the moon pool-第69章

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sword　and　daggers；　here　and　there　a　captain　flashing　the

green　ray；　moving　on　in　ordered　squares；　came　the　soldiers

of　the　Shining　One。　　Nearer　and　nearer　the　verge　of　the　ledge

they　pushed　Nak's　warriors。　　Leaping　upon　the　dwarfs；　smit…

ing　them　with　spear　and　club；　with　teeth　and　spur；　the　_Akka_

fought　like　devils。　　Quivering　under　the　ray；　they　leaped　and

dragged　down　and　slew。



Now　there　was　but　one　long　line　of　the　frog…men　at　the

very　edge　of　the　cliff。



And　ever　the　clouds　of　dancing；　diamonded　atoms　grew

thicker　over　them　all！



That　last　thin　line　of　the　_Akka_　was　going；　yet　they　fought

to　the　last；　and　none　toppled　over　the　lip　without　at　least

one　of　the　armoured　Murians　in　his　arms。



My　gaze　dropped　to　the　foot　of　the　cliffs。　　Stretched　along

their　length　was　a　wide　ribbon　of　beautya　shimmering

multitude　of　gleaming；　pulsing；　prismatic　moons；　glowing；

glowing　ever　brighter；　ever　more　wondrousthe　gigantic

Medusae　globes　feasting　on　dwarf　and　frog…man　alike！



Across　the　waters；　faintly；　came　a　triumphant　shouting

from　Lugur's　and　Yolara's　men！



Was　the　ruddy　light　of　the　place　lessening；　growing　paler；

changing　to　a　faint　rose？　　There　was　an　exclamation　from

Larry；　something　like　hope　relaxed　the　drawn　muscles　of

his　face。　　He　pointed　to　the　aureate　dome　wherein　sat　the

Threeand　then　I　saw！



Out　of　it；　through　the　long　transverse　slit　through　which

the　Silent　Ones　kept　their　watch　on　cavern；　bridge；　and

abyss；　a　torrent　of　the　opalescent　light　was　pouring。　　It　cas…

caded　like　a　waterfall；　and　as　it　flowed　it　spread　whirling

out；　in　columns　and　eddies；　clouds　and　wisps　of　misty；

curdled　coruscations。　　It　hung　like　a　veil　over　all　the　islands；

filtering　everywhere；　driving　back　the　crimson　light　as　though

possessed　of　impenetrable　substanceand　still　it　cast　not　the

faintest　shadowing　upon　our　vision。



〃Good　God！〃　breathed　Larry。　　〃Look！〃



The　radiance　was　marchingMARCHINGdown　the　colossal　bridge。

It　moved　swiftly；　in　some　unthinkable　way　INTELLIGENTLY。

It　swathed　the　_Akka_；　and　closer；　ever　closer　it

swept　toward　the　approach　upon　which　Yolara's　men　had

now　gained　foothold。



From　their　ranks　came　flash　after　flash　of　the　green　ray

aimed　at　the　abode！　　But　as　the　light　sped　and　struck　the

opalescence　it　was　blotted　out！　　The　shimmering　mists　seemed

to　enfold；　to　dissipate　it。



Lakla　drew　a　deep　breath。



〃The　Silent　Ones　forgive　me　for　doubting　them；〃　she

whispered；　and　again　hope　blossomed　on　her　face　even　as　it

did　on　Larry's。



The　frog…men　were　gaining。　　Clothed　in　the　armour　of　that

mist；　they　pressed　back　from　the　bridge…head　the　invaders。

There　was　another　prodigious　movement　at　the　ends　of　the

crescent；　and　racing　up；　pressing　against　the　dwarfs；　came

other　legions　of　Nak's　warriors。　　And　re…enforcing　those　out

on　the　prodigious　arch；　the　frog…men　stationed　in　the　gard…

ens　below　us　poured　back　to　the　castle　and　out　through　the

open　Portal。



〃They're　licked！〃　shouted　Larry。　　〃They're〃



So　quickly　I　could　not　follow　the　movement　his　automatic

leaped　to　his　handspoke；　once　and　again　and　again。　　Rador

leaped　to　the　head　of　the　little　path；　sword　in　hand；　Olaf；

shouting　and　whirling　his　mace；　followed。　　I　strove　to　get　my

own　gun　quickly。



For　up　that　path　were　running　twoscore　of　Lugur's　men；

while　from　below　Lugur's　own　voice　roared。



〃Quick！　　Slay　not　the　handmaiden　or　her　lover！　　Carry　them

down。　　Quick！　　But　slay　the　others！〃



The　handmaiden　raced　toward　Larry；　stopped；　whistled

shrillyagain　and　again。　　Larry's　pistol　was　empty；　but　as

the　dwarfs　rushed　upon　him　I　dropped　two　of　them　with

mine。　　It　jammedI　could　not　use　it；　I　sprang　to　his　side。

Rador　was　down；　struggling　in　a　heap　of　Lugur's　men。　　Olaf；

a　Viking　of　old；　was　whirling　his　great　hammer；　and　strik…

ing；　striking　through　armour；　flesh；　and　bone。



Larry　was　down；　Lakla　flew　to　him。　　But　the　Norseman；

now　streaming　blood　from　a　dozen　wounds；　caught　a　glimpse

of　her　coming；　turned；　thrust　out　a　mighty　hand；　sent　her

reeling　back；　and　then　with　his　hammer　cracked　the　skulls

of　those　trying　to　drag　the　O'Keefe　down　the　path。



A　cry　from　Laklathe　dwarfs　had　seized　her；　had　lifted

her　despite　her　struggles；　were　carrying　her　away。　　One　I

dropped　with　the　butt　of　my　useless　pistol；　and　then　went

down　myself　under　the　rush　of　another。



Through　the　clamour　I　heard　a　booming　of　the　_Akka_；

closer；　closer；　then　through　it　the　bellow　of　Lugur。　　I　made

a　mighty　effort；　swung　a　hand　up；　and　sunk　my　fingers　in

the　throat　of　the　soldier　striving　to　kill　me。　　Writhing　over

him；　my　fingers　touched　a　poniard；　I　thrust　it　deep；　stag…

gered　to　my　feet。



The　O'Keefe；　shielding　Lakla；　was　battling　with　a　long

sword　against　a　half　dozen　of　the　soldiers。　　I　started　toward

him；　was　struck；　and　under　the　impact　hurled　to　the　ground。

Dizzily　I　raised　myselfand　leaning　upon　my　elbow；　stared

and　moved　no　more。　　For　the　dwarfs　lay　dead；　and　Larry；

holding　Lakla　tightly；　was　staring　even　as　I；　and　ranged　at

the　head　of　the　path　were　the　_Akka_；　whose　booming　advance

in　obedience　to　the　handmaiden's　call　I　had　heard。



And　at　what　we　all　stared　was　Olaf；　crimson　with　his

wounds；　and　Lugur；　in　blood…red　armour；　locked　in　each

other's　grip；　struggling；　smiting；　tearing；　kicking；　and　sway…

ing　about　the　little　space　before　the　embrasure。　　I　crawled

over　toward　the　O'Keefe。　　He　raised　his　pistol；　dropped　it。



〃Can't　hit　him　without　hitting　Olaf；〃　he　whispered。　　Lakla

signalled　the　frog…men；　they　advanced　toward　the　twobut

Olaf　saw　them；　broke　the　red　dwarf's　hold；　sent　Lugur　reel…

ing　a　dozen　feet　away。



〃No！〃　shouted　the　Norseman；　the　ice　of　his　pale…blue　eyes

glinting　like　frozen　flames；　blood　streaming　down　his　face

and　dripping　from　his　hands。　　〃No！　　Lugur　is　mine！　　None　but

me　slays　him！　　Ho；　you　Lugur〃　and　cursed　him　and　Yo…

lara　and　the　Dweller　hideouslyI　cannot　set　those　curses

down　here。



They　spurred　Lugur。　　Mad　now　as　the　Norseman；　the　red

dwarf　sprang。　　Olaf　struck　a　blow　that　would　have　killed　an

ordinary　man；　but　Lugur　only　grunted；　swept　in；　and　seized

him　about　the　waist；　one　mighty　arm　began　to　creep　up

toward　Huldricksson's　throat。



　〃'Ware；　Olaf！〃　cried　O'Keefe；　but　Olaf　did　not　answer。

He　waited　until　the　red　dwarf's　hand　was　close　to　his

shoulder；　and　then；　with　an　incredibly　rapid　movement

once　before　had　I　seen　something　like　it　in　a　wrestling　match

between　Papuanshe　had　twisted　Lugur　around；　twisted

him　so　that　Olaf's　right　arm　lay　across　the　tremendous　breast；

the　left　behind　the　neck；　and　Olaf's　left　leg　held　the　Voice's

armoured　thighs　viselike　against　his　right　knee　while　over

that　knee　lay　the　small　of　the　red　dwarf's　back。



For　a　second　or　two　the　Norseman　looked　down　upon　his

enemy；　motionless　in　that　paralyzing　grip。　　And　thenslowly

he　began　to　break　him！



Lakla　gave　a　little　cry；　made　a　motion　toward　the　two。

But　Larry　drew　her　head　down　against　his　breast；　hiding　her

eyes；　then　fastened　his　own　upon　the　pair；　white…faced；　stern。



Slowly；　ever　so　slowly；　proceeded　Olaf。　　Twice　Lugur

moaned。　　At　the　end　he　screamedhorribly。　　There　was　a

cracking　sound；　as　of　a　stout　stick　snapped。



Huldricksson　stooped；　silently。　　He　picked　up　the　limp

body　of　the　Voice；　not　yet　dead；　for　the　eyes　rolled；　the　lips

strove　to　speak；　lifted　it；　walked　to　the　parapet；　swung　it

twice　over　his　head；　and　cast　it　down　to　the　red　waters！











CHAPTER　XXXIV



The　Coming　of　the　Shining　One



THE　NORSEMAN　turned　toward　us。　　There　was　now　no　mad…

ness　in　his　eyes；　only　a　great　weariness。　　And　there　was

peace　on　the　once　tortured　face。



〃Helma；〃　he　whispered；　〃I　go　a　little　before！　　Soon　you

will　come　to　meto　me　and　the　Yndling　who　will　await　you

Helma；　_mine　liebe！_〃



Blood　gushed　from　his　mouth；　he　swayed；　fell。　　And　thus

died　Olaf　Huldri