the moon pool-第61节

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the　mouth。



And　from　edge　to　edge　of　the　titanic　bridge；　from　where

it　sprang　outward　at　the　shore　of　the　Crimson　Sea　to　a

hundred　feet　away　from　the　golden　door　of　the　abode；　bar…

rier　after　barrier　was　piled。



Behind　the　wall　defending　the　mouth　of　the　cavern；　waited

other　thousands　of　the　_Akka_。　　At　each　end　of　the　unfinished

barricade　they　were　mustered　thickly；　and　at　right　and　left

of　the　crescent　where　their　forest　began；　more　legions　were

assembled　to　make　way　up　to　the　ledge　as　opportunity　of…

fered。



Rank　upon　rank　they　manned　the　bridge　barriers；　they

swarmed　over　the　pinnacles　and　in　the　hollows　of　the

island's　ragged　outer　lip；　the　domed　castle　was　a　hive　of

them；　if　I　may　mix　my　metaphorsand　the　rocks　and

gardens　that　surrounded　the　abode　glittered　with　them。



〃Now；〃　said　the　handmaiden；　〃there's　nothing　else　we　can

dosave　wait。〃



She　led　us　out　through　her　bower　and　up　the　little　path

that　ran　to　the　embrasure。



Through　the　quiet　came　a　sound；　a　sighing；　a　half…mourn…

ful　whispering　that　beat　about　us　and　fled　away。



〃They　come！〃　cried　Lakla；　the　light　of　battle　in　her　eyes。

Larry　drew　her　to　him；　raised　her　in　his　arms；　kissed　her。



〃A　woman！〃　acclaimed　the　O'Keefe。　　〃A　real　woman

and　mine！〃



With　the　cry　of　the　Portal　there　was　movement　among

the　_Akka_；　the　glint　of　moving　spears；　flash　of　metal…tipped

clubs；　rattle　of　horny　spurs；　rumblings　of　battle…cries。



And　we　waitedwaited　it　seemed　interminably；　gaze　fas…

tened　upon　the　low　wall　across　the　cavern　mouth。　　Suddenly

I　remembered　the　crystal　through　which　I　had　peered　when

the　hidden　assassins　had　crept　upon　us。　　Mentioning　it　to

Lakla；　she　gave　a　little　cry　of　vexation；　a　command　to　her

attendant；　and　not　long　that　faithful　if　unusual　lady　had

returned　with　a　tray　of　the　glasses。　　Raising　mine；　I　saw　the

lines　furthest　away　leap　into　sudden　activity。　　Spurred　war…

rior　after　warrior　leaped　upon　the　barricade　and　over　it。

Flashes　of　intense；　green　light；　mingled　with　gleams　like

lightning　strokes　of　concentrated　moon　rays；　sprang　from

behind　the　wallsprang　and　struck　and　burned　upon　the

scales　of　the　batrachians。



〃They　come！〃　whispered　Lakla。



At　the　far　ends　of　the　crescent　a　terrific　milling　had　begun。

Here　it　was　plain　the　_Akka_　were　holding。　　Faintly；　for　the

distance　was　great；　I　could　see　fresh　force　upon　force　rush　up

and　take　the　places　of　those　who　had　fallen。



Over　each　of　these　ends；　and　along　the　whole　line　of　the

barricade　a　mist　of　dancing；　diamonded　atoms　began　to　rise；

sparking；　coruscating　points　of　diamond　dust　that　darted

and　danced。



What　had　once　been　Lakla's　guardiansdancing　now　in

the　nothingness！



〃God；　but　it's　hard　to　stay　here　like　this！〃　groaned　the

O'Keefe；　Olaf's　teeth　were　bared；　the　lips　drawn　back　in

such　a　fighting　grin　as　his　ancestors　berserk　on　their　raven

ships　must　have　borne；　Rador　was　livid　with　rage；　the　hand…

maiden's　nostrils　flaring　wide；　all　her　wrathful　soul　in　her

eyes。



Suddenly；　while　we　looked；　the　rocky　wall　which　the　_Akka_

had　built　at　the　cavern　mouthwas　not！　　It　vanished；　as

though　an　unseen；　unbelievably　gigantic　hand　had　with　the

lightning's　speed　swept　it　away。　　And　with　it　vanished；　too；

long　lines　of　the　great　amphibians　close　behind　it。



Then　down　upon　the　ledge；　dropping　into　the　Crimson

Sea；　sending　up　geysers　of　ruby　spray；　dashing　on　the　bridge；

crushing　the　frog…men；　fell　a　shower　of　stone；　mingled　with

distorted　shapes　and　fragments　whose　scales　still　flashed

meteoric　as　they　hurled　from　above。



〃That　which　makes　things　fall　upward；〃　hissed　Olaf。

〃That　which　I　saw　in　the　garden　of　Lugur！〃



The　fiendish　agency　of　destruction　which　Marakinoff　had

revealed　to　Larry；　the　force　that　cut　off　gravitation　and　sent

all　things　within　its　range　racing　outward　into　space！



And　now　over　the　debris　upon　the　ledge；　striking　with　long

sword　and　daggers；　here　and　there　a　captain　flashing　the

green　ray；　moving　on　in　ordered　squares；　came　the　soldiers

of　the　Shining　One。　　Nearer　and　nearer　the　verge　of　the　ledge

they　pushed　Nak's　warriors。　　Leaping　upon　the　dwarfs；　smit…

ing　them　with　spear　and　club；　with　teeth　and　spur；　the　_Akka_

fought　like　devils。　　Quivering　under　the　ray；　they　leaped　and

dragged　down　and　slew。



Now　there　was　but　one　long　line　of　the　frog…men　at　the

very　edge　of　the　cliff。



And　ever　the　clouds　of　dancing；　diamonded　atoms　grew

thicker　over　them　all！



That　last　thin　line　of　the　_Akka_　was　going；　yet　they　fought

to　the　last；　and　none　toppled　over　the　lip　without　at　least

one　of　the　armoured　Murians　in　his　arms。



My　gaze　dropped　to　the　foot　of　the　cliffs。　　Stretched　along

their　length　was　a　wide　ribbon　of　beautya　shimmering

multitude　of　gleaming；　pulsing；　prismatic　moons；　glowing；

glowing　ever　brighter；　ever　more　wondrousthe　gigantic

Medusae　globes　feasting　on　dwarf　and　frog…man　alike！



Across　the　waters；　faintly；　came　a　triumphant　shouting

from　Lugur's　and　Yolara's　men！



Was　the　ruddy　light　of　the　place　lessening；　growing　paler；

changing　to　a　faint　rose？　　There　was　an　exclamation　from

Larry；　something　like　hope　relaxed　the　drawn　muscles　of

his　face。　　He　pointed　to　the　aureate　dome　wherein　sat　the

Threeand　then　I　saw！



Out　of　it；　through　the　long　transverse　slit　through　which

the　Silent　Ones　kept　their　watch　on　cavern；　bridge；　and

abyss；　a　torrent　of　the　opalescent　light　was　pouring。　　It　cas…

caded　like　a　waterfall；　and　as　it　flowed　it　spread　whirling

out；　in　columns　and　eddies；　clouds　and　wisps　of　misty；

curdled　coruscations。　　It　hung　like　a　veil　over　all　the　islands；

filtering　everywhere；　driving　back　the　crimson　light　as　though

possessed　of　impenetrable　substanceand　still　it　cast　not　the

faintest　shadowing　upon　our　vision。



〃Good　God！〃　breathed　Larry。　　〃Look！〃



The　radiance　was　marchingMARCHINGdown　the　colossal　bridge。

It　moved　swiftly；　in　some　unthinkable　way　INTELLIGENTLY。

It　swathed　the　_Akka_；　and　closer；　ever　closer　it

swept　toward　the　approach　upon　which　Yolara's　men　had

now　gained　foothold。



From　their　ranks　came　flash　after　flash　of　the　green　ray

aimed　at　the　abode！　　But　as　the　light　sped　and　struck　the

opalescence　it　was　blotted　out！　　The　shimmering　mists　seemed

to　enfold；　to　dissipate　it。



Lakla　drew　a　deep　breath。



〃The　Silent　Ones　forgive　me　for　doubting　them；〃　she

whispered；　and　again　hope　blossomed　on　her　face　even　as　it

did　on　Larry's。



The　frog…men　were　gaining。　　Clothed　in　the　armour　of　that

mist；　they　pressed　back　from　the　bridge…head　the　invaders。

There　was　another　prodigious　movement　at　the　ends　of　the

crescent；　and　racing　up；　pressing　against　the　dwarfs；　came

other　legions　of　Nak's　warriors。　　And　re…enforcing　those　out

on　the　prodigious　arch；　the　frog…men　stationed　in　the　gard…

ens　below　us　poured　back　to　the　castle　and　out　through　the

open　Portal。



〃They're　licked！〃　shouted　Larry。　　〃They're〃



So　quickly　I　could　not　follow　the　movement　his　automatic

leaped　to　his　handspoke；　once　and　again　and　again。　　Rador

leaped　to　the　head　of　the　little　path；　sword　in　hand；　Olaf；

shouting　and　whirling　his　mace；　followed。　　I　strove　to　get　my

own　gun　quickly。



For　up　that　path　were　running　twoscore　of　Lugur's　men；

while　from　below　Lugur's　own　voice　roared。



〃Quick！　　Slay　not　the　handmaiden　or　her　lover！　　Carry　them

down。　　Quick！　　But　slay　the　others！〃



The　handmaiden　raced　toward　Larry；　stopped；　whistled

shrillyagain　and　again。　　Larry's　pistol　was　empty；　but　as

the　dwarfs　rushed　upon　him　I　dropped　two　of　them　with

mine。　　It　jammedI　could　not　use　it；　I　sprang　to　his　side。

Rador　was　down；　struggling　in　a　heap　of　Lugur's　men。　　Olaf；

a　Viking　of　old；　was　whirling　his　great　hammer；　and　strik…

ing；　striking　through　armour；　flesh；　and　bone。



Larry　was　down；　Lakla　flew　to　him。　　But　the　Norseman；

now　streaming　blood　from　a　dozen　wounds；　caught　a　glimpse

of　her　coming；　turned；　thrust　out　a　mighty　hand；　sent　her

reeling　back；　and　then　with　his　hammer　cracked　the　skulls

of　those　trying　to　drag　the　O'Keefe　down　the　path。



A　cry　from　Laklathe　dwarfs　had　seized　her；　had　lifted

her　despite　her　struggles；　were　carrying　her　away。　　One　I

dropped　with　the　butt　of　my　useless　pistol；　and　then　went

down　myself　under　the　rush　of　another。



Through　the　clamour　I　heard　a　booming　of　the　_Akka_；

closer；　closer；　then　through　it　the　bellow　of　Lugur。　　I　made

a　mighty　effort；　swung　a　hand　up；　and　sunk　my　fingers　in

the　throat　of　the　soldier　striving　to　kill　me。　　Writhing　over

him；　my　fingers　touched　a　poniard；　I　thrust　it　deep；　stag…

gered　to　my　feet。



The　O'Keefe；　shielding　Lakla；　was　battling　with　a　long

sword　against　a　half　dozen　of　the　soldiers。　　I　started　toward

him；　was　struck；　and　under　the　impact　hurled　to　the　ground。

Dizzily　I　raised　myselfand　leaning　upon　my　elbow；　stared

and　moved　no　more。　　For