the moon pool-第31章
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voice revealed her wrath as she answered。
〃And whence have the Silent Ones gained power to com…
mand； _choya_？〃
This last； I knew； was a very vulgar word； I had heard
Rador use it in a moment of anger to one of the serving
maids； and it meant； approximately； 〃kitchen girl；〃 〃scul…
lion。〃 Beneath the insult and the acid disdain； the blood
rushed up under Lakla's ambered ivory skin。
〃Yolara〃her voice was low〃of no use is it to question
me。 I am but the messenger of the Silent Ones。 And one
thing only am I bidden to ask youdo you deliver to me
the three strangers？〃
Lugur was on his feet； eagerness； sardonic delight； sinister
anticipation thrilling from himand my same glance
showed Marakinoff； crouched； biting his finger…nails； glaring
at the Golden Girl。
〃No！〃 Yolara spat the word。 〃No！ Now by Thanaroa and
by the Shining One； no！〃 Her eyes blazed； her nostrils were
wide； in her fair throat a little pulse beat angrily。 〃You；
Laklatake you my message to the Silent Ones。 Say to them
that I keep this man〃she pointed to Larry〃because he
is mine。 Say to them that I keep the yellow…haired one and
him〃she pointed to me〃because it pleases me。
〃Tell them that upon their mouths I place my foot； so！〃
she stamped upon the dais viciously〃and that in their
faces I spit！〃and her action was hideously snakelike。 〃And
say last to them； you handmaiden； that if YOU they dare send
to Yolara again； she will feed YOU to the Shining One！ Now
go！〃
The handmaiden's face was white。
〃Not unforeseen by the three was this； Yolara；〃 she re…
plied。 〃And did you speak as you have spoken then was I
bidden to say this to you。〃 Her voice deepened。 〃Three _tal_
have you to take counsel； Yolara。 And at the end of that
time these things must you have determinedeither to do
or not to do： first； send the strangers to the Silent Ones；
second； give up； you and Lugur and all of you； that dream
you have of conquest of the world without； and； third； for…
swear the Shining One！ And if you do not one and all these
things； then are you done； your cup of life broken； your
wine of life spilled。 Yea； Yolara； for you and the Shining
One； Lugur and the Nine and all those here and their kind
shall pass！ This say the Silent Ones； 'Surely shall all of ye
pass and be as though never had ye been！' 〃
Now a gasp of rage and fear arose from all those around
mebut the priestess threw back her head and laughed loud
and long。 Into the silver sweet chiming of her laughter
clashed that of Lugurand after a little the nobles took it
up； till the whole chamber echoed with their mirth。 O'Keefe；
lips tightening； moved toward the Handmaiden； and almost
imperceptibly； but peremptorily； she waved him back。
〃Those ARE great wordsgreat words indeed； _choya_；〃
shrilled Yolara at last； and again Lakla winced beneath the
word。 〃Lo； for _laya_ upon _laya_； the Shining One has been
freed from the Three； and for _laya_ upon _laya_ they have sat
helpless； rotting。 Now I ask you againwhence comes their
power to lay their will upon me； and whence comes their
strength to wrestle with the Shining One and the beloved of
the Shining One？〃
And again she laughedand again Lugur and all the fair…
haired joined in her laughter。
Into the eyes of Lakla I saw creep a doubt； a wavering； as
though deep within her the foundations of her own belief
were none too firm。
She hesitated； turning upon O'Keefe gaze in which rested
more than suggestion of appeal！ And Yolara saw； too； for
she flushed with triumph； stretched a finger toward the hand…
maiden。
〃Look！〃 she cried。 〃Look！ Why； even SHE does not believe！〃
Her voice grew silk of silvermerciless； cruel。 〃Now am
I minded to send another answer to the Silent Ones。
Yea！ But not by YOU； Lakla； by these〃she pointed to the
frog…men； and； swift as light； her hand darted into her
bosom； bringing forth the little shining cone of death。
But before she could level it the Golden Girl had released
that hidden left arm and thrown over her face a fold of the
metallic swathings。 Swifter than Yolara； she raised the arm
that held the vineand now I knew this was no inert blos…
soming thing。
It was alive！
It writhed down her arm； and its five rubescent flower
heads thrust out toward the priestessvibrating； quivering；
held in leash only by the light touch of the handmaiden at its
very end。
From the swelling throat pouch of the monster behind her
came a succession of the reverberant boomings。 The frog…
men wheeled； raised their lances； levelled them at the
throng。 Around the reaching ruby flowers a faint red mist
swiftly grew。
The silver cone dropped from Yolara's rigid fingers； her
eyes grew stark with horror； all her unearthly loveliness fled
from her； she stood pale…lipped。 The Handmaiden dropped
the protecting veiland now it was she who laughed。
〃It would seem； then； Yolara； that there IS a thing of the
Silent Ones ye fear！〃 she said。 〃Wellthe kiss of the _Yekta_
I promise you in return for the embrace of your Shining
One。〃
She looked at Larry； long； searchingly； and suddenly
again with all that effect of sunlight bursting into dark places；
her smile shone upon him。 She nodded； half gaily； looked
down upon me； the little merry light dancing in her eyes；
waved her hand to me。
She spoke to the giant frog…man。 He wheeled behind her
as she turned； facing the priestess； club upraised； fangs glis…
tening。 His troop moved not a jot； spears held high。 Lakla
began to pass slowlyalmost； I thought； tauntinglyand as
she reached the portal Larry leaped from the dais。
〃ALANNA！〃 he cried。 〃You'll not be leavin' me just when
I've found you！〃
In his excitement he spoke in his own tongue； the velvet
brogue appealing。 Lakla turned； contemplated O'Keefe； hesi…
tant； unquestionably longingly； irresistibly like a child mak…
ing up her mind whether she dared or dared not take a
delectable something offered her。
〃I go with you；〃 said O'Keefe； this time in her own
speech。 〃Come on； Doc！〃 He reached out a hand to me。
But now Yolara spoke。 Life and beauty had flowed back
into her face； and in the purple eyes all her hosts of devils
were gathered。
〃Do you forget what I promised you before Siya and
Siyana？ And do you think that you can leave meme
as though I were a _choya_like HER。〃 She pointed to Lakla。
Do you〃
〃Now； listen； Yolara；〃 Larry interrupted almost plain…
tively。 〃No promise has passed from me to youand why
would you hold me？〃 He passed unconsciously into English。
〃Be a good sport； Yolara；〃 he urged； 'You HAVE got a very
devil of a temper； you know； and so have I； and we'd be
really awfully uncomfortable together。 And why don't you
get rid of that devilish pet of yours； and be good！〃
She looked at him； puzzled； Marakinoff leaned over； trans…
lated to Lugur。 The red dwarf smiled maliciously； drew near
the priestess； whispered to her what was without doubt as
near as he could come in the Murian to Larry's own very
colloquial phrases。
Yolara's lips writhed。
〃Hear me； Lakla！〃 she cried。 〃Now would I not let you
take this man from me were I to dwell ten thousand _laya_
in the agony of the _Yekta's_ kiss。 This I swear to youby
Thanaroa； by my heart； and by my strengthand may my
strength wither； my heart rot in my breast； and Thanaroa
forget me if I do！〃
〃Listen； Yolara〃began O'Keefe again。
〃Be silent； you！〃 It was almost a shriek。 And her hand
again sought in her breast for the cone of rhythmic death。
Lugur touched her arm； whispered again； The glint of
guile shone in her eyes； she laughed softly； relaxed。
〃The Silent Ones； Lakla； bade you say that theyallowed
me three _tal_ to decide；〃 she said suavely。 〃Go now in
peace； Lakla； and say that Yolara has heard； and that for
the three _tal_ theyallowher she will take council。〃 The
handmaiden hesitated。
〃The Silent Ones have said it；〃 she answered at last。 〃Stay
you here； strangers〃…the long lashes drooped as her eyes
met O'Keefe's and a hint of blush was in her cheeks〃stay
you here； strangers； till then。 But； Yolara； see you on that
heart and strength you have sworn by that they come to no
harmelse that which you have invoked shall come upon
you swiftly indeedand that I promise you；〃 she added。
Their eyes met； clashed； burned into each otherblack
flame from Abaddon and golden flame from Paradise。
〃Remember！〃 said Lakla； and passed through the portal。
The gigantic frog…man boomed a thunderous note of com…
mand； his grotesque guards turned and slowly followed their
mistress； and last of all passed out the monster with the
mace。
CHAPTER XXI
Larry's Defiance
A CLAMOUR arose from all the chambers； stilled in an in…
stant by a motion of Yolara's hand。 She stood silent； regard…
ing O'Keefe with something other now than blind wrath；
something half regretful； half beseeching。 But the Irishman's
control was gone。
〃Yolara；〃his voice shook with rage； and he threw cau…
tion to the wind〃now hear ME。 I go where I will and when
I will。 Here shall we stay until the time she named is come。
And then we follow her； whether you will or not。 And if
any should have thought to stop ustell them of that flame
that shattered the vase；〃 he added grimly。
The wistfulness died out of her eyes； leaving them cold。
But no answer made she to him。
〃What Lakla has said； the Council must consider； and at
once。〃 The priestess was facing the nobles。 〃Now； friends of
mine； and friends of Lugur； must all feud； all rancour； be…
tween us end。〃 She glanced swiftly at Lugur。 〃The _ladala_
are stirring； and the Silent Ones threaten。 Yet fear notfor
are we not strong under the Shining One？ And nowleave
us。〃
Her hand dropped to the table； and she gave； evidently；
a signal； for in marched a dozen or more of the green dwarfs。
〃Take these two to their place；〃 she commanded； point…
ing to us。
The green dwarfs clustered about us。 Without another
look at the priestess O'Keefe marched beside me； between
them； from the chamber。 And it was not until we had reached
the pillared entrance that Larry spoke。
〃I hate to talk like that to a woman； Doc；〃 he said； 〃and
a pretty woman； at that。 But first she played me with a
marked deck； and then not only pinched all the chips； but
drew a gun on me。 What the hell！she nearly had me
MARRIEDto her。 I don't know what the stuff was she gave
me； but； take it from me； if I had the recipe for that brew
I could sell it for a thousand dollars a jolt at Forty…second
and Broadway。
〃One jigger of it； and you forget there is a trouble in the
world； three of them； and you forget there is a world。 No
excuse for it； Doc； and I don't care what you say or
