the moon pool-第44节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃There you go again〃 blazed Larry； but the green dwarf
was hurrying down the path and swiftly we followed； Larry
muttering； Olaf mumbling； behind me。
The green dwarf was signalling us for caution。 He pointed
through a break in a grove of fifty…foot cedar mosseswe
were skirting the glassy road！ Scanning it we found no trace
of Lugur and wondered whether he too had seen the worm
and had fled。 Quickly we passed on； drew away from the
_coria_ path。 The mosses began to thin； less and less they grew；
giving way to low clumps that barely offered us shelter。
Unexpectedly another screen of fern moss stretched before
us。 Slowly Rador made his way through it and stood hesitat…
ing。
The scene in front of us was oddly weird and depressing；
in some indefinable waydreadful。 Why； I could not tell；
but the impression was plain； I shrank from it。 Then； self…
analyzing； I wondered whether it could be the uncanny re…
semblance the heaps of curious mossy fungi scattered about
had to beast and birdyes； and to manthat was the cause
of it。 Our path ran between a few of them。 To the left they
were thick。 They were viridescent； almost metallic hued
verd…antique。 Curiously indeed were they like distorted
images of dog and deerlike forms； of birdsof DWARFS and
here and there the simulacra of the giant frogs！ Spore cases；
yellowish green； as large as mitres and much resembling them
in shape protruded from the heaps。 My repulsion grew into
a distinct nausea。
Rador turned to us a face whiter far than that with which
he had looked upon the dragon worm。
〃Now for your lives；〃 he whispered； 〃tread softly here as
I doand speak not at all！〃
He stepped forward on tiptoe； slowly with utmost caution。
We crept after him； passed the heaps beside the pathand
as I passed my skin crept and I shrank and saw the others
shrink too with that unnameable loathing； nor did the green
dwarf pause until he had reached the brow of a small hillock
a hundred yards beyond。 And he was trembling。
〃Now what are we up against？〃 grumbled O'Keefe。
The green dwarf stretched a hand； stiffened； gazed over
to the left of us beyond a lower hillock upon whose broad
crest lay a file of the moss shapes。 They fringed it； their
mitres having a grotesque appearance of watching what lay
below。 The glistening road lay thereand from it came a
shout。 A dozen of the _coria_ clustered； filled with Lugur's
men and in one of them Lugur himself； laughing wickedly！
There was a rush of soldiers and up the low hillock raced
a score of them toward us。
〃Run！〃 shouted Rador。
〃Not much！〃 grunted Larryand took swift aim at Lugur。
The automatic spat： Olaf's echoed。 Both bullets went wild；
for Lugur； still laughing； threw himself into the protection of
the body of his shell。 But following the shots； from the file
of moss heaps on the crest； came a series of muffled explo…
sions。 Under the pistol's concussions the mitred caps had
burst and instantly all about the running soldiers grew a
cloud of tiny； glistening white sporeslike a little cloud of
puff…ball dust many times magnified。 Through this cloud I
glimpsed their faces； stricken with agony。
Some turned to fly； but before they could take a second
step stood rigid。
The spore cloud drifted and eddied about them； rained
down on their heads and half bare breasts； covered their
garmentsand swiftly they began to change！ Their features
grew indistinctmerged！ The glistening white spores that
covered them turned to a pale yellow； grew greenish； spread
and swelled； darkened。 The eyes of one of the soldiers glinted
for a momentand then were covered by the swift growth！
Where but a few moments before had been men were only
grotesque heaps； swiftly melting； swiftly rounding into the
the semblance of the mounds that lay behind usand al…
ready beginning to take on their gleam of ancient virides…
cence！
The Irishman was gripping my arm fiercely； the pain
brought me back to my senses。
〃Olaf's right；〃 he gasped。 〃This IS hell！ I'm sick。〃 And he
was； frankly and without restraint。 Lugur and his others
awakened from their nightmare； piled into the _coria_；
wheeled； raced away。
〃On！〃 said Rador thickly。 Two perils have we passed
the Silent Ones watch over us！〃
Soon we were again among the familiar and so unfamiliar
moss giants。 I knew what I had seen and this time Larry
could not call mesuperstitious。 In the jungles of Borneo I
had examined that other swiftly developing fungus which
wreaks the vengeance of some of the hill tribes upon those
who steal their women； gripping with its microscopic hooks
into the flesh； sending quick； tiny rootlets through the skin
down into the capillaries； sucking life and thriving and never
to be torn away until the living thing it clings to has been
sapped dry。 Here was but another of the species in which
the development's rate was incredibly accelerated。 Some of
this I tried to explain to O'Keefe as we sped along； reassur…
ing him。
〃But they turned to moss before our eyes！〃 he said。
Again I explained； patiently。 But he seemed to derive no
comfort at all from my assurances that the phenomena were
entirely natural and； aside from their more terrifying aspect；
of peculiar interest to the botanist。
〃I know；〃 was all he would say。 〃But suppose one of those
things had burst while we were going throughGod！〃
I was wondering how I could with comparative safety
study the fungus when Rador stopped； in front of us was
again the road ribbon。
〃Now is all danger passed；〃 he said。 〃The way lies open
and Lugur has fled〃
There was a flash from the road。 It passed me like a little
lariat of light。 It struck Larry squarely between the eyes；
spread over his face and drew itself within！
〃Down！〃 cried Rador； and hurled me to the ground。 My
head struck sharply； I felt myself grow faint； Olaf fell beside
me； I saw the green dwarf draw down the O'Keefe； he col…
lapsed limply； face still； eyes staring。 A shoutand from the
roadway poured a host of Lugur's men； I could hear Lugur
bellowing。
There came a rush of little feet； soft； fragrant draperies
brushed my face； dimly I watched Lakla bend over the Irish…
man。
She straightenedher arms swept out and the writhing
vine； with its tendrilled heads of ruby bloom； five flames of
misty incandescence； leaped into the faces of the soldiers
now close upon us。 It darted at their throats； striking； coil…
ing； and striking again； coiling and uncoiling with incredible
rapidity and flying from leverage points of throats； of faces；
of breasts like a spring endowed with consciousness； volition
and hatredand those it struck stood rigid as stone with
faces masks of inhuman fear and anguish； and those still
unstricken fled。
Another rush of feetand down upon Lugur's forces
poured the frog…men； their booming giant leading； thrusting
with their lances； tearing and rending with talons and fangs
and spurs。
Against that onslaught the dwarfs could not stand。 They
raced for the shells； I heard Lugur shouting； menacingly
and then Lakla's voice； pealing like a golden bugle of wrath。
〃Go； Lugur！〃 she cried。 〃Gothat you and Yolara and
your Shining One may die together！ Death for you； Lugur
death for you all！ Remember Lugurdeath！〃
There was a great noise within my headno matter；
Lakla was hereLakla herebut too lateLugur had out…
played us； moss death nor dragon worm had frightened him
awayhe had crept back to trap usLakla had come too
lateLarry was deadLarry！ But I had heard no banshee
wailingand Larry had said he could not die without that
warningno； Larry was not dead。 So ran the turbulent cur…
rent of my mind。
A horny arm lifted me； two enormous； oddly gentle saucer
eyes were staring into mine； my head rolled； I caught a
glimpse of the Golden Girl kneeling beside the O'Keefe。
The noise in my head grew thunderouswas carrying me
away on its thunderswept me into soft； blind darkness。
CHAPTER XXIV
The Crimson Sea
I WAS in the heart of a rose pearl； swinging； swinging； no；
I was in a rosy dawn cloud； pendulous in space。 Conscious…
ness flooded me； in reality I was in the arms of one of the
man frogs； carrying me as though I were a babe； and we
were passing through some place suffused with glow enough
like heart of pearl or dawn cloud to justify my awakening
vagaries。
Just ahead walked Lakla in earnest talk with Rador； and
content enough was I for a time to watch her。 She had
thrown off the metallic robes； her thick braids of golden
brown hair with their flame glints of bronze were twined in
a high coronal meshed in silken net of green； little clustering
curls escaped from it； clinging to the nape of the proud white
neck； shyly kissing it。 From her shoulders fell a loose； sleeve…
l
