the moon pool-第17节

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kinoffand　pistol　in　hand　stretched　his　long　legs　and　raced

away。　　I　looked　down　at　the　Russian。　　His　eyes　were　open；

and　he　reached　out　a　hand　to　me。　　I　lifted　him　to　his　feet。



〃I　have　heard；〃　he　said。　　〃We　follow；　quick。　　If　you　will　take

my　arm；　please；　I　am　shaken　yet；　yes〃　　I　gripped　his

shoulder　without　a　word；　and　the　two　of　us　set　off　down　the

corridor　after　O'Keefe。　　Marakinoff　was　gasping；　and　his

weight　pressed　upon　me　heavily；　but　he　moved　with　all　the

will　and　strength　that　were　in　him。



As　we　ran　I　took　hasty　note　of　the　tunnel。　　Its　sides　were

smooth　and　polished；　and　the　light　seemed　to　come　not　from

their　surfaces；　but　from　far　within　themgiving　to　the　walls

an　illusive　aspect　of　distance　and　depth；　rendering　them　in　a

peculiarly　weird　wayspacious。　　The　passage　turned；

twisted；　ran　down；　turned　again。　　It　came　to　me　that　the　light

that　illumined　the　tunnel　was　given　out　by　tiny　points　deep

within　the　stone；　sprang　from　the　points　ripplingly　and

spread　upon　their　polished　faces。



There　was　a　cry　from　Larry　far　ahead。



〃Olaf！〃



I　gripped　Marakinoff's　arm　closer　and　we　sped　on。　　Now

we　were　coming　fast　to　the　end　of　the　passage。　　Before　us

was　a　high　arch；　and　through　it　I　glimpsed　a　dim；　shifting

luminosity　as　of　mist　filled　with　rainbows。　　We　reached　the

portal　and　I　looked　into　a　chamber　that　might　have　been

transported　from　that　enchanted　palace　of　the　Jinn　King

that　rises　beyond　the　magic　mountains　of　Kaf。



Before　me　stood　O'Keefe　and　a　dozen　feet　in　front　of　him；

Huldricksson；　with　something　clasped　tightly　in　his　arms。

The　Norseman's　feet　were　at　the　verge　of　a　shining；　silvery

lip　of　stone　within　whose　oval　lay　a　blue　pool。　　And　down

upon　this　pool　staring　upward　like　a　gigantic　eye；　fell　seven

pillars　of　phantom　lightone　of　them　amethyst；　one　of　rose；

another　of　white；　a　fourth　of　blue；　and　three　of　emerald；　of

silver；　and　of　amber。　　They　fell　each　upon　the　azure　surface；

and　I　knew　that　these　were　the　seven　streams　of　radiance；

within　which　the　Dweller　took　shapenow　but　pale　ghosts

of　their　brilliancy　when　the　full　energy　of　the　moon　stream

raced　through　them。



Huldricksson　bent　and　placed　on　the　shining　silver　lip　of

the　Pool　that　which　he　heldand　I　saw　that　it　was　the　body

of　a　child！　　He　set　it　there　so　gently；　bent　over　the　side　and

thrust　a　hand　down　into　the　water。　　And　as　he　did　so　he

moaned　and　lurched　against　the　little　body　that　lay　before

him。　　Instantly　the　form　movedand　slipped　over　the　verge

into　the　blue。　　Huldricksson　threw　his　body　over　the　stone；

hands　clutching；　arms　thrust　deep　downand　from　his　lips

issued　a　long…drawn；　heart…shrivelling　wail　of　pain　and　of

anguish　that　held　in　it　nothing　human！



Close　on　its　wake　came　a　cry　from　Marakinoff。



〃Catch　him！〃　shouted　the　Russian。　　〃Drag　him　back！

Quick！〃



He　leaped　forward；　but　before　he　could　half　clear　the　dis…

tance；　O'Keefe　had　leaped　too；　had　caught　the　Norseman　by

the　shoulders　and　toppled　him　backward；　where　he　lay

whimpering　and　sobbing。　　And　as　I　rushed　behind　Marakinoff

I　saw　Larry　lean　over　the　lip　of　the　Pool　and　cover　his　eyes

with　a　shaking　hand；　saw　the　Russian　peer　into　it　with　real

pity　in　his　cold　eyes。



Then　I　stared　down　myself　into　the　Moon　Pool；　and　there；

sinking；　was　a　little　maid　whose　dead　face　and　fixed；　terror…

filled　eyes　looked　straight　into　mine；　and　ever　sinking

slowly；　slowlyvanished！　　And　I　knew　that　this　was　Olaf's

Freda；　his　beloved　yndling！



But　where　was　the　mother；　and　where　had　Olaf　found　his

babe？



The　Russian　was　first　to　speak。



〃You　have　nitroglycerin　there；　yes？〃　he　asked；　pointing

toward　my　medical　kit　that　I　had　gripped　unconsciously　and

carried　with　me　during　the　mad　rush　down　the　passage。　　I

nodded　and　drew　it　out。



〃Hypodermic；〃　he　ordered　next；　curtly；　took　the　syringe；

filled　it　accurately　with　its　one　one…hundredth　of　a　grain

dosage；　and　leaned　over　Huldricksson。　　He　rolled　up　the

sailor's　sleeves　half…way　to　the　shoulder。　　The　arms　were

white　with　somewhat　of　that　weird　semitranslucence　that　I

had　seen　on　Throckmartin's　breast　where　a　tendril　of　the

Dweller　had　touched　him；　and　his　hands　were　of　the　same

whitenesslike　a　baroque　pearl。　　Above　the　line　of　white；

Marakinoff　thrust　the　needle。



〃He　will　need　all　his　heart　can　do；〃　he　said　to　me。



Then　he　reached　down　into　a　belt　about　his　waist　and　drew

from　it　a　small；　flat　flask　of　what　seemed　to　be　lead。　　He

opened　it　and　let　a　few　drops　of　its　contents　fall　on　each　arm

of　the　Norwegian。　　The　liquid　sparkled　and　instantly　began

to　spread　over　the　skin　much　as　oil　or　gasoline　dropped　on

water　doesonly　far　more　rapidly。　　And　as　it　spread　it　drew

a　sparkling　film　over　the　marbled　flesh　and　little　wisps　of

vapour　rose　from　it。　　The　Norseman's　mighty　chest　heaved

with　agony。　　His　hands　clenched。　　The　Russian　gave　a　grunt

of　satisfaction　at　this；　dropped　a　little　more　of　the　liquid；　and

then；　watching　closely；　grunted　again　and　leaned　back。　　Hul…

dricksson's　laboured　breathing　ceased；　his　head　dropped

upon　Larry's　knee；　and　from　his　arms　and　hands　the　white…

ness　swiftly　withdrew。



Marakinoff　arose　and　contemplated　usalmost　benevo…

lently。



〃He　will　all　right　be　in　five　minutes；〃　he　said。　　〃I　know。　　I

do　it　to　pay　for　that　shot　of　mine；　and　also　because　we　will

need　him。　　Yes。〃　He　turned　to　Larry。　　〃You　have　a　poonch　like

a　mule　kick；　my　young　friend；〃　he　said。　　〃Some　time　you　pay

me　for　that；　too；　eh？〃　He　smiled；　and　the　quality　of　the

grimace　was　not　exactly　reassuring。　　Larry　looked　him　over

quizzically。



〃You're　Marakinoff；　of　course；〃　he　said。　　The　Russian

nodded；　betraying　no　surprise　at　the　recognition。



〃And　you？〃　he　asked。



〃Lieutenant　O'Keefe　of　the　Royal　Flying　Corps；〃　replied

Larry；　saluting。　　〃And　this　gentleman　is　Dr。　Walter　T。　Good…

win。〃



Marakinoff's　face　brightened。



〃The　American　botanist？〃　he　queried。　　I　nodded。



〃Ah；〃　cried　Marakinoff　eagerly；　〃but　this　is　fortunate。

Long　I　have　desired　to　meet　you。　　Your　work；　for　an　Amer…

ican；　is　most　excellent；　surprising。　　But　you　are　wrong　in

your　theory　of　the　development　of　the　Angiospermae　from

Cycadeoidea　dacotensis。　　Daall　wrong〃



I　was　interrupting　him　with　considerable　heat；　for　my

conclusions　from　the　fossil　Cycadeoidea　I　knew　to　be　my

greatest　triumph；　when　Larry　broke　in　upon　me　rudely。



〃Say；〃　he　spluttered；　〃am　I　crazy　or　are　you？　　What　in

damnation　kind　of　a　place　and　time　is　this　to　start　an　argu…

ment　like　that？



〃Angiospermae；　is　it？〃　exclaimed　Larry。　　〃HELL！〃



Marakinoff　again　regarded　him　with　that　irritating　air　of

benevolence。



〃You　have　not　the　scientific　mind；　young　friend；〃　he　said。

〃The　poonch；　yes！　　But　so　has　the　mule。　　You　must　learn　that

only　the　fact　is　importantnot　you；　not　me；　not　this〃he

pointed　to　Huldricksson〃or　its　sorrows。　　Only　the　fact；

whatever　it　is；　is　real；　yes。　　But〃he　turned　to　me〃another

time〃



Huldricksson　interrupted　him。　　The　big　seaman　had　risen

stiffly　to　his　feet　and　stood　with　Larry's　arm　supporting　him。

He　stretched　out　his　hands　to　me。



〃I　saw　her；〃　he　whispered。　　〃I　saw　mine　Freda　when　the

stone　swung。　　She　lay　therejust　at　my　feet。　　I　picked　her　up

and　I　saw　that　mine　Freda　was　dead。　　But　I　hopedand　I

thought　maybe　mine　Helma　was　somewhere　here；　too；　So　I

ran　with　mine　yndlinghere〃　His　voice　broke。　　〃I　thought

maybe　she　was　NOT　dead；〃　he　went　on。　　〃And　I　saw　that〃

he　pointed　to　the　Moon　Pool　〃and　I　thought　I　would

bathe　her　face　and　she　might　live　again。　　And　when　I　dipped

my　hands　withinthe　life　left　them；　and　cold；　deadly　cold；

ran　up　through　them　into　my　heart。　　And　mine　Fredashe

fell〃　he　covered　his　eyes；　and　dropping　his　head　on

O'Keefe's　shoulder；　stood；　racked　by　sobs　that　seemed　to

tear　at　his　very　soul。











CHAPTER　XI



The　Flame…Tipped　Shadows



MARAKINOFF　nodded　his　head　solemnly　as　Olaf　finished。



〃Da！〃　he　said。　　〃That　which　comes　from　here　took　them

boththe　woman　and　the　child。　Da！　　They　came　clasped

within　it　and　the　stone　shut　upon　them。　　But　why　it　left　the

child　behind　I　do　not　understand。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　I　cried　in　amazement。



〃Because　I　saw　it；〃　answered　Marakinoff　simply。　　〃Not

only　did　I　see　it；　but　hardly　had　I　time　to　make　escape

through　the　entrance　before　it　passed　whirling　and　murmur…

ing　and　its　bell　sounds　all　joyous。　Da！　　It　was　what　you　call

the　squeak　close；　that。〃



〃Wait　a　moment；〃　I　saidstilling　Larry　with　a　gesture。

〃Do　I　understand　you　to　say　that　you　were　within　this

place？〃



Marakinoff　actually　beamed　upon　me。



〃Da；　Dr。　Goodwin；〃　he　said；　〃I　went　in　when　that　which

comes　from　it　went　out！〃



I　gaped　at　him；　stricken　dumb；　into　Larry's　bellicose　at…

titude　crept　a　suggestion　of　grudging　respect；　Olaf；　tremb…

ling；　watched　silently。



〃Dr。　　Goodwin　and　my　i