the moon pool-第72章

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first　task　had　been　to　search　for　Throckmartin　and　his　wife

among　the　fallen　multitudes　strewn　thick　as　autumn　leaves

along　the　flying　arch　of　stone；　over　the　cavern　ledge；　and

back；　back　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。



At　last；　Lakla　and　Larry　helping；　we　found　them。　　They

lay　close　to　the　bridge…end；　not　partedlocked　tight　in　each

other's　arms；　pallid　face　to　face；　her　hair　streaming　over　his

breast！　　As　though　when　that　unearthly　life　the　Dweller　had

set　within　them　passed　away；　their　own　had　come　back　for

one　fleeting　instantand　they　had　known　each　other；　and

clasped　before　kindly　death　had　taken　them。



〃Love　is　stronger　than　all　things。〃　The　handmaiden　was

weeping　softly。　　〃Love　never　left　them。　　Love　was　stronger

than　the　Shining　One。　　And　when　its　evil　fled；　love　went　with

themwherever　souls　go。〃



Of　Stanton　and　Thora　there　was　no　trace；　nor；　after　our

discovery　of　those　other　two；　did　I　care　to　look　more。　　They

were　deadand　they　were　free。



We　buried　Throckmartin　and　Edith　beside　Olaf　in　Lakla's

bower。　　But　before　the　body　of　my　old　friend　was　placed

within　the　grave　I　gave　it　a　careful　and　sorrowful　examina…

tion。　　The　skin　was　firm　and　smooth；　but　cold；　not　the　cold　of

death；　but　with　a　chill　that　set　my　touching　fingers　tingling

unpleasantly。　　The　body　was　bloodless；　the　course　of　veins

and　arteries　marked　by　faintly　indented　white　furrows；　as

though　their　walls　had　long　collapsed。　　Lips；　mouth；　even　the

tongue；　was　paper　white。　　There　was　no　sign　of　dissolution　as

we　know　it；　no　shadow　or　stain　upon　the　marble　surface。

Whatever　the　force　that；　streaming　from　the　Dweller　or　im…

pregnating　its　lair；　had　energized　the　dead…alive；　it　was　bar…

rier　against　putrescence　of　any　kind；　that　at　least　was　certain。



But　it　was　not　barrier　against　the　poison　of　the　Medusae；

for；　our　sad　task　done；　and　looking　down　upon　the　waters；　I

saw　the　pale　forms　of　the　Dweller's　hordes　dissolving；　van…

ishing　into　the　shifting　glories　of　the　gigantic　moons　sailing

down　upon　them　from　every　quarter　of　the　Sea　of　Crimson。



While　the　frog…men；　those　late　levies　from　the　farthest　for…

ests；　were　clearing　bridge　and　ledge　of　cavern　of　the　litter　of

the　dead；　we　listened　to　a　leader　of　the　_ladala_。　　They　had　risen；

even　as　the　messenger　had　promised　Rador。　　Fierce　had　been

the　struggle　in　the　gardened　city　by　the　silver　waters　with

those　Lugur　and　Yolara　bad　left　behind　to　garrison　it。　　Deadly

had　been　the　slaughter　of　the　fair…haired；　reaping　the　har…

vest　of　hatred　they　had　been　sowing　so　long。　　Not　without

a　pang　of　regret　did　I　think　of　the　beautiful；　gaily　malicious

elfin　women　destroyedevil　though　they　may　have　been。



The　ancient　city　of　Lara　was　a　charnel。　　Of　all　the　rulers

not　twoscore　had　escaped；　and　these　into　regions　of　peril

which　to　describe　as　sanctuary　would　be　mockery。　　Nor　had

the　_ladala_　fared　so　well。　　Of　all　the　men　and　women；　for

women　as　well　as　men　had　taken　their　part　in　the　swift　war；

not　more　than　a　tenth　remained　alive。



And　the　dancing　motes　of　light　in　the　silver　air　were

thick；　thickthey　whispered。



They　told　us　of　the　Shining　One　rushing　through　the　Veil；

cometlike；　its　hosts　streaming　behind　it；　raging　with　it；　in

ranks　that　seemed　interminable！



Of　the　massacre　of　the　priests　and　priestesses　in　the　Cyclo…

pean　temple；　of　the　flashing　forth　of　the　summoning　lights　by

unseen　handsfollowed　by　the　tearing　of　the　rainbow　cur…

tain；　by　colossal　shatterings　of　the　radiant　cliffs；　the　vanish…

ing　behind　their　debris　of　all　trace　of　entrance　to　the　haunted

place　wherein　the　hordes　of　the　Shining　One　had　slaved

the　sealing　of　the　lair！



Then；　when　the　tempest　of　hate　had　ended　in　seething

Lara；　how；　thrilled　with　victory；　armed　with　the　weapons　of

those　they　had　slain；　they　had　lifted　the　Shadow；　passed

through　the　Portal；　met　and　slaughtered　the　fleeing　remnants

of　Yolara's　menonly　to　find　the　tempest　stilled　here；　too。



But　of　Marakinoff　they　had　seen　nothing！　　Had　the　Russian

escaped；　I　wondered；　or　was　he　lying　out　there　among　the

dead？



But　now　the　_ladala_　were　calling　upon　Lakla　to　come　with

them；　to　govern　them。



〃I　don't　want　to；　Larry　darlin'；〃　she　told　him。　　〃I　want　to

go　out　with　you　to　Ireland。　　But　for　a　timeI　think　the　Three

would　have　us　remain　and　set　that　place　in　order。〃



The　O'Keefe　was　bothered　about　something　else　than　the

government　of　Muria。



〃If　they've　killed　off　all　the　priests；　who's　to　marry　us；

heart　of　mine？〃　he　worried。　　〃None　of　those　Siya　and　Siyana

rites；　no　matter　what；〃　he　added　hastily。



〃Marry！〃　cried　the　handmaiden　incredulously。　　〃Marry　us？

Why；　Larry　dear；　we　ARE　married！〃



The　O'Keefe's　astonishment　was　complete；　his　jaw

dropped；　collapse　seemed　imminent。



〃We　are？〃　he　gasped。　　〃When？〃　he　stammered　fatuously。



〃Why；　when　the　Mother　drew　us　together　before　her；

when　she　put　her　hands　on　our　heads　after　we　had　made　the

promise！　　Didn't　you　understand　that？〃　asked　the　hand…

maiden　wonderingly。



He　looked　at　her；　into　the　purity　of　the　clear　golden　eyes；

into　the　purity　of　the　soul　that　gazed　out　of　them；　all　his

own　great　love　transfiguring　his　keen　face。



〃An'　is　that　enough　for　you；　_mavourneen_？〃　he　whispered

humbly。



〃Enough？〃　The　handmaiden's　puzzlement　was　complete；

profound。　　〃Enough？　　Larry　darlin'；　what　MORE　could　we　ask？〃



He　drew　a　deep　breath；　clasped　her　close。



〃Kiss　the　bride；　Doc！〃　cried　the　O'Keefe。　　And　for　the

third　and；　soul's　sorrow！　　the　last　time；　Lakla　dimpling　and

blushing；　I　thrilled　to　the　touch　of　her　soft；　sweet　lips。



Quickly　were　our　preparations　for　departure　made。　　Rador；

conscious；　his　immense　vitality　conquering　fast　his　wounds；

was　to　be　borne　ahead　of　us。　　And　when　all　was　done；　Lakla；

Larry；　and　I　made　our　way　up　to　the　scarlet　stone　that　was

the　doorway　to　the　chamber　of　the　Three。　　We　knew；　of

course；　that　they　had　gone；　following；　no　doubt；　those　whose

eyes　I　had　seen　in　the　curdled　mists；　and　who；　coming　to　the

aid　of　the　Three　at　last　from　whatever　mysterious　place　that

was　their　home；　had　thrown　their　strength　with　them　against

the　Shining　One。　　Nor　were　we　wrong。　　When　the　great　slab

rolled　away；　no　torrents　of　opalescence　came　rushing　out

upon　us。　　The　vast　dome　was　dim；　tenantless；　its　curved　walls

that　had　cascaded　Light　shone　now　but　faintly；　the　dais　was

empty；　its　wall　of　moon…flame　radiance　gone。



A　little　time　we　stood；　heads　bent；　reverent；　our　hearts

filled　with　gratitude　and　loveyes；　and　with　pity　for　that

strange　trinity　so　alien　to　us　and　yet　so　near；　children　even

as　we；　though　so　unlike　us；　of　our　same　Mother　Earth。



And　what　I　wondered　had　been　the　secret　of　that　promise

they　had　wrung　from　their　handmaiden　and　from　Larry。　　And

whence；　if　what　the　Three　had　said　had　been　all　true

whence　had　come　their　power　to　avert　the　sacrifice　at　the

very　verge　of　its　consummation？



〃Love　is　stronger　than　all　things！〃　had　said　Lakla。



Was　it　that　they　had　needed；　must　have；　the　force　which

dwells　within　love；　within　willing　sacrifice；　to　strengthen

their　own　power　and　to　enable　them　to　destroy　the　evil；

glorious　Thing　so　long　shielded　by　their　own　love？　　Did　the

thought　of　sacrifice；　the　will　toward　abnegation；　have　to　be

as　strong　as　the　eternals；　unshaken　by　faintest　thrill　of　hope；

before　the　Three　could　make　of　it　their　key　to　unlock　the

Dweller's　guard　and　strike　through　at　its　life？



Here　was　a　mysterya　mystery　indeed！　　Lakla　softly

closed　the　crimson　stone。　　The　mystery　of　the　red　dwarf's

appearance　was　explained　when　we　discovered　a　half…dozen

of　the　　water　_coria_　moored　in　a　small　cove　not　far　from

where　the　_Sekta_　flashed　their　heads　of　living　bloom。　　The

dwarfs　had　borne　the　shallops　with　them；　and　from　some…

where　beyond　the　cavern　ledge　had　launched　them　unper…

ceived；　stealing　up　to　the　farther　side　of　the　island