the moon pool-第71章
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For a hundred heart…beats they clung to each other； breast
to breast and lip to lip。 Below； the clangour was increasing；
the great trunk swinging harder and faster upon the metal
gates。 Now Lakla gently loosed the arms of the O'Keefe； and
for another instant those two looked into each other's souls。
The handmaiden smiled tremulously。
〃I would it might have been otherwise； Larry darlin'；〃
she whispered。 〃But at leastwe pass together； dearest of
mine！〃
She leaped to the window。
〃Yolara！〃 the golden voice rang out sweetly。 The clang…
ing ceased。 〃Draw back your men。 We open the Portal and
come forth to you and the Shining OneLarry and I。〃
The priestess's silver chimes of laughter rang out； cruel；
mocking。
〃Come； then； quickly；〃 she jeered。 〃For surely both the
Shining One and I yearn for you！〃 Her malice…laden laughter
chimed high once more。 〃Keep us not lonely long！〃 the
priestess mocked。
Larry drew a deep breath； stretched both hands out to me。
〃It's good…by； I guess； Doc。〃 His voice was strained。
〃Good…by and good luck； old boy。 If you get out； and you
WILL； let the old _Dolphin_ know I'm gone。 And carry on； pal
and always remember the O'Keefe loved you like a
brother。〃
I squeezed his hands desperately。 Then out of my balance…
shaking woe a strange comfort was born。
〃Maybe it's not good…by； Larry！〃 I cried。 〃The banshee has
not cried！〃
A flash of hope passed over his face； the old reckless grin
shone forth。
〃It's so！〃 he said。 〃By the Lord； it's so！〃
Then Lakla bent toward me； and for the second time
kissed me。
〃Come！〃 she said to Larry。 Hand in hand they moved
away； into the corridor that led to the door outside of which
waited the Shining One and its priestess。
And unseen by them； wrapped as they were within their
love and sacrifice； I crept softly behind。 For I had deter…
mined that if enter the Dweller's embrace they must； they
should not go alone。
They paused before the Golden Portals； the handmaiden
pressed its opening lever； the massive leaves rolled back。
Heads high； proudly； serenely； they passed through and
out upon the hither span。 I followed。
On each side of us stood the Dweller's slaves； faces turned
rigidly toward their master。 A hundred feet away the Shin…
ing One pulsed and spiralled in its evilly glorious lambency
of sparkling plumes。
Unhesitating； always with that same high serenity； Lakla
and the O'Keefe； hands clasped like little children； drew
closer to that wondrous shape。 I could not see their faces；
but I saw awe fall upon those of the watching dwarfs； and
into the burning eyes of Yolara crept a doubt。 Closer they
drew to the Dweller； and closer； I following them step by
step。 The Shining One's whirling lessened； its tinklings were
faint； almost stilled。 It seemed to watch them apprehensively。
A silence fell upon us all； a thick silence； brooding； ominous；
palpable。 Now the pair were face to face with the child of
the Threeso near that with one of its misty tentacles it
could have enfolded them。
And the Shining One drew back！
Yes； drew backand back with it stepped Yolara； the
doubt in her eyes deepening。 Onward paced the handmaiden
and the O'Keefeand step by step； as they advanced； the
Dweller withdrew； its bell notes chiming out； puzzled ques…
tioninghalf fearful！
And back it drew； and back until it had reached the very
centre of that platform over the abyss in whose depths pulsed
the green fires of earth heart。 And there Yolara gripped her…
self； the hell that seethed within her soul leaped out of her
eyes； a cry； a shriek of rage； tore from her lips。
As at a signal； the Shining One flamed high； its spirals and
eddying mists swirled madly； the pulsing core of it blazed
radiance。 A score of coruscating tentacles swept straight
upon the pair who stood intrepid； unresisting； awaiting its
embrace。 And upon me； lurking behind them。
Through me swept a mighty exaltation。 It was the end
thenand I was to meet it with them。
Something drew us back； back with an incredible swift…
ness； and yet as gently as a summer breeze sweeps a bit of
thistle…down！ Drew us back from those darting misty arms
even as they were a hair…breadth from us！ I heard the Dwel…
ler's bell notes burst out ragingly！ I heard Yolara scream。
What was that？
Between the three of us and them was a ring of curdled
moon flames； swirling about the Shining One and its priest…
ess； pressing in upon them； enfolding them！
And within it I glimpsed the faces of the Threeimplac…
able； sorrowful； filled with a supernal power！
Sparks and flashes of white flame darted from the ring；
penetrating the radiant swathings of the Dweller； striking
through its pulsing nucleus； piercing its seven crowning orbs。
Now the Shining One's radiance began to dim； the seven
orbs to dull； the tiny sparkling filaments that ran from them
down into the Dweller's body snapped； vanished！ Through
the battling nebulosities Yolara's face swam forthhorror…
filled； distorted； inhuman！
The ranks of the dead…alive quivered； moved； writhed； as
though each felt the torment of the Thing that had enslaved
them。 The radiance that the Three wielded grew more in…
tense； thicker； seemed to expand。 Within it； suddenly； were
scores of flaming trianglesscores of eyes like those of the
Silent Ones！
And the Shining One's seven little moons of amber； of
silver； of blue and amethyst and green； of rose and white；
split； shattered； were gone！ Abruptly the tortured crystal
chimings ceased。
Dulled； all its soul…shaking beauty dead； blotched and
shadowed squalidly； its gleaming plumes tarnished； its dan…
cing spirals stripped from it； that which had been the Shin…
ing One wrapped itself about Yolarawrapped and drew
her into itself； writhed； swayed； and hurled itself over the
edge of the bridgedown； down into the green fires of the
unfathomable abysswith its priestess still enfolded in its
coils！
From the dwarfs who had watched that terror came
screams of panic fear。 They turned and ran； racing franti…
cally over the bridge toward the cavern mouth。
The serried ranks of the dead…alive trembled； shook。 Then
from their faces tied the horror of wedded ecstasy and an…
guish。 Peace； utter peace； followed in its wake。
And as fields of wheat are bent and fall beneath the wind；
they fell。 No longer dead…alive； now all of the blessed dead；
freed from their dreadful slavery！
Abruptly from the sparkling mists the cloud of eyes was
gone。 Faintly revealed in them were only the heads of the
Silent Ones。 And they drew before us； were before us！ No
flames now in their ebon eyesfor the flickering fires were
quenched in great tears； streaming down the marble white
faces。 They bent toward us； over us； their radiance enfolded
us。 My eyes darkened。 I could not see。 I felt a tender hand
upon my headand panic and frozen dread and nightmare
web that held me fled。
Then they； too； were gone。
Upon Larry's breast the handmaiden was sobbingsob…
bing out her heartbut this time with the joy of one who is
swept up from the very threshold of hell into paradise。
CHAPTER XXXV
〃LarryFarewell！〃
〃MY HEART； Larry〃 It was the handmaiden's murmur。
〃My heart feels like a bird that is flying from a nest of
sorrow。〃
We were pacing down the length of the bridge； guards of
the _Akka_ beside us； others following with those companies of
_ladala_ that had rushed to aid us； in front of us the bandaged
Rador swung gently within a litter； beside him； in another；
lay Nak； the frog…kingmuch less of him than there had
been before the battle began； but living。
Hours had passed since the terror I have just related。 My
first task had been to search for Throckmartin and his wife
among the fal
