the moon pool-第30部分

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emptorily；　finally；　as　though　it　were　a　message　from　Throck…

martin　himself！



〃A　vine　with　five　flowers！〃　exclaimed　the　red　dwarf。　　〃Was

it　like　this；　say？〃



He　thrust　forward　a　long　arm。　　Upon　the　thumb　of　the

hand　was　an　immense　ring；　set　with　a　dull…blue　stone。

Graven　on　the　face　of　the　jewel　was　the　symbol　of　the　rosy

walls　of　the　Moon　Chamber　that　had　opened　to　us　their　two

portals。　　But　cut　over　the　vine　were　seven　circles；　one　about

each　of　the　flowers　and　two　larger　ones　covering；　intersect…

ing　them。



〃This　is　the　same；〃　I　said；　〃but　these　were　not　there〃

I　indicated　the　circles。



The　woman　drew　a　deep　breath　and　looked　deep　into

Lugur's　eyes。



〃The　sign　of　the　Silent　Ones！〃　he　half　whispered。



It　was　the　woman　who　first　recovered　herself。



〃The　strangers　are　weary；　Lugur；〃　she　said。　　〃When　they

are　rested　they　shall　show　where　the　rocks　opened。〃



I　sensed　a　subtle　change　in　their　attitude　toward　us；　a　new

intentness；　a　doubt　plainly　tinged　with　apprehension。　　What

was　it　they　feared？　　Why　had　the　symbol　of　the　vine　wrought

the　change？　　And　who　or　what　were　the　Silent　Ones？



Yolara's　eyes　turned　to　Olaf；　hardened；　and　grew　cold

grey。　　Subconsciously　I　had　noticed　that　from　the　first　the

Norseman　had　been　absorbed　in　his　regard　of　the　pair；　had；

indeed；　never　taken　his　gaze　from　them；　had　noticed；　too；

the　priestess　dart　swift　glances　toward　him。



He　returned　her　scrutiny　fearlessly；　a　touch　of　contempt　in

the　clear　eyeslike　a　child　watching　a　snake　which　he　did

not　dread；　but　whose　danger　be　well　knew。



Under　that　look　Yolara　stirred　impatiently；　sensing；　I

know；　its　meaning。



〃Why　do　you　look　at　me　so？〃　she　cried。



An　expression　of　bewilderment　passed　over　Olaf's　face。



〃I　do　not　understand；〃　he　said　in　English。



I　caught　a　quickly　repressed　gleam　in　O'Keefe's　eyes。　　He

knew；　as　I　knew；　that　Olaf　must　have　understood。　　But　did

Marakinoff？



Apparently　he　did　not。　　But　why　was　Olaf　feigning　igno…

rance？



〃This　man　is　a　sailor　from　what　we　call　the　North；〃　thus

Larry　haltingly。　　〃He　is　crazed；　I　think。　　He　tells　a　strange　tale

of　a　something　of　cold　fire　that　took　his　wife　and　babe。

We　found　him　wandering　where　we　were。　　And　because　he　is

strong　we　brought　him　with　us。　　That　is　all；　O　lady；　whose

voice　is　sweeter　than　the　honey　of　the　wild　bees！〃



〃A　shape　of　cold　fire？〃　she　repeated。



〃A　shape　of　cold　fire　that　whirled　beneath　the　moon；　with

the　sound　of　little　bells；〃　answered　Larry；　watching　her　in…

tently。



She　looked　at　Lugur　and　laughed。



〃Then　he；　too；　is　fortunate；〃　she　said。　　〃For　he　has　come

to　the　place　of　his　something　of　cold　fireand　tell　him　that

he　shall　join　his　wife　and　child；　in　time；　that　I　promise　him。〃



Upon　the　Norseman's　face　there　was　no　hint　of　compre…

hension；　and　at　that　moment　I　formed　an　entirely　new　opin…

ion　of　Olaf's　intelligence；　for　certainly　it　must　have　been　a

prodigious　effort　of　the　will；　indeed；　that　enabled　him；　under…

standing；　to　control　himself。



〃What　does　she　say？〃　he　asked。



Larry　repeated。



〃Good！〃　said　Olaf。　　〃Good！〃



He　looked　at　Yolara　with　well…assumed　gratitude。　　Lugur；

who　had　been　scanning　his　bulk；　drew　close。　　He　felt　the　giant

muscles　which　Huldricksson　accommodatingly　flexed　for

him。



〃But　he　shall　meet　Valdor　and　Tahola　before　he　sees　those

kin　of　his；〃　he　laughed　mockingly。　　〃And　if　he　bests　them

for　rewardhis　wife　and　babe！〃



A　shudder；　quickly　repressed；　shook　the　seaman's　frame。

The　woman　bent　her　supremely　beautiful　head。



〃These　two；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　Russian　and　to　me；

〃seem　to　be　men　of　learning。　　They　may　be　useful。　　As　for　this

man；〃she　smiled　at　Larry〃I　would　have　him　explain　to

me　some　things。〃　She　hesitated。　　〃What　'hon…ey　of　'e　wild

bees…s'　is。〃　Larry　had　spoken　the　words　in　English；　and　she

was　trying　to　repeat　them。　　〃As　for　this　man；　the　sailor；　do

as　you　please　with　him；　Lugur；　always　remembering　that　I

have　given　my　word　that　he　shall　join　that　wife　and　babe　of

his！〃　She　laughed　sweetly；　sinisterly。　　〃And　nowtake　them；

Radorgive　them　food　and　drink　and　let　them　rest　till　we

shall　call　them　again。〃



She　stretched　out　a　hand　toward　O'Keefe。　　The　Irishman

bowed　low　over　it；　raised　it　softly　to　his　lips。　　There　was　a

vicious　hiss　from　Lugur；　but　Yolara　regarded　Larry　with

eyes　now　all　tender　blue。



〃You　please　me；〃　she　whispered。



And　the　face　of　Lugur　grew　darker。



We　turned　to　go。　　The　rosy；　azure…shot　globe　at　her　side

suddenly　dulled。　　From　it　came　a　faint　bell　sound　as　of　chimes

far　away。　　She　bent　over　it。　　It　vibrated；　and　then　its　surface

ran　with　little　waves　of　dull　colour；　from　it　came　a　whisper…

ing　so　low　that　I　could　not　distinguish　the　wordsif　words

they　were。



She　spoke　to　the　red　dwarf。



〃They　have　brought　the　three　who　blasphemed　the　Shin…

ing　One；〃　she　said　slowly。　　〃Now　it　is　in　my　mind　to　show

these　strangers　the　justice　of　Lora。　　What　say　you；　Lugur？〃



The　red　dwarf　nodded；　his　eyes　sparkling　with　a　malicious

anticipation。



The　woman　spoke　again　to　the　globe。　　〃Bring　them　here！〃



And　again　it　ran　swiftly　with　its　film　of　colours；　darkened；

and　shone　rosy　once　more。　　From　without　there　came　a　rustle

of　many　feet　upon　the　rugs。　　Yolara　pressed　a　slender　hand

upon　the　base　of　the　pedestal　of　the　globe　beside　her。

Abruptly　the　light　faded　from　all；　and　on　the　same　instant

the　four　walls　of　blackness　vanished；　revealing　on　two　sides

the　lovely；　unfamiliar　garden　through　the　guarding　rows　of

pillars；　at　our　backs　soft　draperies　hid　what　lay　beyond；

before　us；　flanked　by　flowered　screens；　was　the　corridor

through　which　we　had　entered；　crowded　now　by　the　green

dwarfs　of　the　great　hall。



The　dwarfs　advanced。　　Each；　I　now　noted；　had　the　same

clustering　black　hair　of　Rador。　　They　separated；　and　from

them　stepped　three　figuresa　youth　of　not　more　than　twenty；

short；　but　with　the　great　shoulders　of　all　the　males　we　had

seen　of　this　race；　a　girl　of　seventeen；　I　judged；　white…faced；

a　head　taller　than　the　boy；　her　long；　black　hair　dishevelled；

and　behind　these　two　a　stunted；　gnarled　shape　whose　head

was　sunk　deep　between　the　enormous　shoulders；　whose　white

beard　fell　like　that　of　some　ancient　gnome　down　to　his　waist；

and　whose　eyes　were　a　white　flame　of　hate。　　The　girl　cast　her…

self　weeping　at　the　feet　of　the　priestess；　the　youth　regarded

her　curiously。



〃You　are　Songar　of　the　Lower　Waters？〃　murmured　Yolara

almost　caressingly。　　〃And　this　is　your　daughter　and　her

lover？〃



The　gnome　nodded；　the　flame　in　his　eyes　leaping　higher。



〃It　has　come　to　me　that　you　three　have　dared　blaspheme

the　Shining　One；　its　priestess；　and　its　Voice；〃　went　on　Yo…

lara　smoothly。　　〃Also　that　you　have　called　out　to　the　three

Silent　Ones。　　Is　it　true？〃



〃Your　spies　have　spokenand　have　you　not　already

judged　us？〃　The　voice　of　the　old　dwarf　w