the moon pool-第27节
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Rador turned back toward us；
〃Later；〃 I answered； 〃Not now。 When we're alone。〃
But through me went a little glow of reassurance。 What…
ever the maze through which we were moving； whatever of
menacing evil lurking therethe Golden Girl was clearly
watching over us； watching with whatever unknown powers
she could muster。
We passed the pillared entrance； went through a long
bowered corridor and stopped before a door that seemed
to be sliced from a monolith of pale jadehigh； narrow；
set in a wall of opal。
Rador stamped twice and the same supernally sweet； silver
bell tones ofyesterday； I must call it； although in that place
of eternal day the term is meaninglessbade us enter。 The
door slipped aside。 The chamber was small； the opal walls
screening it on three sides； the black opacity covering it； the
fourth side opening out into a delicious little walled garden
a mass of the fragrant； luminous blooms and delicately
colored fruit。 Facing it was a small table of reddish wood
and from the omnipresent cushions heaped around it arose to
greet usYolara。
Larry drew in his breath with an involuntary gasp of
admiration and bowed low。 My own admiration was as frank
and the priestess was well pleased with our homage。
She was swathed in the filmy； half…revelant webs； now of
palest blue。 The corn…silk hair was caught within a wide…
meshed golden net in which sparkled tiny brilliants； like
blended sapphires and diamonds。 Her own azure eyes
sparkled as brightly as they； and I noted again in their clear
depths the half…eager approval as they rested upon O'Keefe's
lithe； well…knit figure and his keen； clean…cut face。 The high…
arched； slender feet rested upon soft sandals whose gauzy
withes laced the exquisitely formed leg to just below the
dimpled knee。
〃Some giddy wonder！〃 exclaimed Larry； looking at me
and placing a hand over his heart。 〃Put her on a New York
roof and she'd empty Broadway。 Take the cue from me；
Doc。〃
He turned to Yolara； whose face was somewhat puzzled。
〃I said； O lady whose shining hair is a web for hearts； that
in our world your beauty would dazzle the sight of men as
would a little woman sun！〃 he said； in the florid imagery to
which the tongue lends itself so well。
A flush stole up through the translucent skin。 The blue
eyes softened and she waved us toward the cushions。 Black…
haired maids stole in； placing before us the fruits； the little
loaves and a steaming drink somewhat the colour and odor
of chocolate。 I was conscious of outrageous hunger。
〃What are you named； strangers？〃 she asked。
〃This man is named Goodwin；〃 said O'Keefe。 〃As for me；
call me Larry。〃
〃Nothing like getting acquainted quick；〃 he said to me
but kept his eyes upon Yolara as though he were voicing
another honeyed phrase。 And so she took it； for： 〃You must
teach me your tongue；〃 she murmured。
〃Then shall I have two words where now I have one to
tell you of your loveliness；〃 he answered。
〃And also that'll take time；〃 he spoke to me。 〃Essential
occupation out of which we can't be drafted to make these
fun…loving folk any Roman holiday。 Get me！〃
〃Larree；〃 mused Yolara。 〃I like the sound。 It is sweet〃
and indeed it was as she spoke it。
〃And what is your land named； Larree？〃 she continued。
〃And Goodwin's？〃 She caught the sound perfectly。
〃My land； O lady of loveliness； is twoIreland and
America； his but oneAmerica。〃
She repeated the two namesslowly； over and over。 We
seized the opportunity to attack the food； halting half guilt…
ily as she spoke again。
〃Oh； but you are hungry！〃 she cried。 〃Eat then。〃 She
leaned her chin upon her hands and regarded us； whole
fountains of questions brimming up in her eyes。
〃How is it； Larree； that you have two countries and Good…
win but one？〃 she asked； at last unable to keep silent longer。
〃I was born in Ireland； he in America。 But I have dwelt
long in his land and my heart loves each；〃 he said。
She nodded； understandingly。
〃Are all the men of Ireland like you； Larree？ As all the
men here are like Lugur or Rador？ I like to look at you；〃
she went on； with naive frankness。 〃I am tired of men like
Lugur and Rador。 But they are strong；〃 she added； swiftly。
〃Lugur can hold up ten in his two arms and raise six with
but one hand。〃
We could not understand her numerals and she raised
white fingers to illustrate。
〃That is little； O lady； to the men of Ireland；〃 replied
O'Keefe。 〃Lo； I have seen one of my race hold up ten times
ten of ourwhat call you that swift thing in which Rador
brought us here？〃
〃Corial；〃 said she。
〃Hold up ten times twenty of our corials with but two
fingersand these corials of ours〃
〃Coria；〃 said she。
〃And these coria of ours are each greater in weight than
ten of yours。 Yes； and I have seen another with but one blow
of his hand raise hell！
〃And so I have；〃 he murmured to me。 〃And both at Forty…
second and Fifth Avenue； N。 Y。U。 S。 A。〃
Yolara considered all this with manifest doubt。
〃Hell？〃 she inquired at last。 〃I know not the word。〃
〃Well；〃 answered O'Keefe。 〃Say Muria then。 In many
ways they are； I gather； O heart's delight； one and the same。〃
Now the doubt in the blue eyes was strong indeed。 She
shook her head。
〃None of our men can do THAT！〃 she answered； at length。
〃Nor do I think you could； Larree。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 said Larry easily。 〃I never tried to be that
strong。 I fly；〃 he added； casually。
The priestess rose to her feet； gazing at him with startled eyes。
〃Fly！〃 she repeated incredulously。 〃Like a _Zitia_？ A bird？〃
Larry noddedand then seeing the dawning command in
her eyes； went on hastily。
〃Not with my own wings； Yolara。 In aa corial that
moves throughwhat's the word for air； Docwell；
through this〃 He made a wide gesture up toward the
nebulous haze above us。 He took a pencil and on a white
cloth made a hasty sketch of an airplane。 〃In aa corial
like this〃 She regarded the sketch gravely； thrust a hand
down into her girdle and brought forth a keen…bladed
poniard； cut Larry's markings out and placed the fragment
carefully aside。
〃That I can understand；〃 she said。
〃Remarkably intelligent young woman；〃 muttered
O'Keefe。 〃Hope I'm not giving anything awaybut she had
me。〃
〃But what are your women like； Larree？ Are they like
me？ And how many have loved you？〃 she whispered。
〃In all Ireland and America there is none like you； Yo…
lara；〃 he answered。 〃And take that any way you please；〃 he
muttered in English。 She took it； it was evident； as it most
pleased her。
〃Do you have goddesses？〃 she asked。
〃Every woman in Ireland and America； is a goddess〃；
thus Larry。
〃Now that I do not believe。〃 There was both anger and
mockery in her eyes。 〃I know women； Larreeand if that
were so there would be no peace for men。〃
〃There isn't！〃 replied he。 The anger died out and she
laughed； sweetly； understandingly。
〃And which goddess do you worship； Larree？〃
〃You！〃 said Larry O'Keefe boldly。
〃Larry！ Larry！〃 I whispered。 〃Be careful。 It's high explo…
sive。〃
But the priestess was laughinglittle trills of sweet bell
notes； and pleasure was in each note。
〃You are indeed bold； Larree；〃 she said； 〃to offer me your
worship。 Yet am I pleased by your boldness。 StillLugur is
strong； and you are not of those whowhat did you say
have tried。 And your wings are not hereLarree！〃
Again her laughter rang out。 The Irishman flushed； it was
touche for Yolara！
〃Fear not for me with Lugur；〃 he said； grimly。 〃Rather
fear for him！〃
The laughter died； she looked at him searchingly； a little
enigmatic smile about her mouthso sweet and so cruel。
〃Wellwe shall see；〃 she murmured。 〃You say you battle
in your world。 With what？〃
〃Oh； with this and with that；〃 answered Larry； airily。
〃We manage〃
〃Have you the KethI mean that with which I sent
Songar into the nothingness？〃 she asked swiftly。
〃See what she's driving at？〃 O'Keefe spoke to me； swiftly。
〃Well I do！ But here's where the O'Keefe lands。
〃I said；〃 he turned to her； 〃O voice of silver fire； that your
spirit is high even as your beautyand searches out men's
souls as does your loveliness their hearts。 And now listen；
Yolara； for what I speak is truth〃into his eyes came the
far…away gaze； into his voice the Irish softness〃Lo； in my
land of Ireland； this many of your life's length agonesee〃
he raised his ten fingers； clenched and unclenched them
times twenty〃the mighty men of my race； the Taitha…da…
Dainn； could send men out into the nothingness even as do
you with the Keth。 And this they did by their harpings； and
by words spokenwords of power； O Yolara； that have their
power stilland by pipings and by slaying
