the moon pool-第45部分

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〃Nay；　_Larree_！〃　muttered　the　dwarf。　　〃Wear　themI　coun…

sel　itI　pray　itask　me　not　why；〃　he　went　on　swiftly；　look…

ing　again　at　the　globe。



O'Keefe；　as　I；　was　impressed　by　his　earnestness。　　The

dwarf　made　a　curiously　expressive　pleading　gesture。　　O'Keefe

abruptly　took　the　garments；　passed　into　the　room　of　the　foun…

tain。



〃The　Shining　One　dances　not　again？〃　I　asked。



〃No；〃　he　said。　　〃No〃he　hesitate〃it　is　the　usual　feast

that　follows　the　sacrament！　　Lugurand　Double　Tongue；

who　came　with　you；　will　be　there；〃　he　added　slowly。



〃Lugur〃　I　gasped　in　astonishment。　　〃After　what　hap…

penedhe　will　be　there？〃



〃Perhaps　because　of　what　happened；　Goodwin；　my

friend；〃　he　answeredhis　eyes　again　full　of　malice；　〃and

there　will　be　othersfriends　of　Yolarafriends　of　Lugur

and　perhaps　another〃his　voice　was　almost　inaudible

〃one　whom　they　have　not　called〃　He　halted；　half…fear…

fully；　glancing　at　the　globe；　put　finger　to　lips　and　spread

himself　out　upon　one　of　the　couches。



〃Strike　up　the　band〃came　O'Keefe's　voice〃here

comes　the　hero！〃



He　strode　into　the　room。　　I　am　bound　to　say　that　the　ad…

miration　in　Rador's　eyes　was　reflected　in　my　own；　and　even；

if　involuntarily；　in　Olaf's。



〃A　son　of　Siyana！〃　whispered　Rador。



He　knelt；　took　from　his　girdle…pouch　a　silk…wrapped

something；　unwound　itand；　still　kneeling；　drew　out　a　slen…

der　poniard　of　gleaming　white　metal；　hilted　with　the　blue

stones；　he　thrust　it　into　O'Keefe's　girdle；　then　gave　him

again　the　rare　salute。



〃Come；〃　he　ordered　and　took　us　to　the　head　of　the　path…

way。



〃Now；〃　he　said　grimly；　〃let　the　Silent　Ones　show　their

powerif　they　still　have　it！〃



And　with　this　strange　benediction；　be　turned　back。



〃For　God's　sake；　Larry；〃　I　urged　as　we　approached　the

house　of　the　priestess；　〃you'll　be　careful！〃



He　noddedbut　I　saw　with　a　little　deadly　pang　of　ap…

prehension　in　my　heart　a　puzzled；　lurking　doubt　within　his

eyes。



As　we　ascended　the　serpent　steps　Marakinoff　appeared。

He　gave　a　signal　to　our　guardsand　I　wondered　what　in…

fluence　the　Russian　had　attained；　for　promptly；　without

question；　they　drew　aside。　　At　me　he　smiled　amiably。



〃Have　you　found　your　friends　yet？〃　he　went　onand　now

I　sensed　something　deeply　sinister　in　him。　　〃No！　　It　is　too

bad！　　Well；　don't　give　up　hope。〃　He　turned　to　O'Keefe。



〃Lieutenant；　I　would　like　to　speak　to　youalone！〃



〃I've　no　secrets　from　Goodwin；〃　answered　O'Keefe。



〃So？〃　queried　Marakinoff；　suavely。　　He　bent；　whispered　to

Larry。



The　Irishman　started；　eyed　him　with　a　certain　shocked　in…

credulity；　then　turned　to　me。



〃Just　a　minute；　Doc！〃　he　said；　and　I　caught　the　suspicion

of　a　wink。　　They　drew　aside；　out　of　ear…shot。　　The　Russian

talked　rapidly。　　Larry　was　all　attention。　　Marakinoff's　earnest…

ness　became　intense；　O'Keefe　interruptedappeared　to

question。　　Marakinoff　glanced　at　me　and　as　his　gaze　shifted

from　O'Keefe；　I　saw　a　flame　of　rage　and　horror　blaze　up　in

the　latter's　eyes。　　At　last　the　Irishman　appeared　to　consider

gravely；　nodded　as　though　he　had　arrived　at　some　decision；

and　Marakinoff　thrust　his　hand　to　him。



And　only　I　could　have　noticed　Larry's　shrinking；　his

microscopic　hesitation　before　he　took　it；　and　his　involuntary

movement；　as　though　to　shake　off　something　unclean；　when

the　clasp　had　ended。



Marakinoff；　without　another　look　at　me；　turned　and　went

quickly　within。　　The　guards　took　their　places。　　I　looked　at

Larry　inquiringly。



〃Don't　ask　a　thing　now；　Doc！〃　he　said　tensely。　　〃Wait　till

we　get　home。　　But　we've　got　to　get　damned　busy　and　quick

I'll　tell　you　that　now〃











CHAPTER　XX



The　Tempting　of　Larry



WE　PAUSED　before　thick　curtains；　through　which　came　the

faint　murmur　of　many　voices。　　They　parted；　out　came　two

ushers；　I　suppose；　they　werein　cuirasses　and　kilts　that　re…

minded　me　somewhat　of　chain…mailthe　first　armour　of

any　kind　here　that　I　had　seen。　　They　held　open　the　folds。



The　chamber；　on　whose　threshold　we　stood；　was　far　larger

than　either　anteroom　or　hall　of　audience。　　Not　less　than　three

hundred　feet　long　and　half　that　in　depth；　from　end　to　end　of

it　ran　two　huge　semi…circular　tables；　paralleling　each　other；

divided　by　a　wide　aisle；　and　heaped　with　flowers；　with　fruits；

with　viands　unknown　to　me；　and　glittering　with　crystal

flagons；　beakers；　goblets　of　as　many　hues　as　the　blooms。　　On

the　gay…cushioned　couches　that　flanked　the　tables；　lounging

luxuriously；　were　scores　of　the　fair…haired　ruling　class　and

there　rose　a　little　buzz　of　admiration；　oddly　mixed　with　a

half…startled　amaze；　as　their　gaze　fell　upon　O'Keefe　in　all

his　silvery　magnificence。　　Everywhere　the　light…giving　globes

sent　their　roseate　radiance。



The　cuirassed　dwarfs　led　us　through　the　aisle。　　Within　the

arc　of　the　inner　halfcircle　was　another　glittering　board；　an

oval。　　But　of　those　seated　there；　facing　usI　had　eyes　for

only　oneYolara！　　She　swayed　up　to　greet　O'Keefeand

she　was　like　one　of　those　white　lily　maids；　whose　beauty

Hoang…Ku；　the　sage；　says　made　the　Gobi　first　a　paradise；

and　whose　lusts　later　the　burned…out　desert　that　it　is。　　She　held

out　hands　to　Larry；　and　on　her　face　was　passionuna…

shamed；　unhiding。



She　was　Circebut　Circe　conquered。　　Webs　of　filmiest

white　clung　to　the　rose…leaf　body。　　Twisted　through　the　corn…

silk　hair　a　threaded　circlet　of　pale　sapphires　shone；　but　they

were　pale　beside　Yolara's　eyes。　　O'Keefe　bent；　kissed　her

hands；　something　more　than　mere　admiration　flaming　from

him。　　She　sawand；　smiling；　drew　him　down　beside　her。



It　came　to　me　that　of　all；　only　these　two；　Yolara　and

O'Keefe；　were　in　whiteand　I　wondered；　then　with　a　tight…

ening　of　nerves　ceased　to　wonder　as　there　enteredLugur！

He　was　all　in　scarlet；　and　as　he　strode　forward　a　silence　fell

a　tense；　strained　silence。



His　gaze　turned　upon　Yolara；　rested　upon　O'Keefe；　and

instantly　his　face　grewdreadfulthere　is　no　other　word

than　that　for　it。　　Marakinoff　leaned　forward　from　the　centre

of　the　table；　near　whose　end　I　sat；　touched　and　whispered　to

him　swiftly。　　With　appalling　effort　the　red　dwarf　controlled

himself；　he　saluted　the　priestess　ironically；　I　thought；　took　his

place　at　the　further　end　of　the　oval。　　And　now　I　noted　that　the

figures　between　were　the　seven　of　that　Council　of　which　the

Shining　One's　priestess　and　Voice　were　the　heads。　　The　ten…

sion　relaxed；　but　did　not　passas　though　a　storm…cloud

should　turn　away；　but　still　lurk；　threatening。



My　gaze　ran　back。　　This　end　of　the　room　was　draped　with

the　exquisitely　coloured；　graceful　curtains　looped　with　gor…

geous　garlands。　　Between　curtains　and　table；　where　sat　Larry

and　the　nine；　a　circular　platform；　perhaps　ten　yards　in　diam…

eter；　raised　itself　a　few　feet　above　the　floor；　its　gleaming　sur…

face　half…covered　with　the　luminous　petals；　fragrant；　delicate。



On　each　side　below　it；　were　low　carven　stools。　　The　cur…

tains　parted　and　soft