the moon pool-第35部分

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〃I　was　born　in　Ireland；　he　in　America。　　But　I　have　dwelt

long　in　his　land　and　my　heart　loves　each；〃　he　said。



She　nodded；　understandingly。



〃Are　all　the　men　of　Ireland　like　you；　Larree？　　As　all　the

men　here　are　like　Lugur　or　Rador？　　I　like　to　look　at　you；〃

she　went　on；　with　naive　frankness。　　〃I　am　tired　of　men　like

Lugur　and　Rador。　　But　they　are　strong；〃　she　added；　swiftly。

〃Lugur　can　hold　up　ten　in　his　two　arms　and　raise　six　with

but　one　hand。〃



We　could　not　understand　her　numerals　and　she　raised

white　fingers　to　illustrate。



〃That　is　little；　O　lady；　to　the　men　of　Ireland；〃　replied

O'Keefe。　　〃Lo；　I　have　seen　one　of　my　race　hold　up　ten　times

ten　of　ourwhat　call　you　that　swift　thing　in　which　Rador

brought　us　here？〃



〃Corial；〃　said　she。



〃Hold　up　ten　times　twenty　of　our　corials　with　but　two

fingersand　these　corials　of　ours〃



〃Coria；〃　said　she。



〃And　these　coria　of　ours　are　each　greater　in　weight　than

ten　of　yours。　　Yes；　and　I　have　seen　another　with　but　one　blow

of　his　hand　raise　hell！



〃And　so　I　have；〃　he　murmured　to　me。　　〃And　both　at　Forty…

second　and　Fifth　Avenue；　N。　Y。U。　S。　A。〃



Yolara　considered　all　this　with　manifest　doubt。



〃Hell？〃　she　inquired　at　last。　　〃I　know　not　the　word。〃



〃Well；〃　answered　O'Keefe。　　〃Say　Muria　then。　　In　many

ways　they　are；　I　gather；　O　heart's　delight；　one　and　the　same。〃



Now　the　doubt　in　the　blue　eyes　was　strong　indeed。　　She

shook　her　head。



〃None　of　our　men　can　do　THAT！〃　she　answered；　at　length。

〃Nor　do　I　think　you　could；　Larree。〃



〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Larry　easily。　　〃I　never　tried　to　be　that

strong。　　I　fly；〃　he　added；　casually。



The　priestess　rose　to　her　feet；　gazing　at　him　with　startled　eyes。



〃Fly！〃　she　repeated　incredulously。　　〃Like　a　_Zitia_？　　A　bird？〃



Larry　noddedand　then　seeing　the　dawning　command　in

her　eyes；　went　on　hastily。



〃Not　with　my　own　wings；　Yolara。　　In　aa　corial　that

moves　throughwhat's　the　word　for　air；　Docwell；

through　this〃　He　made　a　wide　gesture　up　toward　the

nebulous　haze　above　us。　　He　took　a　pencil　and　on　a　white

cloth　made　a　hasty　sketch　of　an　airplane。　　〃In　aa　corial

like　this〃　She　regarded　the　sketch　gravely；　thrust　a　hand

down　into　her　girdle　and　brought　forth　a　keen…bladed

poniard；　cut　Larry's　markings　out　and　placed　the　fragment

carefully　aside。



〃That　I　can　understand；〃　she　said。



〃Remarkably　intelligent　young　woman；〃　muttered

O'Keefe。　　〃Hope　I'm　not　giving　anything　awaybut　she　had

me。〃



〃But　what　are　your　women　like；　Larree？　　Are　they　like

me？　　And　how　many　have　loved　you？〃　she　whispered。



〃In　all　Ireland　and　America　there　is　none　like　you；　Yo…

lara；〃　he　answered。　　〃And　take　that　any　way　you　please；〃　he

muttered　in　English。　　She　took　it；　it　was　evident；　as　it　most

pleased　her。



〃Do　you　have　goddesses？〃　she　asked。



〃Every　woman　in　Ireland　and　America；　is　a　goddess〃；

thus　Larry。



〃Now　that　I　do　not　believe。〃　There　was　both　anger　and

mockery　in　her　eyes。　　〃I　know　women；　Larreeand　if　that

were　so　there　would　be　no　peace　for　men。〃



〃There　isn't！〃　replied　he。　　The　anger　died　out　and　she

laughed；　sweetly；　understandingly。



〃And　which　goddess　do　you　worship；　Larree？〃



〃You！〃　said　Larry　O'Keefe　boldly。



〃Larry！　　Larry！〃　I　whispered。　　〃Be　careful。　　It's　high　explo…

sive。〃



But　the　priestess　was　laughinglittle　trills　of　sweet　bell

notes；　and　pleasure　was　in　each　note。



〃You　are　indeed　bold；　Larree；〃　she　said；　〃to　offer　me　your

worship。　　Yet　am　I　pleased　by　your　boldness。　　StillLugur　is

strong；　and　you　are　not　of　those　whowhat　did　you　say

have　tried。　　And　your　wings　are　not　hereLarree！〃



Again　her　laughter　rang　out。　　The　Irishman　flushed；　it　was

touche　for　Yolara！



〃Fear　not　for　me　with　Lugur；〃　he　said；　grimly。　　〃Rather

fear　for　him！〃



The　laughter　died；　she　looked　at　him　searchingly；　a　little

enigmatic　smile　about　her　mouthso　sweet　and　so　cruel。



〃Wellwe　shall　see；〃　she　murmured。　　〃You　say　you　battle

in　your　world。　　With　what？〃



〃Oh；　with　this　and　with　that；〃　answered　Larry；　airily。

〃We　manage〃



〃Have　you　the　KethI　mean　that　with　which　I　sent

Songar　into　the　nothingness？〃　she　asked　swiftly。



〃See　what　she's　driving　at？〃　O'Keefe　spoke　to　me；　swiftly。

〃Well　I　do！　　But　here's　where　the　O'Keefe　lands。



〃I　said；〃　he　turned　to　her；　〃O　voice　of　silver　fire；　that　your

spirit　is　high　even　as　your　beautyand　searches　out　men's

souls　as　does　your　loveliness　their　hearts。　　And　now　listen；

Yolara；　for　what　I　speak　is　truth〃into　his　eyes　came　the

far…away　gaze；　into　his　voice　the　Irish　softness〃Lo；　in　my

land　of　Ireland；　this　many　of　your　life's　length　agonesee〃

he　raised　his　ten　fingers；　clenched　and　unclenched　them

times　twenty〃the　mighty　men　of　my　race；　the　Taitha…da…

Dainn；　could　send　men　out　into　the　nothingness　even　as　do

you　with　the　Keth。　　And　this　they　did　by　their　harpings；　and

by　words　spokenwords　of　power；　O　Yolara；　that　have　their

power　stilland　by　pipings　and　by　slaying　sounds。



〃There　was　Cravetheen　who　played　swift　flames　from　his

harp；　flying　flames　that　ate　those　they　were　sent　against。　　And

there　was　Dalua；　of　Hy　Brasil；　whose　pipes　played　away

from　man　and　beast　and　all　living　things　their　shadows

and　at　last　played　them　to　shadows　too；　so　that　wherever

Dalua　went　his　shadows　that　had　been　men　and　beast　fol…

lowed　like　a　storm　of　little　rustling　leaves；　yea；　and　Bel　the

Harper；　who　could　make　women's　hearts　run　like　wax　and

men's　hearts　flame　to　ashes　and　whose　harpings　could　shat…

ter　strong　cliffs　and　bow　great　trees　to　the　sod〃



His　eyes　were　bright；　dream…filled；　she　shrank　a　little

from　him；　faint　pallor　under　the　perfect　skin。



〃I　say　to　you；　Yolara；　that　these　things　were　and　are

in　Ireland。〃　His　voice　rang　strong。　　〃And　I　have　seen　men　as

many　as　those　that　are　in　your　great　chamber　this　many

times　over〃he　clenched　his　hands　once　more；　perhaps　a

dozen　times〃blasted　into　nothingness　before　your　Keth

could　even　have　touched　them。　　Yeaand　rocks　as　mighty

as　those　through　which　we　came　lifted　up　and　shattered

before　the　lids　could　fall　over　your　blue　eyes。　　And　this　is

truth；　Yolaraall　truth！　　Stayhave　you　that　little　cone　of

the　Keth　with　which　you　destroyed　Songar？〃



She　nodded；　gazing　at　him；　fascinated；　fear　and　puzzle…

ment　contending。



〃Then　use　it。〃　He　took　a　vase　of　crystal　from　the　table；

placed　it　on　the　threshold　that　led　into　the　garden。　　〃Use　it

on　thisand　I　will　show　you。〃



〃I　will　use　it　upon　one　of　the　ladala〃　she　began　eagerly。



The　exaltation　dropped　from　him；　there　was　a　touch　of

horror　in　the　eyes　he　turned　to　her；　her　own　dropped　be…

fore　it。



〃It　shall　be　as　you　say；〃　she　said　hurriedly。　　She　drew　the

shining　cone　from　her　breast；　levelled　it　at　the　vase。　　The

green　ray　leaped　forth；　spread　over　the　crystal；　but　before

its　action　could　even　be　begun；　a　flash　of　light　shot　from

O'Keefe's　hand；　his　automatic　spat