the moon pool-第7章
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to Melbourne safely； and then we'll see who'll win！ For；
Walter； I'm not at all sure that Edith is deadas we know
deathnor that the others are。 There is something outside
experience theresome great mystery。〃
And all that day he talked to me of his plans。
〃There's a natural explanation； of course；〃 he said。 〃My
theory is that the moon rock is of some composition sensitive
to the action of moon rays； somewhat as the metal selenium
is to sun rays。 The little circles over the top are； without
doubt； its operating agency。 When the light strikes them
they release the mechanism that opens the slab； just as you
can open doors with sun or electric light by an ingenious ar…
rangement of selenium…cells。 Apparently it takes the strength
of the full moon both to do this and to summon the Dweller
in the Pool。 We will first try a concentration of the rays of
the waning moon upon these circles to see whether that will
open the rock。 If it does we will be able to investigate the
Pool without interruption fromfromwhat emanates。
〃Look； here on the chart are their locations。 I have made
this in duplicate for you in the eventof something hap…
peningto me。 And if I loseyou'll come after us； Good…
win； with helpwon't you？〃
And again I promised。
A little later he complained of increasing sleepiness。
〃But it's just weariness；〃 he said。 〃Not at all like that other
drowsiness。 It's an hour till moonrise still；〃 he yawned at
last。 〃Wake me up a good fifteen minutes before。〃
He lay upon the berth。 I sat thinking。 I came to myself
with a guilty start。 I had completely lost myself in my deep
preoccupation。 What time was it？ I looked at my watch and
jumped to the port…hole。 It was full moonlight； the orb had
been up for fully half an hour。 I strode over to Throckmartin
and shook him by the shoulder。
〃Up； quick； man！〃 I cried。 He rose sleepily。 His shirt fell
open at the neck and I looked； in amazement； at the white
band around his chest。 Even under the electric light it shone
softly； as though little flecks of light were in it。
Throckmartin seemed only half…awake。 He looked down
at his breast； saw the glowing cincture； and smiled。
〃Yes；〃 he said drowsily； 〃it's comingto take me back to
Edith！ Well； I'm glad。〃
〃Throckmartin！〃 I cried。 〃Wake up！ Fight！〃
〃Fight！〃 he said。 〃No use； come after us！〃
He went to the port and sleepily drew aside the curtain。
The moon traced a broad path of light straight to the ship。
Under its rays the band around his chest gleamed brighter
and brighter； shot forth little rays； seemed to writhe。
The lights went out in the cabin； evidently also through…
out the ship； for I heard shoutings above。
Throckmartin still stood at the open port。 Over his shoul…
der I saw a gleaming pillar racing along the moon path to…
ward us。 Through the window cascaded a blinding radiance。
It gathered Throckmartin to it； clothed him in a robe of
living opalescence。 Light pulsed through and from him。 The
cabin filled with murmurings
A wave of weakness swept over me； buried me in black…
ness。 When consciousness came back； the lights were again
burning brightly。
But of Throckmartin there was no trace！
CHAPTER VI
〃The Shining Devil Took Them！〃
MY COLLEAGUES of the Association； and you others who
may read this my narrative； for what I did and did not when
full realization returned I must offer here； briefly as I can；
an explanation； a defenseif you will。
My first act was to spring to the open port。 The coma had
lasted hours； for the moon was now low in the west！ I ran
to the door to sound the alarm。 It resisted under my frantic
hands； would not open。 Something fell tinkling to the floor。
It was the key and I remembered then that Throckmartin
had turned it before we began our vigil。 With memory a
hope died that I had not known was in me； the hope that
he had escaped from the cabin； found refuge elsewhere on
the ship。
And as I stooped； fumbling with shaking fingers for the
key； a thought came to me that drove again the blood from
my heart； held me rigid。 I could sound no alarm on the
Southern Queen for Throckmartin！
Conviction of my appalling helplessness was complete。
The ensemble of the vessel from captain to cabin boy was；
to put it conservatively； average。 None； I knew； save Throck…
martin and myself had seen the first apparition of the
Dweller。 Had they witnessed the second？ I did not know；
nor could I risk speaking； not knowing。 And not seeing； how
could they believe？ They would have thought me insane
or worse； even； it might be； his murderer。
I snapped off the electrics； waited and listened； opened the
door with infinite caution and slipped； unseen； into my own
stateroom。 The hours until the dawn were eternities of wak…
ing nightmare。 Reason； resuming sway at last； steadied me。
Even had I spoken and been believed where in these wastes
after all the hours could we search for Throckmartin？ Cer…
tainly the captain would not turn back to Port Moresby。 And
even if he did； of what use for me to set forth for the Nan…
Matal without the equipment which Throckmartin himself
had decided was necessary if one hoped to cope with the
mystery that lurked there？
There was but one thing to dofollow his instructions；
get the paraphernalia in Melbourne or Sydney if it were
possible； if not sail to America as swiftly as might be； secure
it there and as swiftly return to Ponape。 And this I deter…
mined to do。
Calmness came back to me after I had made this decision。
And when I went up on deck I knew that I had been right。
They had not seen the Dweller。 They were still discussing
the darkening of the ship； talking of dynamos burned out；
wires short circuited； a half dozen explanations of the ex…
tinguishment。 Not until noon was Throckmartin's absence
discovered。 I told the captain that I had left him early in the
evening； that； indeed； I knew him but slightly； after all。 It
occurred to none to doubt me； or to question me minutely。
Why should it have？ His strangeness had been noted； com…
mented upon； all who had met him had thought him half
mad。 I did little to discourage the impression。 And so it came
naturally that on the log it was entered that he had fallen
or leaped from the vessel some time during the night。
A report to this effect was made when we entered Mel…
bourne。 I slipped quietly ashore and in the press of the war
news Throckmartin's supposed fate won only a few lines in
the newspapers； my own presence on the ship and in the
city passed unnoticed。
I was fortunate in securing at Melbourne everything I
needed except a set of Becquerel ray condensersbut these
were the very keystone of my equipment。 Pursuing my
search to Sydney I was doubly fortunate in finding a firm
who were expecting these very articles in a consignment due
them from the States within a fortnight。 I settled down in
strictest seclusion to await their arrival。
And now it will occur to you to ask why I did not cable；
during this period of waiting； to the Association； demand
aid from it。 Or why I did not call upon members of the Uni…
versity staffs of either Melbourne or Sydney for assistance。
At the least； why I did not gather； as Throckmartin had
hoped to do； a little force of strong men to go with me to the
Nan…Matal。
To the first two questions I answer franklyI did not dare。
And this reluctance； this inhibition； every man jealous of his
scientific reputation will understand。 The story of Throck…
martin； the happenings I had myself witnessed； were in…
credible； abnormal； outside the facts of all known science。 I
shrank from the inevitable disbelief； perhaps ridiculenay；
perhaps even the graver suspicion that had caused me to
seal my lips while on the ship。 Why I myself could only half
believe！ How then could I hope to convince others？
And as for the third questionI could not take men into
the range of such a peril without first warning them of what
they might encounter； and if I did warn them
It was checkmate！ If it also was cowardicewell； I have
atoned for it。 But I do not hold it so； my conscience is clear。
That fortnight and the greater part of another passed be…
fore the ship I awaited steamed into port。 By that time； be…
tween my straining anxiety to be after Throckmartin； the
despairing thought that every moment of delay might be
vital to him and his； and my intensely eager desire to know
whether that shining； glorious horror on the moon path did
exist or had been hallucination； I was worn almost to the
edge of madness。
At last the condensers were in my hands。 It was more than
a week later； however； before I could secure passage back
to Port Moresby and it was another week still before I
started north on the Suwarna； a swift little sloop with a fifty…
horsepower auxiliary； heading straight for Ponape and the
Nan…Matal。
We sighted the Brunhilda some five hundred miles south
of the Carolines。 The wind had fallen soon after Papua had
dropped astern。 The Suwarna's ability to make her twelve
knots an hour without it had made me very fully forgive
her for not being as fragrant as the Javan flower for which
she was named。 Da Costa； her captain； was a garrulous
Portuguese； his mate was a Canton man with all the marks
of long and able service on some pirate junk； his engineer
was a half…breed China…Malay who had picked up his knowl…
edge of power plants； Heaven alone knew where； and； I had
reason to believe； had transferred all his religious impulses
to the American built deity of mechanism he so faithfully
served。 The crew was made up of six huge； chattering Tonga
boys。
The Suwarna had cut through Finschafen Huon Gulf to
the protection of the Bismarcks。 She had threaded the maze
of the archipelago tranquilly； and we were then rolling over
the thousand…mile stretch of open ocean with New Hanover
far behind us and our boat's bow pointed straight toward
Nukuor of the Monte Verdes。 After we had rounded Nukuor
we should； barring accident； reach Ponape in not more than
sixty hours。
It was late afternoon； and on the demure little breeze that
marched behind us came far…flung sighs of spice…trees and
nutmeg flowers。 The slow prodigious swells of the Pacific
lifted us in gentle； giant hands and sent us as gently down
the long； blue wave slopes to the next broad； upward slope。
There was a spell of peace over the ocean； stilling even the
Portuguese captain who stood dreamily at the wheel； slowly
swaying to the rhythmic lift and fall of the sloop。
There came a whining hail from the Tonga boy lookout
draped lazily over the bow。
〃Sail he b'long port side！〃
Da Costa straightened and gazed while I raised my gl
