the moon pool-第38节
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freed from the Three； and for _laya_ upon _laya_ they have sat
helpless； rotting。 Now I ask you againwhence comes their
power to lay their will upon me； and whence comes their
strength to wrestle with the Shining One and the beloved of
the Shining One？〃
And again she laughedand again Lugur and all the fair…
haired joined in her laughter。
Into the eyes of Lakla I saw creep a doubt； a wavering； as
though deep within her the foundations of her own belief
were none too firm。
She hesitated； turning upon O'Keefe gaze in which rested
more than suggestion of appeal！ And Yolara saw； too； for
she flushed with triumph； stretched a finger toward the hand…
maiden。
〃Look！〃 she cried。 〃Look！ Why； even SHE does not believe！〃
Her voice grew silk of silvermerciless； cruel。 〃Now am
I minded to send another answer to the Silent Ones。
Yea！ But not by YOU； Lakla； by these〃she pointed to the
frog…men； and； swift as light； her hand darted into her
bosom； bringing forth the little shining cone of death。
But before she could level it the Golden Girl had released
that hidden left arm and thrown over her face a fold of the
metallic swathings。 Swifter than Yolara； she raised the arm
that held the vineand now I knew this was no inert blos…
soming thing。
It was alive！
It writhed down her arm； and its five rubescent flower
heads thrust out toward the priestessvibrating； quivering；
held in leash only by the light touch of the handmaiden at its
very end。
From the swelling throat pouch of the monster behind her
came a succession of the reverberant boomings。 The frog…
men wheeled； raised their lances； levelled them at the
throng。 Around the reaching ruby flowers a faint red mist
swiftly grew。
The silver cone dropped from Yolara's rigid fingers； her
eyes grew stark with horror； all her unearthly loveliness fled
from her； she stood pale…lipped。 The Handmaiden dropped
the protecting veiland now it was she who laughed。
〃It would seem； then； Yolara； that there IS a thing of the
Silent Ones ye fear！〃 she said。 〃Wellthe kiss of the _Yekta_
I promise you in return for the embrace of your Shining
One。〃
She looked at Larry； long； searchingly； and suddenly
again with all that effect of sunlight bursting into dark places；
her smile shone upon him。 She nodded； half gaily； looked
down upon me； the little merry light dancing in her eyes；
waved her hand to me。
She spoke to the giant frog…man。 He wheeled behind her
as she turned； facing the priestess； club upraised； fangs glis…
tening。 His troop moved not a jot； spears held high。 Lakla
began to pass slowlyalmost； I thought； tauntinglyand as
she reached the portal Larry leaped from the dais。
〃ALANNA！〃 he cried。 〃You'll not be leavin' me just when
I've found you！〃
In his excitement he spoke in his own tongue； the velvet
brogue appealing。 Lakla turned； contemplated O'Keefe； hesi…
tant； unquestionably longingly； irresistibly like a child mak…
ing up her mind whether she dared or dared not take a
delectable something offered her。
〃I go with you；〃 said O'Keefe； this time in her own
speech。 〃Come on； Doc！〃 He reached out a hand to me。
But now Yolara spoke。 Life and beauty had flowed back
into her face； and in the purple eyes all her hosts of devils
were gathered。
〃Do you forget what I promised you before Siya and
Siyana？ And do you think that you can leave meme
as though I were a _choya_like HER。〃 She pointed to Lakla。
Do you〃
〃Now； listen； Yolara；〃 Larry interrupted almost plain…
tively。 〃No promise has passed from me to youand why
would you hold me？〃 He passed unconsciously into English。
〃Be a good sport； Yolara；〃 he urged； 'You HAVE got a very
devil of a temper； you know； and so have I； and we'd be
really awfully uncomfortable together。 And why don't you
get rid of that devilish pet of yours； and be good！〃
She looked at him； puzzled； Marakinoff leaned over； trans…
lated to Lugur。 The red dwarf smiled maliciously； drew near
the priestess； whispered to her what was without doubt as
near as he could come in the Murian to Larry's own very
colloquial phrases。
Yolara's lips writhed。
〃Hear me； Lakla！〃 she cried。 〃Now would I not let you
take this man from me were I to dwell ten thousand _laya_
in the agony of the _Yekta's_ kiss。 This I swear to youby
Thanaroa； by my heart； and by my strengthand may my
strength wither； my heart rot in my breast； and Thanaroa
forget me if I do！〃
〃Listen； Yolara〃began O'Keefe again。
〃Be silent； you！〃 It was almost a shriek。 And her hand
again sought in her breast for the cone of rhythmic death。
Lugur touched her arm； whispered again； The glint of
guile shone in her eyes； she laughed softly； relaxed。
〃The Silent Ones； Lakla； bade you say that theyallowed
me three _tal_ to decide；〃 she said suavely。 〃Go now in
peace； Lakla； and say that Yolara has heard； and that for
the three _tal_ theyallowher she will take council。〃 The
handmaiden hesitated。
〃The Silent Ones have said it；〃 she answered at last。 〃Stay
you here； strangers〃…the long lashes drooped as her eyes
met O'Keefe's and a hint of blush was in her cheeks〃stay
you here； strangers； till then。 But； Yolara； see you on that
heart and strength you have sworn by that they come to no
harmelse that which you have invoked shall come upon
you swiftly indeedand that I promise you；〃 she added。
Their eyes met； clashed； burned into each otherblack
flame from Abaddon and golden flame from Paradise。
〃Remember！〃 said Lakla； and passed through the portal。
The gigantic frog…man boomed a thunderous note of com…
mand； his grotesque guards turned and slowly followed their
mistress； and last of all passed out the monster with the
mace。
CHAPTER XXI
Larry's Defiance
A CLAMOUR arose from all the chambers； stilled in an in…
stant by a motion of Yolara's hand。 She stood silent； regard…
ing O'Keefe with something other now than blind wrath；
something half regretful； half beseeching。 But the Irishman's
control was gone。
〃Yolara；〃his voice shook with rage； and he threw cau…
tion to the wind〃now hear ME。 I go where I will and when
I will。 Here shall we stay until the time she named is come。
And then we follow her； whether you will or not。 And if
any should have thought to stop ustell them of that flame
that shattered the vase；〃 he added grimly。
The wistfulness died out of her eyes； leaving them cold。
But no answer made she to him。
〃What Lakla has said； the Council must consider； and at
once。〃 The priestess was facing the nobles。 〃Now； friends of
mine； and friends of Lugur； must all feud； all rancour； be…
tween us end。〃 She glanced swiftly at Lugur。 〃The _ladala_
are stirring； and the Silent Ones threaten。 Yet fear notfor
are we not strong under the Shining One？ And nowleave
us。〃
Her hand dropped to the table； and she gave； evidently；
a signal； for in marched a dozen or more of the green dwarfs。
〃Take these two to their place；〃 she commanded； point…
ing to us。
The green dwarfs clustered about us。 Without another
look at the priestess O'Keefe marched beside me； between
them； from the chamber。 And it was not until we had reached
the pillared entrance that Larry spoke。
〃I hate to talk like that to a woman； Doc；〃 he said； 〃and
a pretty woman； at that。 But first she played me with a
marked deck； and then not only pinched all the chips； but
drew a gun on me。 What the hell！she nearly had me
MARRIEDto her。 I don't know what the stuff was she gave
me； but； take it from me； if I had the recipe for that brew
I could sell it for a thousand dollars a jolt at Forty…second
and Broadway。
〃One jigger of it； and you forget there is a trouble in the
world； three of them； and you forget there is a world。 No
excuse for it； Doc； and I don't care what you say or what
Lakla may sayit wasn't my fault； and I don't hold it up
against myself for a damn。〃
〃I must admit that I'm a bit uneasy about her threats；〃 I
said； ignoring all this。 He stopped abruptly。
〃What're you afraid of？〃
〃Mostly；〃 I answered dryly； 〃I have no desire to dance
with the Shining One！〃
〃Listen to me； Goodwin；〃 He took up his walk impa…
tiently。 〃I've all the love and admiration for you in the
world； but this place has got your nerve。 Hereafter one
Larry O'Keefe； of Ireland and the little old U。 S。 A。； leads
this party。 Nix on the tremolo stop； nix on the superstition！
I'm the works。 Get me？〃
〃Yes； I get you！〃 I exclaimed testily enough。 〃But to use
your own phrase； kindly can the repeated references to
superstition。〃
〃Why should I？〃 He was almost wrathful。 〃You scientific
people build up whole philosophies on the basis of things
you never saw； and you scoff at people who believe in other
things that you th
