the moon pool-第13部分

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〃but　the　happiness　in　it　burned　on　me　like　fire。　　And　I　could

not　moveI　could　not　move。



〃I　said　in　here〃he　touched　his　head〃I　said；　'It　is　Loki

come　out　of　Helvede。　　But　he　cannot　take　my　Helma；　for

Christ　lives　and　Loki　has　no　power　to　hurt　my　Helma　or　my

Freda！　　Christ　lives！　　Christ　lives！'　I　said。　　But　the　sparkling

devil　did　not　let　my　Helma　go。　　It　drew　her　to　the　rail；　half

over　it。　　I　saw　her　eyes　upon　the　child　and　a　little　she　broke

away　and　reached　to　it。　　And　my　Freda　jumped　into　her

arms。　　And　the　fire　wrapped　them　both　and　they　were　gone！　　A

little　I　saw　them　whirling　on　the　moon　track　behind　the

Brunhildaand　they　were　gone！



〃The　sparkling　devil　took　them！　　Loki　was　loosed；　and　he

had　power。　　I　turned　the　Brunhilda；　and　I　followed　where

my　Helma　and　mine　Yndling　had　gone。　　My　boys　crept　up

and　asked　me　to　turn　again。　　But　I　would　not。　　They　dropped

a　boat　and　left　me。　　I　steered　straight　on　the　path。　　I　lashed

my　hands　to　the　wheel　that　sleep　might　not　loose　them。　　I

steered　on　and　on　and　on



〃Where　was　the　God　I　prayed　when　my　wife　and　child

were　taken？〃　cried　Olaf　Huldrickssonand　it　was　as　though

I　heard　Throckmartin　asking　that　same　bitter　question。　　〃I

have　left　Him　as　He　left　me；　ja！　　I　pray　now　to　Thor　and　to

Odin；　who　can　fetter　Loki。〃　He　sank　back；　covering　again

his　eyes。



〃Olaf；〃　I　said；　〃what　you　have　called　the　sparkling　devil

has　taken　ones　dear　to　me。　　I；　too；　was　following　it　when　we

found　you。　　You　shall　go　with　me　to　its　home；　and　there　we

will　try　to　take　from　it　your　wife　and　your　child　and　my

friends　as　well。　　But　now　that　you　may　be　strong　for　what　is

before　us；　you　must　sleep　again。〃



Olaf　Huldricksson　looked　upon　me　and　in　his　eyes　was

that　something　which　souls　must　see　in　the　eyes　of　Him　the

old　Egyptians　called　the　Searcher　of　Hearts　in　the　Judgment

Hall　of　Osiris。



〃You　speak　truth！〃　he　said　at　last　slowly。　　〃I　will　do　what

you　say！〃



He　stretched　out　an　arm　at　my　bidding。　　I　gave　him　a　sec…

ond　injection。　　He　lay　back　and　soon　he　was　sleeping。　　I　turned

toward　Da　Costa。　　His　face　was　livid　and　sweating；　and　he

was　trembling　pitiably。　　O'Keefe　stirred。



〃You　did　that　mighty　well；　Dr。　Goodwin；〃　he　said。　　〃So

well　that　I　almost　believed　you　myself。〃



〃What　did　you　think　of　his　story；　Mr。　O'Keefe？〃　I　asked。



His　answer　was　almost　painfully　brief　and　colloquial。



〃Nuts！〃　he　said。　I　was　a　little　shocked；　I　admit。　〃I　think

he's　crazy；　Dr。　Goodwin；〃　he　corrected　himself；　quickly。

〃What　else　could　I　think？〃



I　turned　to　the　little　Portuguese　without　answering。



〃There's　no　need　for　any　anxiety　tonight；　Captain；〃　I　said。

〃Take　my　word　for　it。　You　need　some　rest　yourself。　　Shall　I

give　you　a　sleeping　draft？〃



〃I　do　wish　you　would；　Dr。　Goodwin；　sair；〃　he　answered

gratefully。　　〃Tomorrow；　when　I　feel　bettairI　would　have　a

talk　with　you。〃



I　nodded。　　He　did　know　something　then！　　I　mixed　him　an

opiate　of　considerable　strength。　　He　took　it　and　went　to　his

own　cabin。



I　locked　the　door　behind　him　and　then；　sitting　beside　the

sleeping　Norseman；　I　told　O'Keefe　my　story　from　end　to　end。

He　asked　few　questions　as　I　spoke。　　But　after　I　had　finished

he　cross…examined　me　rather　minutely　upon　my　recollec…

tions　of　the　radiant　phases　upon　each　appearance；　checking

these　with　Throckmartin's　observations　of　the　same　phe…

nomena　in　the　Chamber　of　the　Moon　Pool。



〃And　now　what　do　you　think　of　it　all？〃　I　asked。



He　sat　silent　for　a　while；　looking　at　Huldricksson。



〃Not　what　you　seem　to　think；　Dr。　Goodwin；〃　he　answered

at　last；　gravely。　　〃Let　me　sleep　over　it。　　One　thing　of　course

is　certainyou　and　your　friend　Throckmartin　and　this　man

here　sawsomething。　　But〃　he　was　silent　again　and　then

continued　with　a　kindness　that　I　found　vaguely　irritating

〃but　I've　noticed　that　when　a　scientist　gets　superstitious　it

ertakes　very　hard！



〃Here's　a　few　things　I　can　tell　you　now　though；〃　he　went

on　while　I　struggled　to　speak〃I　pray　in　my　heart　that　we'll

meet　neither　the　Dolphin　nor　anything　with　wireless　on

board　going　up。　　Because；　Dr。　Goodwin；　I'd　dearly　love　to

take　a　crack　at　your　Dweller。



〃And　another　thing；〃　said　O'Keefe。　　〃After　thiscut　out

the　trimmings；　Doc；　and　call　me　plain　Larry；　for　whether　I

think　you're　crazy　or　whether　I　don't；　you're　there　with　the

nerve；　Professor；　and　I'm　for　YOU。



〃Good　night！〃　said　Larry　and　took　himself　out　to　the　deck

hammock　he　had　insisted　upon　having　slung　for　him；　re…

fusing　the　captain's　importunities　to　use　his　own　cabin。



And　it　was　with　extremely　mixed　emotions　as　to　his　com…

pliment　that　I　watched　him　go。　　Superstitious。　　I；　whose　pride

was　my　scientific　devotion　to　fact　and　fact　alone！　　Supersti…

tiousand　this　from　a　man　who　believed　in　banshees　and

ghostly　harpers　and　Irish　wood　nymphs　and　no　doubt　in

leprechauns　and　all　their　tribe！



Half　laughing；　half　irritated；　and　wholly　happy　in　even

the　part　promise　of　Larry　O'Keefe's　comradeship　on　my　ven…

ture；　I　arranged　a　couple　of　pillows；　stretched　myself　out　on

two　chairs　and　took　up　my　vigil　beside　Olaf　Huldricksson。











CHAPTER　IX



A　Lost　Page　of　Earth



WHEN　I　awakened　the　sun　was　streaming　through　the　cabin

porthole。　　Outside　a　fresh　voice　lilted。　　I　lay　on　my　two　chairs

and　listened。　　The　song　was　one　with　the　wholesome　sunshine

and　the　breeze　blowing　stiffly　and　whipping　the　curtains。　　It

was　Larry　O'Keefe　at　his　matins：





The　little　red　lark　is　shaking　his　wings；

Straight　from　the　breast　of　his　love　he　springs





Larry's　voice　soared。





His　wings　and　his　feathers　are　sunrise　red；

He　hails　the　sun　and　his　golden　head；

Good　morning；　Doc；　you　are　long　abed。







This　last　was　a　most　irreverent　interpolation；　I　well　knew。

I　opened　my　door。　　O'Keefe　stood　outside　laughing。　　The

Suwarna；　her　engines　silent；　was　making　fine　headway　under

all　sail；　the　Brunhilda　skipping　in　her　wake　cheerfully　with

half　her　canvas　up。



The　sea　was　crisping　and　dimpling　under　the　wind。　　Blue

and　white　was　the　world　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。

Schools　of　little　silvery　green　flying　fish　broke　through　the

water　rushing　on　each　side　of　us；　flashed　for　an　instant　and

were　gone。　　Behind　us　gulls　hovered　and　dipped。　　The　shadow

of　mystery　had　retreated　far　over　the　rim　of　this　wide　awake

and　beautiful　world　and　if；　subconsciously；　I　knew　that　some…

where　it　was　brooding　and　waiting；　for　a　little　while　at　least

I　was　consciously　free　of　its　oppression。



〃How's　the　patient？〃　asked　O'Keefe。



He　was　answered　by　Huldricksson　himself；　who　must　have

risen　just　as　I　left　the　cabin。　　The　Norseman　had　slipped　on　a

pair　of　pajamas　and；　giant　torso　naked　under　the　sun；　he

strode　out　upon　us。　　We　all　of　us　looked　at　him　a　trifle　anx…

iously。　　But　Olaf's　madness　had　left　him。　　In　his　eyes　was

much　sorrow；　but　the　berserk　rage　was　gone。



He　spoke　straight　to　me：　〃You　said　last　night　we　follow？〃



I　nodded。



〃It　is　where？〃　he　asked　again。



〃We　go　first　to　Ponape　and　from　there　to　Metalanim　Har…

bourto　the　Nan…Matal。　　You　know　the　place？〃



Huldricksson　boweda　white　gleam　as　of　ice　showing　in

his　blue　eyes。



〃It　is　there？〃　he　asked。



〃It　is　there　that　we　must　first　search；〃　I　answered。



〃Good！〃　said　Olaf　Huldricksson。　　〃It　is　good！〃



He　looked　at　Da　Costa　inquiringly　and　the　little　Portu…

guese；　following　his　thought；　answered　his　unspoken　ques…

tion。



〃We　should　be　at　Ponape　tomorrow　morning　early；　Olaf。〃



〃Good！〃　repeated　the　Norseman。　　He　looked　away；　his　eyes

tear…filled。



A　restraint　fell　upon　us；　the　embarrassment　all　men　ex…

perience　when　they　feel　a　great　sympathy　and　a　great　pity；

to　neither　of　which　they　quite　know　how　to　give　expression。

By　silent　consent　we　discussed　at　breakfast　only　the　most

casual　topics。



When　the　meal　was　over　Huldricksson　expressed　a　desire

to　go　aboard　the　Brunhilda。



The　Suwarna　hove　to　and　Da　Costa　and　he　dropped　into

the　small　boat。　　When　they　reached　the　Brunhilda's　deck　I

saw　Olaf　take　the　wheel　and　the　two　fall　into　earnest　talk。　　I

beckoned　to　O'Keefe　and　we　stretched　ourselves　out　on　the

bow　hatch　under　cover　of　the　foresail。　　He　lighted　a　cigarette；

took　a　couple　of　leisurely　puffs；　and　looked　at　me　expect…

antly。



〃Well？〃　I　asked。



〃Well；〃　said　O'Keefe；　〃suppose　you　tell　me　what　you

thinkand　then　I'll　proceed　to　point　out　your　scientific

errors。〃　His　eyes　twinkled　mischievously。



〃Larry；〃　I　replied；　somewhat　severely；　〃you　may　not　know

that　I　have　a　scientific　reputation　which；　putting　aside　all

modesty；　I　may　say　is　an　enviable　one。　　You　used　a　word　last

night　to　which　I　must　interpose　serious　objection。　　You　more

than　hinted　that　I　hidsuperstitions。　　Let　me　inform　you；

Larry　O'Keefe；　that　I　am　solely　a　seeker；　observer；　analyst；

and　synthesist　of　facts。　　I　am