the moon pool-第58节
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the spirit。 And this； I must repeat； I have done throughout
my narrative； wherever it has been necessary to record con…
versation with the Murians。
Rising； I found I was painfully stiffas muscle…bound as
though I had actually trudged many miles。 Larry； imitating
me； gave an involuntary groan。
〃Faith； _mavourneen_；〃 he said to Lakla； relapsing uncon…
sciously into English； 〃your roads would never wear out
shoe…leather； but they've got their kick； just the same！〃
She understood our plight； if not his words； gave a soft
little cry of mingled pity and self…reproach； forced us back
upon the cushions。
〃Oh； but I'm sorry！〃 mourned Lakla； leaning over us。 〃I
had forgottenfor those new to it the way is a weary one；
indeed〃
She ran to the doorway； whistled a clear high note down
the passage。 Through the hangings came two of the frog…men。
She spoke to them rapidly。 They crouched toward us； what
certainly was meant for an amiable grin wrinkling the gro…
tesque muzzles； baring the glistening rows of needle…teeth。
And while I watched them with the fascination that they
never lost for me； the monsters calmly swung one arm
around our knees； lifted us up like babiesand as calmly
started to walk away with us！
〃Put me down！ Put me down； I say！〃 The O'Keefe's voice
was both outraged and angry； squinting around I saw him
struggling violently to get to his feet。 The _Akka_ only held
him tighter； booming comfortingly； peering down into his
flushed face inquiringly。
〃But； Larrydarlin'！〃 Lakla's tones werewell； mater…
nally surprised〃you're stiff and sore； and Kra can carry
you quite easily。〃
〃I WON'T be carried！〃 sputtered the O'Keefe。 〃Damn it；
Goodwin； there are such things as the unities even here； an'
for a lieutenant of the Royal Air Force to be picked up an'
carted around like alike a bundle of ragsit's not disci…
pline！ Put me down； ye _omadhaun_； or I'll poke ye in the
snout！〃 he shouted to his bearerwho only boomed gently；
and stared at the handmaiden； plainly for further instructions。
〃But； Larrydear！〃Lakla was plainly distressed〃it
will HURT you to walk； and I don't WANT you to hurt； Larry
darlin'！〃
〃Holy shade of St。 Patrick！〃 moaned Larry； again he made
a mighty effort to tear himself from the frog…man's grip；
gave up with a groan。 〃Listen； _alanna_！〃 he said plaintively。
〃When we get to Ireland； you and I； we won't have anybody
to pick us up and carry us about every time we get a bit tired。
And it's getting me in bad habits you are！〃
〃Oh； YES； we will； Larry！〃 cried the handmaiden；
〃because many； oh； many； of my _Akka_ will go with us！〃
〃Will you tell thisBOOB！to put me down！〃 gritted the
now thoroughly aroused O'Keefe。 I couldn't help laughing；
he glared at me。
〃Bo…oo…ob？〃 exclaimed Lakla。
〃Yes； boo…oo…ob！〃 said O'Keefe； 〃an' I have no desire to
explain the word in my present position； light of my soul！〃
The handmaiden sighed； plainly dejected。 But she spoke
again to the _Akka_； who gently lowered the O'Keefe to the
floor。
〃I don't understand；〃 she said hopelessly； 〃if you want to
walk； why； of course； you shall； Larry。〃 She turned to me。
〃Do you？〃 she asked。
〃I do not；〃 I said firmly。
〃Well； then；〃 murmured Lakla； 〃go you； Larry and Good…
win； with Kra and Gulk； and let them minister to you。 After；
sleep a littlefor not soon will Rador and Olaf return。 And
let me feel your lips before you go； Larrydarlin'！〃 She
covered his eyes caressingly with her soft little palms； pushed
him away。
〃Now go；〃 said Lakla； 〃and rest！〃
Unashamed I lay back against the horny chest of Gulk；
and with a smile noticed that Larry； even if he had rebelled
at being carried； did not disdain the support of Kra's shin…
ing； black…scaled arm which； slipping around his waist； half…
lifted him along。
They parted a hanging and dropped us softly down beside
a little pool； sparkling with the clear water that had hereto…
fore been brought us in the wide basins。 Then they began
to undress us。 And at this point the O'Keefe gave up。
〃Whatever they're going to do we can't stop 'em； Doc！〃
he moaned。 〃Anyway； I feel as though I've been pulled
through a knot…hole； and I don't careI don't careas the
song says。〃
When we were stripped we were lowered gently into the
water。 But not long did the _Akka_ let us splash about the
shallow basin。 They lifted us out； and from jars began deftly
to anoint and rub us with aromatic unguents。
I think that in all the medley of grotesque； of tragic； of
baffling； strange and perilous experiences in that under…
ground world none was more bizarre than thisvaleting。
I began to laugh； Larry joined me； and then Kra and Gulk
joined in our merriment with deep batrachian cachinnations
and gruntings。 Then； having finished apparelling us and still
chuckling； the two touched our arms and led us out； into a
room whose circular sides were ringed with soft divans。 Still
smiling； I sank at once into sleep。
How long I slumbered I do not know。 A low and thunder…
ous booming coming through the deep window slit； reverbe…
rated through the room and awakened me。 Larry yawned；
arose briskly。
〃Sounds as though the bass drums of every jazz band in
New York were serenading us！〃 he observed。 Simultaneously
we sprang to the window； peered through。
We were a little above the level of the bridge； and its full
length was plain before us。 Thousands upon thousands of
the _Akka_ were crowding upon it； and far away other hordes
filled like a glittering thicket both sides of the cavern ledge's
crescent strand。 On black scale and orange scale the crimson
light fell； picking them off in little flickering points。
Upon the platform from which sprang the smaller span
over the abyss were Lakla； Olaf； and Rador； the handmaiden
clearly acting as interpreter between them and the giant she
had called Nak； the Frog King。
〃Come on！〃 shouted Larry。
Out of the open portal we ran； over the World Heart
Bridgeand straight into the group。
〃Oh！〃 cried Lakla； 〃I didn't want you to wake up so soon；
Larrydarlin'！〃
〃See here； _mavourneen_！〃 Indignation thrilled in the Irish…
man's voice。 〃I'm not going to be done up with baby…rib…
bons and laid away in a cradle for safe…keeping while a fight
is on； don't think it。 Why didn't you call me？〃
〃You needed rest！〃 There was indomitable determination
in the handmaiden's tones； the eternal maternal shining de…
fiant from her eyes。 〃You were tired and you hurt！ You
shouldn't have got up！〃
〃Needed the rest！〃 groaned Larry。 〃Look here； Lakla；
what do you think I am？〃
〃You're all I have；〃 said that maiden firmly； 〃and I'm go…
ing to take care of you； Larrydarlin'！ Don't you ever think
anything else。〃
〃Well； pulse of my heart； considering my delicate health
and general fragility； would it hurt me； do you think； to be
told what's going on？〃 he asked。
〃Not at all； Larry！〃 answered the handmaiden serenely。
〃Yolara went through the Portal。 She was very； VERY angry〃
〃She was all the devil's woman that she is！〃 rumbled Olaf。
〃Rador met the messenger；〃 went on the Golden Girl
calmly。 〃The _ladala_ are ready to rise when Lugur and Yo…
lara lead their hosts against us。 They will strike at those left
behind。 And in the meantime we shall have disposed my
_Akka_ to meet Yolara's men。 And on that disposal we must
all take counsel； you； Larry； and Rador； Olaf and Goodwin
and Nak； the ruler of the _Akka_。〃
〃Did the messenger give any idea when Yolara expects
to make her little call？〃 asked Larry。
〃Yes；〃 she answered。 〃They prepare； and we may expect
them in〃 She gave the equivalent of about thirty…six hours
of our time。
〃But； Lakla；〃 I said； the doubt that I had long been hold…
ing finding voice； 〃should the Shining One comewith its
slavesare the Three strong enough to cope with it？〃
There was troubled doubt in her own eyes。
〃I do not know；〃 she said at last； frankly。 〃You have
heard their story。 What they promise is that they will help。
I do not knowany more than do you； Goodwin！〃
I looked up at the dome beneath which I knew the dread
Trinity stared forth； even down upon us。 And despite the
awe； the assurance； I had felt when I stood before them I；
too； doubted。
〃Well；〃 said Larry； 〃you and I； uncle；〃 he turned to
Rador； 〃and Olaf here had better decide just what part of the
battle we'll lead〃
〃Lead！〃 the handmaiden was appalled。 〃YOU lead； Larry？
Why you are to stay with Goodwin and with meup there；
there we can watch。〃
〃Heart's beloved；〃 O'Keefe was stern indeed。 〃A thousand
times I've looked Death straight in the face； peered into his
eyes。 Yes； and with ten thousand feet of space under me an'
bursting shells tickling the ribs of the boat I was in。 An'
