the moon pool-第17章
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glowing green in the far…flung nebulaegreen as that we had
just passed throughand that we call nebulium？ Yet the sun
is child of the nebulae as the earth is child of the sun and
the moon is child of the earth。
And what miracles are there in coronium and nebulium
which； as the child of nebula and sun； we inherit？ Yesand
in Tycho's enigma which came from earth heart？
We were flashing down to earth heart！ And what miracles
were hidden there？
CHAPTER XII
The End of the Journey
〃SAY DOC！〃 It was Larry's voice flung back at me。 〃I was
thinking about that frog。 I think it was her pet。 Damn me
if I see any difference between a frog and a snake； and one
of the nicest women I ever knew had two pet pythons that
followed her around like kittens。 Not such a devilish lot of
choice between a frog and a snakeexcept on the side of
the frog？ What？ Anyway； any pet that girl wants is hers；
I don't care if it's a leaping twelve…toed lobster or a whale…
bodied scorpion。 Get me？〃
By which I knew that our remarks upon the frog woman
were still bothering O'Keefe。
〃He thinks of foolish nothings like the foolish sailor！〃
grunted Marakinoff； acid contempt in his words。 〃What are
their women tothis？〃 He swept out a hand and as though
at a signal the car poised itself for an instant； then dipped；
literally dipped down into sheer space； skimmed forward in
what was clearly curved flight； rose as upon a sweeping up…
grade and then began swiftly to slacken its fearful speed。
Far ahead a point of light showed； grew steadily； we were
within itand softly all movement ceased。 How acute had
been the strain of our journey I did not realize until I tried
to standand sank back； leg…muscles too shaky to bear my
weight。 The car rested in a slit in the centre of a smooth
walled chamber perhaps twenty feet square。 The wall facing
us was pierced by a low doorway through which we could
see a flight of steps leading downward。
The light streamed through a small opening； the base of
which was twice a tall man's height from the floor。 A curving
flight of broad； low steps led up to it。 And now it came to my
steadying brain that there was something puzzling； peculiar；
strangely unfamiliar about this light。 It was silvery； shaded
faintly with a delicate blue and flushed lightly with a nacre…
ous rose； but a rose that differed from that of the terraces of
the Pool Chamber as the rose within the opal differs from
that within the pearl。 In it were tiny； gleaming points like
the motes in a sunbeam； but sparkling white like the dust of
diamonds； and with a quality of vibrant vitality； they were
as though they were alive。 The light cast no shadows！
A little breeze came through the oval and played about us。
It was laden with what seemed the mingled breath of spice
flowers and pines。 It was curiously vivifying； and in it the
diamonded atoms of light shook and danced。
I stepped out of the car； the Russian following； and began
to ascend the curved steps toward the opening； at the top of
which O'Keefe and Olaf already stood。 As they looked out I
saw both their faces changeOlaf's with awe； O'Keefe's
with incredulous amaze。 I hurried to their side。
At first all that I could see was spacea space filled with
the same coruscating effulgence that pulsed about me。 I
glanced upward； obeying that instinctive impulse of earth
folk that bids them seek within the sky for sources of light。
There was no skyat least no sky such as we knowall
was a sparkling nebulosity rising into infinite distances as the
azure above the day…world seems to fill all the heavens
through it ran pulsing waves and flashing javelin rays that
were like shining shadows of the aurora； echoes； octaves
lower； of those brilliant arpeggios and chords that play about
the poles。 My eyes fell beneath its splendour； I stared out…
ward。
Miles away； gigantic luminous cliffs sprang sheer from
the limits of a lake whose waters were of milky opalescence。
It was from these cliffs that the spangled radiance came；
shimmering out from all their lustrous surfaces。 To left and
to right； as far as the eye could see； they stretchedand
they vanished in the auroral nebulosity on high！
〃Look at that！〃 exclaimed Larry。 I followed his pointing
finger。 On the face of the shining wall； stretched between two
colossal columns； hung an incredible veil； prismatic； gleam…
ing with all the colours of the spectrum。 It was like a web
of rainbows woven by the fingers of the daughters of the
Jinn。 In front of it and a little at each side was a semi…circular
pier； or； better； a plaza of what appeared to be glistening；
pale…yellow ivory。 At each end of its half…circle clustered a
few low…walled； rose…stone structures； each of them sur…
mounted by a number of high； slender pinnacles。
We looked at each other； I think； a bit helplesslyand
back again through the opening。 We were standing； as I have
said； at its base。 The wall in which it was set was at least ten
feet thick； and so； of course； all that we could see of that
which was without were the distances that revealed them…
selves above the outer ledge of the oval。
〃Let's take a look at what's under us；〃 said Larry。
He crept out upon the ledge and peered down； the rest of
us following。 A hundred yards beneath us stretched gardens
that must have been like those of many…columned Iram；
which the ancient Addite King had built for his pleasure ages
before the deluge； and which Allah； so the Arab legend tells；
took and hid from man； within the Sahara； beyond all hope of
findingjealous because they were more beautiful than his
in paradise。 Within them flowers and groves of laced； fern…
like trees； pillared pavilions nestled。
The trunks of the trees were of emerald； of vermilion； and
of azure…blue； and the blossoms； whose fragrance was borne
to us； shone like jewels。 The graceful pillars were tinted
delicately。 I noted that the pavilions were doublein a way；
two…storiedand that they were oddly splotched with circles；
with squares； and with oblongs ofopacity； noted too that
over many this opacity stretched like a roof； yet it did not
seem material； rather was itimpenetrable shadow！
Down through this city of gardens ran a broad shining
green thoroughfare； glistening like glass and spanned at reg…
ular intervals with graceful； arched bridges。 The road flashed
to a wide square； where rose； from a base of that same silvery
stone that formed the lip of the Moon Pool； a titanic struc…
ture of seven terraces； and along it flitted objects that bore
a curious resemblance to the shell of the Nautilus。 Within
them werehuman figures！ And upon tree…bordered prome…
nades on each side walked others！
Far to the right we caught the glint of another emerald…
paved road。
And between the two the gardens grew sweetly down to
the hither side of that opalescent water across which were
the radiant cliffs and the curtain of mystery。
Thus it was that we first saw the city of the Dweller；
blessed and accursed as no place on earth； or under or above
earth has ever beenor； that force willing which some call
God； ever again shall be！
〃Chert！〃 whispered Marakinoff。 〃Incredible！〃
〃Trolldom！〃 gasped Olaf Huldricksson。 〃It is Trolldom！〃
〃Listen； Olaf！〃 said Larry。 〃Cut out that Trolldom stuff！
There's no Trolldom； or fairies； outside Ireland。 Get that！
And this isn't Ireland。 And； buck up； Professor！〃 This to
Marakinoff。 〃What you see down there are peopleJUST PLAIN
PEOPLE。 And wherever there's people is where I live。 Get me？
〃There's no way in but inand no way out but out；〃 said
O'Keefe。 〃And there's the stairway。 Eggs are eggs no matter
how they're cookedand people are just people； fellow
travellers； no matter what dish they are in；〃 he concluded。
〃Come on！〃
With the three of us close behind him； he marched toward
the entrance。
CHAPTER XIII
Yolara； Priestess of the Shining One
〃YOU'D better have this handy； Doc。〃 O'Keefe paused at the
head of the stairway and handed me one of the automatics
he had taken from Marakinoff。
〃Shall I not have one also？〃 rather anxiously asked the
latter。
〃When you need it you'll get it；〃 answered O'Keefe。 〃I'll
tell you frankly； though； Professor； that you'll have to show
me before I trust you with a gun。 You shoot too straight
from cover。〃
The flash of anger in the Russian's eyes turned to a cold
consideration。
〃You say always just what is in your mind； Lieutenant
O'Keefe；〃 he mused。 〃Dathat I shall remember！〃 Later I
was to recall this odd observationand Marakinoff was to
remember indeed。
In single file； O'Keefe at the head and Olaf bringing up
the rear； we passed through the portal。 Before us dropped a
circular shaft； into which the light from the chamber of the
oval streamed liquidly； set in its sides the steps spiralled； and
down them we went； cautiously。 The stairway ended in a
circular well； silentwith no trace of exit！ The rounded
stones joined each other evenlyhermetically。 Carved on
one of the slabs was one of the five flowered vines。 I pressed
my fingers upon the calyxes； even as Larry had within the
Moon Chamber。
A crackhorizontal； four feet wideappeared on the
wall； widened； and as the sinking slab that made it dropped
to the level of our eyes； we looked through a hundred…feet…
long rift in the living rock！ The stone fell steadilyand we
saw that it was a Cyclopean wedge set within the slit of the
passageway。 It reached the level of our feet and stopped。 At
the far end of this tunnel； whose floor was the polished rock
that had； a moment before； fitted hermetically into its roof；
was a low； narrow triangular opening through which light
streamed。
〃Nowhere to go but out！〃 grinned Larry。 〃And I'll bet
Golden Eyes is waiting for us with a taxi！〃 He stepped for…
ward。 We followed； slipping； sliding along the glassy surface；
and I； for one； had a lively apprehension of what our fate
would be should that enormous mass rise before we had
emerged！ We reached the end； crept out of the narrow tri…
angle that was its exit。
We stood upon a wide ledge carpeted with a thick yellow
moss。 I looked behindand clutched O'Keefe's arm。 The
door through which we had come had vanished！ There was
only a precipice of pale rock； on whose surfaces great patches
of the amber moss hung； around whose base our ledge ran；
and whose summits； if summits it had； were hidden； like the
luminous cliffs； in the radiance above us。
〃Nowhere to go but aheadand Golden Eyes hasn't kept
her date！〃 laughed O'Keefebut somewhat grimly。
We walked a few yards along the ledge and； rounding a
corner； faced the end of one of the slender bridges。 From this
vantage
