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we　not　CREATE　life？'〃　Again　she　hesitated；　her　eyes　rapt；

dreaming。　　〃The　Three　are　speaking；〃　she　murmured。　　〃They

have　my　tongue〃



And　certainly；　with　an　ease　and　rapidity　as　though　she

were　but　a　voice　through　which　minds　far　more　facile；　more

powerful　poured　their　thoughts；　she　spoke。



〃Yea；〃　the　golden　voice　was　vibrant。　　〃We　said　that　what

we　would　create　should　be　of　the　spirit　of　life　itself；　speak…

ing　to　us　with　the　tongues　of　the　far…flung　stars；　of　the　winds；

of　the　waters；　and　of　all　upon　and　within　these。　　Upon　that

universal　matrix　of　matter；　that　mother　of　all　things　that

you　name　the　ether；　we　laboured。　　Think　not　that　her　won…

drous　fertility　is　limited　by　what　ye　see　on　earth　or　what　has

been　on　earth　from　its　beginning。　　Infinite；　infinite　are　the

forms　the　mother　bears　and　countless　are　the　energies　that

are　part　of　her。



〃By　our　wisdom　we　had　fashioned　many　windows　out　of

our　abode　and　through　them　we　stared　into　the　faces　of

myriads　of　worlds；　and　upon　them　all　were　the　children　of

ether　even　as　the　worlds　themselves　were　her　children。



〃Watching　we　learned；　and　learning　we　formed　that　ye

term　the　Dweller；　which　those　without　namethe　Shining

One。　　Within　the　Universal　Mother　we　shaped　it；　to　be　a　voice

to　tell　us　her　secrets；　a　lamp　to　go　before　us　lighting　the

mysteries。　　Out　of　the　ether　we　fashioned　it；　giving　it　the

soul　of　light　that　still　ye　know　not　nor　perhaps　ever　may

know；　and　with　the　essence　of　life　that　ye　saw　blossoming

deep　in　the　abyss　and　that　is　the　pulse　of　earth　heart　we

filled　it。　　And　we　wrought　with　pain　and　with　love；　with

yearning　and　with　scorching　pride　and　from　our　travail　came

the　Shining　Oneour　child！



〃There　is　an　energy　beyond　and　above　ether；　a　purpose…

ful；　sentient　force　that　laps　like　an　ocean　the　furthest…flung

star；　that　transfuses　all　that　ether　bears；　that　sees　and　speaks

and　feels　in　us　and　in　you；　that　is　incorporate　in　beast　and

bird　and　reptile；　in　tree　and　grass　and　all　living　things；　that

sleeps　in　rock　and　stone；　that　finds　sparkling　tongue　in　jewel

and　star　and　in　all　dwellers　within　the　firmament。　　And　this

ye　call　consciousness！



〃We　crowned　the　Shining　One　with　the　seven　orbs　of　light

which　are　the　channels　between　it　and　the　sentience　we

sought　to　make　articulate；　the　portals　through　which　flow

its　currents　and　so　flowing；　become　choate；　vocal；　self…

realizant　within　our　child。



〃But　as　we　shaped；　there　passed　some　of　the　essence　of

our　pride；　in　giving　will　we　had　given　power；　perforce；　to

exercise　that　will　for　good　or　for　evil；　to　speak　or　to　be　si…

lent；　to　tell　us　what　we　wished　of　that　which　poured　into　it

through　the　seven　orbs　or　to　withhold　that　knowledge　itself；

and　in　forging　it　from　the　immortal　energies　we　had　en…

dowed　it　with　their　indifference；　open　to　all　consciousness　it

held　within　it　the　pole　of　utter　joy　and　the　pole　of　utter　woe

with　all　the　arc　that　lies　between；　all　the　ecstasies　of　the

countless　worlds　and　suns　and　all　their　sorrows；　all　that　ye

symbolize　as　gods　and　all　ye　symbolize　as　devilsnot　nega…

tiving　each　other；　for　there　is　no　such　thing　as　negation；　but

holding　them　together；　balancing　them；　encompassing　them；

pole　upon　pole！〃



So　THIS　was　the　explanation　of　the　entwined　emotions　of

joy　and　terror　that　had　changed　so　appallingly　Throckmar…

tin's　face　and　the　faces　of　all　the　Dweller's　slaves！



The　handmaiden's　eyes　grew　bright；　alert；　again；　the

brooding　passed　from　her　face；　the　golden　voice　that　had

been　so　deep　found　its　own　familiar　pitch。



〃I　listened　while　the　Three　spoke　to　you；〃　she　said。　　〃Now

the　shaping　of　the　Shining　One　had　been　a　long；　long　travail

and　time　had　flown　over　the　outer　world　_laya_　upon　_laya_。　　For

a　space　the　Shining　One　was　content　to　dwell　here；　to　be

fed　with　the　foods　of　light：　to　open　the　eyes　of　the　Three

to　mystery　upon　mystery　and　to　read　for　them　facet　after

facet　of　the　gem　of　truth。　　Yet　as　the　tides　of　consciousness

flowed　through　it　they　left　behind　shadowings　and　echoes　of

their　burdens；　and　the　Shining　One　grew　stronger；　always

stronger　of　ITSELF　WITHIN　ITSELF。　　Its　will　strengthened　and　now

not　always　was　it　the　will　of　the　Three；　and　the　pride　that

was　woven　in　the　making　of　it　waxed；　while　the　love　for　them

that　its　creators　had　set　within　it　waned。



〃Not　ignorant　were　the　_Taithu_　of　the　work　of　the　Three。

First　there　were　a　few；　then　more　and　more　who　coveted　the

Shining　One　and　who　would　have　had　the　Three　share　with

them　the　knowledge　it　drew　in　for　them。　　But　the　Silent　Ones

in　their　pride；　would　not。



〃There　came　a　time　when　its　will　was　now　ALL　its　own；　and

it　rebelled；　turning　its　gaze　to　the　wider　spaces　beyond　the

Portal；　offering　itself　to　the　many　there　who　would　serve　it；

tiring　of　the　Three；　their　control　and　their　abode。



〃Now　the　Shining　One　has　its　limitations；　even　as　we。　　Over

water　it　can　pass；　through　air　and　through　fire；　but　pass　it

cannot；　through　rock　or　metal。　　So　it　sent　a　messagehow　I

know　notto　the　_Taithu_　who　desired　it；　whispering　to　them

the　secret　of　the　Portal。　　And　when　the　time　was　ripe　they

opened　the　Portal　and　the　Shining　One　passed　through　it　to

them；　nor　would　it　return　to　the　Three　though　they　com…

manded；　and　when　they　would　have　forced　it　they　found

that　it　had　hived　and　hidden　a　knowledge　that　they　could　not

overcome。



〃Yet　by　their　arts　the　Three　could　have　shattered　the

seven　shining　orbs；　but　they　would　not　becausethey　loved；

it！



〃Those　to　whom　it　had　gone　built　for　it　that　place　I　have

shown　you；　and　they　bowed　to　it　and　drew　wisdom　from　it。

And　ever　they　turned　more　and　more　from　the　ways　in　which

the　_Taithu_　had　walkedfor　it　seemed　that　which　came　to

the　Shining　One　through　the　seven　orbs　had　less　and　less　of

good　and　more　and　more　of　the　power　you　call　evil。　　Knowl…

edge　it　gave　and　understanding；　yes；　but　not　that　which；　clear

and　serene；　lights　the　paths　of　right　wisdom；　rather　were

they　flares　pointing　the　dark　roads　that　lead　toto　the

ultimate　evil！



〃Not　all　of　the　race　of　the　Three　followed　the　counsel　of

the　Shining　One。　　There　were　many；　many；　who　would　have

none　of　it　nor　of　its　power。　　So　were　the　_Taithu_　split；　and　to

this　place　where　there　had　been　none；　came　hatred；　fear　and

suspicion。　　Those　who　pursued　the　ancient　ways　went　to　the

Three　and　pleaded　with　them　to　destroy　their　workand

they　would　not；　for　still　they　loved　it。



〃Stronger　grew　the　Dweller　and　less　and　less　did　it　lay

before　its　worshippersfor　now　so　they　had　becomethe

fruits　of　its　knowledge；　and　it　grewrestlessturning　its

gaze　upon　earth　face　even　as　it　had　turned　it　from　the　Three。

It　whispered　to　the　_Taithu_　to　take　again　the　paths　and　look

out　upon　the　world。　　Lo！　　above　them　was　a　great　fertile　land

on　which　dwelt　an　unfamiliar　race；　skilled　in　arts；　seeking

and　finding　wisdommankind！　　Mighty　builders　were　they；

vast　were　their　cities　and　huge　their　temples　of　stone。



〃They　called　their　lands　Muria　and　they　worshipped　a

god　Thanaroa　whom　they　imagined　to　be　the　maker　of　all

things；　dwelling　far　away。　　They　worshipped　as　closer　gods；

not　indifferent　but　to　be　prayed　to　and　to　be　propitiated；　the

moon　and　the　sun。　　Two　kings　they　had；　each　with　his　coun…

cil　and　his　court。　　One　was　high　priest　to　the　moon　and　the

other　high　priest　to　the　sun。



〃The　mass　of　this　people　were　black…haired；　but　the　sun

king　and　his　nobles　were　ruddy　with　hair　like　mine；　and

the　moon　king　and　his　followers　were　like　Yolaraor

Lugur。　　And　this；　the　Three　say；　Goodwin；　came　about　be…

cause　for　time　upon　time　the　law　had　been　that　whenever　a

ruddy…haired　or　ashen…tressed　child　was　born　of　the　black…

haired　it　became　dedicated　at　once　to　either　sun　god　or　moon

god；　later　wedding　and　bearing　children　only　to　their　own

kind。　　Until　at　last　from　the　black…haired　came　no　more　of　the

light…locked　ones；　but　the　ruddy　ones；　being　stronger；　still

arose　from　them。〃











CHAPTER　XXX



The　Building　of　the　Moon　Pool



SHE　PAUSED；　running　her　long　fingers　through　her　own

bronze…flecked　ringlets。　　Selective　breeding　this；　with　a　ven…

geance；　I　thought；　an　ancient　experiment　in　heredity　which

of　course　would　in　time　result　in　the　stamping　out　of　the

tendency　to　depart　from　type　that　lies　in　all　organisms；　re…

sulting；　obviously；　at　last；　in　three　fixed　forms　of　black…haired；

ruddy…haired；　and　silver…hairedbut　this；　with　a　shock　of

realization　it　came　to　me；　was　also　an　accurate　description

of　the　dark…polled　_ladala_；　their　fair…haired　rulers　and　of　the

golden…brown　tressed　Lakla！



Howquestions　began　to　stream　through　my　mind；　si…

lenced　by　the　handmaiden's　voice。



〃Above；　far；　far　above　the　abode　of　the　Shining　One；〃

she　said；　〃was　their　greatest　temple；　holding　the　shrines　both

of　sun　and　moon。　　All　about　it　were　other　temples　hidden

behind　mighty　walls；　each　enclosing　its　own　space　and

squared　and　ruled　and　standing　within　a　shallow　lake；　the

sacred　city；　the　city　of　the　gods　of　this　land〃



〃It　is　the　Nan…Matal　that　she　is　describing；〃　I　thought。



〃Out　upon　all　this　looked　the　_Taithu_　who　were　now　but

the　servants　of　the　Shining　One　as　it　had　been　the　messenger

of　the　Three；〃　she　went　on。　　〃When　they　returned　the　Shin…

ing　One　spoke　to　them；　promising　them　dominion　over　all

that　they　had　seen；　yea；　UNDER　IT　dominion　of　all　earth　itself

and　later　perhaps　of　other　earths！



〃In　the　Shining　One　had　grown　craft；　cunning；　knowledge

to　gain　that　which　it　desired。　　Therefore　it　told　its　_Taithu_

and　mayhap　told　them　truththat　not　yet　was　it　time　for

THEM　to　go　forth；　that　slowly　must　they　pass　into　that　outer

world；　for　they　had　sprung　from　heart　of　earth　and　even　it

lacked　power　to　swirl　unaided　into　and　through　the　above。

Then　it　counselled　them；　instructing　them　what　to　do。　　They

ho