the moon pool-第6章
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heart as a hand strikes an impious lip。 We turned awayun…
easily； and faced Thora coming through a breach on the ter…
race。
'Miss Edith wants you quick；' she beganand stopped。
Her eyes went past me to the grey rock。 Her body grew rigid；
she took a few stiff steps forward and then ran straight to it。
She cast herself upon its breast； hands and face pressed
against it； we heard her scream as though her very soul were
being drawn from herand watched her fall at its foot。 As
we picked her up I saw steal from her face the look I had ob…
served when first we heard the crystal music of Nan…Tauach
that unhuman mingling of opposites！〃
CHAPTER IV
The First Vanishings
〃WE CARRIED Thora back； down to where Edith was waiting。
We told her what had happened and what we had found。
She listened gravely； and as we finished Thora sighed and
opened her eyes。
〃'I would like to see the stone；' she said。 'Charles； you stay
here with Thora。' We passed through the outer court silently
and stood before the rock。 She touched it； drew back her
hand as I had； thrust it forward again resolutely and held it
there。 She seemed to be listening。 Then she turned to me。
〃'David；' said my wife； and the wistfulness in her voice
hurt me'David； would you be very； very disappointed if we
went from herewithout trying to find out any more about
itwould you？'
〃Walter； I never wanted anything so much in my life as I
wanted to learn what that rock concealed。 Nevertheless； I
tried to master my desire； and I answered'Edith； not a bit
if you want us to do it。'
〃She read my struggle in my eyes。 She turned back toward
the grey rock。 I saw a shiver pass through her。 I felt a tinge
of remorse and pity！
〃'Edith；' I exclaimed； 'we'll go！'
〃She looked at me again。 'Science is a jealous mistress；' she
quoted。 'No； after all it may be just fancy。 At any rate； you
can't run away。 No！ But； Dave； I'm going to stay too！'
〃And there was no changing her decision。 As we neared
the others she laid a hand on my arm。
〃'Dave；' she said； 'if there should be somethingwell
inexplicable tonightsomething that seemstoo dangerous
will you promise to go back to our own islet tomorrow； if
we canand wait until the natives return？'
〃I promised eagerlythe desire to stay and see what came
with the night was like a fire within me。
〃We picked a place about five hundred feet away from the
steps leading into the outer court。
〃The spot we had selected was well hidden。 We could not
be seen； and yet we had a clear view of the stairs and the
gateway。 We settled down just before dusk to wait for what…
ever might come。 I was nearest the giant steps； next me
Edith； then Thora； and last Stanton。
〃Night fell。 After a time the eastern sky began to lighten；
and we knew that the moon was rising； grew lighter still； and
the orb peeped over the sea； swam into full sight。 I glanced
at Edith and then at Thora。 My wife was intently listening。
Thora sat； as she had since we had placed ourselves； elbows
on knees； her hands covering her face。
〃And then from the moonlight flooding us there dripped
down on me a great drowsiness。 Sleep seemed to seep from
the rays and fall upon my eyes； closing themclosing them
inexorably。 Edith's hand in mine relaxed。 Stanton's head fell
upon his breast and his body swayed drunkenly。 I tried to
riseto fight against the profound desire for slumber that
pressed on me。
〃And as I fought； Thora raised her head as though listen…
ing； and turned toward the gateway。 There was infinite des…
pair in her faceand expectancy。 I tried again to riseand a
surge of sleep rushed over me。 Dimly； as I sank within it； I
heard a crystalline chiming； raised my lids once more with a
supreme effort。
〃Thora； bathed in light； was standing at the top of the
stairs。
〃Sleep took me for its very ownswept me into the heart
of oblivion！
〃Dawn was breaking when I wakened。 Recollection rushed
back； I thrust a panic…stricken hand out toward Edith；
touched her and my heart gave a great leap of thankfulness。
She stirred； sat up； rubbing dazed eyes。 Stanton lay on his
side； back toward us； head in arms。
〃Edith looked at me laughingly。 'Heavens！ What sleep！'
she said。 Memory came to her。
〃'What happened？' she whispered。 'What made us sleep
like that？'
〃Stanton awoke。
〃'What's the matter！' he exclaimed。 'You look as though
you've been seeing ghosts。'
〃Edith caught my hands。
〃'Where's Thora？' she cried。 Before I could answer she
had run out into the open； calling。
〃'Thora was taken；' was all I could say to Stanton； 'to…
gether we went to my wife； now standing beside the great
stone steps； looking up fearfully at the gateway into the ter…
races。 There I told them what I had seen before sleep had
drowned me。 And together then we ran up the stairs； through
the court and to the grey rock。
〃The slab was closed as it had been the day before； nor was
there trace of its having opened。 No trace？ Even as I thought
this Edith dropped to her knees before it and reached toward
something lying at its foot。 It was a little piece of gay silk。 I
knew it for part of the kerchief Thora wore about her hair。
She lifted the fragment。 It had been cut from the kerchief as
though by a razor…edge； a few threads ran from itdown to…
ward the base of the slab； ran on to the base of the grey rock
andunder it！
〃The grey rock was a door！ And it had opened and Thora
had passed through it！
〃I think that for the next few minutes we all were a little
insane。 We beat upon that portal with our hands； with stones
and sticks。 At last reason came back to us。
〃Goodwin； during the next two hours we tried every way
in our power to force entrance through the slab。 The rock re…
sisted our drills。 We tried explosions at the base with charges
covered by rock。 They made not the slightest impression on
the surface； expending their force； of course； upon the
slighter resistance of their coverings。
〃Afternoon found us hopeless。 Night was coming on and
we would have to decide our course of action。 I wanted to go
to Ponape for help。 But Edith objected that this would take
hours and after we had reached there it would be impossible
to persuade our men to return with us that night； if at all。
What then was left？ Clearly only one of two choices： to go
back to our camp； wait for our men； and on their return try
to persuade them to go with us to Nan…Tauach。 But this
would mean the abandonment of Thora for at least two days。
We could not do it； it would have been too cowardly。
〃The other choice was to wait where we were for night to
come； to wait for the rock to open as it had the night before；
and to make a sortie through it for Thora before it could
close again。
〃Our path lay clear before us。 We had to spend that night
on Nan…Tauach！
〃We had； of course； discussed the sleep phenomena very
fully。 If our theory that lights； sounds； and Thora's disap…
pearance were linked with secret religious rites of the na…
tives； the logical inference was that the slumber had been
produced by them； perhaps by vapoursyou know as well as
I； what extraordinary knowledge these Pacific peoples have
of such things。 Or the sleep might have been simply a coin…
cidence and produced by emanations either gaseous or from
plants； natural causes which had happened to coincide in
their effects with the other manifestations。 We made some
rough and ready but effective respirators。
〃As dusk fell we looked over our weapons。 Edith was an
excellent shot with both rifle and pistol。 We had decided that
my wife was to remain in the hiding…place。 Stanton would
take up a station on the far side of the stairway and I would
place myself opposite him on the side near Edith。 The place
