the moon pool-第59节
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bursting shells tickling the ribs of the boat I was in。 An'
d'ye think I'll sit now on the grandstand an' watch while a
game like this is being pulled？ Ye don't know your future
husband； soul of my delight！〃
And so we started toward the golden opening； squads of
the frog…men following us soldierly and disappearing about
the huge structure。 Nor did we stop until we came to the
handmaiden's boudoir。 There we seated ourselves。
〃Now；〃 said Larry； 〃two things I want to know。 First
how many can Yolara muster against us； second； how many
of these _Akka_ have we to meet them？〃
Rador gave our equivalent for eighty thousand men as the
force Yolara could muster without stripping her city。 Against
this force； it appeared； we could count； roughly； upon two
hundred thousand of the _Akka_。
〃And they're some fighters！〃 exclaimed Larry。 〃Hell； with
odds like that what're you worrying about？ It's over before
it's begun。〃
〃But； _Larree_；〃 objected Rador to this； 〃you forget that the
nobles will have the _Keth_and other things； also that the
soldiers have fought against the _Akka_ before and will be
shielded very well from their spears and clubsand that
their blades and javelins can bite through the scales of Nak's
warriors。 They have many things〃
〃Uncle；〃 interjected O'Keefe； 〃one thing they have is your
nerve。 Why； we're more than two to one。 And take it from
me〃
Without warning dropped the tragedy！
CHAPTER XXXII
〃Your Love； Your Lives； Your Souls！〃
LAKLA had taken no part in the talk since we had reached
her bower。 She had seated herself close to the O'Keefe。
Glancing at her I had seen steal over her face that brood…
ing； listening look that was hers whenever in that mysterious
communion with the Three。 It vanished； swiftly she arose；
interrupted the Irishman without ceremony。
〃Larry darlin'；〃 said the handmaiden。 〃The Silent Ones
summon us！〃
〃When do we go？〃 I asked； Larry's face grew bright with
interest。
〃The time is now；〃 she saidand hesitated。 〃Larry dear；
put your arms about me；〃 she faltered； 〃for there is some…
thing cold that catches at my heartand I am afraid。〃
At his exclamation she gathered herself together； gave a
shaky little laugh。
〃It's because I love you so that fear has power to plague
me；〃 she told him。
Without another word he bent and kissed her； in silence
we passed on； his arm still about her girdled waist； golden
head and black close together。 Soon we stood before the
crimson slab that was the door to the sanctuary of the Silent
Ones。 She poised uncertainly before it； then with a defiant
arching of the proud little head that sent all the bronze…
flecked curls flying； she pressed。 It slipped aside and once
more the opalescence gushed out； flooding all about us。
Dazzled as before； I followed through the lambent cas…
cades pouring from the high； carved walls； paused； and my
eyes clearing； looked upstraight into the faces of the
Three。 The angled orbs centred upon the handmaiden； soft…
ened as I had seen them do when first we had faced them。
She smiled up； seemed to listen。
〃Come closer；〃 she commanded； 〃close to the feet of the
Silent Ones。〃
We moved； pausing at the very base of the dais。 The
sparkling mists thinned； the great heads bent slightly over us；
through the veils I caught a glimpse of huge columnar necks；
enormous shoulders covered with draperies as of pale…blue
fire。
I came back to attention with a start； for Lakla was
answering a question only heard by her； and； answering it
aloud； I perceived for our benefit； for whatever was the mode
of communication between those whose handmaiden she
was； and her； it was clearly independent of speech。
〃He has been told；〃 she said； 〃even as you commanded。〃
Did I see a shadow of pain flit across the flickering eyes？
Wondering； I glanced at Lakla's face and there was a dawn
of foreboding and bewilderment。 For a little she held her
listening attitude； then the gaze of the Three left her；
focused upon the O'Keefe。
〃Thus speak the Silent Onesthrough Lakla； their hand…
maiden；〃 the golden voice was like low trumpet notes。 〃At
the threshold of doom is that world of yours above。 Yea；
even the doom； Goodwin； that ye dreamed and the shadow
of which； looking into your mind they see； say the Three。
For not upon earth and never upon earth can man find means
to destroy the Shining One。〃
She listened againand the foreboding deepened to an
amazed fear。
〃They say； the Silent Ones；〃 she went on； 〃that they know
not whether even they have power to destroy。 Energies we
know nothing of entered into its shaping and are part of it；
and still other energies it has gathered to itself〃she
paused； a shadow of puzzlement crept into her voice 〃and
other energies still； forces that ye DO know and symbolize
by certain nameshatred and pride and lust and many
others which are forces real as that hidden in the _Keth_； and
among themfear； which weakens all those others〃 Again
she paused。
〃But within it is nothing of that greatest of all； that which
can make powerless all the evil others； that which we call
love；〃 she ended softly。
〃I'd like to be the one to put a little more FEAR in the
beast；〃 whispered Larry to me； grimly in our own English。
The three weird heads bent； ever so slightlyand I gasped；
and Larry grew a little white as Lakla nodded
〃They say； Larry；〃 she said； 〃that there you touch one
side of the heart of the matterfor it is through the way of
fear the Silent Ones hope to strike at the very life of the
Shining One！〃
The visage Larry turned to me was eloquent of wonder；
and mine reflected itfor what REALLY were this Three to
whom our minds were but open pages； so easily read？ Not
long could we conjecture； Lakla broke the little silence。
〃This； they say； is what is to happen。 First will come upon
us Lugur and Yolara with all their host。 Because of fear the
Shining One will lurk behind within its lair； for despite all；
the Dweller DOES dread the Three； and only them。 With this
host the Voice and the priestess will strive to conquer。 And
if they do； then will they be strong enough； too； to destroy
us all。 For if they take the abode they banish from the
Dweller all fear and sound the end of the Three。
〃Then will the Shining One be all free indeed； free to go
out into the world； free to do there as it wills！
〃But if they do not conquerand the Shining One comes
not to their aid； abandoning them even as it abandoned its
own _Taithu_then will the Three be loosed from a part of
their doom； and they will go through the Portal； seek the
Shining One beyond the Veil； and； piercing it through fear's
opening； destroy it。〃
〃That's quite clear；〃 murmured the O'Keefe in my ear。
〃Weaken the moralethen smash。 I've seen it happen a
dozen times in Europe。 While they've got their nerve there's
not a thing you can do； get their nerveand not a thing can
they do。 And yet in both cases they're the same men。〃
Lakla had been listening again。 She turned； thrust out
hands to Larry； a wild hope in her eyesand yet a hope half
shamed。
〃They say；〃 she cried； 〃that they give us choice。 Remem…
bering that your world doom hangs in the balance； we have
choicechoice to stay and help fight Yolara's armiesand
they say they look not lightly on that help。 Or choice to go
and if so be you choose the latter； then will they show an…
other way that leads into your world！〃
A flush had crept over the O'Keefe's face as she was
speaking。 He took her hands and looked long into the golden
eyes； glancing up I saw the Trinity were watching them in…
tentlyimperturbably。
〃What do you say； _mavourneen_？〃 asked Larry gently。 The
handmaiden hung her head； trembled。
〃Your words shall be mine； O one I love；〃 she whispered。
〃So going or staying； I am beside you。〃
〃And you； Goodwin？〃 he turned to me。 I shrugged my
shouldersafter all I had no one to care。
〃lt's up to you； Larry；〃 I remarked； deliberately choosing
his own phraseology。
The O'Keefe straightened； squared his shoulders； gazed
straight into the flame…flickering eyes。
〃We stick！〃 he said briefly。
Shamefacedly I recall now that at the time I thought this
colloquialism not only irreverent； but in somewhat bad taste。
I am glad to say I was alone in that bit of weakness。 The face
that Lakla turned to Larry was radiant with love； and al…
though the shamed hope had vanished from the sweet eyes；
they were shining with adoring pride。 And the marble vis…
ages of the Three softened； and the little flames died down。
〃Wait；〃 said Lakla； 〃there is one other thing they say we
must answer before they will hold us to that promise
wait〃
She listened； and then her face grew whitewhite as those
of the
