the moon pool-第60节
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must answer before they will hold us to that promise
wait〃
She listened； and then her face grew whitewhite as those
of the Three themselves； the glorious eyes widened； stark
terror filling them； the whole lithe body of her shook like a
reed in the wind。
〃Not that！〃 she cried out to the Three。 〃Oh； not that！ Not
Larrylet me go even as you willbut not him！〃 She threw
up frantic hands to the woman…being of the Trinity。 〃Let
ME bear it alone；〃 she wailed。 〃Alonemother！ Mother！〃
The Three bent their heads toward her； their faces pitiful；
and from the eyes of the woman One rolledtears！ Larry
leaped to Lakla's side。
_〃Mavourneen！〃_ he cried。 〃Sweetheart； what have they
said to you？〃
He glared up at the Silent Ones； his hand twitching to…
ward the high…hung pistol holster。
The handmaiden swung to him； threw white arms around
his neck； held her head upon his heart until her sobbing
ceased。
〃This theysaythe Silent Ones；〃 she gasped and then all
the courage of her came back。 〃O heart of mine！〃 she whis…
pered to Larry； gazing deep into his eyes； his anxious face
cupped between her white palms。 〃This they saythat
should the Shining One come to succour Yolara and Lugur；
should it conquer its fearanddo thisthen is there but
one way left to destroy itand to save your world。〃
She swayed； he gripped her tightly。
〃But one wayyou and I must gotogetherinto its
embrace！ Yea； we must pass within itloving each other；
loving the world； realizing to the full all that we sacrifice and
sacrificing all； our love； our lives； perhaps even that you call
soul； O loved one； must give ourselves ALL to the Shining One
gladly； freely； our love for each other flaming high within
usthat this curse shall pass away！ For if we do this； pledge
the Three； then shall that power of love we carry into it
weaken for a time all that evil which the Shining One has
becomeand in that time the Three can strike and slay！〃
The blood rushed from my heart； scientist that I am； es…
sentially； my reason rejected any such solution as this of
the activities of the Dweller。 Was it not； the thought flashed；
a propitiation by the Three out of their own weakness
and as it flashed I looked up to see their eyes； full of sorrow；
on mineand knew they read the thought。 Then into the
whirling vortex of my mind came steadying reflectionsof
history changed by the power of hate； of passion； of am…
bition； and most of all； by love。 Was there not actual dy…
namic energy in these thingswas there not a Son of Man
who hung upon a cross on Calvary？
〃Dear love o' mine；〃 said the O'Keefe quietly； 〃is it in your
heart to say YES to this？〃
〃Larry；〃 she spoke low； 〃what is in your heart is in mine；
but I did so want to go with you； to live with youtoto
bear you children； Larryand to see the sun。〃
My eyes were wet； dimly through them I saw his gaze
on me。
〃If the world IS at stake；〃 he whispered； 〃why of course
there's only one thing to do。 God knows I never was afraid
when I was fighting up thereand many a better man than
me has gone West with shell and bullet for the same idea；
but these things aren't shell and bulletbut I hadn't Lakla
thenand it's the damned DOUBT I have behind it all。〃
He turned to the Threeand did I in their poise sense a
rigidity； an anxiety that sat upon them as alienly as would
divinity upon men？
〃Tell me this； Silent Ones；〃 he cried。 〃If we do this； Lakla
and I； is it SURE you are that you can slay theThing； and
save my world？ Is it SURE you are？〃
For the first and the last time； I heard the voice of the
Silent Ones。 It was the man…being at the right who spoke。
〃We are sure；〃 the tones rolled out like deepest organ
notes； shaking； vibrating； assailing the ears as strangely as
their appearance struck the eyes。 Another moment the
O'Keefe stared at them。 Once more he squared his should…
ers； lifted Lakla's chin and smiled into her eyes。
〃We stick！〃 he said again； nodding to the Three。
Over the visages of the Trinity fell benignity that was
awesome； the tiny flames in the jet orbs vanished； leaving
them wells in which brimmed serenity； hopean extraor…
dinary joyfulness。 The woman sat upright； tender gaze fixed
upon the man and girl。 Her great shoulders raised as though
she had lifted her arms and had drawn to her those others。
The three faces pressed together for a fleeting moment；
raised again。 The woman bent forwardand as she did so；
Lakla and Larry； as though drawn by some outer force； were
swept upon the dais。
Out from the sparkling mist stretched two hands； enor…
mously long； six…fingered； thumbless； a faint tracery of
golden scales upon their white backs； utterly unhuman and
still in some strange way beautiful； radiating power and
all womanly！
They stretched forth； they touched the bent heads of Lakla
and the O'Keefe； caressed them； drew them together； softly
stroked themlovingly； with more than a touch of bene…
diction。 And withdrew！
The sparkling mists rolled up once more； hiding the Silent
Ones。 As silently as once before we had gone we passed out
of the place of light； beyond the crimson stone； back to the
handmaiden's chamber。
Only once on our way did Larry speak。
〃Cheer up； darlin'；〃 he said to her； 〃it's a long way yet
before the finish。 An' are you thinking that Lugur and Yo…
lara are going to pull this thing off？ Are you？〃
The handmaiden only looked at him； eyes love and sorrow
filled。
〃They are！〃 said Larry。 〃They are！ Like HELL they are！〃
CHAPTER XXXIII
The Meeting of Titans
IT IS NOT my intention； nor is it possible no matter how in…
teresting to me； to set down _ad seriatim_ the happenings of
the next twelve hours。 But a few will not be denied recital。
O'Keefe regained cheerfulness。
〃After all； Doc；〃 be said to me； 〃it's a beautiful scrap
we're going to have。 At the worst the worst is no more than
the leprechaun warned about。 I would have told the Taitha
De about the banshee raid he promised me； but I was a bit
taken off my feet at the time。 The old girl an' all the clan'll
be along； said the little green man； an' I bet the Three will
be damned glad of it； take it from me。〃
Lakla； shining…eyed and half fearful too：
〃I have other tidings that I am afraid will please you little；
Larrydarlin'。 The Silent Ones say that you must not go
into battle yourself。 You must stay here with me； and with
Goodwinfor ififthe Shining One does come； then
must we be here to meet it。 And you might not be； you know；
Larry； if you fight；〃 she said； looking shyly up at him from
under the long lashes。
The O'Keefe's jaw dropped。
〃That's about the hardest yet；〃 he answered slowly。 〃Still
I see their point； the lamb corralled for the altar has no
right to stray out among the lions；〃 he added grimly。 〃Don't
worry； sweet；〃 he told her。 〃As long as I've sat in the game
I'll stick to the rules。〃
Olaf took fierce joy in the coming fray。
〃The Norns spin close to the end of this web；〃 he rum…
bled。 〃_Ja！_ And the threads of Lugur and the Heks woman
are between their fingers for the breaking！ Thor will be with
me； and I have fashioned me a hammer in glory of Thor。〃 In
his hand was an enormous mace of black metal； fully five
feet long； crowned with a massive head。
I pass to the twelve hours' closing。
At the end of the _coria_ road where the giant fernland met
the edge of the cavern's ruby floor； hundreds of the _Akka_
were stationed in ambush； armed with their spears tipped
with the rotting death and their nail…studded； metal…headed
clubs。 These were to attack when the Murians debauched
from the _corials_。 We had little hope of doing more here than
effect some attrition of Yolara's hosts； for at this place the
captains of the Shining One could wield the _Keth_ and their
other uncanny weapons freely。 We had learned； too； that
every forge and artisan had been put to work to make an
armour Marakinoff had devised to withstand the natural
battle equipment of the frog…peopleand both Larry and I
had a disquieting faith in the Russian's ingenuity。
At any rate the numbers against us would be lessened。
Next； under the direction of the frog…king； levies com…
manded by subsidiary chieftains had completed rows of
rough walls along the probable route of the Murians through
the cavern。 These afforded the _Akka_ a fair protection behind
which they could hurl their darts and spearscuriously
enough they had never developed the bow as a weapon。
At the opening of the cavern a strong barricade stretched
almost to the two ends of the crescent strand； almost； I say；
because there had not been time to build it entirely across
the mouth。
And from edge to edge of the titanic bridge； from where
it sprang outward at the shore o
