the moon pool-第25节
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above a kirtle that came barely to their very pretty knees。
〃Food and drink；〃 ordered Rador。
They dropped back through the curtains。
〃Do you like them？〃 he asked us。
〃Some chickens！〃 said Larry。 〃They delight the heart；〃 he
translated for Rador。
The green dwarf's next remark made me gasp。
〃They are yours；〃 he said。
Before I could question him further upon this extraordi…
nary statement the pair re…entered； bearing a great platter on
which were small loaves； strange fruits； and three immense
flagons of rock crystaltwo filled with a slightly sparkling
yellow liquid and the third with a purplish drink。 I became
acutely sensible that it had been hours since I had either
eaten or drunk。 The yellow flagons were set before Larry and
me； the purple at Rador's hand。
The girls； at his signal； again withdrew。 I raised my glass
to my lips and took a deep draft。 The taste was unfamiliar
but delightful。
Almost at once my fatigue disappeared。 I realized a clarity
of mind； an interesting exhilaration and sense of irresponsi…
bility； of freedom from care； that were oddly enjoyable。
Larry became immediately his old gay self。
The green dwarf regarded us whimsically； sipping from
his great flagon of rock crystal。
〃Much do I desire to know of that world you came from；〃
he said at last〃through the rocks；〃 he added； slyly。
〃And much do we desire to know of this world of yours；
O Rador；〃 I answered。
Should I ask him of the Dweller； seek from him a clue to
Throckmartin？ Again； clearly as a spoken command； came
the warning to forbear； to wait。 And once more I obeyed。
〃Let us learn； then； from each other。〃 The dwarf was
laughing。 〃And firstare all above like youdrawn out〃
he made an expressive gesture〃and are there many of
you？〃
〃There are〃 I hesitated； and at last spoke the Polynesian
that means tens upon tens multiplied indefinitely〃there
are as many as the drops of water in the lake we saw from
the ledge where you found us；〃 I continued； 〃many as the
leaves on the trees without。 And they are all like us
varyingly。〃
He considered skeptically； I could see； my remark upon
our numbers。
〃In Muria；〃 he said at last； 〃the men are like me or like
Lugur。 Our women are as you see themlike Yolara or
those two who served you。〃 He hesitated。 〃And there is a
third； but only one。〃
Larry leaned forward eagerly。
〃Brown…haired with glints of ruddy bronze； golden…eyed；
and lovely as a dream； with long； slender； beautiful hands？〃
he cried。
〃Where saw you HER？〃 interrupted the dwarf； starting to
his feet。
〃Saw her？〃 Larry recovered himself。 〃Nay； Rador； per…
haps； I only dreamed that there was such a woman。〃
〃See to it； then； that you tell not your dream to Yolara；〃
said the dwarf grimly。 〃For her I meant and her you have
pictured is Lakla； the hand…maiden to the Silent Ones； and
neither Yolara nor Lugur； nay； nor the Shining One； love
her overmuch； stranger。〃
〃Does she dwell here？〃 Larry's face was alight。
The dwarf hesitated； glanced about him anxiously。
〃Nay；〃 he answered； 〃ask me no more of her。〃 He was
silent for a space。 〃And what do you who are as leaves or
drops of water do in that world of yours？〃 he said； plainly
bent on turning the subject。
〃Keep off the golden…eyed girl； Larry；〃 I interjected。 〃Wait
till we find out why she's tabu。〃
〃Love and battle； strive and accomplish and die； or fail and
die；〃 answered Larryto Radorgiving me a quick nod of
acquiescence to my warning in English。
〃In that at least your world and mine differ little；〃 said the
dwarf。
〃How great is this world of yours； Rador？〃 I spoke。
He considered me gravely。
〃How great indeed I do not know；〃 he said frankly at last。
〃The land where we dwell with the Shining One stretches
along the white waters for〃 He used a phrase of which I
could make nothing。 〃Beyond this city of the Shining One
and on the hither shores of the white waters dwell the mayia
ladalathe common ones。〃 He took a deep draft from his
flagon。 〃There are； first； the fair…haired ones； the children
of the ancient rulers；〃 he continued。 〃There are； second； we
the soldiers； and last； the mayia ladala； who dig and till and
weave and toil and give our rulers and us their daughters；
and dance with the Shining One！〃 he added。
〃Who rules？〃 I asked。
〃The fair…haired； under the Council of Nine； who are
under Yolara； the Priestess and Lugur； the Voice；〃 he
answered； 〃who are in turn beneath the Shining One！〃 There
was a ring of bitter satire in the last。
〃And those three who were judged？〃this from Larry。
〃They were of the mayia ladala；〃 he replied； 〃like those
two I gave you。 But they grow restless。 They do not like to
dance with the Shining Onethe blasphemers！〃 He raised
his voice in a sudden great shout of mocking laughter。
In his words I caught a fleeting picture of the racean
ancient； luxurious； close…bred oligarchy clustered about some
mysterious deity； a soldier class that supported them； and
underneath all the toiling； oppressed hordes。
〃And is that all？〃 asked Larry。
〃No；〃 he answered。 〃There is the Sea of Crimson
where〃
Without warning the globe beside us sent out a vicious
note； Rador turned toward it； his face paling。 Its surface
crawled with whisperingsangry； peremptory！
〃I hear！〃 he croaked； gripping the table。 〃I obey！〃
He turned to us a face devoid for once of its malice。
〃Ask me no more questions； strangers；〃 he said。 〃And
now； if you are done； I will show you where you may sleep
and bathe。〃
He arose abruptly。 We followed him through the hang…
ings； passed through a corridor and into another smaller
chamber； roofless； the sides walled with screens of dark grey。
Two cushioned couches were there and a curtained door
leading into an open； outer enclosure in which a fountain
played within a wide pool。
〃Your bath；〃 said Rador。 He dropped the curtain and
came back into the room。 He touched a carved flower at one
side。 There was a tiny sighing from overhead and instantly
across the top spread a veil of blackness； impenetrable to
light but certainly not to air； for through it pulsed little
breaths of the garden fragrances。 The room filled with a cool
twilight； refreshing； sleep…inducing。 The green dwarf pointed
to the couches。
〃Sleep！〃 he said。 〃Sleep and fear nothing。 My men are on
guard outside。〃 He came closer to us； the old mocking
gaiety sparkling in his eyes。
〃But I spoke too quickly；〃 he whispered。 〃Whether it is
because the Afyo Maie fears their tonguesor〃 he
laughed at Larry。 〃The maids are NOT yours！〃 Still laughing
he vanished through the curtains of the room of the foun…
tain before I could ask him the meaning of his curious gift；
its withdrawal； and his most enigmatic closing remarks。
〃Back in the great old days of Ireland；〃 thus Larry break…
ing into my thoughts raptly； the brogue thick； 〃there was
Cairill mac CairillCairill Swiftspear。 An' Cairill wronged
Keevan of Emhain Abhlach； of the blood of Angus of the
great people when he was sleeping in the likeness of a pale
reed。 Then Keevan put this penance on Cairillthat for a
year Cairill should wear his body in Emhain Abhlach； which
is the Land of Faery and for that year Keevan should wear
the body of Cairill。 And it was done。
〃In that year Cairill met Emar of the Birds that are one
white； one red； and one blackand they loved； and from that
love sprang Ailill their son。 And when Ailill was born he
took a reed flute and first he played slumber on Cairill； and
then he played old age so that Cairill grew white and with…
ered； then Ailill played again and Cairill became a shadow
then a shadow of a shadowthen a breath； and the breath
went out upon the wind！〃 He shivered。 〃Like the old
gnome；〃 he whispered； 〃that they called Songar of the
Lower Waters！〃
He shook his head as though he cast a dream from him。
Then； all alert
〃But that was in Iceland ages agone。 And there's nothing
like that here； Doc！〃 He laughed。 〃It doesn't scare me one
little bit； old boy。 The pretty devil lady's got the wrong slant。
When you've had a pal standing beside you one moment
full of life； and joy； and power； and potentialities； telling
what he's going to do to make the world hum when he gets
through the slaughter； just running over with zip and pep of
life； Docand the next instant； right in the middle of a
laugha piece of damned shell takes off half his head and
with it joy and power and all the rest of it〃his face
twitched〃well； old man； in the face of THAT mystery a
disappearing act such as the devil lady treated us to doesn't
make much of a dent。 Not on me。 But by the brogans of
Brian Boruif we could have had some of that stuff to turn
on during the war
