the moon pool-第22部分

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subtly　disturbing；　an　expression　of　half…malicious　gaiety　that

underlay　the　wholly　prepossessing　features　like　a　vague

threat；　a　mocking　deviltry　that　hinted　at　entire　callousness

to　suffering　or　sorrow；　something　of　the　spirit　that　was

vaguely　alien　and　disquieting。



He　spokeand；　to　my　surprise；　enough　of　the　words　were

familiar　to　enable　me　clearly　to　catch　the　meaning　of　the

whole。　　They　were　Polynesian；　the　Polynesian　of　the　Samoans

which　is　its　most　ancient　form；　but　in　some　indefinable　way

archaic。　　Later　I　was　to　know　that　the　tongue　bore　the　same

relation　to　the　Polynesian　of　today　as　does　NOT　that　of

Chaucer；　but　of　the　Venerable　Bede；　to　modern　English。　　Nor

was　this　to　be　so　astonishing；　when　with　the　knowledge　came

the　certainty　that　it　was　from　it　the　language　we　call　Poly…

nesian　sprang。



〃From　whence　do　you　come；　strangersand　how　found

you　your　way　here？〃　said　the　green　dwarf。



I　waved　my　hand　toward　the　cliff　behind　us。　　His　eyes　nar…

rowed　incredulously；　he　glanced　at　its　drop；　upon　which

even　a　mountain　goat　could　not　have　made　its　way；　and

laughed。



〃We　came　through　the　rock；〃　I　answered　his　thought。

〃And　we　come　in　peace；〃　I　added。



〃And　may　peace　walk　with　you；〃　he　said　half…derisively

〃if　the　Shining　One　wills　it！〃



He　considered　us　again。



〃Show　me；　strangers；　where　you　came　through　the　rock；〃

he　commanded。　　We　led　the　way　to　where　we　had　emerged

from　the　well　of　the　stairway。



〃It　was　here；〃　I　said；　tapping　the　cliff。



〃But　I　see　no　opening；〃　he　said　suavely。



〃It　closed　behind　us；〃　I　answered；　and　then；　for　the　first

time；　realized　how　incredible　the　explanation　sounded。　　The

derisive　gleam　passed　through　his　eyes　again。　　But　he　drew

his　poniard　and　gravely　sounded　the　rock。



〃You　give　a　strange　turn　to　our　speech；〃　he　said。　　〃It

sounds　strangely；　indeedas　strange　as　your　answers。〃　He

looked　at　us　quizzically。　　〃I　wonder　where　you　learned　it！

Well；　all　that　you　can　explain　to　the　Afyo　Maie。〃　His　head

bowed　and　his　arms　swept　out　in　a　wide　salaam。　　〃Be　pleased

to　come　with　me！〃　he　ended　abruptly。



〃In　peace？〃　I　asked。



〃In　peace；〃　he　repliedthen　slowly〃with　me　at　least。〃



〃Oh；　come　on；　Doc！〃　cried　Larry。　　〃As　long　as　we're　here

let's　see　the　sights。　Allons　mon　vieux！〃　he　called　gaily　to　the

green　dwarf。　　The　latter；　understanding　the　spirit；　if　not　the

words；　looked　at　O'Keefe　with　a　twinkle　of　approval；　turned

then　to　the　great　Norseman　and　scanned　him　with　admira…

tion；　reached　out　and　squeezed　one　of　the　immense　biceps。



〃Lugur　will　welcome　you；　at　least；〃　he　murmured　as

though　to　himself。　　He　stood　aside　and　waved　a　hand　courte…

ously；　inviting　us　to　pass。　　We　crossed。　　At　the　base　of　the

span　one　of　the　elfin　shells　was　waiting。



Beyond；　scores　had　gathered；　their　occupants　evidently

discussing　us　in　much　excitement。　　The　green　dwarf　waved

us　to　the　piles　of　cushions　and　then　threw　himself　beside　us。

The　vehicle　started　off　smoothly；　the　now　silent　throng　mak…

ing　way；　and　swept　down　the　green　roadway　at　a　terrific　pace

and　wholly　without　vibration；　toward　the　seven…terraced

tower。



As　we　flew　along　I　tried　to　discover　the　source　of　the

power；　but　I　could　notthen。　　There　was　no　sign　of　mechan…

ism；　but　that　the　shell　responded　to　some　form　of　energy　was

certainthe　driver　grasping　a　small　lever　which　seemed　to

control　not　only　our　speed；　but　our　direction。



We　turned　abruptly　and　swept　up　a　runway　through　one

of　the　gardens；　and　stopped　softly　before　a　pillared　pavilion。

I　saw　now　that　these　were　much　larger　than　I　had　thought。

The　structure　to　which　we　had　been　carried　covered；　I　esti…

mated；　fully　an　acre。　　Oblong；　with　its　slender；　vari…coloured

columns　spaced　regularly；　its　walls　were　like　the　sliding

screens　of　the　Japaneseshoji。



The　green　dwarf　hurried　us　up　a　flight　of　broad　steps

flanked　by　great　carved　serpents；　winged　and　scaled。　　He

stamped　twice　upon　mosaicked　stones　between　two　of　the

pillars；　and　a　screen　rolled　aside；　revealing　an　immense　hall

scattered　about　with　low　divans　on　which　lolled　a　dozen　or

more　of　the　dwarfish　men；　dressed　identically　as　he。



They　sauntered　up　to　us　leisurely；　the　surprised　interest

in　their　faces　tempered　by　the　same　inhumanly　gay　malice

that　seemed　to　be　characteristic　of　all　these　people　we　had

as　yet　seen。



〃The　Afyo　Maie　awaits　them；　Rador；〃　said　one。



The　green　dwarf　nodded；　beckoned　us；　and　led　the　way

through　the　great　hall　and　into　a　smaller　chamber　whose　far

side　was　covered　with　the　opacity　I　had　noted　from　the　aerie

of　the　cliff。　　I　examined　theblacknesswith　lively　interest。



It　had　neither　substance　nor　texture；　it　was　not　matter

and　yet　it　suggested　solidity；　an　entire　cessation；　a　complete

absorption　of　light；　an　ebon　veil　at　once　immaterial　and　pal…

pable。　　I　stretched；　involuntarily；　my　hand　out　toward　it；　and

felt　it　quickly　drawn　back。



〃Do　you　seek　your　end　so　soon？〃　whispered　Rador。　　〃But

I　forgetyou　do　not　know；〃　he　added。　　〃On　your　life　touch

not　the　blackness；　ever。　　It〃



He　stopped；　for　abruptly　in　the　density　a　portal　appeared；

swinging　out　of　the　shadow　like　a　picture　thrown　by　a　lan…

tern　upon　a　screen。　　Through　it　was　revealed　a　chamber　filled

with　a　soft　rosy　glow。　　Rising　from　cushioned　couches；　a

woman　and　a　man　regarded　us；　half　leaning　over　a　long；

low　table　of　what　seemed　polished　jet；　laden　with　flowers

and　unfamiliar　fruits。



About　the　roomthat　part　of　it；　at　least；　that　I　could　see

were　a　few　oddly　shaped　chairs　of　the　same　substance。　　On

high；　silvery　tripods　three　immense　globes　stood；　and　it　was

from　them　that　the　rose　glow　emanated。　　At　the　side　of　the

woman　was　a　smaller　globe　whose　roseate　gleam　was　tem…

pered　by　quivering　waves　of　blue。



〃Enter　Rador　with　the　strangers！〃　a　clear；　sweet　voice

called。



Rador　bowed　deeply　and　stood　aside；　motioning　us　to

pass。　　We　entered；　the　green　dwarf　behind　us；　and　out　of　the

corner　of　my　eye　I　saw　the　doorway　fade　as　abruptly　as　it

had　appeared　and　again　the　dense　shadow　fill　its　place。



〃Come　closer；　strangers。　　Be　not　afraid！〃　commanded　the

bell…toned　voice。



We　approached。



The　woman；　sober　scientist　that　I　am；　made　the　breath

catch　in　my　throat。　　Never　had　I　seen　a　woman　so　beautiful

as　was　Yolara　of　the　Dweller's　cityand　none　of　so　perilous

a　beauty。　　Her　hair　was　of　the　colour　of　the　young　tassels　of

the　corn　and　coiled　in　a　regal　crown　above　her　broad；　white

brows；　her　wide　eyes　were　of　grey　that　could　change　to　a

cornflower　blue　and　in　anger　deepen　to　purple；　grey　or　blue；

they　had　little　laughing　devils　within　them；　but　when　the

storm　of　anger　darkened　themthey　were　not　laughing；　no！

The　silken　webs　that　half　covered；　half　revealed　her　did　not

hide　the　ivory　whiteness　of　her　flesh　nor　the　sweet　curve　of

shoulders　and　breasts。　　But　for　all　her　amazing　beauty；　she

wassinister！　　There　was　cruelty　about　the　curving　mouth；

and　in　the　music　of　her　voicenot　conscious　cruelty；　but

the　more　terrifying；　careless　cruelty　of　nature　itself。



The　girl　of　the　rose　wall　had　been　beautiful；　yes！　　But　her

beauty　was　human；　understandable。　　You　could　imagine　her

with　a　babe　in　her　armsbut　you　could　not　so　imagine　this

woman。　　About　her　loveliness　hovered　something　unearthly。

A　sweet　feminine　echo　of　the　Dweller　was　Yolara；　the　Dwell…

er's　priestessand　as　gloriously；　terrifyingly　evil！











CHAPTER　XIV




The　Justice　of　Lora



AS　I　LOOKED　at　her　the　man　arose　and　made　his　way　round

the　table　toward　us。　　For　the　first　time　my　eyes　took　in

Lugur。　　A　few　inches　taller　than　the　green　dwarf；　he　was　far

broader；　more　filled　with　the　suggestion　of　appalling　strength。



The　tremendous　shoulders　were　four　feet　wide　if　an　inch；

tapering　down　to　mighty　thewed　thighs。　　The　muscles　of　his

chest　stood　out　beneath　his　tunic　of　red。　　Around　his　forehead

shone　a　chaplet　of　bright…blue　stones；　sparkling　among　the

thick　curls　of　his　silver…ash　hair。



Upon　his　face　pride　and　ambition　were　written　large

and　power　still　larger。　　All　the　mockery；　the　malice；　the　hint

of　callous　indifference　that　I　had　noted　in　the　other　dwarfish

men　were　there；　toobut　intensified；　touched　with　the

satanic。



The　woman　spoke　again。



〃Who　are　you　strangers；　and　how　came　you　here？〃　　She

turned　to　Rador。　　〃Or　is　it　that　they　do　not　understand　our

tongue？〃



〃One　understands　and　speaks　itbut　very　badly；　O

Yolara；〃　answered　the　green　dwarf。



〃Speak；　then；　that　one　of　you；〃　she　commanded。



But　it　was　Marakinoff　who　found　his　voice　first；　and　I

marvelled　at　the　fluency；　so　much　greater　than　mine；　with

which　he　spoke。



〃We　came　for　different　purposes。　　I　to　seek　knowledge　of　a

kind；　he〃pointing　to　me　〃of　another。　　This　man〃he

looked　at　Olaf〃to　find　a　wife　and　child。〃



The　grey…blue　eyes　had　been　regarding　O'Keefe　s