the moon pool-第46章

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bridge　platform。　　Along　all　four　stairways　the　guards　were

ranged；　and　here　and　there　against　the　ledge　stood　the　shells

in　a　curiously　comforting　resemblance　to　parked　motors　in

our　own　world。



The　sombre　walls　bulked　high；　curved　and　ended　in　two

obelisked　pillars　from　which；　like　a　tremendous　curtain；

stretched　a　barrier　of　that　tenebrous　gloom　which；　though

weightless　as　shadow　itself；　I　now　knew　to　be　as　impenetra…

ble　as　the　veil　between　life　and　death。　　In　this　murk；　unlike

all　others　I　had　seen；　I　sensed　movement；　a　quivering；　a

tremor　constant　and　rhythmic；　not　to　be　seen；　yet　caught　by

some　subtle　sense；　as　though　through　it　beat　a　swift　pulse　of

black　light。



The　green　dwarf　turned　the　_corial_　slowly　to　the　edge　at

the　right；　crept　cautiously　on　toward　where；　not　more　than

a　hundred　feet　from　the　barrier；　a　low；　wide　entrance　opened

in　the　fort。　　Guarding　its　threshold　stood　two　guards；　armed

with　broadswords；　double…handed；　terminating　in　a　wide

lunette　mouthed　with　murderous　fangs。　　These　they　raised　in

salute　and　through　the　portal　strode　a　dwarf　huge　as　Rador；

dressed　as　he　and　carrying　only　the　poniard　that　was　the

badge　of　office　of　Muria's　captainry。



The　green　dwarf　swept　the　shell　expertly　against　the

ledge；　leaped　out。



〃Greeting；　Serku！〃　he　answered。　　〃I　was　but　looking　for

the　_coria_　of　Lakla。〃



〃Lakla！〃　exclaimed　Serku。　　〃Why；　the　handmaiden　passed

with　her　_Akka_　nigh　a　_va_　ago！〃



〃Passed！〃　The　astonishment　of　the　green　dwarf　was　so　real

that　half　was　I　myself　deceived。　　〃You　let　her　PASS？〃



〃Certainly　I　let　her　pass〃　But　under　the　green　dwarf's

stern　gaze　the　truculence　of　the　guardian　faded。　　〃Why

should　I　not？〃　he　asked；　apprehensively。



〃Because　Yolara　commanded　otherwise；〃　answered

Rador；　coldly。



〃There　came　no　command　to　me。〃　　Little　beads　of　sweat

stood　out　on　Serku's　forehead。



〃Serku；〃　interrupted　the　green　dwarf　swiftly；　〃truly　is　my

heart　wrung　for　you。　　This　is　a　matter　of　Yolara　and　of　Lugur

and　the　Council；　yes；　even　of　the　Shining　One！　　And　the

message　was　sentand　the　fate；　mayhap；　of　all　Muria　rested

upon　your　obedience　and　the　return　of　Lakla　with　these

strangers　to　the　Council。　　Now　truly　is　my　heart　wrung；　for

there　are　few　I　would　less　like　to　see　dance　with　the　Shining

One　than　you；　Serku；〃　he　ended；　softly。



Livid　now　was　the　gateway's　guardian；　his　great　frame

shaking。



〃Come　with　me　and　speak　to　Yolara；〃　he　pleaded。　　〃There

came　no　messagetell　her〃



〃Wait；　Serku！〃　There　was　a　thrill　as　of　inspiration　in

Rador's　voice。　　〃This　_corial_　is　of　the　swiftestLakla's　are　of

the　slowest。　　With　Lakla　scarce　a　_va_　ahead　we　can　reach　her

before　she　enters　the　Portal。　　Lift　you　the　Shadowwe　will

bring　her　back；　and　this　will　I　do　for　you；　Serku。〃



Doubt　tempered　Serku's　panic。



〃Why　not　go　alone；　Rador；　leaving　the　strangers　here

with　me？〃　he　askedand　I　thought　not　unreasonably。



〃Nay；　then。〃　The　green　dwarf　was　brusk。　　〃Lakla　will　not

return　unless　I　carry　to　her　these　men　as　evidence　of　our

good　faith。　　Comewe　will　speak　to　Yolara　and　she　shall

judge　you〃　He　started　awaybut　Serku　caught　his　arm。



〃No；　Rador；　no！〃　he　whispered；　again　panic…stricken。　　〃Go

youas　you　will。　　But　bring　her　back！　　Speed；　Rador！〃　He

sprang　toward　the　entrance。　　〃I　lift　the　Shadow〃



Into　the　green　dwarf's　poise　crept　a　curious；　almost　a

listening；　alertness。　　He　leaped　to　Serku's　side。



〃I　go　with　you；〃　I　heard。　　〃Some　little　I　can　tell　you〃

They　were　gone。



〃Fine　work！〃　muttered　Larry。　　〃Nominated　for　a　citizen　of

Ireland　when　we　get　out　of　this；　one　Rador　of〃



The　Shadow　trembledshuddered　into　nothingness；　the

obelisked　outposts　that　had　held　it　framed　a　ribbon　of　road…

way；　high　banked　with　verdure；　vanishing　in　green　distances。



And　then　from　the　portal　sped　a　shriek；　a　death　cry！　　It　cut

through　the　silence　of　the　ebon　pit　like　a　whimpering　arrow。

Before　it　had　died；　down　the　stairways　came　pouring　the

guards。　　Those　at　the　threshold　raised　their　swords　and　peered

within。　　Abruptly　Rador　was　between　them。　　One　dropped　his

hilt　and　gripped　himthe　green　dwarf's　poniard　flashed

and　was　buried　in　his　throat。　　Down　upon　Rador's　head

swept　the　second　blade。　　A　flame　leaped　from　O'Keefe's　hand

and　the　sword　seemed　to　fling　itself　from　its　wielder's　grasp

another　flash　and　the　soldier　crumpled。　　Rador　threw　him…

self　into　the　shell；　darted　to　the　high　seatand　straight　be…

tween　the　pillars　of　the　Shadow　we　flew！



There　came　a　crackling；　a　darkness　of　vast　wings　flinging

down　upon　us。　　The　_corial's_　flight　was　checked　as　by　a　giant's

hand。　　The　shell　swerved　sickeningly；　there　was　an　oddly

metallic　splintering；　it　quivered；　shot　ahead。　　Dizzily　I　picked

myself　up　and　looked　behind。



The　Shadow　had　fallenbut　too　late；　a　bare　instant　too

late。　　And　shrinking　as　we　fled　from　it；　still　it　seemed　to

strain　like　some　fettered　Afrit　from　Eblis；　throbbing　with

wrath；　seeking　with　every　malign　power　it　possessed　to　break

its　bonds　and　pursue。　　Not　until　long　after　were　we　to　know

that　it　had　been　the　dying　hand　of　Serku；　groping　out　of

oblivion；　that　had　cast　it　after　us　as　a　fowler　upon　an　escap…

ing　bird。



〃Snappy　work；　Rador！〃　It　was　Larry　speaking。　　〃But　they

cut　the　end　off　your　bus　all　right！〃



A　full　quarter　of　the　hindward　whorl　was　gone；　sliced　off

cleanly。　　Rador　noted　it　with　anxious　eyes。



〃That　is　bad；〃　he　said；　〃but　not　too　bad　perhaps。　　All

depends　upon　how　closely　Lugur　and　his　men　can　follow

us。〃



He　raised　a　hand　to　O'Keefe　in　salute。



〃But　to　you；　_Larree_；　I　owe　my　lifenot　even　the　_Keth_

could　have　been　as　swift　to　save　me　as　that　death　flame　of

yoursfriend！〃



The　Irishman　waved　an　airy　hand。



〃Serku〃the　green　dwarf　drew　from　his　girdle　the　blood…

stained　poniard〃Serku　I　was　forced　to　slay。　　Even　as　he

raised　the　Shadow　the　globe　gave　the　alarm。　　Lugur　follows

with　twice　ten　times　ten　of　his　best〃　He　hesitated。　　〃Though

we　have　escaped　the　Shadow　it　has　taken　toll　of　our　swift…

ness。　　May　we　reach　the　Portal　before　it　closes　upon　Lakla

but　if　we　do　not〃　He　paused　again。　　〃WellI　know　a　way

but　it　is　not　one　I　am　gay　to　followno！〃



He　snapped　open　the　aperture　that　held　the　ball　flaming

within　the　dark　crystal；　peered　at　it　anxiously。　　I　crept　to　the

torn　end　of　the　_corial_。　　The　edges　were　crumbling；　disinte…

grated。　　They　powdered　in　my　fingers　like　dust。　　Mystified

still；　I　crept　back　where　Larry；　sheer　happiness　pouring　from

him；　was　whistling　softly　and　polishing　up　his　automatic。

His　gaze　fell　upon　Olaf's　grim；　sad　face　and　softened。



〃Buck　up；　Olaf！〃　he　said。　　〃We've　got　a　good　fighting

chance。　　Once　we　link　up　with　Lakla　and　her　crowd　I'm

betting　that　we　get　your　wifenever　doubt　it！　　The　baby〃

he　hesitated　awkwardly。　　The　Norseman's　eyes　filled；　he

stretched　a　hand　to　the　O'Keefe。



〃The　_Yndling_she　is　of　the　_de　Dode_；〃　he　half　whispered；

〃of　the　blessed　dead。　　For　her　I　have　no　fear　and　for　her

vengeance　will　be　given　me。　_Ja！_　　But　my　Helmashe　is　of

the　dead…alivelike　those　we　saw　whirling　like　leaves　in　the

light　of　the　Shining　Deviland　I　would　that　she　too　were

of　_de　Dode_and　at　rest。　　I　do　not　know　how　to　fight　the

Shining　Devilno！〃



His　bitter　despair　welled　up　in　his　voice。



〃Olaf；〃　Larry's　voice　was　gentle。　　〃We'll　come　out　on　top

I　know　it。　　Remember　one　thing。　　All　this　stuff　that　seems　so

strange　andand；　well；　sort　of　supernatural；　is　just　a　lot　of

tricks　we're　not　hep　to　as　yet。　　Why；　Olaf；　suppose　you　took

a　Fijian　when　the　war　was　on　and　set　him　suddenly　down　in

London　with　autos　rushing　past；　sirens　blowing；　Archies

popping；　a　dozen　enemy　planes　dropping　bombs；　and　the

searchlights　shooting　all　over　the　skywouldn't　he　think　he

was　among　thirty…third　degree　devils　in　some　exclusive　circle

of　hell？　　Sure　he　would！　　And　yet　everything　he　saw　would