the moon pool-第23章
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〃Wellwe shall see；〃 she murmured。 〃You say you battle
in your world。 With what？〃
〃Oh； with this and with that；〃 answered Larry； airily。
〃We manage〃
〃Have you the KethI mean that with which I sent
Songar into the nothingness？〃 she asked swiftly。
〃See what she's driving at？〃 O'Keefe spoke to me； swiftly。
〃Well I do！ But here's where the O'Keefe lands。
〃I said；〃 he turned to her； 〃O voice of silver fire； that your
spirit is high even as your beautyand searches out men's
souls as does your loveliness their hearts。 And now listen；
Yolara； for what I speak is truth〃into his eyes came the
far…away gaze； into his voice the Irish softness〃Lo； in my
land of Ireland； this many of your life's length agonesee〃
he raised his ten fingers； clenched and unclenched them
times twenty〃the mighty men of my race； the Taitha…da…
Dainn； could send men out into the nothingness even as do
you with the Keth。 And this they did by their harpings； and
by words spokenwords of power； O Yolara； that have their
power stilland by pipings and by slaying sounds。
〃There was Cravetheen who played swift flames from his
harp； flying flames that ate those they were sent against。 And
there was Dalua； of Hy Brasil； whose pipes played away
from man and beast and all living things their shadows
and at last played them to shadows too； so that wherever
Dalua went his shadows that had been men and beast fol…
lowed like a storm of little rustling leaves； yea； and Bel the
Harper； who could make women's hearts run like wax and
men's hearts flame to ashes and whose harpings could shat…
ter strong cliffs and bow great trees to the sod〃
His eyes were bright； dream…filled； she shrank a little
from him； faint pallor under the perfect skin。
〃I say to you； Yolara； that these things were and are
in Ireland。〃 His voice rang strong。 〃And I have seen men as
many as those that are in your great chamber this many
times over〃he clenched his hands once more； perhaps a
dozen times〃blasted into nothingness before your Keth
could even have touched them。 Yeaand rocks as mighty
as those through which we came lifted up and shattered
before the lids could fall over your blue eyes。 And this is
truth； Yolaraall truth！ Stayhave you that little cone of
the Keth with which you destroyed Songar？〃
She nodded； gazing at him； fascinated； fear and puzzle…
ment contending。
〃Then use it。〃 He took a vase of crystal from the table；
placed it on the threshold that led into the garden。 〃Use it
on thisand I will show you。〃
〃I will use it upon one of the ladala〃 she began eagerly。
The exaltation dropped from him； there was a touch of
horror in the eyes he turned to her； her own dropped be…
fore it。
〃It shall be as you say；〃 she said hurriedly。 She drew the
shining cone from her breast； levelled it at the vase。 The
green ray leaped forth； spread over the crystal； but before
its action could even be begun； a flash of light shot from
O'Keefe's hand； his automatic spat and the trembling vase
flew into fragments。 As quickly as he had drawn it； he
thrust the pistol back into place and stood there empty
handed； looking at her sternly。 From the anteroom came
shouting； a rush of feet。
Yolara's face was white； her eyes strainedbut her voice
was unshaken as she called to the clamouring guards：
〃It is nothinggo to your places！〃
But when the sound of their return had ceased she stared
tensely at the Irishmanthen looked again at the shattered
vase。
〃It is true！〃 she cried； 〃but see； the Keth isalive！〃
I followed her pointing finger。 Each broken bit of the
crystal was vibrating； shaking its particles out into space。
Broken it the bullet of Larry's hadbut not released it from
the grip of the disintegrating force。 The priestess's face was
triumphant。
〃But what matters it； O shining urn of beautywhat mat…
ters it to the vase that is broken what happens to its frag…
ments？〃 asked Larry； gravelyand pointedly。
The triumph died from her face and for a space she was
silent； brooding。
〃Next；〃 whispered O'Keefe to me。 〃Lots of surprises in
the little box； keep your eye on the opening and see what
comes out。〃
We had not long to wait。 There was a sparkle of anger
about Yolara； something too of injured pride。 She clapped
her hands； whispered to the maid who answered her sum…
mons； and then sat back regarding us； maliciously。
〃You have answered me as to your strengthbut you
have not proved it； but the Keth you have answered。 Now
answer this！〃 she said。
She pointed out into the garden。 I saw a flowering branch
bend and snap as though a hand had broken itbut no hand
was there！ Saw then another and another bend and break；
a little tree sway and falland closer and closer to us came
the trail of snapping boughs while down into the garden
poured the silvery light revealingnothing！ Now a great
ewer beside a pillar rose swiftly in air and hurled itself
crashing at my feet。 Cushions close to us swirled about as
though in the vortex of a whirlwind。
And unseen hands held my arms in a mighty clutch fast
to my sides； another gripped my throat and I felt a needle…
sharp poniard point pierce my shirt； touch the skin just over
my heart！
〃Larry！〃 I cried； despairingly。 I twisted my head； saw that
he too was caught in this grip of the invisible。 But his face
was calm； even amused。
〃Keep cool； Doc！〃 he said。 〃Remembershe wants to
learn the language！〃
Now from Yolara burst chime upon chime of mocking
laughter。 She gave a commandthe hands loosened； the
poniard withdrew from my heart； suddenly as I had been
caught I was freeand unpleasantly weak and shaky。
〃Have you THAT in Ireland； Larree！〃 cried the priestess
and once more trembled with laughter。
〃A good play； Yolara。〃 His voice was as calm as his face。
〃But they did that in Ireland even before Dalua piped away
his first man's shadow。 And in Goodwin's land they make
shipscoria that go on waterso you can pass by them and
see only sea and sky； and those water coria are each of them
many times greater than this whole palace of yours。〃
But the priestess laughed on。
〃It did get me a little；〃 whispered Larry。 〃That wasn't
quite up to my mark。 But God！ If we could find that trick
out and take it back with us！〃
〃Not so； Larree！〃 Yolara gasped； through her laughter。
〃Not so！ Goodwin's cry betrayed you！〃
Her good humour had entirely returned； she was like a
mischievous child pleased over some successful trick； and
like a child she cried〃I'll show you！〃signalled again；
whispered to the maid who； quickly returning； laid before
her a long metal case。 Yolara took from her girdle something
that looked like a small pencil； pressed it and shot a thin
stream of light for all the world like an electric flash； upon
its hasp。 The lid flew open。 Out of it she drew three flat； oval
crystals； faint rose in hue。 She handed one to O'Keefe and
one to me。
〃Look！〃 she commanded； placing the third before her own
eyes。 I peered through the stone and instantly there leaped
into sight； out of thin airsix grinning dwarfs！ Each was
covered from top of head to soles of feet in a web so tenuous
that through it their bodies were plain。 The gauzy stuff
seemed to vibrateits strands to run together like quick…
silver。 I snatched the crystal from my eyes andthe chamber
was empty！ Put it backand there were the grinning six！
Yolara gave another sign and they disappeared； even from
the crystals。
〃It is what they wear； Larree；〃 explained Yolara； gra…
ciously。 〃It is something that came to us fromthe Ancient
Ones。 But we have so few〃she sighed。
〃Such treasures must be two…edged swords； Yolara；〃
commented O'Keefe。 〃For how know you that one within
them creeps not to you with hand eager to strike？〃
〃There is no danger；〃 she said indifferently。 〃I am the
keeper of them。〃
She mused for a space； then abruptly：
〃And now no more。 You two are to appear before the
Council at a certain timebut fear nothing。 You； Goodwin；
go with Rador about our city and increase your wisdom。
But you； Larree； await me here in my garden〃 she smiled
at him； provocativelymaliciously； too。 〃For shall not one
who has resisted a world of goddesses be given all chance to
worship when at last he finds his own？〃
She laughedwhole…heartedly and was gone。 And at that
moment I liked Yolara better than ever I had before and
alasbetter than ever I was to in the future。
I noted Rador standing outside the open jade door and
started to go； but O'Keefe caught me by the arm。
〃Wait a minute；〃 he urged。 〃About Golden Eyesyou
were going to tell me somethingit's been on my mind all
through that little sparring match。〃
I told him of the vision that had passed through my closing
lids。 He listened gravely and then laughed。
〃Hell of a lot of privacy in this place！〃 he grinned。 〃Ladies
who can walk through walls and others with regular invisi…
ble cloaks to let 'em flit wherever they please。 Oh； well；
don't let it get on your nerves； Doc。 Rememberevery…
thing's natural！ That robe stuff is just camouflage of course。
But Lord； if we could only get a piece of it！〃
〃The material simply admits all light…vibrations； or per…
haps curves them； just as the opacities cut them off；〃 I
answered。 〃A man under the X…ray is partly invisible； this
makes him wholly so。 He doesn't register； as the people of
the motion…picture profession say。〃
〃Camouflage；〃 repeated Larry。 〃And as for the Shining
OneSay！〃 he snorted。 〃I'd like to set the O'Keefe banshee
up against it。 I'll bet that old resourceful Irish body would
give it the first three bites and a strangle hold and wallop
it before it knew it had 'em。 Oh！ Wow！ Boy Howdy！〃
I heard him still chuckling gleefully over this vision as I
passed along the opal wall with the green dwarf。
A shell was awaiting us。 I paused before entering it to
examine the polished surface of runway and great road。 It
was obsidianvolcanic glass of pale emerald； unflawed；
translucent； with no sign of block or juncture。 I examined
the shell。
〃What makes it go？〃 I asked Rador。 At a word from him
the driver touched a concealed spring and an aperture ap…
peared beneath the control…lever； of which I have spoken
in a preceding chapter。 Within was a small cube of black
crystal； through whose sides I saw； dimly； a rapidly revolv…
ing； glowing ball； not more than two inches in diameter。
Beneath the cube was a curiously shaped； slender cylinder
winding down into the lower body of the Nautilus whorl。
〃Watch！〃 said Rador。 He motioned me into the vehicle
and took a place beside me。 The driver touched the lever； a
stream of coruscations flew from the ball down into the
cy
