the moon pool-第24节
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as you please with him； Lugur； always remembering that I
have given my word that he shall join that wife and babe of
his！〃 She laughed sweetly； sinisterly。 〃And nowtake them；
Radorgive them food and drink and let them rest till we
shall call them again。〃
She stretched out a hand toward O'Keefe。 The Irishman
bowed low over it； raised it softly to his lips。 There was a
vicious hiss from Lugur； but Yolara regarded Larry with
eyes now all tender blue。
〃You please me；〃 she whispered。
And the face of Lugur grew darker。
We turned to go。 The rosy； azure…shot globe at her side
suddenly dulled。 From it came a faint bell sound as of chimes
far away。 She bent over it。 It vibrated； and then its surface
ran with little waves of dull colour； from it came a whisper…
ing so low that I could not distinguish the wordsif words
they were。
She spoke to the red dwarf。
〃They have brought the three who blasphemed the Shin…
ing One；〃 she said slowly。 〃Now it is in my mind to show
these strangers the justice of Lora。 What say you； Lugur？〃
The red dwarf nodded； his eyes sparkling with a malicious
anticipation。
The woman spoke again to the globe。 〃Bring them here！〃
And again it ran swiftly with its film of colours； darkened；
and shone rosy once more。 From without there came a rustle
of many feet upon the rugs。 Yolara pressed a slender hand
upon the base of the pedestal of the globe beside her。
Abruptly the light faded from all； and on the same instant
the four walls of blackness vanished； revealing on two sides
the lovely； unfamiliar garden through the guarding rows of
pillars； at our backs soft draperies hid what lay beyond；
before us； flanked by flowered screens； was the corridor
through which we had entered； crowded now by the green
dwarfs of the great hall。
The dwarfs advanced。 Each； I now noted； had the same
clustering black hair of Rador。 They separated； and from
them stepped three figuresa youth of not more than twenty；
short； but with the great shoulders of all the males we had
seen of this race； a girl of seventeen； I judged； white…faced；
a head taller than the boy； her long； black hair dishevelled；
and behind these two a stunted； gnarled shape whose head
was sunk deep between the enormous shoulders； whose white
beard fell like that of some ancient gnome down to his waist；
and whose eyes were a white flame of hate。 The girl cast her…
self weeping at the feet of the priestess； the youth regarded
her curiously。
〃You are Songar of the Lower Waters？〃 murmured Yolara
almost caressingly。 〃And this is your daughter and her
lover？〃
The gnome nodded； the flame in his eyes leaping higher。
〃It has come to me that you three have dared blaspheme
the Shining One； its priestess； and its Voice；〃 went on Yo…
lara smoothly。 〃Also that you have called out to the three
Silent Ones。 Is it true？〃
〃Your spies have spokenand have you not already
judged us？〃 The voice of the old dwarf was bitter。
A flicker shot through the eyes of Yolara； again cold grey。
The girl reached a trembling hand out to the hem of the
priestess's veils。
〃Tell us why you did these things； Songar；〃 she said。 〃Why
you did them； knowing full well what yourrewardwould be。〃
The dwarf stiffened； he raised his withered arms； and his
eyes blazed。
〃Because evil are your thoughts and evil are your deeds；〃
he cried。 〃Yours and your lover's； there〃he levelled a
finger at Lugur。 〃Because of the Shining One you have made
evil； too； and the greater wickedness you contemplate
you and he with the Shining One。 But I tell you that your
measure of iniquity is full； the tale of your sin near ended！
Yeathe Silent Ones have been patient； but soon they will
speak。〃 He pointed at us。 〃A sign are THEYa warning
harlot！〃 He spat the word。
In Yolara's eyes； grown black； the devils leaped unrestrained。
〃Is it even so； Songar？〃 her voice caressed。 〃Now ask the
Silent Ones to help you！ They sit afarbut surely they will
hear you。〃 The sweet voice was mocking。 〃As for these two；
they shall pray to the Shining One for forgivenessand
surely the Shining One will take them to its bosom！ As for
youyou have lived long enough； Songar！ Pray to the Silent
Ones； Songar； and pass out into the nothingnessyou！〃
She dipped down into her bosom and drew forth some…
thing that resembled a small cone of tarnished silver。 She
levelled it； a covering clicked from its base； and out of it
darted a slender ray of intense green light。
It struck the old dwarf squarely over the heart； and spread
swift as light itself； covering him with a gleaming； pale film。
She clenched her hand upon the cone； and the ray disap…
peared。 She thrust the cone back into her breast and leaned
forward expectantly； so Lugur and so the other dwarfs。
From the girl came a low wail of anguish； the boy dropped
upon his knees； covering his face。
For the moment the white beard stood rigid； then the
robe that had covered him seemed to melt away； revealing
all the knotted； monstrous body。 And in that body a vibra…
tion began； increasing to incredible rapidity。 It wavered be…
fore us like a reflection in a still pond stirred by a sudden
wind。 It grew and grewto a rhythm whose rapidity was
intolerable to watch and that still chained the eyes。
The figure grew indistinct； misty。 Tiny sparks in infinite
numbers leaped from itlike； I thought； the radiant shower
of particles hurled out by radium when seen under the
microscope。 Mistier still it grewthere trembled before us
for a moment a faintly luminous shadow which held； here
and there； tiny sparkling atoms like those that pulsed in the
light about us！ The glowing shadow vanished； the sparkling
atoms were still for a momentand shot away； joining those
dancing others。
Where the gnomelike form had been but a few seconds
beforethere was nothing！
O'Keefe drew a long breath； and I was sensible of a prick…
ling along my scalp。
Yolara leaned toward us。
〃You have seen；〃 she said。 Her eyes lingered tigerishly
upon Olaf's pallid face。 〃Heed！〃 she whispered。 She turned
to the men in green； who were laughing softly among them…
selves。
〃Take these two； and go！〃 she commanded。
〃The justice of Lora；〃 said the red dwarf。 〃The justice of
Lora and the Shining One under Thanaroa！〃
Upon the utterance of the last word I saw Marakinoff start
violently。 The hand at his side made a swift； surreptitious
gesture； so fleeting that I hardly caught it。 The red dwarf
stared at the Russian； and there was amazement upon his
face。
Swiftly as Marakinoff； he returned it。
〃Yolara；〃 the red dwarf spoke； 〃it would please me to
take this man of wisdom to my own place for a time。 The
giant I would have； too。〃
The woman awoke from her brooding； nodded。
〃As you will； Lugur；〃 she said。
And as； shaken to the core； we passed out into the garden
into the full throbbing of the light； I wondered if all the tiny
sparkling diamond points that shook about us had once been
men like Songar of the Lower Watersand felt my very soul
grow sick！
CHAPTER XV
The Angry； Whispering Globe
OUR WAY led along a winding path between banked masses
of softly radiant blooms； groups of feathery ferns whose
plumes were starred with fragrant white and blue flowerets；
slender creepers swinging from the branches of the strangely
trunked trees； bearing along their threads orchid…like blos…
soms both delicately frail and gorgeously flamboyant。
The path we trod was an exquisite mosaicpastel greens
and pinks upon a soft grey base； garlands of nimbused forms
like the flaming rose of the Rosicrucians held in the mouths
of the flying serpents。 A smaller pavilion arose before us；
single…storied； front wide open。
Upon its threshold Rador paused； bowed deeply； and mo…
tioned us within。 The chamber we entered was large； closed
on two sides by screens of grey； at the back gay； concealing
curtains。 The low table of blue stone； dressed with fine white
cloths； stretched at one side flanked by the cushioned divans。
At the left was a high tripod bearing one of the rosy globes
we had seen in the house of Yolara； at the head of the table
a smaller globe similar to the whispering one。 Rador pressed
upon its base； and two other screens slid into place across
the entrance； shutting in the room。
He clapped his hands； the curtains parted； and two girls
came through them。 Tall and willow lithe； their bluish…black
hair falling in ringlets just below their white shoulders； their
clear eyes of forget…me…not blue； and skins of extraordinary
fineness and puritythey were singularly attractive。 Each
was clad in an extremely scanty bodice of silken blue； girdled
above a kirtle that came barely to their very pretty knees。
〃Food and d
