the moon pool-第46部分

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

tains　parted　and　softly　entered　girls　bearing　their　flutes；　their

harps；　the　curiously　emotion…exciting；　octaved　drums。　　They

sank　into　their　places。　　They　touched　their　instruments；　a

faint；　languorous　measure　throbbed　through　the　rosy　air。



The　stage　was　set！　　What　was　to　be　the　play？



Now　about　the　tables　passed　other　dusky…haired　maids；

fair　bosoms　bare；　their　scanty　kirtles　looped　high；　pouring

out　the　wines　for　the　feasters。



My　eyes　sought　O'Keefe。　　Whatever　it　had　been　that　Mara…

kinoff　had　said；　clearly　it　now　filled　his　mindeven　to　the

exclusion　of　the　wondrous　woman　beside　him。　　His　eyes　were

stern；　coldand　now　and　then；　as　be　turned　them　toward

the　Russian；　filled　with　a　curious　speculation。　　Yolara

watched　him；　frowned；　gave　a　low　order　to　the　Hebe　behind

her。



The　girl　disappeared；　entered　again　with　a　ewer　that

seemed　cut　of　amber。　　The　priestess　poured　from　it　into

Larry's　glass　a　clear　liquid　that　shook　with　tiny　sparkles　of

light。　　She　raised　the　glass　to　her　lips；　handed　it　to　him。　　Half…

smiling；　half…abstractedly；　he　took　it；　touched　his　own　lips

where　hers　had　kissed；　drained　it。　　A　nod　from　Yolara　and

the　maid　refilled　his　goblet。



At　once　there　was　a　swift　transformation　in　the　Irishman。

His　abstraction　vanished；　the　sternness　fled；　his　eyes　spar…

kled。　　He　leaned　caressingly　toward　Yolara；　whispered。　　Her

blue　eyes　flashed　triumphantly；　her　chiming　laughter　rang。

She　raised　her　own　glassbut　within　it　was　not　that　clear

drink　that　filled　Larry's！　　And　again　he　drained　his　own；　and；

lifting　it；　full　once　more；　caught　the　baleful　eyes　of　Lugur；

and　held　it　toward　him　mockingly。　　Yolara　swayed　close

alluring；　tempting。　　He　arose；　face　all　reckless　gaiety；　rollick…

ing　deviltry。



〃A　toast！〃　he　cried　in　English；　〃to　the　Shining　Oneand

may　the　hell　where　it　belongs　soon　claim　it！〃



He　had　used　their　own　word　for　their　godall　else　had

been　in　his　own　tongue；　and　so；　fortunately；　they　did　not

understand。　　But　the　contempt　in　his　action　they　did　recog…

nizeand　a　dead；　a　fearful　silence　fell　upon　them　all。　　Lu…

gur's　eyes　blazed；　little　sparks　of　crimson　in　their　green。　　The

priestess　reached　up；　caught　at　O'Keefe。　　He　seized　the　soft

hand；　caressed　it；　his　gaze　grew　far　away；　sombre。



〃The　Shining　One。〃　He　spoke　low。　　〃An'　now　again　I　see

the　faces　of　those　who　dance　with　it。　　It　is　the　Fires　of　Mora

come；　God　alone　knows　howfrom　Erinto　this　place。

The　Fires　of　Mora！〃　He　contemplated　the　hushed　folk　be…

fore　him；　and　then　from　his　lips　came　that　weirdest；　most

haunting　of　the　lyric　legends　of　Erinthe　Curse　of　Mora：





〃The　fretted　fires　of　Mora　blew　o'er　him　in　the　night；

He　thrills　no　more　to　loving；　nor　weeps　for　past　delight。

For　when　those　flames　have　bitten；　both　grief　and　joy　take　flight〃







Again　Yolara　tried　to　draw　him　down　beside　her；　and

once　more　he　gripped　her　hand。　　His　eyes　grew　fixedhe

crooned：





〃And　through　the　sleeping　silence　his　feet　must　track　the　tune；

When　the　world　is　barred　and　speckled　with　silver　of　the　moon〃







He　stood；　swaying；　for　a　moment；　and　then；　laughing；　let

the　priestess　have　her　way；　drained　again　the　glass。



And　now　my　heart　was　cold；　indeedfor　what　hope

was　there　left　with　Larry　mad；　wild　drunk！



The　silence　was　unbrokenelfin　women　and　dwarfs

glancing　furtively　at　each　other。　　But　now　Yolara　arose；　face

set；　eyes　flashing　grey。



〃Hear　you；　the　Council；　and　you；　Lugurand　all　who　are

here！〃　she　cried。　　〃Now　I；　the　priestess　of　the　Shining　One；

take；　as　is　my　right；　my　mate。　　And　this　is　he！〃　She　pointed

down　upon　Larry。　　He　glanced　up　at　her。



〃Can't　quite　make　out　what　you　say；　Yolara；〃　he　mut…

tered　thickly。　　〃But　say　anythingyou　likeI　love　your

voice！〃



I　turned　sick　with　dread。　　Yolara's　hand　stole　softly　upon

the　Irishman's　curls　caressingly。



〃You　know　the　law；　Yolara。〃　Lugur's　voice　was　flat；

deadly；　〃You　may　not　mate　with　other　than　your　own　kind。

And　this　man　is　a　strangera　barbarianfood　for　the　Shin…

ing　One！〃　Literally；　he　spat　the　phrase。



〃No；　not　of　our　kindLugurhigher！〃　Yolara　answered

serenely。　　〃Lo；　a　son　of　Siya　and　of　Siyana！〃



〃A　lie！〃　roared　the　red　dwarf。　　〃A　lie！〃



〃The　Shining　One　revealed　it　to　me！〃　said　Yolara　sweetly。

〃And　if　ye　believe　not；　Lugurgo　ask　of　the　Shining　One

if　it　be　not　truth！〃



There　was　bitter；　nameless　menace　in　those　last　words

and　whatever　their　hidden　message　to　Lugur；　it　was　potent。

He　stood；　choking；　face　hell…shadowedMarakinoff　leaned

out　again；　whispered。　　The　red　dwarf　bowed；　now　wholly

ironically；　resumed　his　place　and　his　silence。　　And　again　I

wondered；　icy…hearted；　what　was　the　power　the　Russian　had

so　to　sway　Lugur。



〃What　says　the　Council？〃　Yolara　demanded；　turning　to

them。



Only　for　a　moment　they　consulted　among　themselves。

Then　the　woman；　whose　face　was　a　ravaged　shrine　of　beauty；

spoke。



〃The　will　of　the　priestess　is　the　will　of　the　Council！〃　she

answered。



Defiance　died　from　Yolara's　face；　she　looked　down　at

Larry　tenderly。　　He　sat　swaying；　crooning。



〃Bid　the　priests　come；〃　she　commanded；　then　turned　to

the　silent　room。　　〃By　the　rites　of　Siya　and　Siyana；　Yolara

takes　their　son　for　her　mate！〃　And　again　her　hand　stole

down　possessingly；　serpent　soft；　to　the　drunken　head　of　the

O'Keefe。



The　curtains　parted　widely。　　Through　them　filed；　two　by

two；　twelve　hooded　figures　clad　in　flowing　robes　of　the　green

one　sees　in　forest　vistas　of　opening　buds　of　dawning　spring。

Of　each　pair　one　bore　clasped　to　breast　a　globe　of　that　milky

crystal　in　the　sapphire　shrine…room；　the　other　a　harp；　small；

shaped　somewhat　like　the　ancient　clarsach　of　the　Druids。



Two　by　two　they　stepped　upon　the　raised　platform；　placed

gently　upon　it　each　their　globe；　and　two　by　two　crouched

behind　them。　　They　formed　now　a　star　of　six　points　about

the　petalled　dais；　and；　simultaneously；　they　drew　from　their

faces　the　covering　cowls。



I　half…roseyouths　and　maidens　these　of　the　fair…haired；

and　youths　and　maids　more　beautiful　than　any　of　those　I　had

yet　seenfor　upon　their　faces　was　little　of　that　disturbing

mockery　to　which　I　have　been　forced　so　often；　because　of　the

deep　impression　it　made　upon　me；　to　refer。　　The　ashen…gold

of　the　maiden　priestesses'　hair　was　wound　about　their　brows

in　shining　coronals。　　The　pale　locks　of　the　youths　were　clus…

tered　within　circlets　of　translucent；　glimmering　gems　like

moonstones。　　And　then；　crystal　globe　alternately　before　and

harp　alternately　held　by　youth　and　maid；　they　began　to　sing。



What　was　that　song；　I　do　not　knownor　ever　shall。

Archaic；　ancient　beyond　thought；　it　seemednot　with　the

ancientness　of　things　that　for　uncounted　ages　have　been　but

wind…driven　dust。　　Rather　was　it　the　ancientness　of　the

golden　youth　of　the　world；　love　lilts　of　earth　younglings；

with　light　of