the moon pool-第13节
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〃but the happiness in it burned on me like fire。 And I could
not moveI could not move。
〃I said in here〃he touched his head〃I said； 'It is Loki
come out of Helvede。 But he cannot take my Helma； for
Christ lives and Loki has no power to hurt my Helma or my
Freda！ Christ lives！ Christ lives！' I said。 But the sparkling
devil did not let my Helma go。 It drew her to the rail； half
over it。 I saw her eyes upon the child and a little she broke
away and reached to it。 And my Freda jumped into her
arms。 And the fire wrapped them both and they were gone！ A
little I saw them whirling on the moon track behind the
Brunhildaand they were gone！
〃The sparkling devil took them！ Loki was loosed； and he
had power。 I turned the Brunhilda； and I followed where
my Helma and mine Yndling had gone。 My boys crept up
and asked me to turn again。 But I would not。 They dropped
a boat and left me。 I steered straight on the path。 I lashed
my hands to the wheel that sleep might not loose them。 I
steered on and on and on
〃Where was the God I prayed when my wife and child
were taken？〃 cried Olaf Huldrickssonand it was as though
I heard Throckmartin asking that same bitter question。 〃I
have left Him as He left me； ja！ I pray now to Thor and to
Odin； who can fetter Loki。〃 He sank back； covering again
his eyes。
〃Olaf；〃 I said； 〃what you have called the sparkling devil
has taken ones dear to me。 I； too； was following it when we
found you。 You shall go with me to its home； and there we
will try to take from it your wife and your child and my
friends as well。 But now that you may be strong for what is
before us； you must sleep again。〃
Olaf Huldricksson looked upon me and in his eyes was
that something which souls must see in the eyes of Him the
old Egyptians called the Searcher of Hearts in the Judgment
Hall of Osiris。
〃You speak truth！〃 he said at last slowly。 〃I will do what
you say！〃
He stretched out an arm at my bidding。 I gave him a sec…
ond injection。 He lay back and soon he was sleeping。 I turned
toward Da Costa。 His face was livid and sweating； and he
was trembling pitiably。 O'Keefe stirred。
〃You did that mighty well； Dr。 Goodwin；〃 he said。 〃So
well that I almost believed you myself。〃
〃What did you think of his story； Mr。 O'Keefe？〃 I asked。
His answer was almost painfully brief and colloquial。
〃Nuts！〃 he said。 I was a little shocked； I admit。 〃I think
he's crazy； Dr。 Goodwin；〃 he corrected himself； quickly。
〃What else could I think？〃
I turned to the little Portuguese without answering。
〃There's no need for any anxiety tonight； Captain；〃 I said。
〃Take my word for it。 You need some rest yourself。 Shall I
give you a sleeping draft？〃
〃I do wish you would； Dr。 Goodwin； sair；〃 he answered
gratefully。 〃Tomorrow； when I feel bettairI would have a
talk with you。〃
I nodded。 He did know something then！ I mixed him an
opiate of considerable strength。 He took it and went to his
own cabin。
I locked the door behind him and then； sitting beside the
sleeping Norseman； I told O'Keefe my story from end to end。
He asked few questions as I spoke。 But after I had finished
he cross…examined me rather minutely upon my recollec…
tions of the radiant phases upon each appearance； checking
these with Throckmartin's observations of the same phe…
nomena in the Chamber of the Moon Pool。
〃And now what do you think of it all？〃 I asked。
He sat silent for a while； looking at Huldricksson。
〃Not what you seem to think； Dr。 Goodwin；〃 he answered
at last； gravely。 〃Let me sleep over it。 One thing of course
is certainyou and your friend Throckmartin and this man
here sawsomething。 But〃 he was silent again and then
continued with a kindness that I found vaguely irritating
〃but I've noticed that when a scientist gets superstitious it
ertakes very hard！
〃Here's a few things I can tell you now though；〃 he went
on while I struggled to speak〃I pray in my heart that we'll
meet neither the Dolphin nor anything with wireless on
board going up。 Because； Dr。 Goodwin； I'd dearly love to
take a crack at your Dweller。
〃And another thing；〃 said O'Keefe。 〃After thiscut out
the trimmings； Doc； and call me plain Larry； for whether I
think you're crazy or whether I don't； you're there with the
nerve； Professor； and I'm for YOU。
〃Good night！〃 said Larry and took himself out to the deck
hammock he had insisted upon having slung for him； re…
fusing the captain's importunities to use his own cabin。
And it was with extremely mixed emotions as to his com…
pliment that I watched him go。 Superstitious。 I； whose pride
was my scientific devotion to fact and fact alone！ Supersti…
tiousand this from a man who believed in banshees and
ghostly harpers and Irish wood nymphs and no doubt in
leprechauns and all their tribe！
Half laughing； half irritated； and wholly happy in even
the part promise of Larry O'Keefe's comradeship on my ven…
ture； I arranged a couple of pillows； stretched myself out on
two chairs and took up my vigil beside Olaf Huldricksson。
CHAPTER IX
A Lost Page of Earth
WHEN I awakened the sun was streaming through the cabin
porthole。 Outside a fresh voice lilted。 I lay on my two chairs
and listened。 The song was one with the wholesome sunshine
and the breeze blowing stiffly and whipping the curtains。 It
was Larry O'Keefe at his matins：
The little red lark is shaking his wings；
Straight from the breast of his love he springs
Larry's voice soared。
His wings and his feathers are sunrise red；
He hails the sun and his golden head；
Good morning； Doc； you are long abed。
This last was a most irreverent interpolation； I well knew。
I opened my door。 O'Keefe stood outside laughing。 The
Suwarna； her engines silent； was making fine headway under
all sail； the Brunhilda skipping in her wake cheerfully with
half her canvas up。
The sea was crisping and dimpling under the wind。 Blue
and white was the world as far as the eye could reach。
Schools of little silvery green flying fish broke through the
water rushing on each side of us； flashed for an instant and
were gone。 Behind us gulls hovered and dipped。 The shadow
of mystery had retreated far over the rim of this wide awake
and beautiful world and if； subconsciously； I knew that some…
where it was brooding and waiting； for a little while at least
I was consciously free of its oppression。
〃How's the patient？〃 asked O'Keefe。
He was answered by Huldricksson himself； who must have
risen just as I left the cabin。 The Norseman had slipped on a
pair of pajamas and； giant torso naked under the sun； he
strode out upon us。 We all of us looked at him a trifle anx…
iously。 But Olaf's madness had left him。 In his eyes was
much sorrow； but the berserk rage was gone。
He spoke straight to me： 〃You said last night we follow？〃
I nodded。
〃It is where？〃 he asked again。
〃We go first to Ponape and from there to Metalanim Har…
bourto the Nan…Matal。 You know the place？〃
Huldricksson boweda white gleam as of ice showing in
his blue eyes。
〃It is there？〃 he asked。
〃It is there that we must first search；〃 I answered。
〃Good！〃 said Olaf Huldricksson。 〃It is good！〃
He looked at Da Costa inquiringly and the little Portu…
guese； following his thought； answered his unspoken ques…
tion。
〃We should be at Ponape tomorrow morning early； Olaf。〃
〃Good！〃 repeated the Norseman。 He looked away； his eyes
tear…filled。
A restraint fell upon us； the embarrassment all men ex…
perience when they feel a great sympathy and a great pity；
to neither of which they quite know how to give expression。
By silent consent we discussed at breakfast only the most
casual topics。
When the meal was over Huldricksson expressed a desire
to go aboard the Brunhilda。
The Suwarna hove to and Da Costa and he dropped into
the small boat。 When they reached the Brunhilda's deck I
saw Olaf take the wheel and the two fall into earnest talk。 I
beckoned to O'Keefe and we stretched ourselves out on the
bow hatch under cover of the foresail。 He lighted a cigarette；
took a couple of leisurely puffs； and looked at me expect…
antly。
〃Well？〃 I asked。
〃Well；〃 said O'Keefe； 〃suppose you tell me what you
thinkand then I'll proceed to point out your scientific
errors。〃 His eyes twinkled mischievously。
〃Larry；〃 I replied； somewhat severely； 〃you may not know
that I have a scientific reputation which； putting aside all
modesty； I may say is an enviable one。 You used a word last
night to which I must interpose serious objection。 You more
than hinted that I hidsuperstitions。 Let me inform you；
Larry O'Keefe； that I am solely a seeker； observer； analyst；
and synthesist of facts。 I am
