the moon pool-第64节
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faces。 They bent toward us； over us； their radiance enfolded
us。 My eyes darkened。 I could not see。 I felt a tender hand
upon my headand panic and frozen dread and nightmare
web that held me fled。
Then they； too； were gone。
Upon Larry's breast the handmaiden was sobbingsob…
bing out her heartbut this time with the joy of one who is
swept up from the very threshold of hell into paradise。
CHAPTER XXXV
〃LarryFarewell！〃
〃MY HEART； Larry〃 It was the handmaiden's murmur。
〃My heart feels like a bird that is flying from a nest of
sorrow。〃
We were pacing down the length of the bridge； guards of
the _Akka_ beside us； others following with those companies of
_ladala_ that had rushed to aid us； in front of us the bandaged
Rador swung gently within a litter； beside him； in another；
lay Nak； the frog…kingmuch less of him than there had
been before the battle began； but living。
Hours had passed since the terror I have just related。 My
first task had been to search for Throckmartin and his wife
among the fallen multitudes strewn thick as autumn leaves
along the flying arch of stone； over the cavern ledge； and
back； back as far as the eye could reach。
At last； Lakla and Larry helping； we found them。 They
lay close to the bridge…end； not partedlocked tight in each
other's arms； pallid face to face； her hair streaming over his
breast！ As though when that unearthly life the Dweller had
set within them passed away； their own had come back for
one fleeting instantand they had known each other； and
clasped before kindly death had taken them。
〃Love is stronger than all things。〃 The handmaiden was
weeping softly。 〃Love never left them。 Love was stronger
than the Shining One。 And when its evil fled； love went with
themwherever souls go。〃
Of Stanton and Thora there was no trace； nor； after our
discovery of those other two； did I care to look more。 They
were deadand they were free。
We buried Throckmartin and Edith beside Olaf in Lakla's
bower。 But before the body of my old friend was placed
within the grave I gave it a careful and sorrowful examina…
tion。 The skin was firm and smooth； but cold； not the cold of
death； but with a chill that set my touching fingers tingling
unpleasantly。 The body was bloodless； the course of veins
and arteries marked by faintly indented white furrows； as
though their walls had long collapsed。 Lips； mouth； even the
tongue； was paper white。 There was no sign of dissolution as
we know it； no shadow or stain upon the marble surface。
Whatever the force that； streaming from the Dweller or im…
pregnating its lair； had energized the dead…alive； it was bar…
rier against putrescence of any kind； that at least was certain。
But it was not barrier against the poison of the Medusae；
for； our sad task done； and looking down upon the waters； I
saw the pale forms of the Dweller's hordes dissolving； van…
ishing into the shifting glories of the gigantic moons sailing
down upon them from every quarter of the Sea of Crimson。
While the frog…men； those late levies from the farthest for…
ests； were clearing bridge and ledge of cavern of the litter of
the dead； we listened to a leader of the _ladala_。 They had risen；
even as the messenger had promised Rador。 Fierce had been
the struggle in the gardened city by the silver waters with
those Lugur and Yolara bad left behind to garrison it。 Deadly
had been the slaughter of the fair…haired； reaping the har…
vest of hatred they had been sowing so long。 Not without
a pang of regret did I think of the beautiful； gaily malicious
elfin women destroyedevil though they may have been。
The ancient city of Lara was a charnel。 Of all the rulers
not twoscore had escaped； and these into regions of peril
which to describe as sanctuary would be mockery。 Nor had
the _ladala_ fared so well。 Of all the men and women； for
women as well as men had taken their part in the swift war；
not more than a tenth remained alive。
And the dancing motes of light in the silver air were
thick； thickthey whispered。
They told us of the Shining One rushing through the Veil；
cometlike； its hosts streaming behind it； raging with it； in
ranks that seemed interminable！
Of the massacre of the priests and priestesses in the Cyclo…
pean temple； of the flashing forth of the summoning lights by
unseen handsfollowed by the tearing of the rainbow cur…
tain； by colossal shatterings of the radiant cliffs； the vanish…
ing behind their debris of all trace of entrance to the haunted
place wherein the hordes of the Shining One had slaved
the sealing of the lair！
Then； when the tempest of hate had ended in seething
Lara； how； thrilled with victory； armed with the weapons of
those they had slain； they had lifted the Shadow； passed
through the Portal； met and slaughtered the fleeing remnants
of Yolara's menonly to find the tempest stilled here； too。
But of Marakinoff they had seen nothing！ Had the Russian
escaped； I wondered； or was he lying out there among the
dead？
But now the _ladala_ were calling upon Lakla to come with
them； to govern them。
〃I don't want to； Larry darlin'；〃 she told him。 〃I want to
go out with you to Ireland。 But for a timeI think the Three
would have us remain and set that place in order。〃
The O'Keefe was bothered about something else than the
government of Muria。
〃If they've killed off all the priests； who's to marry us；
heart of mine？〃 he worried。 〃None of those Siya and Siyana
rites； no matter what；〃 he added hastily。
〃Marry！〃 cried the handmaiden incredulously。 〃Marry us？
Why； Larry dear； we ARE married！〃
The O'Keefe's astonishment was complete； his jaw
dropped； collapse seemed imminent。
〃We are？〃 he gasped。 〃When？〃 he stammered fatuously。
〃Why； when the Mother drew us together before her；
when she put her hands on our heads after we had made the
promise！ Didn't you understand that？〃 asked the hand…
maiden wonderingly。
He looked at her； into the purity of the clear golden eyes；
into the purity of the soul that gazed out of them； all his
own great love transfiguring his keen face。
〃An' is that enough for you； _mavourneen_？〃 he whispered
humbly。
〃Enough？〃 The handmaiden's puzzlement was complete；
profound。 〃Enough？ Larry darlin'； what MORE could we ask？〃
He drew a deep breath； clasped her close。
〃Kiss the bride； Doc！〃 cried the O'Keefe。 And for the
third and； soul's sorrow！ the last time； Lakla dimpling and
blushing； I thrilled to the touch of her soft； sweet lips。
Quickly were our preparations for departure made。 Rador；
conscious； his immense vitality conquering fast his wounds；
was to be borne ahead of us。 And when all was done； Lakla；
Larry； and I made our way up to the scarlet stone that was
the doorway to the chamber of the Three。 We knew； of
course； that they had gone； following； no doubt； those whose
eyes I had seen in the curdled mists； and who； coming to the
aid of the Three at last from whatever mysterious place that
was their home； had thrown their strength with them against
the Shining One。 Nor were we wrong。 When the great slab
rolled away； no torrents of opalescence came rushing out
upon us。 The vast dome was dim； tenantless； its curved walls
that had cascaded Light shone now but faintly； the dais was
empty； its wall of moon…flame radiance gone。
A little time we stood； heads bent； reverent； our hearts
filled with gratitude and loveyes； and with pity for that
strange trinity so alien to us and yet so near； children even
as we； though so unlike us； of our same Mother Earth。
And what I wondered had been the secret of that promise
they had wrung from their handmaiden and from Larry。 And
whence； if what the Three had said had been all true
whence had come their power to avert the sacrifice at the
very verge of its consummation？
〃Love is stronger than all things！〃 had said Lakla。
Was it that they had needed； must have； the force which
dwells within love； within willing sacrifice； to strengthen
their own power and to enable them to destroy the evil；
glorious Thing so long shielded by their own love？ Did the
thought of sacrifice； the will toward abnegation； have to be
as strong as the eternals； unshaken by faintest thrill of hope；
before the Three could make of it their key to unlock the
Dweller's guard and strike through at its life？
Here was a mysterya mystery indeed！ Lakla softly
closed the crimson stone。 The mystery of the red dwarf's
appearance was explained when we discovered a half…dozen
of the water _coria_ moored in a small cove not far from
where the _Sekta_ flashed their heads of living bloom。 The
dwarfs had borne the shallops with them； and from some…
where beyond the cavern ledge had launched them unper…
ceived； stealing up to the farther s
