the moon pool-第31节
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CHAPTER XVIII
The Amphitheatre of Jet
FOR HOURs the black…haired folk had been streaming across
the bridges； flowing along the promenade by scores and by
hundreds； drifting down toward the gigantic seven…terraced
temple whose interior I had never as yet seen； and from
whose towering exterior； indeed； I had always been kept far
enough awayunobtrusively； but none the less decisively
to prevent any real observation。 The structure； I had esti…
mated； nevertheless； could not reach less than a thousand
feet above its silvery base； and the diameter of its circular
foundation was about the same。
I wondered what was bringing the _ladala_ into Lora； and
where they were vanishing。 All of them were flower…crowned
with the luminous； lovely bloomsold and young； slender；
mocking…eyed girls； dwarfed youths； mothers with their
babes； gnomed oldsterson they poured； silent for the most
part and sullena sullenness that held acid bitterness even
as their subtle； half…sinister； half…gay malice seemed tem…
pered into little keen…edged flames； oddly； menacingly de…
fiant。
There were many of the green…clad soldiers along the way；
and the garrison of the only bridge span I could see had cer…
tainly been doubled。
Wondering still； I turned from my point of observation
and made my way back to our pavilion； hoping that Larry；
who had been with Yolara for the past two hours； had re…
turned。 Hardly had I reached it before Rador came hurrying
up； in his manner a curious exultance mingled with what in
anyone else I would have called a decided nervousness。
〃Come！〃 he commanded before I could speak。 〃The Coun…
cil has made decisionand _Larree_ is awaiting you。〃
〃What has been decided？〃 I panted as we sped along the
mosaic path that led to the house of Yolara。 〃And why is
Larry awaiting me？〃
And at his answer I felt my heart pause in its beat and
through me race a wave of mingled panic and eagerness。
〃The Shining One dances！〃 had answered the green dwarf。
〃And you are to worship！〃
What was this dancing of the Shining One； of which so
often he had spoken？
Whatever my forebodings； Larry evidently had none。
〃Great stuff！〃 he cried； when we had met in the great ante…
chamber now empty of the dwarfs。 〃Hope it will be worth
seeinghave to be something damned good； though； to
catch me； after what I've seen of shows at the front；〃 he
added。
And remembering； with a little shock of apprehension；
that he had no knowledge of the Dweller beyond my poor
description of itfor there are no words actually to describe
what that miracle of interwoven glory and horror wasI
wondered what Larry O'Keefe would say and do when he
did behold it！
Rador began to show impatience。
〃Come！〃 he urged。 〃There is much to be doneand the
time grows short！〃
He led us to a tiny fountain room in whose miniature pool
the white waters were concentrated； pearl…like and opales…
cent in their circling rim。
〃Bathe！〃 he commanded； and set the example by strip…
ping himself and plunging within。 Only a minute or two did
the green dwarf allow us； and he checked us as we were
about to don our clothing。
Then； to my intense embarrassment； without warning； two
of the black…haired girls entered； bearing robes of a peculiar
dull…blue hue。 At our manifest discomfort Rador's laughter
roared out。 He took the garments from the pair； motioned
them to leave us； and； still laughing； threw one around me。
Its texture was soft； but decidedly metalliclike some blue
metal spun to the fineness of a spider's thread。 The garment
buckled tightly at the throat； was girdled at the waist； and；
below this cincture； fell to the floor； its folds being held to…
gether by a half…dozen looped cords； from the shoulders a
hood resembling a monk's cowl。
Rador cast this over my head； it completely covered my
face； but was of so transparent a texture that I could see；
though somewhat mistily； through it。 Finally he handed us
both a pair of long gloves of the same material and high
stockings； the feet of which were glovedfive…toed。
And again his laughter rang out at our manifest surprise。
〃The priestess of the Shining One does not altogether
trust the Shining One's Voice；〃 he said at last。 〃And these
are to guard against any suddenerrors。 And fear not；
Goodwin；〃 he went on kindly。 〃Not for the Shining One
itself would Yolara see harm come to _Larree_ herenor；
because of him； to you。 But I would not stake much on the
great white one。 And for him I am sorry； for him I do like
well。〃
〃Is he to be with us？〃 asked Larry eagerly。
〃He is to be where we go；〃 replied the dwarf soberly。
Grimly Larry reached down and drew from his uniform his
automatic。 He popped a fresh clip into the pocket fold of his
girdle。 The pistol he slung high up beneath his arm…pit。
The green dwarf looked at the weapon curiously。 O'Keefe
tapped it。
〃This；〃 said Larry； 〃slays quicker than the _Keth_I take
it so no harm shall come to the blue…eyed one whose name is
Olaf。 If I should raise itbe you not in its way； Rador！〃 he
added significantly。
The dwarf nodded again； his eyes sparkling。 He thrust a
hand out to both of us。
〃A change comes；〃 he said。 〃What it is I know not； nor
how it will fall。 But this rememberRador is more friend
to you than you yet can know。 And now let us go！〃 he ended
abruptly。
He led us； not through the entrance； but into a sloping
passage ending in a blind wall； touched a symbol graven
there； and it opened； precisely as had the rosy barrier of the
Moon Pool Chamber。 And； just as there； but far smaller；
was a passage end； a low curved wall facing a shaft not black
as had been that abode of living darkness； but faintly lumi…
nescent。 Rador leaned over the wall。 The mechanism clicked
and started； the door swung shut； the sides of the car slipped
into place； and we swept swiftly down the passage； over…
head the wind whistled。 In a few moments the moving plat…
form began to slow down。 It stopped in a closed chamber no
larger than itself。
Rador drew his poniard and struck twice upon the wall
with its hilt。 Immediately a panel moved away； revealing a
space filled with faint； misty blue radiance。 And at each side
of the open portal stood four of the dwarfish men； grey…
headed； old； clad in flowing garments of white； each point…
ing toward us a short silver rod。
Rador drew from his girdle a ring and held it out to the
first dwarf。 He examined it； handed it to the one beside him；
and not until each had inspected the ring did they lower their
curious weapons； containers of that terrific energy they
called the _Keth_； I thought； and later was to know that I had
been right。
We stepped out； the doors closed behind us。 The place
was weird enough。 Its pave was a greenish…blue stone re…
sembling lapis lazuli。 On each side were high pedestals hold…
ing carved figures of the same material。 There were perhaps
a score of these； but in the mistiness I could not make out
their outlines。 A droning； rushing roar beat upon our ears；
filled the whole cavern。
〃I smell the sea；〃 said Larry suddenly。
The roaring became deep…toned； clamorous； and close in
front of us a rift opened。 Twenty feet in width； it cut the
cavern floor and vanished into the blue mist on each side。
The cleft was spanned by one solid slab of rock not more
than two yards wide。 It had neither railing nor other protec…
tion。
The four leading priests marched out upon it one by one；
and we followed。 In the middle of the span they knelt。 Ten
feet beneath us was a torrent of blue sea…water racing with
prodigious speed between polished walls。 It gave the impres…
sion of vast depth。 It roared as it sped by； and far to the right
was a low arch through which it disappeared。 It was so swift
that its surface shone like polished blue steel； and from it
came the blessed； OUR WORLDLY； familiar ocean breath that
strengthened my soul amazingly and made me realize how
earth…sick I was。
Whence came the stream； I marvelled； forgetting for the
moment； as we passed on again； all else。 Were we closer to
the surface of earth than I had thought； or was this some
mighty flood falling through an opening in sea floor； Heaven
alone knew how many miles above us； losing itself in deeper
abysses beyond these？ How near and how far this was from
the truth I was to learnand never did truth come to man
in more dreadful guise！
The roaring fell away； the blue haze lessened。 In front of
us stretched a wide flight of steps； huge as those which had
led us into the courtyard of Nan…Tauach through the ruined
sea…gate。 We scaled it； it narrowed； from above light poured
through a still narrower opening。 Side by side Larry and I
passed out of it。
We had emerged upon a
