the moon pool-第1章
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The Moon Pool
by A。 Merritt
Foreword
The publication of the following narrative of Dr。 Walter
T。 Goodwin has been authorized by the Executive Council
of the International Association of Science。
First：
To end officially what is beginning to be called the
Throckmartin Mystery and to kill the innuendo and scan…
dalous suspicions which have threatened to stain the repu…
tations of Dr。 David Throckmartin； his youthful wife； and
equally youthful associate Dr。 Charles Stanton ever since
a tardy despatch from Melbourne； Australia； reported the
disappearance of the first from a ship sailing to that port；
and the subsequent reports of the disappearance of his wife
and associate from the camp of their expedition in the
Caroline Islands。
Second：
Because the Executive Council have concluded that Dr。
Goodwin's experiences in his wholly heroic effort to save
the three； and the lessons and warnings within those ex…
periences； are too important to humanity as a whole to be
hidden away in scientific papers understandable only to
the technically educated； or to be presented through the
newspaper press in the abridged and fragmentary form
which the space limitations of that vehicle make necessary。
For these reasons the Executive Council commissioned
Mr。 A。 Merritt to transcribe into form to be readily under…
stood by the layman the stenographic notes of Dr。 Good…
win's own report to the Council； supplemented by further
oral reminiscences and comments by Dr。 Goodwin； this
transcription； edited and censored by the Executive Coun…
cil of the Association； forms the contents of this book。
Himself a member of the Council； Dr。 Walter T。 Goodwin；
Ph。D。； F。R。G。S。 etc。； is without cavil the foremost of
American botanists； an observer of international reputa…
tion and the author of several epochal treaties upon his
chosen branch of science。 His story； amazing in the best
sense of that word as it may be； is fully supported by
proofs brought forward by him and accepted by the or…
ganization of which I have the honor to be president。 What
matter has been elided from this popular presentation
because of the excessively menacing potentialities it con…
tains； which unrestricted dissemination might developwill
be dealt with in purely scientific pamphlets of carefully
guarded circulation。
THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCIENCE
Per J。 B。 K。； President
CHAPTER I
The Thing on the Moon Path
FOR two months I had been on the d'Entrecasteaux Islands
gathering data for the concluding chapters of my book
upon the flora of the volcanic islands of the South Pacific。
The day before I had reached Port Moresby and had seen
my specimens safely stored on board the Southern Queen。
As I sat on the upper deck I thought； with homesick mind；
of the long leagues between me and Melbourne； and the
longer ones between Melbourne and New York。
It was one of Papua's yellow mornings when she shows
herself in her sombrest； most baleful mood。 The sky was
smouldering ochre。 Over the island brooded a spirit sullen；
alien； implacable； filled with the threat of latent； malefic
forces waiting to be unleashed。 It seemed an emanation out
of the untamed； sinister heart of Papua herselfsinister even
when she smiles。 And now and then； on the wind； came a
breath from virgin jungles； laden with unfamiliar odours；
mysterious and menacing。
It is on such mornings that Papua whispers to you of her
immemorial ancientness and of her power。 And； as every
white man must； I fought against her spell。 While I struggled
I saw a tall figure striding down the pier； a Kapa…Kapa boy
followed swinging a new valise。 There was something
familiar about the tall man。 As he reached the gangplank he
looked up straight into my eyes； stared for a moment； then
waved his hand。
And now I knew him。 It was Dr。 David Throckmartin
〃Throck〃 he was to me always； one of my oldest friends
and； as well； a mind of the first water whose power and
achievements were for me a constant inspiration as they
were； I know； for scores other。
Coincidentally with my recognition came a shock of sur…
prise； definitelyunpleasant。 It was Throckmartinbut
about him was something disturbingly unlike the man I
had known long so well and to whom and to whose little
party I had bidden farewell less than a month before I
myself had sailed for these seas。 He had married only a
few weeks before； Edith； the daughter of Professor William
Frazier； younger by at least a decade than he but at one
with him in his ideals and as much in love； if it were pos…
sible； as Throckmartin。 By virtue of her father's training
a wonderful assistant； by virtue of her own sweet； sound
heart aI use the word in its olden senselover。 With his
equally youthful associate Dr。 Charles Stanton and a Swed…
ish woman； Thora Halversen； who had been Edith Throck…
martin's nurse from babyhood； they had set forth for the
Nan…Matal； that extraordinary group of island ruins clus…
tered along the eastern shore of Ponape in the Carolines。
I knew that he had planned to spend at least a year
among these ruins； not only of Ponape but of Leletwin
centres of a colossal riddle of humanity； a weird flower of
civilization that blossomed ages before the seeds of Egypt
were sown； of whose arts we know little enough and of
whose science nothing。 He had carried with him unusually
complete equipment for the work he had expected to do
and which； he hoped； would be his monument。
What then had brought Throckmartin to Port Moresby；
and what was that change I had sensed in him？
Hurrying down to the lower deck I found him with the
purser。 As I spoke he turned； thrust out to me an eager
handand then I saw what was that difference that had so
moved me。 He knew； of course by my silence and involun…
tary shrinking the shock my closer look had given me。 His
eyes filled； he turned brusquely from the purser； hesitated
then hurried off to his stateroom。
〃'E looks rather queereh？〃 said the purser。 〃Know 'im
well； sir？ Seems to 'ave given you quite a start。〃
I made some reply and went slowly up to my chair。 There
I sat； composed my mind and tried to define what it was
that had shaken me so。 Now it came to me。 The old
Throckmartin was on the eve of his venture just turned
forty； lithe； erect； muscular； his controlling expression one
of enthusiasm； of intellectual keenness； ofwhat shall I say
expectant search。 His always questioning brain had
stamped its vigor upon his face。
But the Throckmartin I had seen below was one who had
borne some scaring shock of mingled rapture and horror；
some soul cataclysm that in its climax had remoulded；
deep from within； his face； setting on it seal of wedded
ecstasy and despair； as though indeed these two had come
to him hand in hand； taken possession of him and departing
left behind； ineradicably； their linked shadows！
Yesit was that which appalled。 For how could rapture
and horror； Heaven and Hell mix； clasp handskiss？
Yet these were what in closest embrace lay on Throck…
martin's face！
Deep in thought； subconsciously with relief； I watched
the shore line sink behind； welcomed the touch of the wind
of the free seas。 I had hoped； and within the hope was an
inexplicable shrinking that I would meet Throckmartin at
lunch。 He did not come down； and I was sensible of de…
liverance within my disappointment。 All that afternoon I
lounged about uneasily but still he kept to his cabinand
within me was no strength to summon him。 Nor did he
appear at dinner。
Dusk and night fell swiftly。 I was warm and went back to
my deck…chair。 The Southern Queen was rolling to a dis…
quieting swell and I had the place to myself。
Over the heavens was a canopy of cloud； glowing faintly
and testifying to the moon riding behind it。 There was much
phosphorescence。 Fitfully before the ship and at her sides
arose those stranger little swirls of mist that swirl up from
the Southern Ocean like breath of sea monsters； whirl for an
instant and disappear。
Suddenly the deck door opened and through it came
Throckmartin。 He paused uncertainly； looked up at the sky
with a curiously eager； intent gaze； hesitated； then closed
the door behind him。
〃Throck；〃 I called。 〃Come！ It's Goodwin。〃
He made his way to me。
〃Throck；〃 I said； wasting no time in preliminaries。
〃What's wrong？ Can I help you？〃
I felt his body grow tense。
〃I'm going to Melbourne； Goodwin；〃 he answered。 〃I
need a few thingsneed them urgently。 And more men
white men〃
He stopped abruptly； rose from his chair； gazed intently
toward the north。 I followed his gaze。 Far； far away the
moon had broken through the clouds。 Almost on the hori…
zon； you could see the faint luminescence of it upon the
smooth sea。 The distant patch of light quivered and shook。
The clouds thickened again and it was gone。 The ship raced
on southward； swiftly。
Throckmartin dropped into his chair。 He lighted a cigar…
ette with a hand that trembled； then turned to me with
abrupt resolution。
〃Goodwin；〃 he said。 〃I do need help。 If ever man needed
it； I do。 Goodwincan you imagine yourself in another
world； alien； unfamiliar； a world of terror； whose unknown
joy is its greatest terror of all； you all alone there； a
stranger！ As such a man would need help； so I need〃
He paused abruptly and arose； the cigarette dropped from
his fingers。 The moon had again broken through the clouds；
and this time much nearer。 Not a mile away was the patch
of light that it threw upon the waves。 Back of it； to the rim
of the sea was a lane of moonlight； a gigantic gleaming ser…
pent racing over the edge of the world straight and surely
toward the ship。
Throckmartin stiffened to it as a pointer does to a hidden
covey。 To me from him pulsed a thrill of horrorbut
horror tinged with an unfamiliar； an infernal joy。 It came
to me and passed awayleaving me trembling with its
shock of bitter sweet。
He bent forward； all his soul in his eyes。 The moon path
swept closer； closer still。 It was now less than half a mile
away。 From it the ship fledalmost as though pursued。
Down upon it； swift and straight； a radiant torrent cleaving
the waves； raced the moon stream。
〃Good God！〃 breathed Throckmartin； and if ever the
words were a prayer and an invocation they were。
And then； for the first timeI sawIT！
The moon path stretched to the horizon and was bor…
dered by darkness。 It was as though the clouds above had
been parted to form a lane…drawn aside like curtains or as
the waters of the Red Sea were held back to let the hosts
of Israel through。 On each side of the stream was the black
shadow cast by the fol
