the moon pool-第36节
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On each side below it； were low carven stools。 The cur…
tains parted and softly entered girls bearing their flutes； their
harps； the curiously emotion…exciting； octaved drums。 They
sank into their places。 They touched their instruments； a
faint； languorous measure throbbed through the rosy air。
The stage was set！ What was to be the play？
Now about the tables passed other dusky…haired maids；
fair bosoms bare； their scanty kirtles looped high； pouring
out the wines for the feasters。
My eyes sought O'Keefe。 Whatever it had been that Mara…
kinoff had said； clearly it now filled his mindeven to the
exclusion of the wondrous woman beside him。 His eyes were
stern； coldand now and then； as be turned them toward
the Russian； filled with a curious speculation。 Yolara
watched him； frowned； gave a low order to the Hebe behind
her。
The girl disappeared； entered again with a ewer that
seemed cut of amber。 The priestess poured from it into
Larry's glass a clear liquid that shook with tiny sparkles of
light。 She raised the glass to her lips； handed it to him。 Half…
smiling； half…abstractedly； he took it； touched his own lips
where hers had kissed； drained it。 A nod from Yolara and
the maid refilled his goblet。
At once there was a swift transformation in the Irishman。
His abstraction vanished； the sternness fled； his eyes spar…
kled。 He leaned caressingly toward Yolara； whispered。 Her
blue eyes flashed triumphantly； her chiming laughter rang。
She raised her own glassbut within it was not that clear
drink that filled Larry's！ And again he drained his own； and；
lifting it； full once more； caught the baleful eyes of Lugur；
and held it toward him mockingly。 Yolara swayed close
alluring； tempting。 He arose； face all reckless gaiety； rollick…
ing deviltry。
〃A toast！〃 he cried in English； 〃to the Shining Oneand
may the hell where it belongs soon claim it！〃
He had used their own word for their godall else had
been in his own tongue； and so； fortunately； they did not
understand。 But the contempt in his action they did recog…
nizeand a dead； a fearful silence fell upon them all。 Lu…
gur's eyes blazed； little sparks of crimson in their green。 The
priestess reached up； caught at O'Keefe。 He seized the soft
hand； caressed it； his gaze grew far away； sombre。
〃The Shining One。〃 He spoke low。 〃An' now again I see
the faces of those who dance with it。 It is the Fires of Mora
come； God alone knows howfrom Erinto this place。
The Fires of Mora！〃 He contemplated the hushed folk be…
fore him； and then from his lips came that weirdest； most
haunting of the lyric legends of Erinthe Curse of Mora：
〃The fretted fires of Mora blew o'er him in the night；
He thrills no more to loving； nor weeps for past delight。
For when those flames have bitten； both grief and joy take flight〃
Again Yolara tried to draw him down beside her； and
once more he gripped her hand。 His eyes grew fixedhe
crooned：
〃And through the sleeping silence his feet must track the tune；
When the world is barred and speckled with silver of the moon〃
He stood； swaying； for a moment； and then； laughing； let
the priestess have her way； drained again the glass。
And now my heart was cold； indeedfor what hope
was there left with Larry mad； wild drunk！
The silence was unbrokenelfin women and dwarfs
glancing furtively at each other。 But now Yolara arose； face
set； eyes flashing grey。
〃Hear you； the Council； and you； Lugurand all who are
here！〃 she cried。 〃Now I； the priestess of the Shining One；
take； as is my right； my mate。 And this is he！〃 She pointed
down upon Larry。 He glanced up at her。
〃Can't quite make out what you say； Yolara；〃 he mut…
tered thickly。 〃But say anythingyou likeI love your
voice！〃
I turned sick with dread。 Yolara's hand stole softly upon
the Irishman's curls caressingly。
〃You know the law； Yolara。〃 Lugur's voice was flat；
deadly； 〃You may not mate with other than your own kind。
And this man is a strangera barbarianfood for the Shin…
ing One！〃 Literally； he spat the phrase。
〃No； not of our kindLugurhigher！〃 Yolara answered
serenely。 〃Lo； a son of Siya and of Siyana！〃
〃A lie！〃 roared the red dwarf。 〃A lie！〃
〃The Shining One revealed it to me！〃 said Yolara sweetly。
〃And if ye believe not； Lugurgo ask of the Shining One
if it be not truth！〃
There was bitter； nameless menace in those last words
and whatever their hidden message to Lugur； it was potent。
He stood； choking； face hell…shadowedMarakinoff leaned
out again； whispered。 The red dwarf bowed； now wholly
ironically； resumed his place and his silence。 And again I
wondered； icy…hearted； what was the power the Russian had
so to sway Lugur。
〃What says the Council？〃 Yolara demanded； turning to
them。
Only for a moment they consulted among themselves。
Then the woman； whose face was a ravaged shrine of beauty；
spoke。
〃The will of the priestess is the will of the Council！〃 she
answered。
Defiance died from Yolara's face； she looked down at
Larry tenderly。 He sat swaying； crooning。
〃Bid the priests come；〃 she commanded； then turned to
the silent room。 〃By the rites of Siya and Siyana； Yolara
takes their son for her mate！〃 And again her hand stole
down possessingly； serpent soft； to the drunken head of the
O'Keefe。
The curtains parted widely。 Through them filed； two by
two； twelve hooded figures clad in flowing robes of the green
one sees in forest vistas of opening buds of dawning spring。
Of each pair one bore clasped to breast a globe of that milky
crystal in the sapphire shrine…room； the other a harp； small；
shaped somewhat like the ancient clarsach of the Druids。
Two by two they stepped upon the raised platform； placed
gently upon it each their globe； and two by two crouched
behind them。 They formed now a star of six points about
the petalled dais； and； simultaneously； they drew from their
faces the covering cowls。
I half…roseyouths and maidens these of the fair…haired；
and youths and maids more beautiful than any of those I had
yet seenfor upon their faces was little of that disturbing
mockery to which I have been forced so often； because of the
deep impression it made upon me； to refer。 The ashen…gold
of the maiden priestesses' hair was wound about their brows
in shining coronals。 The pale locks of the youths were clus…
tered within circlets of translucent； glimmering gems like
moonstones。 And then； crystal globe alternately before and
harp alternately held by youth and maid； they began to sing。
What was that song； I do not knownor ever shall。
Archaic； ancient beyond thought； it seemednot with the
ancientness of things that for uncounted ages have been but
wind…driven dust。 Rather was it the ancientness of the
golden youth of the world； love lilts of earth younglings；
with light of new…born suns drenching them； chorals of
young stars mating in space； murmurings of April gods and
goddesses。 A languor stole through me。 The rosy lights upon
the tripods began to die away； and as they faded the milky
globes gleamed forth brighter； ever brighter。 Yolara rose；
stretched a hand to Larry； led him through the sextuple
groups； and stood face to face with him in the centre of their
circle。
The rose…light died； all that immense chamber was black；
save for the circle of the glowing spheres。 Within this their
milky radiance grew brighterbrighter。 The song whispered
away。 A throbbing arpeggio dripped from the harps； and as
the notes pulsed out； up from the globes； as though striving
to follow； pulsed with them tips of moon…fire cones； such as
I had seen before Yolara's altar。 Weirdly； caressingly； com…
pellingly the harp notes throbbed in repeated； re…repeated
theme； holding within itself the same archaic golden quality
I had noted in the singing。 And over the moon flame pin…
nacles rose higher！
Yolara lifted her arms； within her hands were clasped
O'Keefe's。 She raised them above their two heads and slowly；
slowly drew him with her into a circling； graceful step； ten…
drillings delicate as the slow spirallings of twilight mist upon
some still stream。
As they swayed the rippling arpeggios grew louder； and
suddenly the slender pinnacles of moon fire bent； dipped；
flowed to the floor； crept in a shining ring around those two
and began to rise； a gleaming； glimmering； enchanted
barrierrising； ever risinghiding them！
With one swift movement Yolara unbound her circlet of
pale sapphires； shook loose the waves of her silken hair。 It
fell； a rippling； wondrous cascade； veiling both her and
O'Keefe to their girdlesand now the shining coils of moon
fire had crept to their kneeswas circling higherhigher。
And ever despair grew deeper in my soul！
What was that！ I started to my fee
