the moon pool-第38部分

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freed　from　the　Three；　and　for　_laya_　upon　_laya_　they　have　sat

helpless；　rotting。　　Now　I　ask　you　againwhence　comes　their

power　to　lay　their　will　upon　me；　and　whence　comes　their

strength　to　wrestle　with　the　Shining　One　and　the　beloved　of

the　Shining　One？〃



And　again　she　laughedand　again　Lugur　and　all　the　fair…

haired　joined　in　her　laughter。



Into　the　eyes　of　Lakla　I　saw　creep　a　doubt；　a　wavering；　as

though　deep　within　her　the　foundations　of　her　own　belief

were　none　too　firm。



She　hesitated；　turning　upon　O'Keefe　gaze　in　which　rested

more　than　suggestion　of　appeal！　　And　Yolara　saw；　too；　for

she　flushed　with　triumph；　stretched　a　finger　toward　the　hand…

maiden。



〃Look！〃　she　cried。　　〃Look！　　Why；　even　SHE　does　not　believe！〃

Her　voice　grew　silk　of　silvermerciless；　cruel。　　〃Now　am

I　minded　to　send　another　answer　to　the　Silent　Ones。

Yea！　　But　not　by　YOU；　Lakla；　by　these〃she　pointed　to　the

frog…men；　and；　swift　as　light；　her　hand　darted　into　her

bosom；　bringing　forth　the　little　shining　cone　of　death。



But　before　she　could　level　it　the　Golden　Girl　had　released

that　hidden　left　arm　and　thrown　over　her　face　a　fold　of　the

metallic　swathings。　　Swifter　than　Yolara；　she　raised　the　arm

that　held　the　vineand　now　I　knew　this　was　no　inert　blos…

soming　thing。



It　was　alive！



It　writhed　down　her　arm；　and　its　five　rubescent　flower

heads　thrust　out　toward　the　priestessvibrating；　quivering；

held　in　leash　only　by　the　light　touch　of　the　handmaiden　at　its

very　end。



From　the　swelling　throat　pouch　of　the　monster　behind　her

came　a　succession　of　the　reverberant　boomings。　　The　frog…

men　wheeled；　raised　their　lances；　levelled　them　at　the

throng。　　Around　the　reaching　ruby　flowers　a　faint　red　mist

swiftly　grew。



The　silver　cone　dropped　from　Yolara's　rigid　fingers；　her

eyes　grew　stark　with　horror；　all　her　unearthly　loveliness　fled

from　her；　she　stood　pale…lipped。　　The　Handmaiden　dropped

the　protecting　veiland　now　it　was　she　who　laughed。



〃It　would　seem；　then；　Yolara；　that　there　IS　a　thing　of　the

Silent　Ones　ye　fear！〃　she　said。　　〃Wellthe　kiss　of　the　_Yekta_

I　promise　you　in　return　for　the　embrace　of　your　Shining

One。〃



She　looked　at　Larry；　long；　searchingly；　and　suddenly

again　with　all　that　effect　of　sunlight　bursting　into　dark　places；

her　smile　shone　upon　him。　　She　nodded；　half　gaily；　looked

down　upon　me；　the　little　merry　light　dancing　in　her　eyes；

waved　her　hand　to　me。



She　spoke　to　the　giant　frog…man。　　He　wheeled　behind　her

as　she　turned；　facing　the　priestess；　club　upraised；　fangs　glis…

tening。　　His　troop　moved　not　a　jot；　spears　held　high。　　Lakla

began　to　pass　slowlyalmost；　I　thought；　tauntinglyand　as

she　reached　the　portal　Larry　leaped　from　the　dais。



〃ALANNA！〃　he　cried。　　〃You'll　not　be　leavin'　me　just　when

I've　found　you！〃



In　his　excitement　he　spoke　in　his　own　tongue；　the　velvet

brogue　appealing。　　Lakla　turned；　contemplated　O'Keefe；　hesi…

tant；　unquestionably　longingly；　irresistibly　like　a　child　mak…

ing　up　her　mind　whether　she　dared　or　dared　not　take　a

delectable　something　offered　her。



〃I　go　with　you；〃　said　O'Keefe；　this　time　in　her　own

speech。　　〃Come　on；　Doc！〃　He　reached　out　a　hand　to　me。



But　now　Yolara　spoke。　　Life　and　beauty　had　flowed　back

into　her　face；　and　in　the　purple　eyes　all　her　hosts　of　devils

were　gathered。



〃Do　you　forget　what　I　promised　you　before　Siya　and

Siyana？　　And　do　you　think　that　you　can　leave　meme

as　though　I　were　a　_choya_like　HER。〃　She　pointed　to　Lakla。

Do　you〃



〃Now；　listen；　Yolara；〃　Larry　interrupted　almost　plain…

tively。　　〃No　promise　has　passed　from　me　to　youand　why

would　you　hold　me？〃　He　passed　unconsciously　into　English。

〃Be　a　good　sport；　Yolara；〃　he　urged；　'You　HAVE　got　a　very

devil　of　a　temper；　you　know；　and　so　have　I；　and　we'd　be

really　awfully　uncomfortable　together。　　And　why　don't　you

get　rid　of　that　devilish　pet　of　yours；　and　be　good！〃



She　looked　at　him；　puzzled；　Marakinoff　leaned　over；　trans…

lated　to　Lugur。　　The　red　dwarf　smiled　maliciously；　drew　near

the　priestess；　whispered　to　her　what　was　without　doubt　as

near　as　he　could　come　in　the　Murian　to　Larry's　own　very

colloquial　phrases。



Yolara's　lips　writhed。



〃Hear　me；　Lakla！〃　she　cried。　　〃Now　would　I　not　let　you

take　this　man　from　me　were　I　to　dwell　ten　thousand　_laya_

in　the　agony　of　the　_Yekta's_　kiss。　　This　I　swear　to　youby

Thanaroa；　by　my　heart；　and　by　my　strengthand　may　my

strength　wither；　my　heart　rot　in　my　breast；　and　Thanaroa

forget　me　if　I　do！〃



〃Listen；　Yolara〃began　O'Keefe　again。



〃Be　silent；　you！〃　It　was　almost　a　shriek。　　And　her　hand

again　sought　in　her　breast　for　the　cone　of　rhythmic　death。



Lugur　touched　her　arm；　whispered　again；　The　glint　of

guile　shone　in　her　eyes；　she　laughed　softly；　relaxed。



〃The　Silent　Ones；　Lakla；　bade　you　say　that　theyallowed

me　three　_tal_　to　decide；〃　she　said　suavely。　　〃Go　now　in

peace；　Lakla；　and　say　that　Yolara　has　heard；　and　that　for

the　three　_tal_　theyallowher　she　will　take　council。〃　The

handmaiden　hesitated。



〃The　Silent　Ones　have　said　it；〃　she　answered　at　last。　　〃Stay

you　here；　strangers〃…the　long　lashes　drooped　as　her　eyes

met　O'Keefe's　and　a　hint　of　blush　was　in　her　cheeks〃stay

you　here；　strangers；　till　then。　　But；　Yolara；　see　you　on　that

heart　and　strength　you　have　sworn　by　that　they　come　to　no

harmelse　that　which　you　have　invoked　shall　come　upon

you　swiftly　indeedand　that　I　promise　you；〃　she　added。



Their　eyes　met；　clashed；　burned　into　each　otherblack

flame　from　Abaddon　and　golden　flame　from　Paradise。



〃Remember！〃　said　Lakla；　and　passed　through　the　portal。

The　gigantic　frog…man　boomed　a　thunderous　note　of　com…

mand；　his　grotesque　guards　turned　and　slowly　followed　their

mistress；　and　last　of　all　passed　out　the　monster　with　the

mace。











CHAPTER　XXI



Larry's　Defiance



A　CLAMOUR　arose　from　all　the　chambers；　stilled　in　an　in…

stant　by　a　motion　of　Yolara's　hand。　　She　stood　silent；　regard…

ing　O'Keefe　with　something　other　now　than　blind　wrath；

something　half　regretful；　half　beseeching。　　But　the　Irishman's

control　was　gone。



〃Yolara；〃his　voice　shook　with　rage；　and　he　threw　cau…

tion　to　the　wind〃now　hear　ME。　　I　go　where　I　will　and　when

I　will。　　Here　shall　we　stay　until　the　time　she　named　is　come。

And　then　we　follow　her；　whether　you　will　or　not。　　And　if

any　should　have　thought　to　stop　ustell　them　of　that　flame

that　shattered　the　vase；〃　he　added　grimly。



The　wistfulness　died　out　of　her　eyes；　leaving　them　cold。

But　no　answer　made　she　to　him。



〃What　Lakla　has　said；　the　Council　must　consider；　and　at

once。〃　The　priestess　was　facing　the　nobles。　　〃Now；　friends　of

mine；　and　friends　of　Lugur；　must　all　feud；　all　rancour；　be…

tween　us　end。〃　She　glanced　swiftly　at　Lugur。　　〃The　_ladala_

are　stirring；　and　the　Silent　Ones　threaten。　　Yet　fear　notfor

are　we　not　strong　under　the　Shining　One？　　And　nowleave

us。〃



Her　hand　dropped　to　the　table；　and　she　gave；　evidently；

a　signal；　for　in　marched　a　dozen　or　more　of　the　green　dwarfs。



〃Take　these　two　to　their　place；〃　she　commanded；　point…

ing　to　us。



The　green　dwarfs　clustered　about　us。　　Without　another

look　at　the　priestess　O'Keefe　marched　beside　me；　between

them；　from　the　chamber。　　And　it　was　not　until　we　had　reached

the　pillared　entrance　that　Larry　spoke。



〃I　hate　to　talk　like　that　to　a　woman；　Doc；〃　he　said；　〃and

a　pretty　woman；　at　that。　　But　first　she　played　me　with　a

marked　deck；　and　then　not　only　pinched　all　the　chips；　but

drew　a　gun　on　me。　　What　the　hell！she　nearly　had　me

MARRIEDto　her。　　I　don't　know　what　the　stuff　was　she　gave

me；　but；　take　it　from　me；　if　I　had　the　recipe　for　that　brew

I　could　sell　it　for　a　thousand　dollars　a　jolt　at　Forty…second

and　Broadway。



〃One　jigger　of　it；　and　you　forget　there　is　a　trouble　in　the

world；　three　of　them；　and　you　forget　there　is　a　world。　　No

excuse　for　it；　Doc；　and　I　don't　care　what　you　say　or　what

Lakla　may　sayit　wasn't　my　fault；　and　I　don't　hold　it　up

against　myself　for　a　damn。〃



〃I　must　admit　that　I'm　a　bit　uneasy　about　her　threats；〃　I

said；　ignoring　all　this。　　He　stopped　abruptly。



〃What're　you　afraid　of？〃



〃Mostly；〃　I　answered　dryly；　〃I　have　no　desire　to　dance

with　the　Shining　One！〃



〃Listen　to　me；　Goodwin；〃　He　took　up　his　walk　impa…

tiently。　　〃I've　all　the　love　and　admiration　for　you　in　the

world；　but　this　place　has　got　your　nerve。　　Hereafter　one

Larry　O'Keefe；　of　Ireland　and　the　little　old　U。　S。　A。；　leads

this　party。　　Nix　on　the　tremolo　stop；　nix　on　the　superstition！

I'm　the　works。　　Get　me？〃



〃Yes；　I　get　you！〃　I　exclaimed　testily　enough。　　〃But　to　use

your　own　phrase；　kindly　can　the　repeated　references　to

superstition。〃



〃Why　should　I？〃　He　was　almost　wrathful。　　〃You　scientific

people　build　up　whole　philosophies　on　the　basis　of　things

you　never　saw；　and　you　scoff　at　people　who　believe　in　other

things　that　you　th