the moon pool-第42章

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ing　out　five　flowered　heads　that　gleamed　like　blossoms　cut

from　gigantic；　glowing　rubies。



So　she　stood　contemplating　Yolara。　　Then　drawn　perhaps

by　my　gaze；　she　dropped　her　eyes　upon　me；　golden；　translu…

cent；　with　tiny　flecks　of　amber　in　their　aureate　irises；　the

soul　that　looked　through　them　was　as　far　removed　from　that

flaming　out　of　the　priestess　as　zenith　is　above　nadir。



I　noted　the　low；　broad　brow；　the　proud　little　nose；　the

tender　mouth；　and　the　softsunlightglow　that　seemed　to

transfuse　the　delicate　skin。　　And　suddenly　in　the　eyes　dawned

a　smilesweet；　friendly；　a　touch　of　roguishness；　profoundly

reassuring　in　its　all　humanness。　　I　felt　my　heart　expand　as

though　freed　from　fetters；　a　recrudescence　of　confidence　in

the　essential　reality　of　thingsas　though　in　nightmare　the

struggling　consciousness　should　glimpse　some　familiar　face

and　know　the　terrors　with　which　it　strove　were　but　dreams。

And　involuntarily　I　smiled　back　at　her。



She　raised　her　head　and　looked　again　at　Yolara；　contempt

and　a　certain　curiosity　in　her　gaze；　at　O'Keefeand　through

the　softened　eyes　drifted　swiftly　a　shadow　of　sorrow；　and　on

its　fleeting　wings　deepest　interest；　and　hovering　over　that　a

naive　approval　as　reassuringly　human　as　had　been　her　smile。



She　spoke；　and　her　voice；　deep…timbred；　liquid　gold　as

was　Yolara's　all　silver；　was　subtly　the　synthesis　of　all　the

golden　glowing　beauty　of　her。



〃The　Silent　Ones　have　sent　me；　O　Yolara；〃　she　said。　　〃And

this　is　their　command　to　youthat　you　deliver　to　me　to

bring　before　them　three　of　the　four　strangers　who　have

found　their　way　here。　　For　him　there　who　plots　with　Lugur〃

she　pointed　at　Marakinoff；　and　I　saw　Yolara　start〃they

have　no　need。　　Into　his　heart　the　Silent　Ones　have　looked；

and　Lugur　and　you　may　keep　him；　Yolara！〃



There　was　honeyed　venom　in　the　last　words。



Yolara　was　herself　now；　only　the　edge　of　shrillness　on　her

voice　revealed　her　wrath　as　she　answered。



〃And　whence　have　the　Silent　Ones　gained　power　to　com…

mand；　_choya_？〃



This　last；　I　knew；　was　a　very　vulgar　word；　I　had　heard

Rador　use　it　in　a　moment　of　anger　to　one　of　the　serving

maids；　and　it　meant；　approximately；　〃kitchen　girl；〃　〃scul…

lion。〃　Beneath　the　insult　and　the　acid　disdain；　the　blood

rushed　up　under　Lakla's　ambered　ivory　skin。



〃Yolara〃her　voice　was　low〃of　no　use　is　it　to　question

me。　I　am　but　the　messenger　of　the　Silent　Ones。　　And　one

thing　only　am　I　bidden　to　ask　youdo　you　deliver　to　me

the　three　strangers？〃



Lugur　was　on　his　feet；　eagerness；　sardonic　delight；　sinister

anticipation　thrilling　from　himand　my　same　glance

showed　Marakinoff；　crouched；　biting　his　finger…nails；　glaring

at　the　Golden　Girl。



〃No！〃　Yolara　spat　the　word。　　〃No！　　Now　by　Thanaroa　and

by　the　Shining　One；　no！〃　Her　eyes　blazed；　her　nostrils　were

wide；　in　her　fair　throat　a　little　pulse　beat　angrily。　　〃You；

Laklatake　you　my　message　to　the　Silent　Ones。　　Say　to　them

that　I　keep　this　man〃she　pointed　to　Larry〃because　he

is　mine。　　Say　to　them　that　I　keep　the　yellow…haired　one　and

him〃she　pointed　to　me〃because　it　pleases　me。



〃Tell　them　that　upon　their　mouths　I　place　my　foot；　so！〃

she　stamped　upon　the　dais　viciously〃and　that　in　their

faces　I　spit！〃and　her　action　was　hideously　snakelike。　　〃And

say　last　to　them；　you　handmaiden；　that　if　YOU　they　dare　send

to　Yolara　again；　she　will　feed　YOU　to　the　Shining　One！　　Now

go！〃



The　handmaiden's　face　was　white。



〃Not　unforeseen　by　the　three　was　this；　Yolara；〃　she　re…

plied。　　〃And　did　you　speak　as　you　have　spoken　then　was　I

bidden　to　say　this　to　you。〃　Her　voice　deepened。　　〃Three　_tal_

have　you　to　take　counsel；　Yolara。　　And　at　the　end　of　that

time　these　things　must　you　have　determinedeither　to　do

or　not　to　do：　first；　send　the　strangers　to　the　Silent　Ones；

second；　give　up；　you　and　Lugur　and　all　of　you；　that　dream

you　have　of　conquest　of　the　world　without；　and；　third；　for…

swear　the　Shining　One！　　And　if　you　do　not　one　and　all　these

things；　then　are　you　done；　your　cup　of　life　broken；　your

wine　of　life　spilled。　　Yea；　Yolara；　for　you　and　the　Shining

One；　Lugur　and　the　Nine　and　all　those　here　and　their　kind

shall　pass！　　This　say　the　Silent　Ones；　'Surely　shall　all　of　ye

pass　and　be　as　though　never　had　ye　been！'　〃



Now　a　gasp　of　rage　and　fear　arose　from　all　those　around

mebut　the　priestess　threw　back　her　head　and　laughed　loud

and　long。　　Into　the　silver　sweet　chiming　of　her　laughter

clashed　that　of　Lugurand　after　a　little　the　nobles　took　it

up；　till　the　whole　chamber　echoed　with　their　mirth。　　O'Keefe；

lips　tightening；　moved　toward　the　Handmaiden；　and　almost

imperceptibly；　but　peremptorily；　she　waved　him　back。



〃Those　ARE　great　wordsgreat　words　indeed；　_choya_；〃

shrilled　Yolara　at　last；　and　again　Lakla　winced　beneath　the

word。　　〃Lo；　for　_laya_　upon　_laya_；　the　Shining　One　has　been

freed　from　the　Three；　and　for　_laya_　upon　_laya_　they　have　sat

helpless；　rotting。　　Now　I　ask　you　againwhence　comes　their

power　to　lay　their　will　upon　me；　and　whence　comes　their

strength　to　wrestle　with　the　Shining　One　and　the　beloved　of

the　Shining　One？〃



And　again　she　laughedand　again　Lugur　and　all　the　fair…

haired　joined　in　her　laughter。



Into　the　eyes　of　Lakla　I　saw　creep　a　doubt；　a　wavering；　as

though　deep　within　her　the　foundations　of　her　own　belief

were　none　too　firm。



She　hesitated；　turning　upon　O'Keefe　gaze　in　which　rested

more　than　suggestion　of　appeal！　　And　Yolara　saw；　too；　for

she　flushed　with　triumph；　stretched　a　finger　toward　the　hand…

maiden。



〃Look！〃　she　cried。　　〃Look！　　Why；　even　SHE　does　not　believe！〃

Her　voice　grew　silk　of　silvermerciless；　cruel。　　〃Now　am

I　minded　to　send　another　answer　to　the　Silent　Ones。

Yea！　　But　not　by　YOU；　Lakla；　by　these〃she　pointed　to　the

frog…men；　and；　swift　as　light；　her　hand　darted　into　her

bosom；　bringing　forth　the　little　shining　cone　of　death。



But　before　she　could　level　it　the　Golden　Girl　had　released

that　hidden　left　arm　and　thrown　over　her　face　a　fold　of　the

metallic　swathings。　　Swifter　than　Yolara；　she　raised　the　arm

that　held　the　vineand　now　I　knew　this　was　no　inert　blos…

soming　thing。



It　was　alive！



It　writhed　down　her　arm；　and　its　five　rubescent　flower

heads　thrust　out　toward　the　priestessvibrating；　quivering；

held　in　leash　only　by　the　light　touch　of　the　handmaiden　at　its

very　end。



From　the　swelling　throat　pouch　of　the　monster　behind　her

came　a　succession　of　the　reverberant　boomings。　　The　frog…

men　wheeled；　raised　their　lances；　levelled　them　at　the

throng。　　Around　the　reaching　ruby　flowers　a　faint　red　mist

swiftly　grew。



The　silver　cone　dropped　from　Yolara's　rigid　fingers；　her

eyes　grew　stark　with　horror；　all　her　unearthly　loveliness　fled

from　her；　she　stood　pale…lipped。　　The　Handmaiden　dropped

the　protecting　veiland　now　it　was　she　who　laughed。



〃It　would　seem；　then；　Yolara；　that　there　IS　a　thing　of　the

Silent　Ones　ye　fear！〃　she　said。　　〃Wellthe　kiss　of　the　_Yekta_

I　promise　you　in　return　for　the　embrace　of　your　Shining

One。〃



She　looked　at　Larry；　long；　searchingly；　and　suddenly

again　with　all　that　effect　of　sunlight　bursting　into　dark　places；

her　smile　shone　upon　him。　　She　nodded；　half　gaily；　looked

down　upon　me；　the　little　merry　light　dancing　in　her　eyes；

waved　her　hand　to　me。



She　spoke　to　the　giant　frog…man。　　He　wheeled　behind　her

as　she　turned；　facing　the　priestess；　club　upraised；　fangs　glis…

tening。　　His　troop　moved　not　a　jot；　spears　held　high。　　Lakla

began　to　pass　slowlyalmost；　I　thought；　tauntinglyand　as

she　reached　the　portal　Larry　leaped　from　the　dais。



〃ALANNA！〃　he　cried。　　〃You'll　not　be　leavin'　me　just　when

I've　found　you！〃



In　his　excitement　he　spoke　in　his　own　tongue；　the　velvet

brogue　appealing。　　Lakla　turned；　contemplated　O'Keefe；　hesi…

tant；　unquestionably　longingly；　irresistibly　like　a　child　mak…

ing　up　her　mind　whether　she　dared　or　dared　not　take　a

delectable　something　offe