　truth！〃



There　was　bitter；　nameless　menace　in　those　last　words

and　whatever　their　hidden　message　to　Lugur；　it　was　potent。

He　stood；　choking；　face　hell…shadowedMarakinoff　leaned

out　again；　whispered。　　The　red　dwarf　bowed；　now　wholly

ironically；　resumed　his　place　and　his　silence。　　And　again　I

wondered；　icy…hearted；　what　was　the　power　the　Russian　had

so　to　sway　Lugur。



〃What　says　the　Council？〃　Yolara　demanded；　turning　to

them。



Only　for　a　moment　they　consulted　among　themselves。

Then　the　woman；　whose　face　was　a　ravaged　shrine　of　beauty；