the moon pool-第20章
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them stepped three figuresa youth of not more than twenty；
short； but with the great shoulders of all the males we had
seen of this race； a girl of seventeen； I judged； white…faced；
a head taller than the boy； her long； black hair dishevelled；
and behind these two a stunted； gnarled shape whose head
was sunk deep between the enormous shoulders； whose white
beard fell like that of some ancient gnome down to his waist；
and whose eyes were a white flame of hate。 The girl cast her…
self weeping at the feet of the priestess； the youth regarded
her curiously。
〃You are Songar of the Lower Waters？〃 murmured Yolara
almost caressingly。 〃And this is your daughter and her
lover？〃
The gnome nodded； the flame in his eyes leaping higher。
〃It has come to me that you three have dared blaspheme
the Shining One； its priestess； and its Voice；〃 went on Yo…
lara smoothly。 〃Also that you have called out to the three
Silent Ones。 Is it true？〃
〃Your spies have spokenand have you not already
judged us？〃 The voice of the old dwarf was bitter。
A flicker shot through the eyes of Yolara； again cold grey。
The girl reached a trembling hand out to the hem of the
priestess's veils。
〃Tell us why you did these things； Songar；〃 she said。 〃Why
you did them； knowing full well what yourrewardwould be。〃
The dwarf stiffened； he raised his withered arms； and his
eyes blazed。
〃Because evil are your thoughts and evil are your deeds；〃
he cried。 〃Yours and your lover's； there〃he levelled a
finger at Lugur。 〃Because of the Shining One you have made
evil； too； and the greater wickedness you contemplate
you and he with the Shining One。 But I tell you that your
measure of iniquity is full； the tale of your sin near ended！
Yeathe Silent Ones have been patient； but soon they will
speak。〃 He pointed at us。 〃A sign are THEYa warning
harlot！〃 He spat the word。
In Yolara's eyes； grown black； the devils leaped unrestrained。
〃Is it even so； Songar？〃 her voice caressed。 〃Now ask the
Silent Ones to help you！ They sit afarbut surely they will
hear you。〃 The sweet voice was mocking。 〃As for these two；
they shall pray to the Shining One for forgivenessand
surely the Shining One will take them to its bosom！ As for
youyou have lived long enough； Songar！ Pray to the Silent
Ones； Songar； and pass out into the nothingnessyou！〃
She dipped down into her bosom and drew forth some…
thing that resembled a small cone of tarnished silver。 She
levelled it； a covering clicked from its base； and out of it
darted a slender ray of intense green light。
It struck the old dwarf squarely over the heart； and spread
swift as light itself； covering him with a gleaming； pale film。
She clenched her hand upon the cone； and the ray disap…
peared。 She thrust the cone back into her breast and leaned
forward expectantly； so Lugur and so the other dwarfs。
From the girl came a low wail of anguish； the boy dropped
upon his knees； covering his face。
For the moment the white beard stood rigid； then the
robe that had covered him seemed to melt away； revealing
all the knotted； monstrous body。 And in that body a vibra…
tion began； increasing to incredible rapidity。 It wavered be…
fore us like a reflection in a still pond stirred by a sudden
wind。 It grew and grewto a rhythm whose rapidity was
intolerable to watch and that still chained the eyes。
The figure grew indistinct； misty。 Tiny sparks in infinite
numbers leaped from itlike； I thought； the radiant shower
of particles hurled out by radium when seen under the
microscope。 Mistier still it grewthere trembled before us
for a moment a faintly luminous shadow which held； here
and there； tiny sparkling atoms like those that pulsed in the
light about us！ The glowing shadow vanished； the sparkling
atoms were still for a momentand shot away； joining those
dancing others。
Where the gnomelike form had been but a few seconds
beforethere was nothing！
O'Keefe drew a long breath； and I was sensible of a prick…
ling along my scalp。
Yolara leaned toward us。
〃You have seen；〃 she said。 Her eyes lingered tigerishly
upon Olaf's pallid face。 〃Heed！〃 she whispered。 She turned
to the men in green； who were laughing softly among them…
selves。
〃Take these two； and go！〃 she commanded。
〃The justice of Lora；〃 said the red dwarf。 〃The justice of
Lora and the Shining One under Thanaroa！〃
Upon the utterance of the last word I saw Marakinoff start
violently。 The hand at his side made a swift； surreptitious
gesture； so fleeting that I hardly caught it。 The red dwarf
stared at the Russian； and there was amazement upon his
face。
Swiftly as Marakinoff； he returned it。
〃Yolara；〃 the red dwarf spoke； 〃it would please me to
take this man of wisdom to my own place for a time。 The
giant I would have； too。〃
The woman awoke from her brooding； nodded。
〃As you will； Lugur；〃 she said。
And as； shaken to the core； we passed out into the garden
into the full throbbing of the light； I wondered if all the tiny
sparkling diamond points that shook about us had once been
men like Songar of the Lower Watersand felt my very soul
grow sick！
CHAPTER XV
The Angry； Whispering Globe
OUR WAY led along a winding path between banked masses
of softly radiant blooms； groups of feathery ferns whose
plumes were starred with fragrant white and blue flowerets；
slender creepers swinging from the branches of the strangely
trunked trees； bearing along their threads orchid…like blos…
soms both delicately frail and gorgeously flamboyant。
The path we trod was an exquisite mosaicpastel greens
and pinks upon a soft grey base； garlands of nimbused forms
like the flaming rose of the Rosicrucians held in the mouths
of the flying serpents。 A smaller pavilion arose before us；
single…storied； front wide open。
Upon its threshold Rador paused； bowed deeply； and mo…
tioned us within。 The chamber we entered was large； closed
on two sides by screens of grey； at the back gay； concealing
curtains。 The low table of blue stone； dressed with fine white
cloths； stretched at one side flanked by the cushioned divans。
At the left was a high tripod bearing one of the rosy globes
we had seen in the house of Yolara； at the head of the table
a smaller globe similar to the whispering one。 Rador pressed
upon its base； and two other screens slid into place across
the entrance； shutting in the room。
He clapped his hands； the curtains parted； and two girls
came through them。 Tall and willow lithe； their bluish…black
hair falling in ringlets just below their white shoulders； their
clear eyes of forget…me…not blue； and skins of extraordinary
fineness and puritythey were singularly attractive。 Each
was clad in an extremely scanty bodice of silken blue； girdled
above a kirtle that came barely to their very pretty knees。
〃Food and drink；〃 ordered Rador。
They dropped back through the curtains。
〃Do you like them？〃 he asked us。
〃Some chickens！〃 said Larry。 〃They delight the heart；〃 he
translated for Rador。
The green dwarf's next remark made me gasp。
〃They are yours；〃 he said。
Before I could question him further upon this extraordi…
nary statement the pair re…entered； bearing a great platter on
which were small loaves； strange fruits； and three immense
flagons of rock crystaltwo filled with a slightly sparkling
yellow liquid and the third with a purplish drink。 I became
acutely sensible that it had been hours since I had either
eaten or drunk。 The yellow flagons were set before Larry and
me； the purple at Rador's hand。
The girls； at his signal； again withdrew。 I raised my glass
to my lips and took a deep draft。 The taste was unfamiliar
but delightful。
Almost at once my fatigue disappeared。 I realized a clarity
of mind； an interesting exhilaration and sense of irresponsi…
bility； of freedom from care； that were oddly enjoyable。
Larry became immediately his old gay self。
The green dwarf regarded us whimsically； sipping from
his great flagon of rock crystal。
〃Much do I desire to know of that world you came from；〃
he said at last〃through the rocks；〃 he added； slyly。
〃And much do we desire to know of this world of yours；
O Rador；〃 I answered。
Should I ask him of the Dweller； seek from him a clue to
Throckmartin？ Again； clearly as a spoken command； came
the warning to forbear； to wait。 And once more I obeyed。
〃Let us learn； then； from each other。〃 The dwarf was
laughing。 〃And firstare all above like youdrawn out〃
he made an expressive gesture〃and are there many of
you？〃
〃There are〃 I hesitated； and at last spoke the Polynesian
that means tens upon tens multiplied indefinitely〃there
are as many as the drops of water in the lake we saw from
the ledge where you found us；〃 I continued； 〃many as the
leaves on the trees without。 And they are all like us
varyingly。〃
He considered skeptically； I could see； my remark upon
our numbers。
〃In Muria；〃 he said at last； 〃the men are like me or like
Lugur。 Our women are as you see themlike Yolara or
those two who served you。〃 He hesitated。 〃And there is a
third； but only one。〃
Larry leaned forward eagerly。
〃Brown…haired with glints of ruddy bronze； golden…eyed；
and lovely as a dream； with long； slender； beautiful hands？〃
he cried。
〃Where saw you HER？〃 interrupted the dwarf； starting to
his feet。
〃Saw her？〃 Larry recovered himself。 〃Nay； Rador； per…
haps； I only dreamed that there was such a woman。〃
〃See to it； then； that you tell not your dream to Yolara；〃
said the dwarf grimly。 〃For her I meant and her you have
pictured is Lakla； the hand…maiden to the Silent Ones； and
neither Yolara nor Lugur； nay； nor the Shining One； love
her overmuch； stranger。〃
〃Does she dwell here？〃 Larry's face was alight。
The dwarf hesitated； glanced about him anxiously。
〃Nay；〃 he answered； 〃ask me no more of her。〃 He was
silent for a space。 〃And what do you who are as leaves or
drops of water do in that world of yours？〃 he said； plainly
bent on turning the subject。
〃Keep off the golden…eyed girl； Larry；〃 I interjected。 〃Wait
till we find out why she's tabu。〃
〃Love and battle； strive and accomplish and die； or fail and
die；〃 answered Larryto Radorgiving me a quick nod of
acquiescence to my warning in English。
〃In that at least your world and mine differ little；〃 said the
dwarf。
〃How great is this world of yours； Rador？〃 I spoke。
He considered me gravely。
〃How great indeed I do not know；〃 he said frankly at last。
〃The land where we dwell with the Shining One stretches
along the white waters for〃 He used a phrase of which I
could make nothing。 〃Beyond this city of the Shining O
