the moon pool-第49节
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*1 The _Akka_ are viviparous。 The female produces progeny at five…
year intervals； never more than two at a time。 They are monogamous；
like certain of our own _Ranidae_。 Pending my monograph upon what
little I had time to learn of their interesting habits and customs； the
curious will find instruction and entertainment in Brandes and Schven…
ichen's _Brutpfleige der Schwanzlosen Bat rachier_； p。 395； and Lilian V。
Sampson's _Unusual Modes of Breeding among Anura_； Amer。 Nat。
xxxiv。； 1900。W。 T。 G。
They set their burdens down。 Larry looked at them with
interest。
〃You surely have those things well trained； Lakla；〃 he
said。
〃Things！〃 The handmaiden arose； eyes flashing with indig…
nation。 〃You call my _Akka_ things！〃
〃Well；〃 said Larry； a bit taken aback； 〃what do you call them？〃
〃My _Akka are a PEOPLE；〃 she retorted。 〃As much a people
as your race or mine。 They are good and loyal； and they have
speech and arts； and they slay not； save for food or to pro…
tect themselves。 And I think them beautiful； Larry； BEAUTIFUL！〃
She stamped her foot。 〃And you call themTHINGS！〃
Beautiful！ These？ Yet； after all； they were； in their gro…
tesque fashion。 And to Lakla； surrounded by them； from
babyhood； they were not strange； at all。 Why shouldn't she
think them beautiful？ The same thought must have struck
O'Keefe； for he flushed guiltily。
〃I think them beautiful； too； Lakla；〃 he said remorsefully。
〃It's my not knowing your tongue too well that traps me。
TRULY； I think them beautifulI'd tell them so； if I knew
their talk。〃
Lakla dimpled； laughedspoke to the attendants in that
strange speech that was unquestionably a language； they
bridled； looked at O'Keefe with fantastic coquetry； cracked
and boomed softly among themselves。
〃They say they like YOU better than the men of Muria；〃
laughed Lakla。
〃Did I ever think I'd be swapping compliments with lady
frogs！〃 he murmured to me。 〃Buck up； Larrykeep your
eyes on the captive Irish princess！〃 he muttered to himself。
〃Rador goes to meet one of the _ladala_ who is slipping
through with news；〃 said the Golden Girl as we addressed
ourselves to the food。 〃Then； with Nak； he and Olaf go to
muster the _Akka_for there will be battle； and we must pre…
pare。 Nak；〃 she added； 〃is he who went before me when you
were dancing with Yolara； Larry。〃 She stole a swift； mis…
chievous glance at him。 〃He is headman of all the _Akka_。〃
〃Just what forces can we muster against them when they
come； darlin'？〃 said Larry。
〃Darlin'？〃the Golden Girl had caught the caress of the
word〃what's that？〃
〃It's a little word that means Lakla；〃 he answered。 〃It
doesthat is； when I say it； when you say it； then it means
Larry。〃
〃I like that word；〃 mused Lakla。
〃You can even say Larry darlin'！〃 suggested O'Keefe。
〃Larry darlin'！〃 said Lakla。 〃When they come we shall
have first of all my _Akka_〃
〃Can they fight； _mavourneen_？〃 interrupted Larry。
〃Can they fight！ My _Akka_！〃 Again her eyes flashed。 〃They
will fight to the last of themwith the spears that give the
swift rotting； covered； as they are； with the jelly of those
_Saddu_ there〃 She pointed through a rift in the foliage
across which； on the surface of the sea； was floating one of
the moon globesand now I know why Rador had warned
Larry against a plunge there。 〃With spears and clubs and
with teeth and nails and spursthey are a strong and brave
people； Larrydarlin'； and though they hurl the _Keth_ at
them； it is slow to work upon them； and they slay even while
they are passing into the nothingness！〃
〃And have we none of the _Keth_？〃 he asked。
〃No〃she shook her head〃none of their weapons have
we here； although it wasit was the Ancient Ones who
shaped them。〃
〃But the Three are of the Ancient Ones？〃 I cried。 〃Surely
they can tell〃
〃No；〃 she said slowly。 〃Nothere is something you must
knowand soon； and then the Silent Ones say you will un…
derstand。 You； especially； Goodwin； who worship wisdom。〃
〃Then；〃 said Larry； 〃we have the _Akka_； and we have the
four men of us； and among us three guns and about a hun…
dred cartridgesan'an' the power of the Threebut what
about the Shining One； Fireworks〃
〃I do not know。〃 Again the indecision that had been in
her eyes when Yolara had launched her defiance crept back。
〃The Shining One is strongand he has hisslaves！〃
〃Well； we'd better get busy good and quick！〃 the O'Keefe's
voice rang。 But Lakla； for some reason of her own； would
pursue the matter no further。 The trouble fled from her eyes
they danced。
〃Larry darlin'？〃 she murmured。 〃I like the touch of your
lips〃
〃You do？〃 he whispered； all thought flying of anything
but the beautiful； provocative face so close to his。 〃Then；
_acushla_； you're goin' to get acquainted with 'em！ Turn your
head； Doc！〃 he said。
And I turned it。 There was quite a long silence； broken by
an interested； soft outburst of gentle boomings from the
serving frog…maids。 I stole a glance behind me。 Lakla's head
lay on the Irishman's shoulder； the golden eyes misty sun…
pools of love and adoration； and the O'Keefe； a new look of
power and strength upon his clear…cut features； was gazing
down into them with that look which rises only from the
heart touched for the first time with that true； all…powerful
love； which is the pulse of the universe itself； the real music
of the spheres of which Plato dreamed； the love that is
stronger than death itself； immortal as the high gods and the
true soul of all that mystery we call life。
Then Lakla raised her hands； pressed down Larry's head；
kissed him between the eyes； drew herself with a trembling
little laugh from his embrace。
〃The future Mrs。 Larry O'Keefe； Goodwin；〃 said Larry to
me a little unsteadily。
I took their handsand Lakla kissed me！
She turned to the boomingsmilingfrog…maids； gave
them some command； for they filed away down the path。
Suddenly I felt； well； a little superfluous。
〃If you don't mind；〃 I said； 〃I think I'll go up the path
there again and look about。〃
But they were so engrossed with each other that they did
not even hear meso I walked away； up to the embrasure
where Rador had taken me。 The movement of the batra…
chians over the bridge had ceased。 Dimly at the far end I
could see the cluster of the garrison。 My thoughts flew back
to Lakla and to Larry。
What was to be the end？
If we won； if we were able to pass from this place； could
she live in our world？ A product of these caverns with their
atmosphere and light that seemed in some subtle way to be
both food and drinkhow would she react to the unfamiliar
foods and air and light of outer earth？ Further； here so far
as I was able to discover； there were no malignant bacilli
what immunity could Lakla have then to those microscopic
evils without； which only long ages of sickness and death
have bought for us a modicum of protection？ I began to be
oppressed。 Surely they bad been long enough by themselves。
I went down the path。
I heard Larry。
〃It's a green land； _mavourneen_。 And the sea rocks and
dimples around itblue as the heavens； green as the isle
itself； and foam horses toss their white manes； and the great
clean winds blow over it； and the sun shines down on it like
your eyes； _acushla_〃
〃And are you a king of Ireland； Larry darlin'？〃 Thus
Lakla
But enough！
At last we turned to goand around the corner of the path
I caught another glimpse of what I have called the lake of
jewels。 I pointed to it。
〃Those are lovely flowers； Lakla；〃 I said。 〃I have never
seen anything like them in the place from whence we come。〃
She followed my pointing fingerlaughed。
〃Come；〃 she said； 〃let me show you them。〃
She ran down an intersecting way； we following； came out
of it upon a little ledge close to the brink； three feet or more
I suppose about it。 The Golden Girl's voice rang out in a
high…pitched； tremulous； throbbing call。
The lake of jewels stirred as though a breeze had passed
over it； stirred； shook； and then began to move swiftly； a
shimmering torrent of shining flowers down upon us！ She
called again； the movement became more rapid； the gem
blooms streamed closercloser； wavering； shifting； winding
at our very feet。 Above them hovered a little radiant mist。
The Golden Girl leaned over； called softly； and up from the
sparkling mass shot a green vine whose heads were five
flowers of flaming rubyshot up； flew into her hand and
coiled about the white arm； its quintette of lambent blos…
somsregarding us！
It was the thing Lakla had called the _Yekta_； that with
which she had threatened the priestess； the thing that carried
the dreadful deathand the Golden Girl was handling it
like a rose！
Larry swo
