the moon pool-第5部分

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ticed　was　the　exquisite　nicety　with　which　its　edges　joined　the

blocks　about　it。　　Then　I　realized　that　its　colour　was　subtly　dif…

ferenttinged　with　grey　and　of　a　smooth；　peculiardead…

ness。



〃'Looks　more　like　calcite　than　basalt；'　I　said。　　I　touched　it

and　withdrew　my　hand　quickly　for　at　the　contact　every　nerve

in　my　arm　tingled　as　though　a　shock　of　frozen　electricity　had

passed　through　it。　　It　was　not　cold　as　we　know　cold。　　It　was　a

chill　forcethe　phrase　I　have　usedfrozen　electricityde…

scribes　it　better　than　anything　else。　　Stanton　looked　at　me

oddly。



〃'So　you　felt　it　too；'　he　said。　　'I　was　wondering　whether　I

was　developing　hallucinations　like　Thora。　　Notice；　by　the　way；

that　the　blocks　beside　it　are　quite　warm　beneath　the　sun。'



〃We　examined　the　slab　eagerly。　　Its　edges　were　cut　as

though　by　an　engraver　of　jewels。　　They　fitted　against　the

neighbouring　blocks　in　almost　a　hair…line。　　Its　base　was

slightly　curved；　and　fitted　as　closely　as　top　and　sides　upon　the

huge　stones　on　which　it　rested。　　And　then　we　noted　that　these

stones　had　been　hollowed　to　follow　the　line　of　the　grey　stone's

foot。　　There　was　a　semicircular　depression　running　from　one

side　of　the　slab　to　the　other。　　It　was　as　though　the　grey　rock

stood　in　the　centre　of　a　shallow　cuprevealing　half；　covering

half。　　Something　about　this　hollow　attracted　me。　　I　reached

down　and　felt　it。　　Goodwin；　although　the　balance　of　the　stones

that　formed　it；　like　all　the　stones　of　the　courtyard；　were

rough　and　age…wornthis　was　as　smooth；　as　even　surfaced　as

though　it　had　just　left　the　hands　of　the　polisher。



〃'It's　a　door！'　exclaimed　Stanton。　　'It　swings　around　in　that

little　cup。　　That's　what　makes　the　hollow　so　smooth。'



〃'Maybe　you're　right；'　I　replied。　　'But　how　the　devil　can　we

open　it？'



〃We　went　over　the　slab　againpressing　upon　its　edges；

thrusting　against　its　sides。　　During　one　of　those　efforts　I　hap…

pened　to　look　upand　cried　out。　　A　foot　above　and　on　each

side　of　the　corner　of　the　grey　rock's　lintel　was　a　slight　con…

vexity；　visible　only　from　the　angle　at　which　my　gaze　struck　it。



〃We　carried　with　us　a　small　scaling…ladder　and　up　this　I

went。　　The　bosses　were　apparently　nothing　more　than　chis…

eled　curvatures　in　the　stone。　　I　laid　my　hand　on　the　one　I　was

examining；　and　drew　it　back　sharply。　　In　my　palm；　at　the　base

of　my　thumb；　I　had　felt　the　same　shock　that　I　had　in　touch…

ing　the　slab　below。　　I　put　my　hand　back。　　The　impression　came

from　a　spot　not　more　than　an　inch　wide。　　I　went　carefully

over　the　entire　convexity；　and　six　times　more　the　chill　ran

through　my　arm。　　There　were　seven　circles　an　inch　wide　in

the　curved　place；　each　of　which　communicated　the　precise

sensation　I　have　described。　　The　convexity　on　the　opposite

side　of　the　slab　gave　exactly　the　same　results。　　But　no　amount

of　touching　or　of　pressing　these　spots　singly　or　in　any　com…

bination　gave　the　slightest　promise　of　motion　to　the　slab

itself。



　〃'And　yetthey're　what　open　it；'　said　Stanton　positively。



　〃'Why　do　you　say　that？'　I　asked。



〃'Idon't　know；'　he　answered　hesitatingly。　　'But　some…

thing　tells　me　so。　　Throck；'　he　went　on　half　earnestly；　half

laughingly；　'the　purely　scientific　part　of　me　is　fighting　the

purely　human　part　of　me。　　The　scientific　part　is　urging　me　to

find　some　way　to　get　that　slab　either　down　or　open。　　The　hu…

man　part　is　just　as　strongly　urging　me　to　do　nothing　of　the

sort　and　get　away　while　I　can！'



　〃He　laughed　againshamefacedly。



〃'Which　shall　it　be？'　he　askedand　I　thought　that　in　his

tone　the　human　side　of　him　was　ascendant。



〃'It　will　probably　stay　as　it　isunless　we　blow　it　to　bits；'

I　said。



〃'I　thought　of　that；'　he　answered；　'and　I　wouldn't　dare；'

he　added　soberly　enough。　　And　even　as　I　had　spoken　there

came　to　me　the　same　feeling　that　he　had　expressed。　　It　was　as

though　something　passed　out　of　the　grey　rock　that　struck　my

heart　as　a　hand　strikes　an　impious　lip。　　We　turned　awayun…

easily；　and　faced　Thora　coming　through　a　breach　on　the　ter…

race。



'Miss　Edith　wants　you　quick；'　she　beganand　stopped。

Her　eyes　went　past　me　to　the　grey　rock。　　Her　body　grew　rigid；

she　took　a　few　stiff　steps　forward　and　then　ran　straight　to　it。

She　cast　herself　upon　its　breast；　hands　and　face　pressed

against　it；　we　heard　her　scream　as　though　her　very　soul　were

being　drawn　from　herand　watched　her　fall　at　its　foot。　　As

we　picked　her　up　I　saw　steal　from　her　face　the　look　I　had　ob…

served　when　first　we　heard　the　crystal　music　of　Nan…Tauach

that　unhuman　mingling　of　opposites！〃











CHAPTER　IV



The　First　Vanishings



〃WE　CARRIED　Thora　back；　down　to　where　Edith　was　waiting。

We　told　her　what　had　happened　and　what　we　had　found。

She　listened　gravely；　and　as　we　finished　Thora　sighed　and

opened　her　eyes。



〃'I　would　like　to　see　the　stone；'　she　said。　　'Charles；　you　stay

here　with　Thora。'　We　passed　through　the　outer　court　silently

and　stood　before　the　rock。　　She　touched　it；　drew　back　her

hand　as　I　had；　thrust　it　forward　again　resolutely　and　held　it

there。　　She　seemed　to　be　listening。　　Then　she　turned　to　me。



〃'David；'　said　my　wife；　and　the　wistfulness　in　her　voice

hurt　me'David；　would　you　be　very；　very　disappointed　if　we

went　from　herewithout　trying　to　find　out　any　more　about

itwould　you？'



〃Walter；　I　never　wanted　anything　so　much　in　my　life　as　I

wanted　to　learn　what　that　rock　concealed。　　Nevertheless；　I

tried　to　master　my　desire；　and　I　answered'Edith；　not　a　bit

if　you　want　us　to　do　it。'



〃She　read　my　struggle　in　my　eyes。　　She　turned　back　toward

the　grey　rock。　　I　saw　a　shiver　pass　through　her。　　I　felt　a　tinge

of　remorse　and　pity！



　〃'Edith；'　I　exclaimed；　'we'll　go！'



〃She　looked　at　me　again。　　'Science　is　a　jealous　mistress；'　she

quoted。　　'No；　after　all　it　may　be　just　fancy。　　At　any　rate；　you

can't　run　away。　　No！　　But；　Dave；　I'm　going　to　stay　too！'



〃And　there　was　no　changing　her　decision。　　As　we　neared

the　others　she　laid　a　hand　on　my　arm。



〃'Dave；'　she　said；　'if　there　should　be　somethingwell

inexplicable　tonightsomething　that　seemstoo　dangerous

will　you　promise　to　go　back　to　our　own　islet　tomorrow；　if

we　canand　wait　until　the　natives　return？'



〃I　promised　eagerlythe　desire　to　stay　and　see　what　came

with　the　night　was　like　a　fire　within　me。



〃We　picked　a　place　about　five　hundred　feet　away　from　the

steps　leading　into　the　outer　court。



〃The　spot　we　had　selected　was　well　hidden。　　We　could　not

be　seen；　and　yet　we　had　a　clear　view　of　the　stairs　and　the

gateway。　　We　settled　down　just　before　dusk　to　wait　for　what…

ever　might　come。　　I　was　nearest　the　giant　steps；　next　me

Edith；　then　Thora；　and　last　Stanton。



〃Night　fell。　　After　a　time　the　eastern　sky　began　to　lighten；

and　we　knew　that　the　moon　was　rising；　grew　lighter　still；　and

the　orb　peeped　over　the　sea；　swam　into　full　sight。　　I　glanced

at　Edith　and　then　at　Thora。　　My　wife　was　intently　listening。

Thora　sat；　as　she　had　since　we　had　placed　ourselves；　elbows

on　knees；　her　hands　covering　her　face。



〃And　then　from　the　moonlight　flooding　us　there　dripped

down　on　me　a　great　drowsiness。　　Sleep　seemed　to　seep　from

the　rays　and　fall　upon　my　eyes；　closing　themclosing　them

inexorably。　　Edith's　hand　in　mine　relaxed。　　Stanton's　head　fell

upon　his　breast　and　his　body　swayed　drunkenly。　　I　tried　to

riseto　fight　against　the　profound　desire　for　slumber　that

pressed　on　me。



〃And　as　I　fought；　Thora　raised　her　head　as　though　listen…

ing；　and　turned　toward　the　gateway。　　There　was　infinite　des…

pair　in　her　faceand　expectancy。　　I　tried　again　to　riseand　a

surge　of　sleep　rushed　over　me。　　Dimly；　as　I　sank　within　it；　I

heard　a　crystalline　chiming；　raised　my　lids　once　more　with　a

supreme　effort。



〃Thora；　bathed　in　light；　was　standing　at　the　top　of　the

stairs。



〃Sleep　took　me　for　its　very　ownswept　me　into　the　heart

of　oblivion！



〃Dawn　was　breaking　when　I　wakened。　　Recollection　rushed

back；　I　thrust　a　panic…stricken　hand　out　toward　Edith；

touched　her　and　my　heart　gave　a　great　leap　of　thankfulness。

She　stirred；　sat　up；　rubbing　dazed　eyes。　　Stanton　lay　on　his

side；　back　toward　us；　head　in　arms。



〃Edith　looked　at　me　laughingly。　　'Heavens！　　What　sleep！'

she　said。　　Memory　came　to　her。



〃'What　happened？'　she　whispered。　　'What　made　us　sleep

like　that？'



　〃Stanton　awoke。



〃'What's　the　matter！'　he　exclaimed。　　'You　look　as　though

you've　been　seeing　ghosts。'



　〃Edith　caught　my　hands。



〃'Where's　Thora？'　she　cried。　　Before　I　could　answer　she

had　run　out　into　the　open；　calling。



〃'Thora　was　taken；'　was　all　I　could　say　to　Stanton；　'to…

gether　we　went　to　my　wife；　now　standing　beside　the　great

stone　steps；　looking　up　fearfully　at　the　gateway　into　the　ter…

races。　　There　I　told　them　what　I　had　seen　before　sleep　had

drowned　me。　　And　together　then　we　ran　up　the　stairs；　through

the　court　and　to　the　grey　rock。