the moon pool-第42部分

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〃Yes；〃　went　on　Larry；　rapidly。　　〃It's　this　wayI　figure　that

the　frogs　grow　rather　large　where　she　lives；　and　they're　a　bit

different　too。　　Well；　Lakla's　got　a　lot　of　'em　trained。　　Carry

spears　and　clubs　and　all　that　junkjust　like　trained　seals　or

monkeys　or　so　on　in　the　circus。　　Probably　a　custom　of　the

place。　　Nothing　queer　about　that；　Olaf。　　Why　people　have　all

kinds　of　petsarmadillos　and　snakes　and　rabbits；　kangaroos

and　elephants　and　tigers。〃



Remembering　how　the　frog…woman　had　stuck　in　Larry's

mind　from　the　outset；　I　wondered　whether　all　this　was　not

more　to　convince　himself　than　Olaf。



〃Why；　I　remember　a　nice　girl　in　Paris　who　had　four　pet

pythons〃　he　went　on。



But　I　listened　no　more；　for　now　I　was　sure　of　my　surmise。

The　road　had　　begun　　to　　thrust　　itself　　through　　high…flung；

sharply　pinnacled　　masses　　and　　rounded　　outcroppings　　of　　rock

on　which　clung　patches　of　the　amber　moss。



The　trees　had　utterly　vanished；　and　studding　the　moss…

carpeted　plains　were　only　clumps　of　a　willowy　shrub　from

which　hung；　like　grapes；　clusters　of　white　waxen　blooms。

The　light　too　had　changed；　gone　were　the　dancing；　sparkling

atoms　and　the　silver　had　faded　to　a　soft；　almost　ashen　grey…

ness。　　Ahead　of　us　marched　a　rampart　of　coppery　cliffs　rising；

like　all　these　mountainous　walls　we　had　seen；　into　the　im…

mensities　of　haze。　　Something　long　drifting　in　my　subcon…

sciousness　turned　to　startled　realization。　　The　speed　of　the

shell　was　slackening！　　The　aperture　containing　the　ionizing

mechanism　was　still　open；　I　glanced　within；　The　whirling　ball

of　fire　was　not　dimmed；　but　its　coruscations；　instead　of　pour…

ing　down　through　the　cylinder；　swirled　and　eddied　and　shot

back　as　though　trying　to　re…enter　their　source。　　Rador　nodded

grimly。



〃The　Shadow　takes　its　toll；〃　he　said。



We　topped　a　riseLarry　gripped　my　arm。



〃Look！〃　he　cried；　and　pointed。　　Far；　far　behind　us；　so　far

that　the　road　was　but　a　glistening　thread；　a　score　of　shining

points　came　speeding。



〃Lugur　and　his　men；〃　said　Rador。



〃Can't　you　step　on　her？〃　asked　Larry。



〃Step　on　her？〃　repeated　the　green　dwarf；　puzzled。



〃Give　her　more　speed；　push　her；〃　explained　O'Keefe。



Rador　looked　about　him。　　The　coppery　ramparts　were

close；　not　more　than　three　or　four　miles　distant；　in　front　of

us　the　plain　lifted　in　a　long　rolling　swell；　and　up　this　the

_corial_　essayed　to　gowith　a　terrifying　lessening　of　speed。

Faintly　behind　us　came　shootings；　and　we　knew　that　Lugur

drew　close。　　Nor　anywhere　was　there　sign　of　Lakla　nor　her

frogmen。



Now　we　were　half…way　to　the　crest；　the　shell　barely

crawled　and　from　beneath　it　came　a　faint　hissing；　it　quiv…

ered；　and　I　knew　that　its　base　was　no　longer　held　above　the

glassy　surface　but　rested　on　it。



〃One　last　chance！〃　exclaimed　Rador。　　He　pressed　upon　the

control　lever　and　wrenched　it　from　its　socket。　　Instantly　the

sparkling　ball　expanded；　whirling　with　prodigious　rapidity

and　sending　a　cascade　of　coruscations　into　the　cylinder。　　The

shell　rose；　leaped　through　the　air；　the　dark　crystal　split

into　fragments；　the　fiery　ball　dulled；　diedbut　upon　the

impetus　of　that　last　thrust　we　reached　the　crest。　　Poised　there

for　a　moment；　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　road　dropping　down

the　side　of　an　enormous　moss…covered；　bowl…shaped　valley

whose　sharply　curved　sides　ended　abruptly　at　the　base　of

the　towering　barrier。



Then　down　the　steep；　powerless　to　guide　or　to　check　the

shell；　we　plunged　in　a　meteor　rush　straight　for　the　annihilat…

ing　adamantine　breasts　of　the　cliffs！



Now　the　quick　thinking　of　Larry's　air　training　came　to　our

aid。　　As　the　rampart　reared　close　he　threw　himself　upon

Rador；　hurled　him　and　himself　against　the　side　of　the　flying

whorl。　　Under　the　shock　the　finely　balanced　machine　swerved

from　its　course。　　It　struck　the　soft；　low　bank　of　the　road；　shot

high　in　air；　bounded　on　through　the　thick　carpeting；　whirled

like　a　dervish　and　fell　upon　its　side。　　Shot　from　it；　we　rolled

for　yards；　but　the　moss　saved　broken　bones　or　serious　bruise。



〃Quick！〃　cried　the　green　dwarf。　　He　seized　an　arm；　dragged

me　to　my　feet；　began　running　to　the　cliff　base　not　a　hundred

feet　away。　　Beside　us　raced　O'Keefe　and　Olaf。　　At　our　left　was

the　black　road。　　It　stopped　abruptlywas　cut　off　by　a　slab

of　polished　crimson　stone　a　hundred　feet　high；　and　as　wide；

set　within　the　coppery　face　of　the　barrier。　　On　each　side　of　it

stood　pillars；　cut　from　the　living　rock　and　immense；　almost；

as　those　which　held　the　rainbow　veil　of　the　Dweller。　　Across

its　face　weaved　unnameable　carvingsbut　I　had　no　time　for

more　than　a　glance。　　The　green　dwarf　gripped　my　arm　again。



〃Quick！〃　he　cried　again。　　〃The　handmaiden　has　passed！〃



At　the　right　of　the　Portal　ran　a　low　wall　of　shattered　rock。

Over　this　we　raced　like　rabbits。　　Hidden　behind　it　was　a

narrow　path。　　Crouching；　Rador　in　the　lead；　we　sped　along

it；　three　hundred；　four　hundred　yards　we　racedand　the

path　ended　in　a　_cul　de　sac_！　　To　our　ears　was　borne　a　louder

shouting。



The　first　of　the　pursuing　shells　had　swept　over　the　lip　of

the　great　bowl；　poised　for　a　moment　as　we　had　and　then

began　a　cautious　descent。　　Within　it；　scanning　the　slopes；　I

saw　Lugur。



〃A　little　closer　and　I'll　get　him！〃　whispered　Larry

viciously。　　He　raised　his　pistol。



His　hand　was　caught　in　a　mighty　grip；　Rador；　eyes　blaz…

ing；　stood　beside　him。



〃No！〃　rasped　the　green　dwarf。　　He　heaved　a　shoulder

against　one　of　the　boulders　that　formed　the　pocket。　　It　rocked

aside；　revealing　a　slit。



〃In！〃　ordered　he；　straining　against　the　weight　of　the　stone。

O'Keefe　slipped　through。　　Olaf　at　his　back；　I　following。　　With

a　lightning　leap　the　dwarf　was　beside　me；　the　huge　rock

missing　him　by　a　hair　breadth　as　it　swung　into　place！



We　were　in　Cimmerian　darkness。　　I　felt　for　my　pocket…flash

and　recalled　with　distress　that　I　had　left　it　behind　with　my

medicine　kit　when　we　fled　from　the　gardens。　　But　Rador

seemed　to　need　no　light。



〃Grip　hands！〃　he　ordered。　　We　crept；　single　file；　holding

to　each　other　like　children；　through　the　black。　　At　last　the

green　dwarf　paused。



〃Await　me　here；〃　he　whispered。　　〃Do　not　move。　　And　for

your　livesbe　silent！〃



And　he　was　gone。











CHAPTER　XXIII



Dragon　Worm　and　Moss　Death



FOR　a　small　eternityto　me　at　leastwe　waited。　　Then　as

silent　as　ever　the　green　dwarf　returned。　　〃It　is　well；〃　he

said；　some　of　the　strain　gone　from　his　voice。　　〃Grip　hands

again；　and　follow。〃



〃Wait　a　bit；　Rador；〃　this　was　Larry。　　〃Does　Lugur　know

this　side　entrance？　　If　he　does；　why　not　let　Olaf　and　me　go

back　to　the　opening　and　pick　them　off　as　they　come　in？　　We

could　hold　the　lotand　in　the　meantime　you　and　Goodwin

could　go　after　Lakla　for　help。〃



〃Lugur　knows　the　secret　of　the　Portalif　he　dare　use　it；〃

answered　the　captain；　with　a　curious　indirection。　　〃And　now

that　they　have　challenged　the　Silent　Ones　I　think　he　WILL

dare。　　Also；　he　will　find　our　tracksand　it　may　be　that　he

knows　this　hidden　way。〃



〃Well；　for　God's　sake！〃　O'Keefe's　appalled　bewilderment

was　almost　ludicrous。　　〃If　HE　knows　all　that；　and　YOU　knew

all　that；　why　didn't　you　let　me　click　him　when　I　had　the　chance？〃



〃_Larree_；〃　the　green　dwarf　was　oddly　humble。　　〃It　seemed

good　to　me；　tooat　first。　　And　then　I　heard　a　command；

heard　it　clearly；　to　stop　youthat　Lugur　die　not　now；　lest　a

greater　vengeance　fail！〃



〃Command？　　From　whom？〃　The　Irishman's　voice　distilled

out　of　the　blackness　the　very　essence　of　bewilderment。



〃I　thought；〃　Rador　was　whispering〃I　thought　it　came

from　the　Silent　Ones！〃



〃Superstition！〃　groaned　O'Keefe　in　utter　exasperation。

〃Always　superstition！　　What　can　you　do　against　it！



〃Never　mind；　Rador。〃　His　sense　of　humour　came　to　his

aid。　　〃It's　too　late　now；　anyway。　　Where　do　we　go　from　here；

old　dear？〃　he　laughed。



〃We　tread　the　path　of　one　I　am　not　fain　to　meet；〃　answered

Rador。　　〃But　if　meet　we　must；　point　the　death　tubes　at　the

pale　shield　he　bears　upon　his　throat　and　send　the　flame　into

the　flower　of　cold　fire　that　is　its　centrenor　look　into　his

eyes！〃



Again　Larry　gasped；　and　I　with　him。



〃It's　getting　too　deep　for　me；　Doc；〃　he　muttered　de…

jectedly。　　〃Can　you　make　head　or　tail　of　it？〃



〃No；〃　I　answered；　shortly　enough；　〃but　Rador　fears　some…

thing　and　that's　his　description　of　it。〃



〃Sure；〃　he　replied；　〃only　it's　a　code　I　don't　understand。〃

I　could　feel　his　grin。　　〃All　right　for　the　flower　of　cold　fire；

Rador；　and　I　won't　look　into　his　eyes；〃　he　went　on　cheerfully。

〃But　hadn't　we　better　be　moving？〃



〃Come！〃　said　the　soldier；　again　hand　in　hand　we　went

blindly　on。



O'Keefe　was　muttering　to　himself。



〃Flower　of　cold　fire！　　Don't　look　into　his　eyes！　　Some　joint！

Damned　superstition。〃　Then　he　chuckled　and　carolled；　softly：





〃Oh；　mama；　pin　a　cold　rose　on　me；

Two　young　frog…