the moon pool-第13章

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of　them　a　perfect　square　or　oblong　within　its　protecting

walls。



On　none　was　there　sign　of　life；　save　for　a　few　great　birds

that　hovered　here　and　there；　and　gulls　dipping　in　the　blue

waves　beyond。



We　turned　our　gaze　down　upon　the　island　on　which　we

stood。　　It　was；　I　estimated；　about　three…quarters　of　a　mile

square。　　The　sea　wall　enclosed　it。　it　was　really　an　enormous

basalt…sided　open　cube；　and　within　it　two　other　open　cubes。

The　enclosure　between　the　first　and　second　wall　was　stone

paved；　with　here　and　there　a　broken　pillar　and　long　stone

benches。　　The　hibiscus；　the　aloe　tree；　and　a　number　of　small

shrubs　had　found　place；　but　seemed　only　to　intensify　its　stark

loneliness。



〃Wonder　where　the　Russian　can　be？〃　asked　Larry。



I　shook　my　head。　　There　was　no　sign　of　life　here。　　Had

Marakinoff　goneor　had　the　Dweller　taken　him；　too？　　What…

ever　had　happened；　there　was　no　trace　of　him　below　us　or

on　any　of　the　islets　within　our　range　of　vision。　　We　scram…

bled　down　the　side　of　the　gateway。　　Olaf　looked　at　me　wist…

fully。



〃We　start　the　search　now；　Olaf；〃　I　said。　　〃And　first；

O'Keefe；　let　us　see　whether　the　grey　stone　is　really　here。

After　that　we　will　set　up　camp；　and　while　I　unpack；　you　and

Olaf　search　the　island。　　It　won't　take　long。〃



Larry　gave　a　look　at　his　service　automatic　and　grinned。

〃Lead　on；　Macduff；〃　he　said。　　We　made　our　way　up　the　steps；

through　the　outer　enclosures　and　into　the　central　square；　I

confess　to　a　fire　of　scientific　curiosity　and　eagerness　tinged

with　a　dread　that　O'Keefe's　analysis　might　be　true。　　Would

we　find　the　moving　slab　and；　if　so；　would　it　be　as　Throck…

martin　had　described？　　If　so；　then　even　Larry　would　have　to

admit　that　here　was　something　that　theories　of　gases　and

luminous　emanations　would　not　explain；　and　the　first　test　of

the　whole　amazing　story　would　be　passed。　　But　if　not



And　there　before　us；　the　faintest　tinge　of　grey　setting　it

apart　from　its　neighbouring　blocks　of　basalt；　was　the　moon

door！



There　was　no　mistaking　it。　　This　was；　in　very　deed；　the

portal　through　which　Throckmartin　had　seen　pass　that　glori…

ously　dreadful　apparition　he　called　the　Dweller。　　At　its　base

was　the　curious；　seemingly　polished　cup…like　depression

within　which；　my　lost　friend　had　told　me；　the　opening　door

swung。



What　was　that　portalmore　enigmatic　than　was　ever

sphinx？　　And　what　lay　beyond　it？　　What　did　that　smooth

stone；　whose　wan　deadness　whispered　of　ages…old　corridors

of　time　opening　out　into　alien；　unimaginable　vistas；　hide？　　It

had　cost　the　world　of　science　Throckmartin's　great　brain

as　it　had　cost　Throckmartin　those　he　loved。　　It　had　drawn　me

to　it　in　search　of　Throckmartinand　its　shadow　had　fallen

upon　the　soul　of　Olaf　the　Norseman；　and　upon　what　thou…

sands　upon　thousands　more　I　wondered；　since　the　brains

that　had　conceived　it　had　vanished　with　their　secret　knowl…

edge？



What　lay　beyond　it？



I　stretched　out　a　shaking　hand　and　touched　the　surface　of

the　slab。　　A　faint　thrill　passed　through　my　hand　and　arm；

oddly　unfamiliar　and　as　oddly　unpleasant；　as　of　electric　con…

tact　holding　the　very　essence　of　cold。　　O'Keefe；　watching；

imitated　my　action。　　As　his　fingers　rested　on　the　stone　his　face

filled　with　astonishment。



〃It's　the　door？〃　he　asked。　　I　nodded。　　There　was　a　low

whistle　from　him　and　he　pointed　up　toward　the　top　of　the

grey　stone。　　I　followed　the　gesture　and　saw；　above　the　moon

door　and　on　each　side　of　it；　two　gently　curving　bosses　of

rock；　perhaps　a　foot　in　diameter。



〃The　moon　door's　keys；〃　I　said。



〃It　begins　to　look　so；〃　answered　Larry。　　〃If　we　can　find

them；〃　he　added。



〃There's　nothing　we　can　do　till　moonrise；〃　I　replied。　　〃And

we've　none　too　much　time　to　prepare　as　it　is。　　Come！〃



A　little　later　we　were　beside　our　boat。　　We　lightered　it；

set　up　the　tent；　and　as　it　was　now　but　a　short　hour　to　sun…

down　I　bade　them　leave　me　and　make　their　search。　　They

went　off　together；　and　I　busied　myself　with　opening　some　of

the　paraphernalia　I　had　brought　with　me。



First　of　all　I　took　out　the　two　Becquerel　ray…condensers

that　I　had　bought　in　Sydney。　　Their　lenses　would　collect　and

intensify　to　the　fullest　extent　any　light　directed　upon　them。

I　had　found　them　most　useful　in　making　spectroscopic

analysis　of　luminous　vapours；　and　I　knew　that　at　Yerkes　Ob…

servatory　splendid　results　had　been　obtained　from　them　in

collecting　the　diffused　radiance　of　the　nebulae　for　the　same

purpose。



If　my　theory　of　the　grey　slab's　mechanism　were　correct；

it　was　practically　certain　that　with　the　satellite　only　a　few

nights　past　the　full　we　could　concentrate　enough　light　on

the　bosses　to　open　the　rock。　　And　as　the　ray　streams　through

the　seven　globes　described　by　Throckmartin　would　be　too

weak　to　energize　the　Pool；　we　could　enter　the　chamber　free

from　any　fear　of　encountering　its　tenant；　make　our　prelimi…

nary　observations　and　go　forth　before　the　moon　had　dropped

so　far　that　the　concentration　in　the　condensers　would　fall

below　that　necessary　to　keep　the　portal　from　closing。



I　took　out　also　a　small　spectroscope；　and　a　few　other　in…

struments　for　the　analysis　of　certain　light　manifestations　and

the　testing　of　metal　and　liquid。　　Finally；　I　put　aside　my

emergency　medical　kit。



I　had　hardly　finished　examining　and　adjusting　these　be…

fore　O'Keefe　and　Huldricksson　returned。　　They　reported

signs　of　a　camp　at　least　ten　days　old　beside　the　northern

wall　of　the　outer　court；　but　beyond　that　no　evidence　of　others

beyond　ourselves　on　Nan…Tauach。



We　prepared　supper；　ate　and　talked　a　little；　but　for　the

most　part　were　silent。　　Even　Larry's　high　spirits　were　not　in

evidence；　half　a　dozen　times　I　saw　him　take　out　his　auto…

matic　and　look　it　over。　　He　was　more　thoughtful　than　I　had

ever　seen　him。　　Once　he　went　into　the　tent；　rummaged　about

a　bit　and　brought　out　another　revolver　which；　he　said；　he

had　got　from　Da　Costa；　and　a　half…dozen　clips　of　cartridges。

He　passed　the　gun　over　to　Olaf。



At　last　a　glow　in　the　southeast　heralded　the　rising　moon。

I　picked　up　my　instruments　and　the　medical　kit；　Larry　and

Olaf　shouldered　each　a　short　ladder　that　was　part　of　my

equipment；　and；　with　our　electric　flashes　pointing　the　way；

walked　up　the　great　stairs；　through　the　enclosures；　and

straight　to　the　grey　stone。



By　this　time　the　moon　had　risen　and　its　clipped　light　shone

full　upon　the　slab。　　I　saw　faint　gleams　pass　over　it　as　of　fleet…

ing　phosphorescencebut　so　faint　were　they　that　I　could

not　be　sure　of　the　truth　of　my　observation。



We　set　the　ladders　in　place。　　Olaf　I　assigned　to　stand　be…

fore　the　door　and　watch　for　the　first　signs　of　its　opening

if　open　it　should。　　The　Becquerels　were　set　within　three…inch

tripods；　whose　feet　I　had　equipped　with　vacuum　rings　to

enable　them　to　hold　fast　to　the　rock。



I　scaled　one　ladder　and　fastened　a　condenser　over　the　boss；

descended；　sent　Larry　up　to　watch　it；　and；　ascending　the

second　ladder；　rapidly　fixed　the　other　in　its　place。　　Then；　with

O'Keefe　watchful　on　his　perch；　I　on　mine；　and　Olaf's　eyes

fixed　upon　the　moon　door；　we　began　our　vigil。　　Suddenly

there　was　an　exclamation　from　Larry。



67





MERRITT





〃Seven　little　lights　are　beginning　to　glow　on　this　stone！〃

he　cried。



But　I　had　already　seen　those　beneath　my　lens　begin　to

gleam　out　with　a　silvery　lustre。　　Swiftly　the　rays　within　the

condenser　began　to　thicken　and　increase；　and　as　they　did　so

the　seven　small　circles　waxed　like　stars　growing　out　of　the

dusk；　and　with　a　queercurdled　is　the　best　word　I　can　find

to　define　itradiance　entirely　strange　to　me。



Beneath　me　I　heard　a　faint；　sighing　murmur　and　then　the

voice　of　Huldricksson：



〃It　opensthe　stone　turns〃



I　began　to　climb　down　the　ladder。　　Again　came　Olaf's

voice：



〃The　stoneit　is　open〃　And　then　a　shriek；　a　wail　of

blended　anguish　and　pity；　of　rage　and　despairand　the

sound　of　swift　footsteps　racing　through　the　wall　beneath　me！



I　dropped　to　the　ground。　　The　moon　door　was　wide　open；

and　through　it　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　corridor　filled　with　a

faint；　pearly　vaporous　light　like　earliest　misty　dawn。　　But　of

Olaf　I　could　seenothing！　　And　even　as　I　stood；　gaping；　from

behind　me　came　the　sharp　crack　of　a　rifle；　the　glass　of　the

condenser　at　Larry's　side　flew　into　fragments；　he　dropped

swiftly　to　the　ground；　the　automatic　in　his　hand　flashed　once；

twice；　into　the　darkness。



And　the　moon　door　began　to　pivot　slowly；　slowly　back

into　its　place！



I　rushed　toward　the　turning　stone　with　the　wild　idea　of

holding　it　open。　　As　I　thrust　my　hands　against　it　there　came

at　my　back　a　snarl　and　an　oath　and　Larry　staggered　under

the　impact　of　a　body　that　had　flung　itself　straight　at　his

throat。　　He　reeled　at　the　lip　of　the　shallow　cup　at　the　base

of　the　slab；　slipped　upon　its　polished　curve；　fell　and　rolled

with　that　which　had　attacked　him；　kicking　and　writhing；

straight　through　the　narrowing　portal　into　the　passage！



Forgetting　all　else；　I　sprang　to　his　aid。　　As　I　leaped　I　felt　the

closing　edge　of　the　moon　door　graze　my　side。　　Then；　as　Larry

raised　a　fist；　brought　it　down　upon　the　temple　of　the　man

who　had　grappled　with　him　and　rose　from　the　twitching

body　unsteadily　to　his　feet；　I　heard　shuddering　past　me　a

mournful　whisper；　spun　about　as　though　some　giant's　hand

had　whirled　me



The　end　of　the　corridor　no　longer　opened　out　into　the

moonlit　square　of　ruined　Nan…Tauach。　　It　was　barred　by　a

solid　mass　of　glimmering　stone。　　The　moon　door　had　closed！



O'Keefe　took　a　stumbling　step　toward　the　barrier　behind

us。　There　was　no　mark　of　juncture　with　the　shining　walls；

the　slab　fitted　into　the　sides　as　closely　as　a　mosaic。



〃It's　shut　all　right；〃　said　Larry。　　〃But　if　there's　a　way　in；

there's　a　way　out。　　Anyway；　Doc；　we're　right　in　the　pew　we've

been　heading　forso　why　worry？〃　He　grinned　at　me　cheer…

fully。　　The　man　on　the　floor　groaned；　and　he　dropped　to　his

knees　beside　him。



〃Marakinoff！〃　he　cried。



At　my　exclamation　he　moved　aside；　turning　the　face　so　I

could　see　it。　　It　was　clearly　Russian；　and　just　as　clearly　its

possessor　was　one　of　unusual　force　and　intellect。



The　strong；　massive　brow　with　orbital　ridge　unusually　de…

veloped；　the　dominant；　high…bridged　nose；　the　straight　lips

with　their　more　than　suggestion　of　latent　cruelty；　and　the

strong　lines　of　the　jaw　beneath　a　black；　pointed　beard　all

gave　evidence　that　here　was　a　personality　beyond　the　ordi…

nary。



〃Couldn't　be　anybody　else；〃　said　Larry；　breaking　in　on

my　thoughts。　　〃He　must　have　been　watching　us　over　there

from　Chau…ta…leur's　vault　all　the　time。〃



Swiftly　he　ran　practised　hands　over　his　body；　then　stood

erect；　holding　out　to　me　two　wicked…looking　magazine　pis…

tols　and　a　knife。　　〃He　got　one　of　my　bullets　through　his　right

forearm；　too；〃　he　said。　　〃Just　a　flesh