the moon pool-第3部分
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reassure him。 At any rate； when he sat again he was entirely
calm。
〃There are no more wonderful ruins in the world；〃 he
began almost casually。 〃They take in some fifty islets and
cover with their intersecting canals and lagoons about
twelve square miles。 Who built them？ None knows。 When
were they built？ Ages before the memory of present man；
that is sure。 Ten thousand； twenty thousand； a hundred
thousand years agothe last more likely。
〃All these islets； Walter； are squared； and their shores are
frowning seawalls of gigantic basalt blocks hewn and put in
place by the hands of ancient man。 Each inner water…front
is faced with a terrace of those basalt blocks which stand
out six feet above the shallow canals that meander between
them。 On the islets behind these walls are time…shattered
fortresses； palaces； terraces； pyramids； immense courtyards
strewn with ruinsand all so old that they seem to wither
the eyes of those who look on them。
〃There has been a great subsidence。 You can stand out of
Metalanim harbour for three miles and look down upon
the tops of similar monolithic structures and walls twenty
feet below you in the water。
〃And all about； strung on their canals； are the bulwarked
islets with their enigmatic walls peering through the dense
growths of mangrovesdead； deserted for incalculable
ages； shunned by those who live near。
〃You as a botanist are familiar with the evidence that a
vast shadowy continent existed in the Pacifica continent
that was not rent asunder by volcanic forces as was that
legendary one of Atlantis in the Eastern Ocean。*1 My work
in Java； in Papua； and in the Ladrones had set my mind
upon this Pacific lost land。 Just as the Azores are believed
to be the last high peaks of Atlantis； so hints came to me
steadily that Ponape and Lele and their basalt bulwarked
islets were the last points of the slowly sunken western land
clinging still to the sunlight； and had been the last refuge
and sacred places of the rulers of that race which had lost
their immemorial home under the rising waters of the
Pacific。
*1 For more detailed observations on these points refer to G。 Volkens；
Uber die Karolinen Insel Yap； in Verhandlungen Gesellschaft Erd…
kunde Berlin； xxvii （1901）； J。 S。 Kubary； Ethnographische Beitrage
zur Kentniss des Karolinen Archipel （Leiden； 1889…1892）； De Abrade
Historia del Conflicto de las Carolinas； etc。 （Madrid； 1886）。W。 T。 G。
〃I believed that under these ruins I might find the evi…
dence that I sought。
〃Mymy wife and I had talked before we were married
of making this our great work。 After the honeymoon we
prepared for the expedition。 Stanton was as enthusiastic as
ourselves。 We sailed； as you know； last May for fulfilment
of my dreams。
〃At Ponape we selected； not without difficulty； workmen
to help usdiggers。 I had to make extraordinary induce…
ments before I could get together my force。 Their beliefs are
gloomy； these Ponapeans。 They people their swamps； their
forests； their mountains； and shores； with malignant spirits
ani they call them。 And they are afraidbitterly afraid of
the isles of ruins and what they think the ruins hide。 I do not
wondernow！
〃When they were told where they were to go； and how
long we expected to stay； they murmured。 Those who； at last；
were tempted made what I thought then merely a super…
stitious proviso that they were to be allowed to go away on
the three nights of the full moon。 Would to God we had
heeded them and gone too！〃
〃We passed into Metalanim harbour。 Off to our lefta
mile away arose a massive quadrangle。 Its walls were all of
forty feet high and hundreds of feet on each side。 As we drew
by； our natives grew very silent； watched it furtively； fear…
fully。 I knew it for the ruins that are called Nan…Tauach； the
'place of frowning walls。' And at the silence of my men I
recalled what Christian had written of this place； of how he
had come upon its 'ancient platforms and tetragonal enclo…
sures of stonework； its wonder of tortuous alleyways and
labyrinth of shallow canals； grim masses of stonework peer…
ing out from behind verdant screens； cyclopean barricades；'
and of how； when he had turned 'into its ghostly shadows；
straight…way the merriment of guides was hushed and con…
versation died down to whispers。'
He was silent for a little time。
〃Of course I wanted to pitch our camp there；〃 he went on
again quietly； 〃but I soon gave up that idea。 The natives were
panic…strickenthreatened to turn back。 'No；' they said； 'too
great ani there。 We go to any other placebut not there。'
〃We finally picked for our base the islet called Uschen…
Tau。 It was close to the isle of desire； but far enough away
from it to satisfy our men。 There was an excellent camping…
place and a spring of fresh water。 We pitched our tents； and
in a couple of days the work was in full swing。〃
CHAPTER III
The Moon Rock
〃I DO not intend to tell you now；〃 Throckmartin continued；
〃the results of the next two weeks； nor of what we found。
Laterif I am allowed； I will lay all that before you。 It is
sufficient to say that at the end of those two weeks I had
found confirmation for many of my theories。
〃The place； for all its decay and desolation； had not in…
fected us with any touch of morbiditythat is not Edith；
Stanton； or myself。 But Thora was very unhappy。 She was a
Swede； as you know； and in her blood ran the beliefs and su…
perstitions of the Northlandsome of them so strangely akin
to those of this far southern land； beliefs of spirits of moun…
tain and forest and water werewolves and beings malign。
From the first she showed a curious sensitivity to what； I
suppose； may be called the 'influences' of the place。 She said
it 'smelled' of ghosts and warlocks。
〃I laughed at her then
〃Two weeks slipped by； and at their end the spokesman for
our natives came to us。 The next night was the full of the
moon； he said。 He reminded me of my promise。 They would
go back to their village in the morning； they would return
after the third night； when the moon had begun to wane。
They left us sundry charms for our 'protection；' and solemnly
cautioned us to keep as far away as possible from Nan…
Tauach during their absence。 Half…exasperated； half…amused
I watched them go。
〃No work could be done without them； of course； so we
decided to spend the days of their absence junketing about
the southern islets of the group。 We marked down several
spots for subsequent exploration； and on the morning of the
third day set forth along the east face of the breakwater for
our camp on Uschen…Tau； planning to have everything in
readiness for the return of our men the next day。
〃We landed just before dusk； tired and ready for our cots。
It was only a little after ten o'clock that Edith awakened me。
〃'Listen！' she said。 'Lean over with your ear close to the
ground！'
〃I did so； and seemed to hear； far； far below； as though
coming up from great distances； a faint chanting。 It gathered
strength； died down； ended； began； gathered volume； faded
away into silence。
〃'It's the waves rolling on rocks somewhere；' I said。 'We're
probably over some ledge of rock that carries the sound。'
〃'It's the first time I've heard it；' replied my wife doubt…
fully。 We listened again。 Then through the dim rhythms；
deep beneath us； another sound came。 It drifted across the
lagoon that lay between us and Nan…Tauach in little tinkling
waves。 It was musicof a sort； I won't describe the strange
effect it had upon me。 You've felt it〃
〃You mean on the deck？〃 I asked。 Throckmartin nodded。
〃I went to the flap of the tent；〃 he continued； 〃and peered
out。 As I did so Stanton lifted his flap and walked out into the
moonlight； looking over to the other islet and listening。 I
called to him。
〃'That's the queerest sound！' he said。 He listened again。
'Crystalline！ Like little notes of translucent glass。 Like the
bells of crystal on the sistrums of Isis at Dendarah Temple；'
he added half…dreamily。 We gazed intently at the island。
Suddenly； on the sea…wall； moving slowly； rhythmically； we
saw a little group of lights。 Stanton laughed。
〃'The beggars！' he exclaimed。 'That's why they wanted to
get away； is it？ Don't you see； Dave； it's some sort of a fes…
tivalrites of some kind that they hold during the full moon！
That's why they were so eager to have us KEEP away； too。'
〃The explanation seemed good。 I felt a curious sense of re…
lief； although I had not been sensible of any oppression。
〃'Let's slip over；' suggested Stantonbut I would not。
〃'They're a difficult lot as it is；' I said。 'If we break into one
of their religious ceremonies they'll probably never forgive
us。 Let's keep out of any family party where we haven't been
invited。'
〃'That's so；' agreed Stanton。
〃The strange tinkling rose and fell； rose and fell
〃'There's somethingsomething very unsettling about it；'
said Edith at last soberly。 'I wonder what they make those
sounds with。 They frighten me half to death； and； at the same
time。 they make me feel as though some enormous rapture
were just around the corner。'
〃'It's devilish uncanny！' broke in Stanton。
〃And as he spoke the flap of Thora's tent was raised and
out into the moonlight strode the old Swede。 She was the
great Norse typetall； deep…breasted； moulded on the old
Viking lines。 Her sixty years had slipped from her。 She
looked like some ancient priestess of Odin。
〃She stood there； her eyes wide； brilliant； staring。 She
thrust her head forward toward Nan…Tauach； regarding the
moving lights； she listened。 Suddenly she raised her arms
and made a curious gesture to the moon。 It wasan archaic
movement； s
