the moon pool-第46章

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〃Now　the　Shining　One　has　its　limitations；　even　as　we。　　Over

water　it　can　pass；　through　air　and　through　fire；　but　pass　it

cannot；　through　rock　or　metal。　　So　it　sent　a　messagehow　I

know　notto　the　_Taithu_　who　desired　it；　whispering　to　them

the　secret　of　the　Portal。　　And　when　the　time　was　ripe　they

opened　the　Portal　and　the　Shining　One　passed　through　it　to

them；　nor　would　it　return　to　the　Three　though　they　com…

manded；　and　when　they　would　have　forced　it　they　found

that　it　had　hived　and　hidden　a　knowledge　that　they　could　not

overcome。



〃Yet　by　their　arts　the　Three　could　have　shattered　the

seven　shining　orbs；　but　they　would　not　becausethey　loved；

it！



〃Those　to　whom　it　had　gone　built　for　it　that　place　I　have

shown　you；　and　they　bowed　to　it　and　drew　wisdom　from　it。

And　ever　they　turned　more　and　more　from　the　ways　in　which

the　_Taithu_　had　walkedfor　it　seemed　that　which　came　to

the　Shining　One　through　the　seven　orbs　had　less　and　less　of

good　and　more　and　more　of　the　power　you　call　evil。　　Knowl…

edge　it　gave　and　understanding；　yes；　but　not　that　which；　clear

and　serene；　lights　the　paths　of　right　wisdom；　rather　were

they　flares　pointing　the　dark　roads　that　lead　toto　the

ultimate　evil！



〃Not　all　of　the　race　of　the　Three　followed　the　counsel　of

the　Shining　One。　　There　were　many；　many；　who　would　have

none　of　it　nor　of　its　power。　　So　were　the　_Taithu_　split；　and　to

this　place　where　there　had　been　none；　came　hatred；　fear　and

suspicion。　　Those　who　pursued　the　ancient　ways　went　to　the

Three　and　pleaded　with　them　to　destroy　their　workand

they　would　not；　for　still　they　loved　it。



〃Stronger　grew　the　Dweller　and　less　and　less　did　it　lay

before　its　worshippersfor　now　so　they　had　becomethe

fruits　of　its　knowledge；　and　it　grewrestlessturning　its

gaze　upon　earth　face　even　as　it　had　turned　it　from　the　Three。

It　whispered　to　the　_Taithu_　to　take　again　the　paths　and　look

out　upon　the　world。　　Lo！　　above　them　was　a　great　fertile　land

on　which　dwelt　an　unfamiliar　race；　skilled　in　arts；　seeking

and　finding　wisdommankind！　　Mighty　builders　were　they；

vast　were　their　cities　and　huge　their　temples　of　stone。



〃They　called　their　lands　Muria　and　they　worshipped　a

god　Thanaroa　whom　they　imagined　to　be　the　maker　of　all

things；　dwelling　far　away。　　They　worshipped　as　closer　gods；

not　indifferent　but　to　be　prayed　to　and　to　be　propitiated；　the

moon　and　the　sun。　　Two　kings　they　had；　each　with　his　coun…

cil　and　his　court。　　One　was　high　priest　to　the　moon　and　the

other　high　priest　to　the　sun。



〃The　mass　of　this　people　were　black…haired；　but　the　sun

king　and　his　nobles　were　ruddy　with　hair　like　mine；　and

the　moon　king　and　his　followers　were　like　Yolaraor

Lugur。　　And　this；　the　Three　say；　Goodwin；　came　about　be…

cause　for　time　upon　time　the　law　had　been　that　whenever　a

ruddy…haired　or　ashen…tressed　child　was　born　of　the　black…

haired　it　became　dedicated　at　once　to　either　sun　god　or　moon

god；　later　wedding　and　bearing　children　only　to　their　own

kind。　　Until　at　last　from　the　black…haired　came　no　more　of　the

light…locked　ones；　but　the　ruddy　ones；　being　stronger；　still

arose　from　them。〃











CHAPTER　XXX



The　Building　of　the　Moon　Pool



SHE　PAUSED；　running　her　long　fingers　through　her　own

bronze…flecked　ringlets。　　Selective　breeding　this；　with　a　ven…

geance；　I　thought；　an　ancient　experiment　in　heredity　which

of　course　would　in　time　result　in　the　stamping　out　of　the

tendency　to　depart　from　type　that　lies　in　all　organisms；　re…

sulting；　obviously；　at　last；　in　three　fixed　forms　of　black…haired；

ruddy…haired；　and　silver…hairedbut　this；　with　a　shock　of

realization　it　came　to　me；　was　also　an　accurate　description

of　the　dark…polled　_ladala_；　their　fair…haired　rulers　and　of　the

golden…brown　tressed　Lakla！



Howquestions　began　to　stream　through　my　mind；　si…

lenced　by　the　handmaiden's　voice。



〃Above；　far；　far　above　the　abode　of　the　Shining　One；〃

she　said；　〃was　their　greatest　temple；　holding　the　shrines　both

of　sun　and　moon。　　All　about　it　were　other　temples　hidden

behind　mighty　walls；　each　enclosing　its　own　space　and

squared　and　ruled　and　standing　within　a　shallow　lake；　the

sacred　city；　the　city　of　the　gods　of　this　land〃



〃It　is　the　Nan…Matal　that　she　is　describing；〃　I　thought。



〃Out　upon　all　this　looked　the　_Taithu_　who　were　now　but

the　servants　of　the　Shining　One　as　it　had　been　the　messenger

of　the　Three；〃　she　went　on。　　〃When　they　returned　the　Shin…

ing　One　spoke　to　them；　promising　them　dominion　over　all

that　they　had　seen；　yea；　UNDER　IT　dominion　of　all　earth　itself

and　later　perhaps　of　other　earths！



〃In　the　Shining　One　had　grown　craft；　cunning；　knowledge

to　gain　that　which　it　desired。　　Therefore　it　told　its　_Taithu_

and　mayhap　told　them　truththat　not　yet　was　it　time　for

THEM　to　go　forth；　that　slowly　must　they　pass　into　that　outer

world；　for　they　had　sprung　from　heart　of　earth　and　even　it

lacked　power　to　swirl　unaided　into　and　through　the　above。

Then　it　counselled　them；　instructing　them　what　to　do。　　They

hollowed　the　chamber　wherein　first　I　saw　you；　cutting　their

way　to　it　that　path　down　which　from　it　you　sped。



〃It　revealed　to　them　that　the　force　that　is　within　moon

flame　is　kin　to　the　force　that　is　within　it；　for　the　chamber　of

its　birth　was　the　chamber　too　of　moon　birth　and　into　it　went

the　subtle　essence　and　powers　that　flow　in　that　earth　child：

and　it　taught　them　how　to　make　that　which　fills　what　you　call

the　Moon　Pool　whose　opening　is　close　behind　its　Veil　hang…

ing　upon　the　gleaming　cliffs。



〃When　this　was　done　it　taught　them　how　to　make　and　how

to　place　the　seven　lights　through　which　moon　flame　streams

into　Moon　Poolthe　seven　lights　that　are　kin　to　its　own

seven　orbs　even　as　its　fires　are　kin　to　moon　firesand　which

would　open　for　it　a　path　that　it　could　tread。　　And　all　this　the

_Taithu_　did；　working　so　secretly　that　neither　those　of　their

race　whose　faces　were　set　against　the　Shining　One　nor　the

busy　men　above　know　aught　of　it。



〃When　it　was　done　they　moved　up　the　path；　clustering

within　the　Moon　Pool　Chamber。　　Moon　flame　streamed

through　the　seven　globes；　poured　down　upon　the　pool；　they

saw　mists　arise；　embrace；　and　become　one　with　the　moon

flameand　then　up　through　Moon　Pool；　shaping　itself　within

the　mists　of　light；　whirling；　radiantthe　Shining　One！



〃Almost　free；　almost　loosed　upon　the　world　it　coveted！



〃Again　it　counselled　them；　and　they　pierced　the　passage

whose　portal　you　found　first；　set　the　fires　within　its　stones；

and　revealing　themselves　to　the　moon　king　and　his　priests

spake　to　them　even　as　the　Shining　One　had　instructed。



〃Now　was　the　moon　king　filled　with　fear　when　he　looked

upon　the　_Taithu_；　shrouded　with　protecting　mists　of　light　in

Moon　Pool　Chamber；　and　heard　their　words。　　Yet；　being

crafty；　he　thought　of　the　power　that　would　be　his　if　he

heeded　and　how　quickly　the　strength　of　the　sun　king　would

dwindle。　　So　he　and　his　made　a　pact　with　the　Shining　One's

messengers。



〃When　next　the　moon　was　round　and　poured　its　flames

down　upon　Moon　Pool；　the　_Taithu_　gathered　there　again；

watched　the　child　of　the　Three　take　shape　within　the　pillars；

speed　awayand　out！　　They　heard　a　mighty　shouting；　a

tumult　of　terror；　of　awe　and　of　worship；　a　silence；　a　vast

sighingand　they　waited；　wrapped　in　their　mists　of　light；

for　they　feared　to　follow　nor　were　they　near　the　paths　that

would　have　enabled　them　to　look　without。



〃Another　tumultand　back　came　the　Shining　One；　mur…

muring　with　joy；　pulsing；　triumphant；　and　clasped　within　its

vapours　a　man　and　woman；　ruddy…haired；　golden…eyed；　in

whose　faces　rapture　and　horror　lay　side　by　sidegloriously；

hideously。　　And　still　holding　them　it　danced　above　the　Moon

Pool　andsank！



〃Now　must　I　be　brief。　_Lat_　after　_lat_　the　Shining　One　went

forth；　returning　with　its　sacrifices。　　And　stronger　after　each

it　grewand　gayer　and　more　cruel。　　Ever　when　it　passed

with　its　prey　toward　the　pool；　the　_Taithu_　who　watched　felt

a　swift；　strong　intoxication；　a　drunkenness　of　spirit；　stream…

ing　from　it　to　them。　　And　the　Shining　One　forgot　what　it　had

promised　them　of　dominionand　in　this　new　evil　delight

they　too　forgot。



〃The　outer　land　was　torn　with　hatred　and　open　strife。

The　moon　king　and　his　kind；　through　the　guidance　of　the

evil　_Taithu_　and　the　favour　of　the　Shining　One；　had　become

powerful　and　the　sun　king　and　his　were　darkened。　　And　the

moon　priests　preached　that　the　child　of　the　Three　was　the

moon　god　itself　come　to　dwell　with　them。



〃Now　vast　tides　arose　and　when　they　withdrew　they　took

with　them　great　portions　of　this　country。　　And　the　land　itself

began　to　sink。　　Then　said　the　moon　king　that　the　moon　had

called　to　ocean　to　destroy　because　wroth　that　another　than

he　was　worshipped。　　The　people　believed　and　there　was

slaughter。　　When　it　was　over　there　was　no　more　a　sun　king

nor　any　of　the　ruddy…haired　folk；　slain　were　they；　slain　down

to　the　babe　at　breast。



〃But　still　the　tides　swept　higher；　still　dwindled　the　land！



〃As　it　shrank　multitudes　of　the　fleeing　people　were　led

through　Moon　Pool　Chamber　and　carried　here。　　They　were

what　now　are　called　the　_ladala_；　and　they　were　given　place

and　set　to　work；　and　they　thrived。　　Came　many　of　the　fair…

haired；　and　they　were　given　dwellings。　　They　sat　beside　the

evil　_Taithu_；　they　became　drunk　even　as　they　with　the　dan…

cing　of　the　Shining　One；　they　learnednot　all；　only　a　little

part　but　little　enoughof　their　arts。　　And　ever　the　Shining

One　danced　more　gaily　out　there　within　the　black　amphi…

theatre；　grew　ever　strongerand　ever　the　hordes　of　its

slaves　behind　the　Veil　increased。



〃Nor　did　the　_Taithu_　who　clung　to　the　old　ways　check　this

they　could　not。　　By　the　sinking　of　the　land　above；　their

own　spaces　were　imperilled。　　All　of　their　strength　and　all　of

their　wisdom　it　took　to　keep　this　land　from　perishing；　nor

had　they　help　from　those　others　mad　for　the　poison　of　the

Shining　One；　and　they　had　no　time　to　deal　with　them　nor

the　earth　race　with　whom　they　had　foregathered。




〃At　last　came　a　slow；　vast　flood。　　It　rolled　even　to　the

bases　of　the　walled　islets　of　the　city　of　the　godsand　within

these　now　were　all　that　were　left　of　my　people　on　earth　face。



〃I　am　of　those　people；〃　she　paused；　looking　at　me　proudly；

〃one　of　the　daughters　of　the　sun　king　whose　seed　is　still　alive

in　the　_ladala_！〃



As　Larry　opened　his　mouth　to　speak　she　waved　a　silencing　hand。



〃This　tide　did　not　recede；〃　she　went　on。　　〃And　after　a　time

the　remnant；　the　moon　king　leading　them；　joined　those　who

had　already　fled　below。　　The　rocks　became　still；　the　quakings

ceased；　and　now　those　Ancient　Ones　who　had　been　labouring

could　take　breath。　　And　anger　grew　within　them　as　they

looked　upon　the　work　of　their　evil　kin。　　Again　they　sought

the　Threeand　the　Three　now　knew　what　they　had　done　and