the moon pool-第25部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


above　a　kirtle　that　came　barely　to　their　very　pretty　knees。



〃Food　and　drink；〃　ordered　Rador。



They　dropped　back　through　the　curtains。



〃Do　you　like　them？〃　he　asked　us。



〃Some　chickens！〃　said　Larry。　　〃They　delight　the　heart；〃　he

translated　for　Rador。



The　green　dwarf's　next　remark　made　me　gasp。



〃They　are　yours；〃　he　said。



Before　I　could　question　him　further　upon　this　extraordi…

nary　statement　the　pair　re…entered；　bearing　a　great　platter　on

which　were　small　loaves；　strange　fruits；　and　three　immense

flagons　of　rock　crystaltwo　filled　with　a　slightly　sparkling

yellow　liquid　and　the　third　with　a　purplish　drink。　　I　became

acutely　sensible　that　it　had　been　hours　since　I　had　either

eaten　or　drunk。　　The　yellow　flagons　were　set　before　Larry　and

me；　the　purple　at　Rador's　hand。



The　girls；　at　his　signal；　again　withdrew。　　I　raised　my　glass

to　my　lips　and　took　a　deep　draft。　　The　taste　was　unfamiliar

but　delightful。



Almost　at　once　my　fatigue　disappeared。　　I　realized　a　clarity

of　mind；　an　interesting　exhilaration　and　sense　of　irresponsi…

bility；　of　freedom　from　care；　that　were　oddly　enjoyable。

Larry　became　immediately　his　old　gay　self。



The　green　dwarf　regarded　us　whimsically；　sipping　from

his　great　flagon　of　rock　crystal。



〃Much　do　I　desire　to　know　of　that　world　you　came　from；〃

he　said　at　last〃through　the　rocks；〃　he　added；　slyly。



〃And　much　do　we　desire　to　know　of　this　world　of　yours；

O　Rador；〃　I　answered。



Should　I　ask　him　of　the　Dweller；　seek　from　him　a　clue　to

Throckmartin？　　Again；　clearly　as　a　spoken　command；　came

the　warning　to　forbear；　to　wait。　　And　once　more　I　obeyed。



〃Let　us　learn；　then；　from　each　other。〃　The　dwarf　was

laughing。　　〃And　firstare　all　above　like　youdrawn　out〃

he　made　an　expressive　gesture〃and　are　there　many　of

you？〃



〃There　are〃　I　hesitated；　and　at　last　spoke　the　Polynesian

that　means　tens　upon　tens　multiplied　indefinitely〃there

are　as　many　as　the　drops　of　water　in　the　lake　we　saw　from

the　ledge　where　you　found　us；〃　I　continued；　〃many　as　the

leaves　on　the　trees　without。　　And　they　are　all　like　us

varyingly。〃



He　considered　skeptically；　I　could　see；　my　remark　upon

our　numbers。



〃In　Muria；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃the　men　are　like　me　or　like

Lugur。　　Our　women　are　as　you　see　themlike　Yolara　or

those　two　who　served　you。〃　He　hesitated。　　〃And　there　is　a

third；　but　only　one。〃



Larry　leaned　forward　eagerly。



〃Brown…haired　with　glints　of　ruddy　bronze；　golden…eyed；

and　lovely　as　a　dream；　with　long；　slender；　beautiful　hands？〃

he　cried。



〃Where　saw　you　HER？〃　interrupted　the　dwarf；　starting　to

his　feet。



〃Saw　her？〃　Larry　recovered　himself。　　〃Nay；　Rador；　per…

haps；　I　only　dreamed　that　there　was　such　a　woman。〃



〃See　to　it；　then；　that　you　tell　not　your　dream　to　Yolara；〃

said　the　dwarf　grimly。　　〃For　her　I　meant　and　her　you　have

pictured　is　Lakla；　the　hand…maiden　to　the　Silent　Ones；　and

neither　Yolara　nor　Lugur；　nay；　nor　the　Shining　One；　love

her　overmuch；　stranger。〃



〃Does　she　dwell　here？〃　Larry's　face　was　alight。



The　dwarf　hesitated；　glanced　about　him　anxiously。



〃Nay；〃　he　answered；　〃ask　me　no　more　of　her。〃　He　was

silent　for　a　space。　　〃And　what　do　you　who　are　as　leaves　or

drops　of　water　do　in　that　world　of　yours？〃　he　said；　plainly

bent　on　turning　the　subject。



〃Keep　off　the　golden…eyed　girl；　Larry；〃　I　interjected。　　〃Wait

till　we　find　out　why　she's　tabu。〃



〃Love　and　battle；　strive　and　accomplish　and　die；　or　fail　and

die；〃　answered　Larryto　Radorgiving　me　a　quick　nod　of

acquiescence　to　my　warning　in　English。



〃In　that　at　least　your　world　and　mine　differ　little；〃　said　the

dwarf。



〃How　great　is　this　world　of　yours；　Rador？〃　I　spoke。



He　considered　me　gravely。



〃How　great　indeed　I　do　not　know；〃　he　said　frankly　at　last。

〃The　land　where　we　dwell　with　the　Shining　One　stretches

along　the　white　waters　for〃　He　used　a　phrase　of　which　I

could　make　nothing。　　〃Beyond　this　city　of　the　Shining　One

and　on　the　hither　shores　of　the　white　waters　dwell　the　mayia

ladalathe　common　ones。〃　He　took　a　deep　draft　from　his

flagon。　　〃There　are；　first；　the　fair…haired　ones；　the　children

of　the　ancient　rulers；〃　he　continued。　　〃There　are；　second；　we

the　soldiers；　and　last；　the　mayia　ladala；　who　dig　and　till　and

weave　and　toil　and　give　our　rulers　and　us　their　daughters；

and　dance　with　the　Shining　One！〃　he　added。



〃Who　rules？〃　I　asked。



〃The　fair…haired；　under　the　Council　of　Nine；　who　are

under　Yolara；　the　Priestess　and　Lugur；　the　Voice；〃　he

answered；　〃who　are　in　turn　beneath　the　Shining　One！〃　There

was　a　ring　of　bitter　satire　in　the　last。



〃And　those　three　who　were　judged？〃this　from　Larry。



〃They　were　of　the　mayia　ladala；〃　he　replied；　〃like　those

two　I　gave　you。　　But　they　grow　restless。　　They　do　not　like　to

dance　with　the　Shining　Onethe　blasphemers！〃　He　raised

his　voice　in　a　sudden　great　shout　of　mocking　laughter。



In　his　words　I　caught　a　fleeting　picture　of　the　racean

ancient；　luxurious；　close…bred　oligarchy　clustered　about　some

mysterious　deity；　a　soldier　class　that　supported　them；　and

underneath　all　the　toiling；　oppressed　hordes。



〃And　is　that　all？〃　asked　Larry。



〃No；〃　he　answered。　　〃There　is　the　Sea　of　Crimson

where〃



Without　warning　the　globe　beside　us　sent　out　a　vicious

note；　Rador　turned　toward　it；　his　face　paling。　　Its　surface

crawled　with　whisperingsangry；　peremptory！



〃I　hear！〃　he　croaked；　gripping　the　table。　　〃I　obey！〃



He　turned　to　us　a　face　devoid　for　once　of　its　malice。



〃Ask　me　no　more　questions；　strangers；〃　he　said。　　〃And

now；　if　you　are　done；　I　will　show　you　where　you　may　sleep

and　bathe。〃



He　arose　abruptly。　　We　followed　him　through　the　hang…

ings；　passed　through　a　corridor　and　into　another　smaller

chamber；　roofless；　the　sides　walled　with　screens　of　dark　grey。

Two　cushioned　couches　were　there　and　a　curtained　door

leading　into　an　open；　outer　enclosure　in　which　a　fountain

played　within　a　wide　pool。



〃Your　bath；〃　said　Rador。　　He　dropped　the　curtain　and

came　back　into　the　room。　　He　touched　a　carved　flower　at　one

side。　　There　was　a　tiny　sighing　from　overhead　and　instantly

across　the　top　spread　a　veil　of　blackness；　impenetrable　to

light　but　certainly　not　to　air；　for　through　it　pulsed　little

breaths　of　the　garden　fragrances。　　The　room　filled　with　a　cool

twilight；　refreshing；　sleep…inducing。　　The　green　dwarf　pointed

to　the　couches。



〃Sleep！〃　he　said。　　〃Sleep　and　fear　nothing。　　My　men　are　on

guard　outside。〃　He　came　closer　to　us；　the　old　mocking

gaiety　sparkling　in　his　eyes。



〃But　I　spoke　too　quickly；〃　he　whispered。　　〃Whether　it　is

because　the　Afyo　Maie　fears　their　tonguesor〃　he

laughed　at　Larry。　　〃The　maids　are　NOT　yours！〃　Still　laughing

he　vanished　through　the　curtains　of　the　room　of　the　foun…

tain　before　I　could　ask　him　the　meaning　of　his　curious　gift；

its　withdrawal；　and　his　most　enigmatic　closing　remarks。



〃Back　in　the　great　old　days　of　Ireland；〃　thus　Larry　break…

ing　into　my　thoughts　raptly；　the　brogue　thick；　〃there　was

Cairill　mac　CairillCairill　Swiftspear。　　An'　Cairill　wronged

Keevan　of　Emhain　Abhlach；　of　the　blood　of　Angus　of　the

great　people　when　he　was　sleeping　in　the　likeness　of　a　pale

reed。　　Then　Keevan　put　this　penance　on　Cairillthat　for　a

year　Cairill　should　wear　his　body　in　Emhain　Abhlach；　which

is　the　Land　of　Faery　and　for　that　year　Keevan　should　wear

the　body　of　Cairill。　　And　it　was　done。



〃In　that　year　Cairill　met　Emar　of　the　Birds　that　are　one

white；　one　red；　and　one　blackand　they　loved；　and　from　that

love　sprang　Ailill　their　son。　　And　when　Ailill　was　born　he

took　a　reed　flute　and　first　he　played　slumber　on　Cairill；　and

then　he　played　old　age　so　that　Cairill　grew　white　and　with…

ered；　then　Ailill　played　again　and　Cairill　became　a　shadow

then　a　shadow　of　a　shadowthen　a　breath；　and　the　breath

went　out　upon　the　wind！〃　He　shivered。　　〃Like　the　old

gnome；〃　he　whispered；　〃that　they　called　Songar　of　the

Lower　Waters！〃



He　shook　his　head　as　though　he　cast　a　dream　from　him。

Then；　all　alert



〃But　that　was　in　Iceland　ages　agone。　　And　there's　nothing

like　that　here；　Doc！〃　He　laughed。　　〃It　doesn't　scare　me　one

little　bit；　old　boy。　　The　pretty　devil　lady's　got　the　wrong　　slant。

When　　you've　　had　　a　　pal　　standing　　　beside　　　you　　　one　　　moment

full　of　life；　and　joy；　and　power；　and　potentialities；　telling

what　he's　going　to　do　to　make　the　world　hum　when　he　gets

through　the　slaughter；　just　running　over　with　zip　and　pep　of

life；　Docand　the　next　instant；　right　in　the　middle　of　a

laugha　piece　of　damned　shell　takes　off　half　his　head　and

with　it　joy　and　power　and　all　the　rest　of　it〃his　face

twitched〃well；　old　man；　in　the　face　of　THAT　mystery　a

disappearing　act　such　as　the　devil　lady　treated　us　to　doesn't

make　much　of　a　dent。　　Not　on　me。　　But　by　the　brogans　of

Brian　Boruif　we　could　have　had　some　of　that　stuff　to　turn

on　during　the　war