the moon pool-第26节
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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 waroh； boy！〃
He was silent； evidently contemplating the idea with vast
pleasure。 And as for me； at that moment my last doubt of
Larry O'Keefe vanished； I saw that he did believe； really
believed； in his banshees； his leprechauns and all the old
dreams of the Gaelbut only within the limits of Ireland。
In one drawer of his mind was packed all his superstition；
his mysticism； and what of weakness it might carry。 But face
him with any peril or problem and the drawer closed in…
stantaneously leaving a mind that was utterly fearless； in…
credulous； and ingenious； swept clean of all cobwebs by as
fine a skeptic broom as ever brushed a brain。
〃Some stuff！〃 Deepest admiration was in his voice。 〃If
we'd only had it when the war was onimagine half a dozen
of us scooting over the enemy batteries and the gunners
underneath all at once beginning to shake themselves to
pieces！ Wow！〃 His tone was rapturous。
〃It's easy enough to explain； Larry；〃 I said。 〃The effect；
that isfor what the green ray is made of I don't know； of
course。 But what it does； clearly； is stimulate atomic vibra…
tion to such a pitch that the cohesion between the particles of
matter is broken and the body flies to bitsjust as a fly…
wheel does when its speed gets so great that the particles
of which IT is made can't hold together。〃
〃Shake themselves to pieces is right； then！〃 he exclaimed。
〃Absolutely right；〃 I nodded。 〃Everything in Nature vi…
brates。 And all matterwhether man or beast or stone or
metal or vegetableis made up of vibrating molecules；
which are made up of vibrating atoms which are made up
of truly infinitely small particles of electricity called elec…
trons； and electrons； the base of all matter； are themselves
perhaps only a vibration of the mysterious ether。
〃If a magnifying glass of sufficient size and strength could
be placed over us we could see ourselves as sievesour
space lattice； as it is called。 And all that is necessary to break
down the lattice； to shake us into nothingness； is some agent
that will set our atoms vibrating at such a rate that at last
they escape the unseen cords and fly off。
〃The green ray of Yolara is such an agent。 It set up in the
dwarf that incredibly rapid rhythm that you saw and
shook him not to atomsbut to electrons！〃
〃They had a gun on the West Fronta seventy…five；〃 said
O'Keefe； 〃that broke the eardrums of everybody who fired
it； no matter what protection they used。 It looked like all
the other seventy…fivesbut there was something about its
sound that did it。 They had to recast it。〃
〃It's practically the same thing；〃 I replied。 〃By some freak
its vibratory qualities had that effect。 The deep whistle of
the sunken Lusitania would； for instance； make the Singer
Building shake to its foundations； while the Olympic did not
affect the Singer at all but made the Woolworth shiver all
through。 In each case they stimulated the atomic vibration
of the particular building〃
I paused； aware all at once of an intense drowsiness。
O'Keefe； yawning； reached down to unfasten his puttees。
〃Lord； I'm sleepy！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Can't understand it
what you saymostinterestingLord！〃 he yawned again；
straightened。 〃What made Reddy take such a shine to the
Russian？〃 he asked。
〃Thanaroa；〃 I answered； fighting to keep my eyes open。
〃What？〃
〃When Lugur spoke that name I saw Marakinoff signal
him。 Thanaroa is； I suspect； the original form of the name
of Tangaroa； the greatest god of the Polynesians。 There's a
secret cult to him in the islands。 Marakinoff may belong to
ithe knows it anyway。 Lugur recognized the signal and
despite his surprise answered it。〃
〃So he gave him the high sign； eh？〃 mused Larry。 〃How
could they both know it？〃
〃The cult is a very ancient one。 Undoubtedly it had its
origin in the dim beginnings before these people migrated
here；〃 I replied。 〃It's a linkoneof the few links between
up there and the lost past〃
〃Trouble then；〃 mumbled Larry。 〃Hell brewing！ I smell it
Say； Doc； is this sleepiness natural？ Wonder where my
gas maskis〃 he added； half incoherently。
But I myself was struggling desperately against the
drugged slumber pressing down upon me。
〃Lakla！〃 I heard O'Keefe murmur。 〃Lakla of the golden
eyesno Eilidhthe Fair！〃 He made an immense effort；
half raised himself； grinned faintly。
〃Thought this was paradise when I first saw it； Doc；〃 he
sighed。 〃But I know now； if it is； No…Man's Land was the
greatest place on earth for a honeymoon。 Theythey've got
us； Doc〃 He sank back。 〃Good luck； old boy； wherever
you're going。〃 His hand waved feebly。 〃Gladknewyou。
Hopeseeyou'gain〃
His voice trailed into silence。 Fighting； fighting with every
fibre of brain and nerve against the sleep； I felt myself being
steadily overcome。 Yet before oblivion rushed down upon
me I seemed to see upon the grey…screened wall nearest the
Irishman an oval of rosy light begin to glow； watched； as my
falling lids inexorably fell； a flame…tipped shadow waver
on it； thicken； condenseand there looking down upon
Larry； her eyes great golden stars in which intensest curios…
ity and shy tenderness struggled； sweet mouth half smiling；
was the girl of the Moon Pool's Chamber； the girl whom the
green dwarf had namedLakla： the vision Larry had in…
voked before that sleep which I could no longer deny had
claimed him
Closer she camecloser…the eyes were over us。
Then oblivion indeed！
CHAPTER XVI
Yolara of Muria vs。 the O'Keefe
I AWAKENED with all the familiar； homely sensation of a
shade having been pulled up in a darkened room。 I thrilled
with a wonderful sense of deep rest and restored resiliency。
The ebon shadow had vanished from above and down into
the room was pouring the silvery light。 From the fountain
pool came a mighty splashing and shouts of laughter。 I
jumped and drew the curtain。 O'Keefe and Rador were swim…
ming a wild race； the dwarf like an otter； out…distancing and
playing around the Irishman at will。
Had that overpowering sleepand now I confess that my
struggle against it had been largely inspired by fear that it
was the abnormal slumber which Throckmartin had de…
scribed as having heralded the approach of the Dweller be…
fore it had carried away Thora and Stantonhad that sleep
been after all nothing but natural reaction of tired nerves
and brains？
And that last vision of the golden…eyed girl bending over
Larry？ Had that also been a delusion of an overstressed
mind？ Well； it might have been； I could not tell。 At any rate；
I decided； I would speak about it to O'Keefe once we were
alone againand then giving myself up to the urge of buoy…
ant well…being I shouted like a boy； stripped and joined the
two in the pool。 The water was warm and I felt the unwonted
tingling of life in every vein increase； something from it
seemed to pulse through the skin； carrying a clean vigorous
vitality that toned every fibre。 Tiring at last； we swam to the
edge and drew ourselves out。 The green dwarf quickly
clothed himself and Larry rather carefully donned his uni…
form。
〃The Afyo Maie has summoned us； Doc；〃 he said。 〃We're
towellI suppose you'd call it breakfast with her。 After
that； Rador tells me； we're to have a session with the Council
of Nine。 I suppose Yolara is as curious as any lady ofthe
upper world； as you might put itand just naturally can't
wait；〃 he added。
He gave himself a last shake； patted the automatic hidden
under his left arm； whistled cheerfully；
〃After you； my dear Alphonse；〃 he said to Rador； with a
low bow。 The dwarf laughed； bent in an absurd imitation of
Larry's mocking courtesy and started ahead of us to the
house of the priestess。 When he had gone a little way on the
orchid…walled path I whispered to O'Keefe：
〃Larry； when you were falling off to sleepdid you think
you saw anything？〃
〃See anything！〃 he grinned。 〃Doc； sleep hit me like a Hun
shell。 I thought they were pulling the gas on us。 II had
some intention of bidding you tender farewells；〃 he con…
tinued； half sheepishly。 〃I think I did start 'em； didn't I？〃
I nodded。
〃But wait a minute〃 he hesitated。 〃I had a queer sort of
dream〃
'What was it？〃 I asked eagerly；
〃Well；〃 he answered slowly； 〃I suppose it was because I'd
been thinking ofGolden Eyes。 Anyway； I thought she
came through the wall and leaned over meyes； and put
one of those long white hands of hers on my headI
couldn't raise my lidsbut in some queer way I could see
her。 Then it got real dreamish。 Why do you ask？〃
Rador turned back toward us；
〃Later；〃 I answered； 〃Not now。 When we're alone。〃
But throug
