the moon pool-第36部分

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

O'Keefe's　hand；　his　automatic　spat　and　the　trembling　vase

flew　into　fragments。　　As　quickly　as　he　had　drawn　it；　he

thrust　the　pistol　back　into　place　and　stood　there　empty

handed；　looking　at　her　sternly。　　From　the　anteroom　came

shouting；　a　rush　of　feet。



Yolara's　face　was　white；　her　eyes　strainedbut　her　voice

was　unshaken　as　she　called　to　the　clamouring　guards：



〃It　is　nothinggo　to　your　places！〃



But　when　the　sound　of　their　return　had　ceased　she　stared

tensely　at　the　Irishmanthen　looked　again　at　the　shattered

vase。



〃It　is　true！〃　she　cried；　〃but　see；　the　Keth　isalive！〃



I　followed　her　pointing　finger。　　Each　broken　bit　of　the

crystal　was　vibrating；　shaking　its　particles　out　into　space。

Broken　it　the　bullet　of　Larry's　hadbut　not　released　it　from

the　grip　of　the　disintegrating　force。　　The　priestess's　face　was

triumphant。



〃But　what　matters　it；　O　shining　urn　of　beautywhat　mat…

ters　it　to　the　vase　that　is　broken　what　happens　to　its　frag…

ments？〃　asked　Larry；　gravelyand　pointedly。



The　triumph　died　from　her　face　and　for　a　space　she　was

silent；　brooding。



〃Next；〃　whispered　O'Keefe　to　me。　　〃Lots　of　surprises　in

the　little　box；　keep　your　eye　on　the　opening　and　see　what

comes　out。〃



We　had　not　long　to　wait。　　There　was　a　sparkle　of　anger

about　Yolara；　something　too　of　injured　pride。　　She　clapped

her　hands；　whispered　to　the　maid　who　answered　her　sum…

mons；　and　then　sat　back　regarding　us；　maliciously。



〃You　have　answered　me　as　to　your　strengthbut　you

have　not　proved　it；　but　the　Keth　you　have　answered。　　Now

answer　this！〃　she　said。



She　pointed　out　into　the　garden。　　I　saw　a　flowering　branch

bend　and　snap　as　though　a　hand　had　broken　itbut　no　hand

was　there！　　Saw　then　another　and　another　bend　and　break；

a　little　tree　sway　and　falland　closer　and　closer　to　us　came

the　trail　of　snapping　boughs　while　down　into　the　garden

poured　the　silvery　light　revealingnothing！　　Now　a　great

ewer　beside　a　pillar　rose　swiftly　in　air　and　hurled　itself

crashing　at　my　feet。　　Cushions　close　to　us　swirled　about　as

though　in　the　vortex　of　a　whirlwind。



And　unseen　hands　held　my　arms　in　a　mighty　clutch　fast

to　my　sides；　another　gripped　my　throat　and　I　felt　a　needle…

sharp　poniard　point　pierce　my　shirt；　touch　the　skin　just　over

my　heart！



〃Larry！〃　I　cried；　despairingly。　　I　twisted　my　head；　saw　that

he　too　was　caught　in　this　grip　of　the　invisible。　　But　his　face

was　calm；　even　amused。



〃Keep　cool；　Doc！〃　he　said。　　〃Remembershe　wants　to

learn　the　language！〃



Now　from　Yolara　burst　chime　upon　chime　of　mocking

laughter。　　She　gave　a　commandthe　hands　loosened；　the

poniard　withdrew　from　my　heart；　suddenly　as　I　had　been

caught　I　was　freeand　unpleasantly　weak　and　shaky。



〃Have　you　THAT　in　Ireland；　Larree！〃　cried　the　priestess

and　once　more　trembled　with　laughter。



〃A　good　play；　Yolara。〃　His　voice　was　as　calm　as　his　face。

〃But　they　did　that　in　Ireland　even　before　Dalua　piped　away

his　first　man's　shadow。　　And　in　Goodwin's　land　they　make

shipscoria　that　go　on　waterso　you　can　pass　by　them　and

see　only　sea　and　sky；　and　those　water　coria　are　each　of　them

many　times　greater　than　this　whole　palace　of　yours。〃



But　the　priestess　laughed　on。



〃It　did　get　me　a　little；〃　whispered　Larry。　　〃That　wasn't

quite　up　to　my　mark。　　But　God！　　If　we　could　find　that　trick

out　and　take　it　back　with　us！〃



〃Not　so；　Larree！〃　Yolara　gasped；　through　her　laughter。

〃Not　so！　　Goodwin's　cry　betrayed　you！〃



Her　good　humour　had　entirely　returned；　she　was　like　a

mischievous　child　pleased　over　some　successful　trick；　and

like　a　child　she　cried〃I'll　show　you！〃signalled　again；

whispered　to　the　maid　who；　quickly　returning；　laid　before

her　a　long　metal　case。　　Yolara　took　from　her　girdle　something

that　looked　like　a　small　pencil；　pressed　it　and　shot　a　thin

stream　of　light　for　all　the　world　like　an　electric　flash；　upon

its　hasp。　　The　lid　flew　open。　　Out　of　it　she　drew　three　flat；　oval

crystals；　faint　rose　in　hue。　　She　handed　one　to　O'Keefe　and

one　to　me。



〃Look！〃　she　commanded；　placing　the　third　before　her　own

eyes。　　I　peered　through　the　stone　and　instantly　there　leaped

into　sight；　out　of　thin　airsix　grinning　dwarfs！　　Each　was

covered　from　top　of　head　to　soles　of　feet　in　a　web　so　tenuous

that　through　it　their　bodies　were　plain。　　The　gauzy　stuff

seemed　to　vibrateits　strands　to　run　together　like　quick…

silver。　　I　snatched　the　crystal　from　my　eyes　andthe　chamber

was　empty！　　Put　it　backand　there　were　the　grinning　six！



Yolara　gave　another　sign　and　they　disappeared；　even　from

the　crystals。



〃It　is　what　they　wear；　Larree；〃　explained　Yolara；　gra…

ciously。　　〃It　is　something　that　came　to　us　fromthe　Ancient

Ones。　　But　we　have　so　few〃she　sighed。



〃Such　treasures　must　be　two…edged　swords；　Yolara；〃

commented　O'Keefe。　　〃For　how　know　you　that　one　within

them　creeps　not　to　you　with　hand　eager　to　strike？〃



〃There　is　no　danger；〃　she　said　indifferently。　　〃I　am　the

keeper　of　them。〃



She　mused　for　a　space；　then　abruptly：



〃And　now　no　more。　　You　two　are　to　appear　before　the

Council　at　a　certain　timebut　fear　nothing。　　You；　Goodwin；

go　with　Rador　about　our　city　and　increase　your　wisdom。

But　you；　Larree；　await　me　here　in　my　garden〃　she　smiled

at　him；　provocativelymaliciously；　too。　　〃For　shall　not　one

who　has　resisted　a　world　of　goddesses　be　given　all　chance　to

worship　when　at　last　he　finds　his　own？〃



She　laughedwhole…heartedly　and　was　gone。　　And　at　that

moment　I　liked　Yolara　better　than　ever　I　had　before　and

alasbetter　than　ever　I　was　to　in　the　future。



I　noted　Rador　standing　outside　the　open　jade　door　and

started　to　go；　but　O'Keefe　caught　me　by　the　arm。



〃Wait　a　minute；〃　he　urged。　　〃About　Golden　Eyesyou

were　going　to　tell　me　somethingit's　been　on　my　mind　all

through　that　little　sparring　match。〃



I　told　him　of　the　vision　that　had　passed　through　my　closing

lids。　　He　listened　gravely　and　then　laughed。



〃Hell　of　a　lot　of　privacy　in　this　place！〃　he　grinned。　　〃Ladies

who　can　walk　through　walls　and　others　with　regular　invisi…

ble　cloaks　to　let　'em　flit　wherever　they　please。　　Oh；　well；

don't　let　it　get　on　your　nerves；　Doc。　　Rememberevery…

thing's　natural！　　That　robe　stuff　is　just　camouflage　of　course。

But　Lord；　if　we　could　only　get　a　piece　of　it！〃



〃The　material　simply　admits　all　light…vibrations；　or　per…

haps　curves　them；　just　as　the　opacities　cut　them　off；〃　I

answered。　　〃A　man　under　the　X…ray　is　partly　invisible；　this

makes　him　wholly　so。　　He　doesn't　register；　as　the　people　of

the　motion…picture　profession　say。〃



〃Camouflage；〃　repeated　Larry。　　〃And　as　for　the　Shining

OneSay！〃　he　snorted。　　〃I'd　like　to　set　the　O'Keefe　banshee

up　against　it。　　I'll　bet　that　old　resourceful　Irish　body　would

give　it　the　first　three　bites　and　a　strangle　hold　and　wallop

it　before　it　knew　it　had　'em。　　Oh！　　Wow！　　Boy　Howdy！〃



I　heard　him　st