the moon pool-第41章

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

spoke。



〃The　will　of　the　priestess　is　the　will　of　the　Council！〃　she

answered。



Defiance　died　from　Yolara's　face；　she　looked　down　at

Larry　tenderly。　　He　sat　swaying；　crooning。



〃Bid　the　priests　come；〃　she　commanded；　then　turned　to

the　silent　room。　　〃By　the　rites　of　Siya　and　Siyana；　Yolara

takes　their　son　for　her　mate！〃　And　again　her　hand　stole

down　possessingly；　serpent　soft；　to　the　drunken　head　of　the

O'Keefe。



The　curtains　parted　widely。　　Through　them　filed；　two　by

two；　twelve　hooded　figures　clad　in　flowing　robes　of　the　green

one　sees　in　forest　vistas　of　opening　buds　of　dawning　spring。

Of　each　pair　one　bore　clasped　to　breast　a　globe　of　that　milky

crystal　in　the　sapphire　shrine…room；　the　other　a　harp；　small；

shaped　somewhat　like　the　ancient　clarsach　of　the　Druids。



Two　by　two　they　stepped　upon　the　raised　platform；　placed

gently　upon　it　each　their　globe；　and　two　by　two　crouched

behind　them。　　They　formed　now　a　star　of　six　points　about

the　petalled　dais；　and；　simultaneously；　they　drew　from　their

faces　the　covering　cowls。



I　half…roseyouths　and　maidens　these　of　the　fair…haired；

and　youths　and　maids　more　beautiful　than　any　of　those　I　had

yet　seenfor　upon　their　faces　was　little　of　that　disturbing

mockery　to　which　I　have　been　forced　so　often；　because　of　the

deep　impression　it　made　upon　me；　to　refer。　　The　ashen…gold

of　the　maiden　priestesses'　hair　was　wound　about　their　brows

in　shining　coronals。　　The　pale　locks　of　the　youths　were　clus…

tered　within　circlets　of　translucent；　glimmering　gems　like

moonstones。　　And　then；　crystal　globe　alternately　before　and

harp　alternately　held　by　youth　and　maid；　they　began　to　sing。



What　was　that　song；　I　do　not　knownor　ever　shall。

Archaic；　ancient　beyond　thought；　it　seemednot　with　the

ancientness　of　things　that　for　uncounted　ages　have　been　but

wind…driven　dust。　　Rather　was　it　the　ancientness　of　the

golden　youth　of　the　world；　love　lilts　of　earth　younglings；

with　light　of　new…born　suns　drenching　them；　chorals　of

young　stars　mating　in　space；　murmurings　of　April　gods　and

goddesses。　　A　languor　stole　through　me。　　The　rosy　lights　upon

the　tripods　began　to　die　away；　and　as　they　faded　the　milky

globes　gleamed　forth　brighter；　ever　brighter。　　Yolara　rose；

stretched　a　hand　to　Larry；　led　him　through　the　sextuple

groups；　and　stood　face　to　face　with　him　in　the　centre　of　their

circle。



The　rose…light　died；　all　that　immense　chamber　was　black；

save　for　the　circle　of　the　glowing　spheres。　　Within　this　their

milky　radiance　grew　brighterbrighter。　　The　song　whispered

away。　　A　throbbing　arpeggio　dripped　from　the　harps；　and　as

the　notes　pulsed　out；　up　from　the　globes；　as　though　striving

to　follow；　pulsed　with　them　tips　of　moon…fire　cones；　such　as

I　had　seen　before　Yolara's　altar。　　Weirdly；　caressingly；　com…

pellingly　the　harp　notes　throbbed　in　repeated；　re…repeated

theme；　holding　within　itself　the　same　archaic　golden　quality

I　had　noted　in　the　singing。　　And　over　the　moon　flame　pin…

nacles　rose　higher！



Yolara　lifted　her　arms；　within　her　hands　were　clasped

O'Keefe's。　　She　raised　them　above　their　two　heads　and　slowly；

slowly　drew　him　with　her　into　a　circling；　graceful　step；　ten…

drillings　delicate　as　the　slow　spirallings　of　twilight　mist　upon

some　still　stream。



As　they　swayed　the　rippling　arpeggios　grew　louder；　and

suddenly　the　slender　pinnacles　of　moon　fire　bent；　dipped；

flowed　to　the　floor；　crept　in　a　shining　ring　around　those　two

and　began　to　rise；　a　gleaming；　glimmering；　enchanted

barrierrising；　ever　risinghiding　them！



With　one　swift　movement　Yolara　unbound　her　circlet　of

pale　sapphires；　shook　loose　the　waves　of　her　silken　hair。　　It

fell；　a　rippling；　wondrous　cascade；　veiling　both　her　and

O'Keefe　to　their　girdlesand　now　the　shining　coils　of　moon

fire　had　crept　to　their　kneeswas　circling　higherhigher。



And　ever　despair　grew　deeper　in　my　soul！



What　was　that！　　I　started　to　my　feet；　and　all　around　me　in

the　darkness　I　heard　startled　motion。　　From　without　came　a

blaring　of　trumpets；　the　sound　of　running　men；　loud　mur…

murings。　　The　tumult　drew　closer。　　I　heard　cries　of　〃Lakla！

Lakla！〃　　Now　it　was　at　the　very　threshold　and　within　it；

oddly；　as　thoughpunctuatingthe　clamour；　a　deep…toned；

almost　abysmal；　booming　soundthunderously　bass　and　re…

verberant。



Abruptly　the　harpings　ceased；　the　moon　fires　shuddered；

fell；　and　began　to　sweep　back　into　the　crystal　globes；　Yo…

lara's　swaying　form　grew　rigid；　every　atom　of　it　listening。

She　threw　aside　the　veiling　cloud　of　hair；　and　in　the　gleam

of　the　last　retreating　spirals　her　face　glared　out　like　some

old　Greek　mask　of　tragedy。



The　sweet　lips　that　even　at　their　sweetest　could　never　lose

their　delicate　cruelty；　had　no　sweetness　now。　　They　were

drawn　into　a　squareinhuman　as　that　of　the　Medusa；　in　her

eyes　were　the　fires　of　the　pit；　and　her　hair　seemed　to　writhe

like　the　serpent　locks　of　that　Gorgon　whose　mouth　she　had

borrowed；　all　her　beauty　was　transformed　into　a　nameless

thinghideous；　inhuman；　blasting！　　If　this　was　the　true　soul

of　Yolara　springing　to　her　face；　then；　I　thought；　God　help

us　in　very　deed！



I　wrested　my　gaze　away　to　O'Keefe。　　All　drunkenness　gone；

himself　again；　he　was　staring　down　at　her；　and　in　his　eyes

were　loathing　and　horror　unutterable。　　So　they　stoodand

the　light　fled。



Only　for　a　moment　did　the　darkness　hold。　　With　lightning

swiftness　the　blackness　that　was　the　chamber's　other　wall

vanished。　　Through　a　portal　open　between　grey　screens；　the

silver　sparkling　radiance　poured。



And　through　the　portal　marched；　two　by　two；　incredible；

nightmare　figuresfrog…men；　giants；　taller　by　nearly　a　yard

than　even　tall　O'Keefe！　　Their　enormous　saucer　eyes　were

irised　by　wide　bands　of　green…flecked　red；　in　which　the

phosphorescence　flickered。　　Their　long　muzzles；　lips　half…

open　in　monstrous　grin；　held　rows　of　glistening；　slender；

lancet　sharp　fangs。　　Over　the　glaring　eyes　arose　a　horny　hel…

met；　a　carapace　of　black　and　orange　scales；　studded　with

foot…long　lance…headed　horns。



They　lined　themselves　like　soldiers　on　each　side　of　the

wide　table　aisle；　and　now　I　could　see　that　their　horny　armour

covered　shoulders　and　backs；　ran　across　the　chest　in　a

knobbed　cuirass；　and　at　wrists　and　heels　jutted　out　into

curved；　murderous　spurs。　　The　webbed　hands　and　feet　ended

in　yellow；　spade…shaped　claws。



They　carried　spears；　ten　feet；　at　least；　in　length；　the　heads

of　which　were　pointed　cones；　glistening　with　that　same　cov…

ering；　from　whose　touch　of　swift　decay　I　had　so　narrowly

saved　Rador。



They　were　grotesque；　yesmore　grotesque　than　anything

I　had　ever　seen　or　dreamed；　and　they　wereterrible！



And　then；　quietly；　through　their　ranks　camea　girl！　　Be…

hind　her；　enormous　pouch　at　his　throat　swelling　in　and　out

menacingly；　in　one　paw　a　treelike；　spike…studded　mace；　a

frog…man；　huger　than　any　of　the　others；　guarding。　　But　of

him　I　caught　but　a　fleeting；　involuntary　impressionall　my

gaze　was　for　her。



For　it　was　she　who　had　pointed　out　to　us　the　way　from

the　peril　of　the　Dweller's　lair　on　Nan…Tauach。　　And　as　I

looked　at　her；　I　marvelled　that　ever　could　I　have　thought　the

priestess　more　beautiful。　　Into　the　eyes　of　O'Keefe　rushed　joy

and　an　utter　abasement　of　shame。



And　from　all　about　came　murmursedged　with　anger；

half…incredulous；　tinged　with　fear：



〃Lakla！〃



〃Lakla！〃



〃The　handmaiden！〃



She　halted　close　beside　me。　　From　firm　little　chin　to　dainty

buskined　feet　she　was　swathed　in　the　soft　robes　of　dull；

almost　coppery　hue。　　The　left　arm　was　hidden；　the　right　free

and　gloved。　　Wound　tight　about　it　was　one　of　the　vines　of　the

sculptured　wall　and　of　Lugur's　circled　signet…ring。　　Thick；　a

vivid　green；　its　five　tendrils　ran　between　her　fingers；　stretch…

ing　out　five　flowered　heads　that　gleamed　like　blossoms　cut

from　gigantic；　glowing　ru