the moon pool-第53章

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of　Yolara's　menonly　to　find　the　tempest　stilled　here；　too。



But　of　Marakinoff　they　had　seen　nothing！　　Had　the　Russian

escaped；　I　wondered；　or　was　he　lying　out　there　among　the

dead？



But　now　the　_ladala_　were　calling　upon　Lakla　to　come　with

them；　to　govern　them。



〃I　don't　want　to；　Larry　darlin'；〃　she　told　him。　　〃I　want　to

go　out　with　you　to　Ireland。　　But　for　a　timeI　think　the　Three

would　have　us　remain　and　set　that　place　in　order。〃



The　O'Keefe　was　bothered　about　something　else　than　the

government　of　Muria。



〃If　they've　killed　off　all　the　priests；　who's　to　marry　us；

heart　of　mine？〃　he　worried。　　〃None　of　those　Siya　and　Siyana

rites；　no　matter　what；〃　he　added　hastily。



〃Marry！〃　cried　the　handmaiden　incredulously。　　〃Marry　us？

Why；　Larry　dear；　we　ARE　married！〃



The　O'Keefe's　astonishment　was　complete；　his　jaw

dropped；　collapse　seemed　imminent。



〃We　are？〃　he　gasped。　　〃When？〃　he　stammered　fatuously。



〃Why；　when　the　Mother　drew　us　together　before　her；

when　she　put　her　hands　on　our　heads　after　we　had　made　the

promise！　　Didn't　you　understand　that？〃　asked　the　hand…

maiden　wonderingly。



He　looked　at　her；　into　the　purity　of　the　clear　golden　eyes；

into　the　purity　of　the　soul　that　gazed　out　of　them；　all　his

own　great　love　transfiguring　his　keen　face。



〃An'　is　that　enough　for　you；　_mavourneen_？〃　he　whispered

humbly。



〃Enough？〃　The　handmaiden's　puzzlement　was　complete；

profound。　　〃Enough？　　Larry　darlin'；　what　MORE　could　we　ask？〃



He　drew　a　deep　breath；　clasped　her　close。



〃Kiss　the　bride；　Doc！〃　cried　the　O'Keefe。　　And　for　the

third　and；　soul's　sorrow！　　the　last　time；　Lakla　dimpling　and

blushing；　I　thrilled　to　the　touch　of　her　soft；　sweet　lips。



Quickly　were　our　preparations　for　departure　made。　　Rador；

conscious；　his　immense　vitality　conquering　fast　his　wounds；

was　to　be　borne　ahead　of　us。　　And　when　all　was　done；　Lakla；

Larry；　and　I　made　our　way　up　to　the　scarlet　stone　that　was

the　doorway　to　the　chamber　of　the　Three。　　We　knew；　of

course；　that　they　had　gone；　following；　no　doubt；　those　whose

eyes　I　had　seen　in　the　curdled　mists；　and　who；　coming　to　the

aid　of　the　Three　at　last　from　whatever　mysterious　place　that

was　their　home；　had　thrown　their　strength　with　them　against

the　Shining　One。　　Nor　were　we　wrong。　　When　the　great　slab

rolled　away；　no　torrents　of　opalescence　came　rushing　out

upon　us。　　The　vast　dome　was　dim；　tenantless；　its　curved　walls

that　had　cascaded　Light　shone　now　but　faintly；　the　dais　was

empty；　its　wall　of　moon…flame　radiance　gone。



A　little　time　we　stood；　heads　bent；　reverent；　our　hearts

filled　with　gratitude　and　loveyes；　and　with　pity　for　that

strange　trinity　so　alien　to　us　and　yet　so　near；　children　even

as　we；　though　so　unlike　us；　of　our　same　Mother　Earth。



And　what　I　wondered　had　been　the　secret　of　that　promise

they　had　wrung　from　their　handmaiden　and　from　Larry。　　And

whence；　if　what　the　Three　had　said　had　been　all　true

whence　had　come　their　power　to　avert　the　sacrifice　at　the

very　verge　of　its　consummation？



〃Love　is　stronger　than　all　things！〃　had　said　Lakla。



Was　it　that　they　had　needed；　must　have；　the　force　which

dwells　within　love；　within　willing　sacrifice；　to　strengthen

their　own　power　and　to　enable　them　to　destroy　the　evil；

glorious　Thing　so　long　shielded　by　their　own　love？　　Did　the

thought　of　sacrifice；　the　will　toward　abnegation；　have　to　be

as　strong　as　the　eternals；　unshaken　by　faintest　thrill　of　hope；

before　the　Three　could　make　of　it　their　key　to　unlock　the

Dweller's　guard　and　strike　through　at　its　life？



Here　was　a　mysterya　mystery　indeed！　　Lakla　softly

closed　the　crimson　stone。　　The　mystery　of　the　red　dwarf's

appearance　was　explained　when　we　discovered　a　half…dozen

of　the　　water　_coria_　moored　in　a　small　cove　not　far　from

where　the　_Sekta_　flashed　their　heads　of　living　bloom。　　The

dwarfs　had　borne　the　shallops　with　them；　and　from　some…

where　beyond　the　cavern　ledge　had　launched　them　unper…

ceived；　stealing　up　to　the　farther　side　of　the　island　and　risk…

ing　all　in　one　bold　stroke。　　Well；　Lugur；　no　matter　what　he

held　of　wickedness；　held　also　high　courage。



The　cavern　was　paved　with　the　dead…alive；　the　_Akka_　car…

rying　them　out　by　the　hundreds；　casting　them　into　the　waters。

Through　the　lane　down　which　the　Dweller　had　passed　we

went　as　quickly　as　we　could；　coming　at　last　to　the　space

where　the　_coria_　waited。　　And　not　long　after　we　swung　past

where　the　shadow　had　hung　and　hovered　over　the　shining

depths　of　the　Midnight　Pool。



Upon　Lakla's　insistence　we　passed　on　to　the　palace　of

Lugur；　not　to　Yolara'sI　do　not　know　why；　but　go　there

then　she　would　not。　　And　within　one　of　its　columned　rooms；

maidens　of　the　black…haired　folks；　the　wistfulness；　the　fear；

all　gone　from　their　sparkling　eyes；　served　us。



There　came　to　me　a　huge　desire　to　see　the　destruction

they　had　told　us　of　the　Dweller's　lair；　to　observe　for　myself

whether　it　was　not　possible　to　make　a　way　of　entrance　and

to　study　its　mysteries。



I　spoke　of　this；　and　to　my　surprise　both　the　handmaiden

and　the　O'Keefe　showed　an　almost　embarrassed　haste　to

acquiesce　in　my　hesitant　suggestion。



〃Sure；〃　cried　Larry；　〃there's　lots　of　time　before　night！〃



He　caught　himself　sheepishly；　cast　a　glance　at　Lakla。



〃I　keep　forgettin'　there's　no　night　here；〃　he　mumbled。



〃What　did　you　say；　Larry？〃　asked　she。



〃I　said　I　wish　we　were　sitting　in　our　home　in　Ireland；

watching　the　sun　go　down；〃　he　whispered　to　her。　　Vaguely　I

wondered　why　she　blushed。



But　now　I　must　hasten。　　We　went　to　the　temple；　and　here

at　least　the　ghastly　litter　of　the　dead　had　been　cleaned　away。

We　passed　through　the　blue…caverned　space；　crossed　the

narrow　arch　that　spanned　the　rushing　sea　stream；　and；　as…

cending；　stood　again　upon　the　ivoried　pave　at　the　foot　of　the

frowning；　towering　amphitheatre　of　jet。



Across　the　Silver　Waters　there　was　sign　of　neither　Web　of

Rainbows　nor　colossal　pillars　nor　the　templed　lips　that　I　had

seen　curving　out　beneath　the　Veil　when　the　Shining　One

had　swirled　out　to　greet　its　priestess　and　its　voice　and　to

dance　with　the　sacrifices。　　There　was　but　a　broken　and　rent

mass　of　the　radiant　cliffs　against　whose　base　the　lake　lapped。



Long　I　lookedand　turned　away　saddened。　　Knowing　even

as　I　did　what　the　irised　curtain　had　hidden；　still　it　was　as

though　some　thing　of　supernal　beauty　and　wonder　had　been

swept　away；　never　to　be　replaced；　a　glamour　gone　for　ever；

a　work　of　the　high　gods　destroyed。



〃Let's　go　back；〃　said　Larry　abruptly。



I　dropped　a　little　behind　them　to　examine　a　bit　of　carving

and；　after　all；　they　did　not　want　me。　　I　watched　them　pacing

slowly　ahead；　his　arm　around　her；　black　hair　close　to　bronze…

gold　ringlets。　　Then　I　followed。　　Half　were　they　over　the

bridge　when　through　the　roar　of　the　imprisoned　stream　I

heard　my　name　called　softly。



〃Goodwin！　　Dr。　Goodwin！〃



Amazed；　I　turned。　　From　behind　the　pedestal　of　a　carved

group　slunkMarakinoff！　　My　premonition　had　been　right。

Some　way　he　had　escaped；　slipped　through　to　here。　　He　held

his　hands　high；　came　forward　cautiously。



〃I　am　finished；〃　he　whispered〃Done！　　I　don't　care　what

THEY'LL　do　to　me。〃　He　nodded　toward　the　handmaiden　and

Larry；　now　at　the　end　of　the　bridge　and　passing　on；　oblivious

of　all　save　each　other。　　He　drew　closer。　　His　eyes　were　sunken；

burning；　mad；　his　face　etched　with　deep　lines；　as　though　a

graver's　tool　had　cut　down　through　it。　　I　took　a　step　back…

ward。



A　grin；　like　the　grimace　of　a　fiend；　blasted　the　Russian's

visage。　　He　threw　himself　upon　me；　his　hands　clenching　at

my　throat！



〃Larry！〃　I　yelledand　as　I　spun　around　under　the　shock

of　his　onslaught；　saw　the　two　turn；　stand　paralyzed；　then　race

toward　me。



〃But　YOU'LL　carry　nothing　out　of　here！〃　shrieked　Marakinoff。　　〃No！〃



My　foot；　darting　out　behind　me；　touched　vacancy。　　The

roaring　of　the　racing　stream　deafened　me。　　I　felt　its　mists

about　me；　threw　myself　forward。



I　was　fallingfallingwith　the　Russian's　hand　strangling

me。　I　struck　water；　sank；　the　hands　that　gripped　my　throat

relaxed　for　a　moment　their　clutch。　　I　strove　to　writhe　loose；

felt　that　I　was　being　hurled　with　dreadful　speed　onfull

realization　cameon　the　breast　of　that　racing　torrent　drop…

ping　from　some　far　ocean　cleft　and　rushingwhere？　　A　little

time；　a　few　breathless　instants；　I　struggled　with　the　devil　who

clutched　meinflexibly；　indomitably。



Then　a　shrieking　as　of　all　the　pent　winds　of　the　universe

in　my　earsblackness！



Consciousness　returned　slowly；　agonizedly。



〃Larry！〃　I　groaned。　　〃Lakla！〃



A　brilliant　light　was　glowing　through　my　closed　lids。　　It

hurt。　　I　opened　my　eyes；　closed　them　with　swords　and　needles

of　dazzling　pain　shooting　through　them。　　Again　I　opened

them　cautiously。　　It　was　the　sun！



I　staggered　to　my　feet。　　Behind　me　was　a　shattered　wall　of

basalt　monoliths；　hewn　and　squared。　　Before　me　was　the　Pa…

cific；　smooth　and　blue　and　smiling。



And　not　far　away；　cast　up　on　the　strand　even　as　I　had

been；　wasMarakinoff！



He　lay　there；　broken　and　dead　indeed。　　Yet　all　the　waters

through　which　we　had　passednot　even　the　waters　of　death

themselvescould　wash　from　his　face　the　grin　of　triumph。

With　the　last　of　my　strength　I　dragged　the　body　from　the

strand　and　pushed　it　out　into　the　waves。　　A　little　billow　ran

up；　coiled　about　it；　and　carried　it　away；　ducking　and　bend…

ing。　　Another　seized　it；　and　another；　playing　with　it。　　It　floated

from　my　sightthat　which　had　been　Marakinoff；　with　all　his

schemes　to　turn　our　fair　world　into　an　undreamed…of…hell。



My　strength　began　to　come　back　to　me。　　I　found　a　thicket

and　slept；　slept　it　must　have　been　for　many　hours；　for　when

I　again　awakened　the　dawn　was　rosing　the　east。　　I　will　not　tell

my　sufferings。　　Suffice　it　to　say　that　I　found　a　spring　and　some

fruit；　and　just　before　dusk　had　recovered　enough　to　writhe

up　to　the　top　of　the　wall　and　discover　where　I　was。



The　place　was　one　of　the　farther　islets　of　the　Nan…Matal。

To　the　north　I　caught　the　shadows　of　the　ruins　of　Nan…

Tauach；　where　was　the　moon　door；　black　against　the　sky。

Where　was　the　moon　doorwhich；　someway；　somehow；　I

must　reach；　and　quickly。



At　dawn　of　the　next　day　I　got　together　driftwood　and

bound　it　together　in　shape　of　a　rough　raft　with　fallen　creep…

ers。　　Then；　with　a　makeshift　paddle；　I　set　forth　for　Nan…

Tauach。　　Slowly；　painfully；　I　crept　up　to　it。　　It　was　late　after…

noon　before　I　grounded　my　shaky　craft　on　the　little　beach

between　the　ruined　sea…gates　and；　creeping　up　the　giant　steps；

made　my　way　to　the　inner　enclosure。



And　at　its　opening　I　stopped；　and　the　tears　ran　streaming

down　my　cheeks　while　I　wept　aloud　with　sorrow　and　with

disappointment　and　with　weariness。



For　the　great　wall　in　which　had　been　set　the　pale　slab

whose　threshold　we　had　c