the moon pool-第70章

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Helma；　_mine　liebe！_〃



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

died　Olaf　Huldricksson。



We　looked　down　upon　him；　nor　did　Lakla；　nor　Larry；　nor

I　try　to　hide　our　tears。　　And　as　we　stood　the　_Akka_　brought

to　us　that　other　mighty　fighter；　Rador；　but　in　him　there　was

life；　and　we　attended　to　him　there　as　best　we　could。



Then　Lakla　spoke。



〃We　will　bear　him　into　the　castle　where　we　may　give　him

greater　care；〃　she　said。　　〃For；　lo！　　the　hosts　of　Yolara　have

been　beaten　back；　and　on　the　bridge　comes　Nak　with　tid…

ings。〃



We　looked　over　the　parapet。　　It　was　even　as　she　had　said。

Neither　on　ledge　nor　bridge　was　there　trace　of　living　men　of

Muriaonly　heaps　of　slain　that　lay　everywhereand　thick

against　the　cavern　mouth　still　danced　the　flashing　atoms　of

those　the　green　ray　had　destroyed。



〃Over！〃　exclaimed　Larry　incredulously。　　〃We　live　then

heart　of　mine！〃



〃The　Silent　Ones　recall　their　veils；〃　she　said；　pointing　to

the　dome。　　Back　through　the　slitted　opening　the　radiance　was

streaming；　withdrawing　from　sea　and　island；　marching　back

over　the　bridge　with　that　same　ordered；　intelligent　motion。

Behind　it　the　red　light　pressed；　like　skirmishers　on　the　heels

of　a　retreating　army。



〃And　yet〃　faltered　the　handmaiden　as　we　passed　into

her　chamber；　and　doubtful　were　the　eyes　she　turned　upon　the

O'Keefe。



〃I　don't　believe；〃　he　said；　〃there's　a　kick　left　in　them〃



What　was　that　sound　beating　into　the　chamber　faintly；　so

faintly？　　My　heart　gave　a　great　throb　and　seemed　to　stop　for

an　eternity。　　What　was　itcoming　nearer；　ever　nearer？　　Now

Lakla　and　O'Keefe　heard　it；　life　ebbing　from　lips　and　cheeks。



Nearer；　nearera　music　as　of　myriads　of　tiny　crystal　bells；

tinkling；　tinklinga　storm　of　pizzicati　upon　violins　of　glass！

Nearer；　nearernot　sweetly　now；　nor　luring；　noraging；

wrathful；　sinister　beyond　words；　sweeping　on；　nearer



The　Dweller！　　The　Shining　One！



We　leaped　to　the　narrow　window；　peered　out；　aghast。　　The

bell　notes　swept　through　and　about　us；　a　hurricane。　　The

crescent　strand　was　once　more　a　ferment。　　Back；　back　were

the　_Akka_　being　swept；　as　though　by　brooms；　tottering　on　the

edge　of　the　ledge；　falling　into　the　waters。　　Swiftly　they　were

finished；　and　where　they　had　fought　was　an　eddying　throng

clothed　in　tatters　or　naked；　swaying；　drifting；　arms　tossing

like　marionettes　of　Satan。



The　dead…alive！　　The　slaves　of　the　Dweller！



They　swayed　and　tossed；　and　then；　like　water　racing

through　an　opened　dam；　they　swept　upon　the　bridge…head。

On　and　on　they　pushed；　like　the　bore　of　a　mighty　tide。　　The

frog…men　strove　against　them；　clubbing；　spearing；　tearing

them。　　But　even　those　worst　smitten　seemed　not　to　fall。　　On

they　pushed；　driving　forward；　irresistiblea　battering　ram

of　flesh　and　bone。　　They　clove　the　masses　of　the　_Akka_；　press…

ing　them　to　the　sides　of　the　bridge　and　over。　　Through　the

open　gates　they　forced　themfor　there　was　no　room　for　the

frog…men　to　stand　against　that　implacable　tide。



Then　those　of　the　_Akka_　who　were　left　turned　their　backs

and　ran。　　We　heard　the　clang　of　the　golden　wings　of　the　por…

tal；　and　none　too　soon　to　keep　out　the　first　of　the　Dweller's

dreadful　hordes。



Now　upon　the　cavern　＇edge　and　over　the　whole　length

of　the　bridge　there　were　none　but　the　dead…alive；　men　and

women；　black…polled　_ladala_；　sloe…eyed　Malays；　slant…eyed

Chinese；　men　of　every　race　that　sailed　the　seasmilling；

turning；　swaying；　like　leaves　caught　in　a　sluggish　current。



The　bell　notes　became　sharper；　more　insistent。　　At　the　cav…

ern　mouth　a　radiance　began　to　growa　gleaming　from

which　the　atoms　of　diamond　dust　seemed　to　try　to　flee。　　As

the　radiance　grew　and　the　crystal　notes　rang　nearer；　every

head　of　that　hideous　multitude　turned　stiffly；　slowly　toward

the　right；　looking　toward　the　far　bridge　end；　their　eyes　fixed

and　glaring；　every　face　an　inhuman　mask　of　rapture　and　of

horror！



A　movement　shook　them。　　Those　in　the　centre　began　to

stream　back；　faster　and　ever　faster；　leaving　motionless　deep

ranks　on　each　side。　　Back　they　flowed　until　from　golden

doors　to　cavern　mouth　a　wide　lane　stretched；　walled　on　each

side　by　the　dead…alive。



The　far　radiance　became　brighter；　it　gathered　itself　at　the

end　of　the　dreadful　lane；　it　was　shot　with　sparklings　and　with

pulsings　of　polychromatic　light。　　The　crystal　storm　was　in…

tolerable；　piercing　the　ears　with　countless　tiny　lances；

brighter　still　the　radiance



From　the　cavern　swirled　the　Shining　One！



The　Dweller　paused；　seemed　to　scan　the　island　of　the

Silent　Ones　half　doubtfully；　then　slowly；　stately；　it　drifted

out　upon　the　bridge。　　Closer　it　drew；　behind　it　glided　Yolara

at　the　head　of　a　company　of　her　dwarfs；　and　at　her　side　was

the　hag　of　the　Council　whose　face　was　the　withered；　shat…

tered　echo　of　her　own。



Slower　grew　the　Dweller's　pace　as　it　drew　nearer。　　Did　I

sense　in　it　a　doubt；　an　uncertainty？　　The　crystal…tongued；

unseen　choristers　that　accompanied　it　subtly　seemed　to　re…

flect　the　doubt；　their　notes　were　not　sure；　no　longer　insistent；

rather　was　there　in　them　an　undertone　of　hesitancy；　of　warn…

ing！　　Yet　on　came　the　Shining　One　until　it　stood　plain　be…

neath　us；　searching　with　those　eyes　that　thrust　from　and

withdrew　into　unknown　spheres；　the　golden　gateway；　the

cliff　face；　the　castle's　rounded　bulkand　more　intently　than

any　of　these；　the　dome　wherein　sat　the　Three。



Behind　it　each　face　of　the　dead…alive　turned　toward　it；　and

those　beside　it　throbbed　and　gleamed　with　its　luminescence。



Yolara　crept　close；　just　beyond　the　reach　of　its　spirals。

She　murmuredand　the　Dweller　bent　toward　her；　its　seven

globes　steady　in　their　shining　mists；　as　though　listening。　　It

drew　erect　once　more；　resumed　its　doubtful　scrutiny。　　Yo…

lara's　face　darkened；　she　turned　abruptly；　spoke　to　a　captain

of　her　guards。　　A　dwarf　raced　back　between　the　palisades　of

dead…alive。



Now　the　priestess　cried　out；　her　voice　ringing　like　a　silver

clarion。



〃Ye　are　done；　ye　Three！　　The　Shining　One　stands　at　your

door；　demanding　entrance。　　Your　beasts　are　slain　and　your

power　is　gone。　　Who　are　ye；　says　the　Shining　One；　to　deny

it　entrance　to　the　place　of　its　birth？〃



〃Ye　do　not　answer；〃　she　cried　again；　〃yet　know　we　that

ye　hear！　　The　Shining　One　offers　these　terms：　Send　forth　your

handmaiden　and　that　lying　stranger　she　stole；　send　them

forth　to　usand　perhaps　ye　may　live。　　But　if　ye　send　them

not　forth；　then　shall　ye　too　dieand　soon！〃



We　waited；　silent；　even　as　did　Yolaraand　again　there

was　no　answer　from　the　Three。



The　priestess　laughed；　the　blue　eyes　flashed。



〃It　is　ended！〃　she　cried。　　〃If　you　will　not　open；　needs　must

we　open　for　you！〃



Over　the　bridge　was　marching　a　long　double　file　of　the

dwarfs。　　They　bore　a　smoothed　and　handled　tree…trunk　whose

head　was　knobbed　with　a　huge　hall　of　metal。　　Past　the　priest…

ess；　past　the　Shining　One；　they　carried　it；　fifty　of　them　to

each　side　of　the　ram；　and　behind　them　steppedMarakin…

off！



Larry　awoke　to　life。



〃Now；　thank　God；〃　he　rasped；　〃I　can　get　that　devil；　any…

way！〃



He　drew　his　pistol；　took　careful　aim。　　Even　as　he　pressed

the　trigger　there　rang　through　the　abode　a　tremendous

clanging。　　The　ram　was　battering　at　the　gates。　　O'Keefe's　bul…

let　went　wild。　　The　Russian　must　have　heard　the　shot；　per…

haps　the　missile　was　closer　than　we　knew。　　He　made　a　swift

leap　behind　the　guards；　was　lost　to　sight。



Once　more　the　thunderous　clanging　rang　through　the

castle。



Lakla　drew　herself　erect；　down　upon　her　dropped　the

listening　aloofness。　　Gravely　she　bowed　her　head。



〃It　is　time；　O　love　of　mine。〃　She　turned　to　O'Keefe。　　〃The

Silent　Ones　say　that　the　way　of　fear　is　closed；　but　the　way

of　love　is　open。　　They　call　upon　us　to　redeem　our　promise！〃



For　a　hundred　heart…beats　they　clung　to　each　other；　breast

to　breast　and　lip　to　lip。　　Below；