the moon pool-第52部分

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great　shell　at　the　end　of　the　runway　leading　into　the　green

road。



〃Wait　you　here；〃　he　said　curtly　to　the　driver。　　The　green

dwarf　ascended　to　his　seat；　sought　the　lever　and　we　swept

onon　and　out　upon　the　glistening　obsidian。



Then　Rador　faced　us　and　laughed。



〃_Larree_；〃　he　cried；　〃I　love　you　for　that　spirit　of　yours！

And　did　you　think　that　Rador　would　carry　to　the　temple

prison　a　man　who　would　take　the　chances　of　torment　upon

his　own　shoulders　to　save　him？　　Or　you；　Goodwin；　who　saved

him　from　the　rotting　death？　　For　what　did　I　take　the　_corial_

or　lift　the　veil　of　silence　that　I　might　hear　what　threatened

you〃



He　swept　the　_corial_　to　the　left；　away　from　the　temple　ap…

proach。



〃I　am　done　with　Lugur　and　with　Yolara　and　the　Shining

One！〃　cried　Rador。　　〃My　hand　is　for　you　three　and　for　Lakla

and　those　to　whom　she　is　handmaiden！〃



The　shell　leaped　forward；　seemed　to　fly。











CHAPTER　XXII



The　Casting　of　the　Shadow



NOW　we　were　racing　down　toward　that　last　span　whose

ancientness　had　set　it　apart　from　all　the　other　soaring　arches。

The　shell's　speed　slackened；　we　approached　warily。



〃We　pass　there？〃　asked　O'Keefe。



The　green　dwarf　nodded；　pointing　to　the　right　where　the

bridge　ended　in　a　broad　platform　held　high　upon　two　gigantic

piers；　between　which　ran　a　spur　from　the　glistening　road。

Platform　and　bridge　were　swarming　with　men…at…arms；　they

crowded　the　parapets；　looking　down　upon　us　curiously　but

with　no　evidence　of　hostility。　　Rador　drew　a　deep　breath　of

relief。



〃We　don't　have　to　break　our　way　through；　then？〃　There

was　disappointment　in　the　Irishman's　voice。



〃No　use；　_Larree_！〃　Smiling；　Rador　stopped　the　_corial_　just

beneath　the　arch　and　beside　one　of　the　piers。　　〃Now；　listen

well。　　They　have　had　no　warning；　hence　does　Yolara　still

think　us　on　the　way　to　the　temple。　　This　is　the　gateway　of　the

Portaland　the　gateway　is　closed　by　the　Shadow。　　Once　I

commanded　here　and　I　know　its　laws。　　This　must　I　do

by　craft　persuade　Serku；　the　keeper　of　the　gateway；　to　lift　the

Shadow；　or　raise　it　myself。　　And　that　will　be　hard　and　it　may

well　be　that　in　the　struggle　life　will　be　stripped　of　us　all。

Yet　is　it　better　to　die　fighting　than　to　dance　with　the　Shining

One！〃



He　swept　the　shell　around　the　pier。　　Opened　a　wide　plaza

paved　with　the　volcanic　glass；　but　black　as　that　down　which

we　had　sped　from　the　chamber　of　the　Moon　Pool。　　It　shone

like　a　mirrored　lakelet　of　jet；　on　each　side　of　it　arose　what

at　first　glance　seemed　towering　bulwarks　of　the　same　ebon

obsidian；　at　second；　revealed　themselves　as　structures　hewn

and　set　in　place　by　men；　polished　faces　pierced　by　dozens

of　high；　narrow　windows。



Down　each　facade　a　stairway　fell；　broken　by　small　land…

ings　on　which　a　door　opened；　they　dropped　to　a　broad　ledge

of　greyish　stone　edging　the　lip　of　this　midnight　pool　and

upon　it　also　fell　two　wide　flights　from　either　side　of　the

bridge　platform。　　Along　all　four　stairways　the　guards　were

ranged；　and　here　and　there　against　the　ledge　stood　the　shells

in　a　curiously　comforting　resemblance　to　parked　motors　in

our　own　world。



The　sombre　walls　bulked　high；　curved　and　ended　in　two

obelisked　pillars　from　which；　like　a　tremendous　curtain；

stretched　a　barrier　of　that　tenebrous　gloom　which；　though

weightless　as　shadow　itself；　I　now　knew　to　be　as　impenetra…

ble　as　the　veil　between　life　and　death。　　In　this　murk；　unlike

all　others　I　had　seen；　I　sensed　movement；　a　quivering；　a

tremor　constant　and　rhythmic；　not　to　be　seen；　yet　caught　by

some　subtle　sense；　as　though　through　it　beat　a　swift　pulse　of

black　light。



The　green　dwarf　turned　the　_corial_　slowly　to　the　edge　at

the　right；　crept　cautiously　on　toward　where；　not　more　than

a　hundred　feet　from　the　barrier；　a　low；　wide　entrance　opened

in　the　fort。　　Guarding　its　threshold　stood　two　guards；　armed

with　broadswords；　double…handed；　terminating　in　a　wide

lunette　mouthed　with　murderous　fangs。　　These　they　raised　in

salute　and　through　the　portal　strode　a　dwarf　huge　as　Rador；

dressed　as　he　and　carrying　only　the　poniard　that　was　the

badge　of　office　of　Muria's　captainry。



The　green　dwarf　swept　the　shell　expertly　against　the

ledge；　leaped　out。



〃Greeting；　Serku！〃　he　answered。　　〃I　was　but　looking　for

the　_coria_　of　Lakla。〃



〃Lakla！〃　exclaimed　Serku。　　〃Why；　the　handmaiden　passed

with　her　_Akka_　nigh　a　_va_　ago！〃



〃Passed！〃　The　astonishment　of　the　green　dwarf　was　so　real

that　half　was　I　myself　deceived。　　〃You　let　her　PASS？〃



〃Certainly　I　let　her　pass〃　But　under　the　green　dwarf's

stern　gaze　the　truculence　of　the　guardian　faded。　　〃Why

should　I　not？〃　he　asked；　apprehensively。



〃Because　Yolara　commanded　otherwise；〃　answered

Rador；　coldly。



〃There　came　no　command　to　me。〃　　Little　beads　of　sweat

stood　out　on　Serku's　forehead。



〃Serku；〃　interrupted　the　green　dwarf　swiftly；　〃truly　is　my

heart　wrung　for　you。　　This　is　a　matter　of　Yolara　and　of　Lugur

and　the　Council；　yes；　even　of　the　Shining　One！　　And　the

message　was　sentand　the　fate；　mayhap；　of　all　Muria　rested

upon　your　obedience　and　the　return　of　Lakla　with　these

strangers　to　the　Council。　　Now　truly　is　my　heart　wrung；　for

there　are　few　I　would　less　like　to　see　dance　with　the　Shining

One　than　you；　Serku；〃　he　ended；　softly。



Livid　now　was　the　gateway's　guardian；　his　great　frame

shaking。



〃Come　with　me　and　speak　to　Yolara；〃　he　pleaded。　　〃There

came　no　messagetell　her〃



〃Wait；　Serku！〃　There　was　a　thrill　as　of　inspiration　in

Rador's　voice。　　〃This　_corial_　is　of　the　swiftestLakla's　are　of

the　slowest。　　With　Lakla　scarce　a　_va_　ahead　we　can　reach　her

before　she　enters　the　Portal。　　Lift　you　the　Shadowwe　will

bring　her　back；　and　this　will　I　do　for　you；　Serku。〃



Doubt　tempered　Serku's　panic。



〃Why　not　go　alone；　Rador；　leaving　the　strangers　here

with　me？〃　he　askedand　I　thought　not　unreasonably。



〃Nay；　then。〃　The　green　dwarf　was　brusk。　　〃Lakla　will　not

return　unless　I　carry　to　her　these　men　as　evidence　of　our

good　faith。　　Comewe　will　speak　to　Yolara　and　she　shall

judge　you〃　He　started　awaybut　Serku　caught　his　arm。



〃No；　Rador；　no！〃　he　whispered；　again　panic…stricken。　　〃Go

youas　you　will。　　But　bring　her　back！　　Speed；　Rador！〃　He

sprang　toward　the　entrance。　　〃I　lift　the　Shadow〃



Into　the　green　dwarf's　poise　crept　a　curious；　almost　a

listening；　alertness。　　He　leaped　to　Serku's　side。



〃I　go　with　you；〃　I　heard。　　〃Some　little　I　can　tell　you〃

They　were　gone。



〃Fine　work！〃　muttered　Larry。　　〃Nominated　for　a　citizen　of

Ireland　when　we　get　out　of　this；　one　Rador　of〃



The　Shadow　trembledshuddered　into　nothingness；　the

obelisked　outposts　that　had　held　it　framed　a　ribbon　of　road…

way；　high　banked　with　verdure；　vanishing　in　green　distances。



And　then　from　the　portal　sped　a　shriek；　a　death　cry！　　It　cut

through　the　silence　of　the　ebon　pit　like　a　whimpering　arrow。

Before　it　had　died；　down　the　stairways　cam