the moon pool-第35章
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it； three hundred； four hundred yards we racedand the
path ended in a _cul de sac_！ To our ears was borne a louder
shouting。
The first of the pursuing shells had swept over the lip of
the great bowl； poised for a moment as we had and then
began a cautious descent。 Within it； scanning the slopes； I
saw Lugur。
〃A little closer and I'll get him！〃 whispered Larry
viciously。 He raised his pistol。
His hand was caught in a mighty grip； Rador； eyes blaz…
ing； stood beside him。
〃No！〃 rasped the green dwarf。 He heaved a shoulder
against one of the boulders that formed the pocket。 It rocked
aside； revealing a slit。
〃In！〃 ordered he； straining against the weight of the stone。
O'Keefe slipped through。 Olaf at his back； I following。 With
a lightning leap the dwarf was beside me； the huge rock
missing him by a hair breadth as it swung into place！
We were in Cimmerian darkness。 I felt for my pocket…flash
and recalled with distress that I had left it behind with my
medicine kit when we fled from the gardens。 But Rador
seemed to need no light。
〃Grip hands！〃 he ordered。 We crept； single file； holding
to each other like children； through the black。 At last the
green dwarf paused。
〃Await me here；〃 he whispered。 〃Do not move。 And for
your livesbe silent！〃
And he was gone。
CHAPTER XXIII
Dragon Worm and Moss Death
FOR a small eternityto me at leastwe waited。 Then as
silent as ever the green dwarf returned。 〃It is well；〃 he
said； some of the strain gone from his voice。 〃Grip hands
again； and follow。〃
〃Wait a bit； Rador；〃 this was Larry。 〃Does Lugur know
this side entrance？ If he does； why not let Olaf and me go
back to the opening and pick them off as they come in？ We
could hold the lotand in the meantime you and Goodwin
could go after Lakla for help。〃
〃Lugur knows the secret of the Portalif he dare use it；〃
answered the captain； with a curious indirection。 〃And now
that they have challenged the Silent Ones I think he WILL
dare。 Also； he will find our tracksand it may be that he
knows this hidden way。〃
〃Well； for God's sake！〃 O'Keefe's appalled bewilderment
was almost ludicrous。 〃If HE knows all that； and YOU knew
all that； why didn't you let me click him when I had the chance？〃
〃_Larree_；〃 the green dwarf was oddly humble。 〃It seemed
good to me； tooat first。 And then I heard a command；
heard it clearly； to stop youthat Lugur die not now； lest a
greater vengeance fail！〃
〃Command？ From whom？〃 The Irishman's voice distilled
out of the blackness the very essence of bewilderment。
〃I thought；〃 Rador was whispering〃I thought it came
from the Silent Ones！〃
〃Superstition！〃 groaned O'Keefe in utter exasperation。
〃Always superstition！ What can you do against it！
〃Never mind； Rador。〃 His sense of humour came to his
aid。 〃It's too late now； anyway。 Where do we go from here；
old dear？〃 he laughed。
〃We tread the path of one I am not fain to meet；〃 answered
Rador。 〃But if meet we must； point the death tubes at the
pale shield he bears upon his throat and send the flame into
the flower of cold fire that is its centrenor look into his
eyes！〃
Again Larry gasped； and I with him。
〃It's getting too deep for me； Doc；〃 he muttered de…
jectedly。 〃Can you make head or tail of it？〃
〃No；〃 I answered； shortly enough； 〃but Rador fears some…
thing and that's his description of it。〃
〃Sure；〃 he replied； 〃only it's a code I don't understand。〃
I could feel his grin。 〃All right for the flower of cold fire；
Rador； and I won't look into his eyes；〃 he went on cheerfully。
〃But hadn't we better be moving？〃
〃Come！〃 said the soldier； again hand in hand we went
blindly on。
O'Keefe was muttering to himself。
〃Flower of cold fire！ Don't look into his eyes！ Some joint！
Damned superstition。〃 Then he chuckled and carolled； softly：
〃Oh； mama； pin a cold rose on me；
Two young frog…men are in love with me；
Shut my eyes so I can't see。〃
〃Sh！〃 Rador was warning； he began whispering。 〃For half
a _va_ we go along a way of death。 From its peril we pass into
another against whose dangers I can guard you。 But in part
this is in view of the roadway and it may be that Lugur will
see us。 If so； we must fight as best we can。 If we pass these
two roads safely； then is the way to the Crimson Sea clear；
nor need we fear Lugur nor any。 And there is another thing
that Lugur does not knowwhen he opens the Portal the
Silent Ones will hear and Lakla and the _Akka_ will be swift
to greet its opener。〃
〃Rador；〃 I asked； 〃how know YOU all this？〃
〃The handmaiden is my own sister's child；〃 he answered quietly。
O'Keefe drew a long breath。
〃Uncle；〃 he remarked casually in English； 〃meet the man
who's going to be your nephew！〃
cept by the avuncular title； which Rador； humorously
enough； apparently conceived to be one of respectful en…
dearment。
For me a light broke。 Plain now was the reason for his
foreknowledge of Lakla's appearance at the feast where
Larry had so narrowly escaped Yolara's spells； plain the
determining factor that had cast his lot with ours； and my
confidence； despite his discourse of mysterious perils； experi…
enced a remarkable quickening。
Speculation as to the marked differences in pigmentation
and appearance of niece and uncle was dissipated by my
consciousness that we were now moving in a dim half…light。
We were in a fairly wide tunnel。 Not far ahead the gleam
filtered； pale yellow like sunlight sifting through the leaves
of autumn poplars。 And as we drove closer to its source I
saw that it did indeed pass through a leafy screen hanging
over the passage end。 This Rador drew aside cautiously；
beckoned us and we stepped through。
It appeared to be a tunnel cut through soft green mould。
Its base was a flat strip of pathway a yard wide from which
the walls curved out in perfect cylindrical form； smoothed
and evened with utmost nicety。 Thirty feet wide they were at
their widest； then drew toward each other with no break in
their symmetry； they did not close。 Above was； roughly； a
ten…foot rift； ragged edged； through which poured light like
that in the heart of pale amber； a buttercup light shot
through with curiously evanescent bronze shadows。
〃Quick！〃 commanded Rador； uneasily； and set off at a
sharp pace。
Now； my eyes accustomed to the strange light； I saw that
the tunnel's walls were of moss。 In them I could trace fringe
leaf and curly leaf； pressings of enormous bladder caps
（Physcomitrium）； immense splashes of what seemed to be
the scarlet…crested Cladonia； traceries of huge moss veils；
crushings of teeth （peristome） gigantic； spore cases brown
and white； saffron and ivory； hot vermilions and cerulean
blues； pressed into an astounding mosaic by some titanic
force。
〃Hurry！〃 It was Rador calling。 I had lagged behind。
He quickened the pace to a half…run； we were climbing；
panting。 The amber light grew stronger； the rift above us
wider。 The tunnel curved； on the left a narrow cleft ap…
peared。 The green dwarf leaped toward it； thrust us within；
pushed us ahead of him up a steep rocky fissurewell…nigh；
indeed； a chimney。 Up and up this we scrambled until my
lungs were bursting and I thought I could climb no more。
The crevice ended； we crawled out and sank； even Rador；
upon a little leaf…carpeted clearing circled by lacy tree ferns。
Gasping； legs aching； we lay prone； relaxed； drawing back
strength and breath。 Rador was first to rise。 Thrice he bent
low as in homage； then
〃Give thanks to the Silent Onesfor their power has been
over us！〃 he exclaimed。
Dimly I wondered what he meant。 Something about the
fern leaf at which I had been staring aroused me。 I leaped to
my feet and ran to its base。 This was no fern； no！ It was fern
MOSS！ The largest of its species I had ever found in tropic
jungles had not been more than two inches high； and this
wastwenty feet！ The scientific fire I had experienced in the
tunnel returned uncontrollable。 I parted the fronds； gazed out
My outlook commanded a vista of milesand that vista！
A _Fata Morgana_ of plantdom！ A land of flowered sorcery！
Forests of tree…high mosses spangled over with blooms of
every conceivable shape and colour； cataracts and clusters；
avalanches and nets of blossoms in pastels； in dulled metal…
lics； in gorgeous flamboyant hues； some of them phosphor…
escent and shining like living jewels； some sparkling as
though with dust of opals； of sapphires； of rubies and topazes
and emeralds； thickets of convolvuli like the trumpets of the
seven archangels of Mara； king of illusion； which are shaped
from the bows of splendours arching his highest heaven！
And moss veils like banners of a marching host of Titans；
pennons and bannerets of the sunset； gonfalons of the Jinn；
webs of faery； oriflammes of elfland！
Springing up through that polychromatic flood myriads of
pediclesslender and straight as spears； or soaring in spirals；
or curving with undulations gracile as the white serpents of
Tanit in ancient Carthaginian grovesand all surmounted
by a fantasy of spore cases in shapes of minaret and turret；
domes and spires and cones； caps of Phrygia and bishops'
mitres； shapes grotesque and unnameableshapes delicate
and lovely！
They hung high poised； nodding and swayinglike gob…
lins hovering over _Titania's_ court； cacophony of Cathay ac…
centing the _Flower Maiden_ music of 〃Parsifal〃； _bizarrerie_
of the angled； fantastic beings that people the Javan pan…
theon watching a bacchanal of houris in Mohammed's para…
dise！
Down upon it all poured the amber light； dimmed in the
distances by huge； drifting darkenings lurid as the flying
mantles of the hurricane。
And through the light； like showers of jewels； myriads of
birds； darting； dipping； soaring； and still other myriads of
gigantic； shimmering butterflies。
A sound came to us； reaching out like the first faint susur…
rus of the incoming tide； sighing； sighing； growing stronger
now its mournful whispering quivered all about us； shook
usthen passing like a Presence； died away in far distances。
〃The Portal！〃 said Rador。 〃Lugur has entered！〃
He； too； parted the fronds and peered back along our
path。 Peering with him we saw the barrier through which we
had come stretching verdure…covered walls for miles three or
more away。 Like a mole burrow in a garden stretched the
trail of the tunnel； here and there we could look down
within the rift at its top； far off in it I thought I saw the glint
of spears。
〃They come！〃 whispered Rador。 〃Quick！ We must not
meet them here！〃
And then
〃Holy St。 Brigid！〃 gasped Larry。
From the rift in the
