the moon pool-第5章

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stairs。



〃Sleep　took　me　for　its　very　ownswept　me　into　the　heart

of　oblivion！



〃Dawn　was　breaking　when　I　wakened。　　Recollection　rushed

back；　I　thrust　a　panic…stricken　hand　out　toward　Edith；

touched　her　and　my　heart　gave　a　great　leap　of　thankfulness。

She　stirred；　sat　up；　rubbing　dazed　eyes。　　Stanton　lay　on　his

side；　back　toward　us；　head　in　arms。



〃Edith　looked　at　me　laughingly。　　'Heavens！　　What　sleep！'

she　said。　　Memory　came　to　her。



〃'What　happened？'　she　whispered。　　'What　made　us　sleep

like　that？'



　〃Stanton　awoke。



〃'What's　the　matter！'　he　exclaimed。　　'You　look　as　though

you've　been　seeing　ghosts。'



　〃Edith　caught　my　hands。



〃'Where's　Thora？'　she　cried。　　Before　I　could　answer　she

had　run　out　into　the　open；　calling。



〃'Thora　was　taken；'　was　all　I　could　say　to　Stanton；　'to…

gether　we　went　to　my　wife；　now　standing　beside　the　great

stone　steps；　looking　up　fearfully　at　the　gateway　into　the　ter…

races。　　There　I　told　them　what　I　had　seen　before　sleep　had

drowned　me。　　And　together　then　we　ran　up　the　stairs；　through

the　court　and　to　the　grey　rock。



〃The　slab　was　closed　as　it　had　been　the　day　before；　nor　was

there　trace　of　its　having　opened。　　No　trace？　　Even　as　I　thought

this　Edith　dropped　to　her　knees　before　it　and　reached　toward

something　lying　at　its　foot。　　It　was　a　little　piece　of　gay　silk。　　I

knew　it　for　part　of　the　kerchief　Thora　wore　about　her　hair。

She　lifted　the　fragment。　　It　had　been　cut　from　the　kerchief　as

though　by　a　razor…edge；　a　few　threads　ran　from　itdown　to…

ward　the　base　of　the　slab；　ran　on　to　the　base　of　the　grey　rock

andunder　it！



〃The　grey　rock　was　a　door！　　And　it　had　opened　and　Thora

had　passed　through　it！



〃I　think　that　for　the　next　few　minutes　we　all　were　a　little

insane。　　We　beat　upon　that　portal　with　our　hands；　with　stones

and　sticks。　　At　last　reason　came　back　to　us。



〃Goodwin；　during　the　next　two　hours　we　tried　every　way

in　our　power　to　force　entrance　through　the　slab。　　The　rock　re…

sisted　our　drills。　　We　tried　explosions　at　the　base　with　charges

covered　by　rock。　　They　made　not　the　slightest　impression　on

the　surface；　expending　their　force；　of　course；　upon　the

slighter　resistance　of　their　coverings。



〃Afternoon　found　us　hopeless。　　Night　was　coming　on　and

we　would　have　to　decide　our　course　of　action。　　I　wanted　to　go

to　Ponape　for　help。　　But　Edith　objected　that　this　would　take

hours　and　after　we　had　reached　there　it　would　be　impossible

to　persuade　our　men　to　return　with　us　that　night；　if　at　all。

What　then　was　left？　　Clearly　only　one　of　two　choices：　to　go

back　to　our　camp；　wait　for　our　men；　and　on　their　return　try

to　persuade　them　to　go　with　us　to　Nan…Tauach。　　But　this

would　mean　the　abandonment　of　Thora　for　at　least　two　days。

We　could　not　do　it；　it　would　have　been　too　cowardly。



〃The　other　choice　was　to　wait　where　we　were　for　night　to

come；　to　wait　for　the　rock　to　open　as　it　had　the　night　before；

and　to　make　a　sortie　through　it　for　Thora　before　it　could

close　again。



〃Our　path　lay　clear　before　us。　　We　had　to　spend　that　night

on　Nan…Tauach！



〃We　had；　of　course；　discussed　the　sleep　phenomena　very

fully。　　If　our　theory　that　lights；　sounds；　and　Thora's　disap…

pearance　were　linked　with　secret　religious　rites　of　the　na…

tives；　the　logical　inference　was　that　the　slumber　had　been

produced　by　them；　perhaps　by　vapoursyou　know　as　well　as

I；　what　extraordinary　knowledge　these　Pacific　peoples　have

of　such　things。　　Or　the　sleep　might　have　been　simply　a　coin…

cidence　and　produced　by　emanations　either　gaseous　or　from

plants；　natural　causes　which　had　happened　to　coincide　in

their　effects　with　the　other　manifestations。　　We　made　some

rough　and　ready　but　effective　respirators。



〃As　dusk　fell　we　looked　over　our　weapons。　　Edith　was　an

excellent　shot　with　both　rifle　and　pistol。　　We　had　decided　that

my　wife　was　to　remain　in　the　hiding…place。　　Stanton　would

take　up　a　station　on　the　far　side　of　the　stairway　and　I　would

place　myself　opposite　him　on　the　side　near　Edith。　　The　place

I　picked　out　was　less　than　two　hundred　feet　from　her；　and　I

could　reassure　myself　now　and　then　as　to　her　safety　as　it

looked　down　upon　the　hollow　wherein　she　crouched。　　From

our　respective　stations　Stanton　and　I　could　command　the

gateway　entrance。　　His　position　gave　him　also　a　glimpse　of

the　outer　courtyard。



〃A　faint　glow　in　the　sky　heralded　the　moon。　　Stanton　and　I

took　our　places。　　The　moon　dawn　increased　rapidly；　the　disk

swam　up；　and　in　a　moment　it　was　shining　in　full　radiance

upon　ruins　and　sea。



〃As　it　rose　there　came　a　curious　little　sighing　sound　from

the　inner　terrace。　　Stanton　straightened　up　and　stared　in…

tently　through　the　gateway；　rifle　ready。



〃'Stanton；　what　do　you　see？'　I　called　cautiously。　　He　waved

a　silencing　hand。　　I　turned　my　head　to　look　at　Edith。　　A　shock

ran　through　me。　　She　lay　upon　her　side。　　Her　face；　grotesque

with　its　nose　and　mouth　covered　by　the　respirator；　was

turned　full　toward　the　moon。　　She　was　again　in　deepest　sleep！



〃As　I　turned　again　to　call　to　Stanton；　my　eyes　swept　the

head　of　the　steps　and　stopped；　fascinated。　　For　the　moon…

light　had　thickened。　　It　seemed　to　becurdledthere；　and

through　it　ran　little　gleams　and　veins　of　shimmering　white

fire。　　A　languor　passed　through　me。　　It　was　not　the　ineffable

drowsiness　of　the　preceding　night。　　It　was　a　sapping　of　all　will

to　move。　　I　tried　to　cry　out　to　Stanton。　　I　had　not　even　the　will

to　move　my　lips。　　GoodwinI　could　not　even　move　my　eyes！



〃Stanton　was　in　the　range　of　my　fixed　vision。　　I　watched

him　leap　up　the　steps　and　move　toward　the　gateway。　　The

curdled　radiance　seemed　to　await　him。　　He　stepped　into　it

and　was　lost　to　my　sight。



〃For　a　dozen　heart　beats　there　was　silence。　　Then　a　rain　of

tinklings　that　set　the　pulses　racing　with　joy　and　at　once

checked　them　with　tiny　fingers　of　iceand　ringing　through

them　Stanton's　voice　from　the　courtyarda　great　crya

screamfilled　with　ecstasy　insupportable　and　horror　un…

imaginable！　　And　once　more　there　was　silence。　　I　strove　to

burst　the　bonds　that　held　me。　　I　could　not。　　Even　my　eyelids

were　fixed。　　Within　them　my　eyes；　dry　and　aching；　burned。



〃Then　GoodwinI　first　saw　theinexplicable！　　The　crys…

talline　music　swelled。　　Where　I　sat　I　could　take　in　the　gate…

way　and　its　basalt　portals；　rough　and　broken；　rising　to　the

top　of　the　wall　forty　feet　above；　shattered；　ruined　portals

unclimbable。　　From　this　gateway　an　intenser　light　began　to

flow。　　It　grew；　it　gushed；　and　out　of　it　walked　Stanton。



　〃Stanton！　　ButGod！　　What　a　vision！〃



　A　deep　tremor　shook　him。　　I　waitedwaited。











CHAPTER　V



Into　the　Moon　Pool



〃GOODWIN；〃　Throckmartin　went　on　at　last；　〃I　can　describe

him　only　as　a　thing　of　living　light。　　He　radiated　light；　was

filled　with　light；　overflowed　with　it。　　A　shining　cloud　whirled

through　and　around　him　in　radiant　swirls；　shimmering　ten…

tacles；　luminescent；　coruscating　spirals。



〃His　face　shone　with　a　rapture　too　great　to　be　borne　by

living　man；　and　was　shadowed　with　insuperable　misery。　　It

was　as　though　it　had　been　remoulded　by　the　hand　of　God　and

the　hand　of　Satan；　working　together　and　in　harmony。　　You

have　seen　that　seal　upon　my　own。　　But　you　have　never　seen

it　in　the　degree　that　Stanton　bore　it。　　The　eyes　were　wide

open　and　fixed；　as　though　upon　some　inward　vision　of　hell

and　heaven！



〃The　light　that　filled　and　surrounded　him　had　a　nucleus；　a

coresomething　shiftingly　human　shapedthat　dissolved

and　changed；　gathered　itself；　whirled　through　and　beyond

him　and　back　again。　　And　as　its　shining　nucleus　passed

through　him　Stanton's　whole　body　pulsed　radiance。　　As　the

luminescence　moved；　there　moved　above　it；　still　and　serene

always；　seven　tiny　globes　of　seven　colors；　like　seven　little

moons。



〃Then　swiftly　Stanton　was　liftedlevitatedup　the　un…

scalable　wall　and　to　its　top。　　The　glow　faded　from　the　moon…

light；　the　tinkling　music　grew　fainter。　　I　tried　again　to　move。

The　tears　were　running　down　now　from　my　rigid　lids　and

they　brought　relief　to　my　tortured　eyes。



〃I　have　said　my　gaze　was　fixed。　　It　was。　　But　from　the　side；

peripherally；　it　took　in　a　part　of　the　far　wall　of　the　outer　en…

closure。　　Ages　seemed　to　pass　and　a　radiance　stole　along　it。

Soon　drifted　into　sight　the　figure　that　was　Stanton。　　Far　away

he　wason　the　gigantic　wall。　　But　still　I　could　see　the　shin…

ing　spirals　whirling　jubilantly　around　and　through　him；　felt

rather　than　saw　his　tranced　face　beneath　the　seven　moons。

A　swirl　of　crystal　notes；　and　he　had　passed。　　And　all　the　time；

as　though　from　some　opened　well　of　light；　the　courtyard

gleamed　and　sent　out　silver　fires　that　dimmed　the　moon…

rays；　yet　seemed　strangely　to　be　a　part　of　them。



〃At　last　the　moon　neared　the　horizon。　　There　came　a　louder

burst　of　sound；　the　second；　and　last；　cry　of　Stanton；　like　an

echo　of　his　first！　　Again　the　soft　sighing　from　the　inner　ter…

race。　　Thenutter　silence！



〃The　light　faded；　the　moon　was　setting　and　with　a　rush

life　and　power　to　move　returned　to　me。　　I　made　a　leap　for　the

steps；　rushed　up　them；　through　the　gateway　and　straight　to

the　grey　rock。　　It　was　closedas　I　knew　it　would　be。　　But　did

I　dream　it　or　did　I　bear；　echoing　through　it　as　though　from

vast　distances　a　triumphant　shouting？



〃I　ran　back　to　Edith。　　At　my　touch　she　wakened；　looked

at　me　wanderingly；　raised　herself　on　a　hand。



〃'Dave！'　she　said；　'I　sleptafter　all。'　She　saw　the　despair

on　my　face　and　leaped　to　her　feet。　　'Dave！'　she　cried。　　'What

is　it？　　Where's　Charles？'



〃I　lighted　a　fire　before　I　spoke。　　Then　I　told　her。　　And　for

the　balance　of　that　night　we　sat　before　the　flames；　arms

around　each　otherlike　two　frightened　children。〃



Abruptly　Throckmartin　held　his　hands　out　to　me　appeal…

ingly。



Walter；　old　friend！〃　he　cried。　　〃Don't　look　at　me　as　though

I　were　mad。　　It's　truth；　absolute　truth。　　Wait〃　I　comforted

him　as　well　as　I　could。　　After　a　little　time　he　took　up　his　story。



〃Never；〃　he　said；　〃did　man　welcome　the　sun　as　we　did

that　morning。　　A　soon　as　it　had　risen　we　went　back　to　the

courtyard。　　The　walls　whereon　I　had　seen　Stanton　were　black

and　silent。　　The　terraces　were　as　they　had　been。　　The　grey

slab　was　in　its　place。　　In　the　shallow　hollow　at　its　base　was

nothing。　　Nothingnothing　was　there　anywhere　on　the　islet

of　Stantonnot　a　trace。



〃What　were　we　to　do？　　Precisely　the　same　arguments　that

had　kept　us　there　the　night　before　held　good　nowand

doubly　good。　　We　could　not　abandon　these　two；　could　not　go

as　long　as　there　was　the　faintest　hope　of　finding　themand

yet　for　love　of　each　other　how　could　we　remain？　　I　loved　my

wife；how　much　I　never　knew　until　that　day；　and　she　loved

me　as　deeply。



'It　takes　only　one　each　night；'　she　pleaded。　　'Beloved；　let

it　take　me。'



　〃I　wept；　Walter。　　We　both　wept。