the moon pool-第2节
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zon； you could see the faint luminescence of it upon the
smooth sea。 The distant patch of light quivered and shook。
The clouds thickened again and it was gone。 The ship raced
on southward； swiftly。
Throckmartin dropped into his chair。 He lighted a cigar…
ette with a hand that trembled； then turned to me with
abrupt resolution。
〃Goodwin；〃 he said。 〃I do need help。 If ever man needed
it； I do。 Goodwincan you imagine yourself in another
world； alien； unfamiliar； a world of terror； whose unknown
joy is its greatest terror of all； you all alone there； a
stranger！ As such a man would need help； so I need〃
He paused abruptly and arose； the cigarette dropped from
his fingers。 The moon had again broken through the clouds；
and this time much nearer。 Not a mile away was the patch
of light that it threw upon the waves。 Back of it； to the rim
of the sea was a lane of moonlight； a gigantic gleaming ser…
pent racing over the edge of the world straight and surely
toward the ship。
Throckmartin stiffened to it as a pointer does to a hidden
covey。 To me from him pulsed a thrill of horrorbut
horror tinged with an unfamiliar； an infernal joy。 It came
to me and passed awayleaving me trembling with its
shock of bitter sweet。
He bent forward； all his soul in his eyes。 The moon path
swept closer； closer still。 It was now less than half a mile
away。 From it the ship fledalmost as though pursued。
Down upon it； swift and straight； a radiant torrent cleaving
the waves； raced the moon stream。
〃Good God！〃 breathed Throckmartin； and if ever the
words were a prayer and an invocation they were。
And then； for the first timeI sawIT！
The moon path stretched to the horizon and was bor…
dered by darkness。 It was as though the clouds above had
been parted to form a lane…drawn aside like curtains or as
the waters of the Red Sea were held back to let the hosts
of Israel through。 On each side of the stream was the black
shadow cast by the folds of the high canopies And straight
as a road between the opaque walls gleamed； shimmered；
and danced the shining； racing； rapids of the moonlight
Far； it seemed immeasurably far； along this stream of
silver fire I sensed； rather than saw； something coming。 It
drew first into sight as a deeper glow within the light。 On
and on it swept toward usan opalescent mistiness that
sped with the suggestion of some winged creature in
arrowed flight。 Dimly there crept into my mind memory of
the Dyak legend of the winged messenger of Buddha
the Akla bird whose feathers are woven of the moon rays；
whose heart is a living opal； whose wings in flight echo the
crystal clear music of the white starsbut whose beak is
of frozen flame and shreds the souls of unbelievers。
Closer it drew and now there came to me sweet； insistent
tinklingslike pizzicati on violins of glass； crystal clear；
diamonds melting into sounds！
Now the Thing was close to the end of the white path；
close up to the barrier of darkness still between the ship
and the sparkling head of the moon stream。 Now it beat up
against that barrier as a bird against the bars of its cage。 It
whirled with shimmering plumes； with swirls of lacy light；
with spirals of living vapour。 It held within it odd； un…
familiar gleams as of shifting mother…of…pearl。 Coruscations
and glittering atoms drifted through it as though it drew
them from the rays that bathed it。
Nearer and nearer it came； borne on the sparkling waves；
and ever thinner shrank the protecting wall of shadow be…
tween it and us。 Within the mistiness was a core； a nucleus
of intenser lightveined； opaline； effulgent； intensely alive。
And above it； tangled in the plumes and spirals that
throbbed and whirled were seven glowing lights。
Through all the incessant but strangely ordered move…
ment of theTHINGthese lights held firm and steady。 They
were sevenlike seven little moons。 One was of a pearly
pink； one of a delicate nacreous blue； one of lambent
saffron； one of the emerald you see in the shallow waters
of tropic isles； a deathly white； a ghostly amethyst； and
one of the silver that is seen only when the flying fish leap
beneath the moon。
The tinkling music was louder still。 It pierced the ears
with a shower of tiny lances； it made the heart beat jubi…
lantlyand checked it dolorously。 It closed the throat with
a throb of rapture and gripped it tight with the hand of
infinite sorrow！
Came to me now a murmuring cry； stilling the crystal
notes。 It was articulatebut as though from something
utterly foreign to this world。 The ear took the cry and trans…
lated with conscious labour into the sounds of earth。 And
even as it compassed； the brain shrank from it irresistibly；
and simultaneously it seemed reached toward it with irre…
sistible eagerness。
Throckmartin strode toward the front of the deck；
straight toward the vision； now but a few yards away from
the stern。 His face had lost all human semblance。 Utter
agony and utter ecstasythere they were side by side； not
resisting each other； unholy inhuman companions blending
into a look that none of God's creatures should wear
and deep； deep as his soul！ A devil and a God dwelling
harmoniously side by side！ So must Satan； newly fallen；
still divine； seeing heaven and contemplating hell； have
appeared。
And thenswiftly the moon path faded！ The clouds
swept over the sky as though a hand had drawn them to…
gether。 Up from the south came a roaring squall。 As the
moon vanished what I had seen vanished with itblotted
out as an image on a magic lantern； the tinkling ceased
abruptlyleaving a silence like that which follows an
abrupt thunder clap。 There was nothing about us but silence
and blackness！
Through me passed a trembling as one who has stood on
the very verge of the gulf wherein the men of the Louisades
says lurks the fisher of the souls of men； and has been
plucked back by sheerest chance。
Throckmartin passed an arm around me。
〃It is as I thought；〃 he said。 In his voice was a new note；
the calm certainty that has swept aside a waiting terror of
the unknown。 〃Now I know！ Come with me to my cabin；
old friend。 For now that you too have seen I can tell you〃
he hesitated〃what it was you saw；〃 he ended。
As we passed through the door we met the ship's first
officer。 Throckmartin composed his face into at least a sem…
blance of normality。
〃Going to have much of a storm？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 said the mate。 〃Probably all the way to Mel…
bourne。〃
Throckmartin straightened as though with a new thought。
He gripped the officer's sleeve eagerly。
〃You mean at least cloudy weatherfor〃he hesitated
〃for the next three nights； say？〃
〃And for three more；〃 replied the mate。
〃Thank God！〃 cried Throckmartin； and I think I never
heard such relief and hope as was in his voice。
The sailor stood amazed。 〃Thank God？〃 he repeated。
〃Thankwhat d'ye mean？〃
But Throckmartin was moving onward to his cabin。 I
started to follow。 The first officer stopped me。
〃Your friend；〃 he said； 〃is he ill？〃
〃The sea！〃 I answered hurriedly。 〃He's not used to it。 I
am going to look after him。〃
Doubt and disbelief were plain in the seaman's eyes but
I hurried on。 For I knew now that Throckmartin was ill
indeedbut with a sickness the ship's doctor nor any other
could heal。
CHAPTER II
〃Dead！ All Dead！〃
HE WAS SITTING； face in hands； on the side of his berth
as I entered。 He had taken off his coat。
〃Throck；〃 I cried。 〃What was it？ What are you flying
from； man？ Where is your wifeand Stanton？〃
〃Dead！〃 he replied monotonously。 〃Dead！ All dead！〃
Then as I recoiled from him〃All dead。 Edith； Stanton；
Thoradeador worse。 And Edith in the Moon Pool
with themdrawn by what you saw on the moon path
that has put its brand upon meand follows me！〃
He ripped open his shirt。
〃Look at this；〃 he said。 Around his chest； above his
heart； the skin was white as pearl。 This whiteness was
sharply defined against the healthy tint of the body。 It
circled him with an even cincture about two inches wide。
〃Burn it！〃 he said； and offered me his cigarette。 I drew
back。 He gesturedperemptorily。 I pressed the glowing
end of the cigarette into the ribbon of white flesh。 He did
not flinch nor was there odour of burning nor； as I drew
the little cylinder away； any mark upon the whiteness。
〃Feel it！〃 he commanded again。 I placed my fingers upon
the band。 It was coldlike frozen marble。
He drew his shirt around him。
〃Two things you have seen；〃 he said。 〃ITand its mark。
Seeing； you must believe my story。 Goodwin； I tell you
again that my wife is deador worseI do not know； the
prey ofwhat you saw； so； too； is Stanton； so Thora。
How〃
Tears rolled
