And ever the Shining One danced more gaily out there within the black amphitheatre; grew ever stronger — and ever the hordes of its slaves behind the Veil increased.
“Nor did the Taithu who clung to the old ways check this — they could not. By the sinking of the land above, their own spaces were imperilled. All of their strength and all of their wisdom it took to keep this land from perishing; nor had they help from those others mad for the poison of the Shining One; and they had no time to deal with them nor the earth race with whom they had foregathered.
“At last came a slow, vast flood. It rolled even to the bases of the walled islets of the city of the gods — and within these now were all that were left of my people on earth face.
“I am of those people,” she paused, looking at me proudly, “one of the daughters of the sun king whose seed is still alive in the ladala!”
As Larry opened his mouth to speak she waved a silencing hand.
“This tide did not recede,” she went on. “And after a time the remnant, the moon king leading them, joined those who had already fled below. The rocks became still, the quakings ceased, and now those Ancient Ones who had been labouring could take breath. And anger grew within them as they looked upon the work of their evil kin. Again they sought the Three — and the Three now knew what they had done and their pride was humbled. They would not slay the Shining One themselves, for still they loved it; but they instructed these others how to undo their work; how also they might destroy the evil Taithu were it necessary.
“Armed with the wisdom of the Three they went forth — but now the Shining One was strong indeed. They could not slay it!
“Nay, it knew and was prepared; they could not even pass beyond its Veil nor seal its abode. Ah, strong, strong, mighty of will, full of craft and cunning had the Shining One become. So they turned upon their kind who had gone astray and made them perish, to the last. The Shining One came not to the aid of its servants — though they called; for within its will was the thought that they were of no further use to it; that it would rest awhile and dance with them — who had so little of the power and wisdom of its Taithu and therefore no reins upon it. And while this was happening black-haired and fair-haired ran and hid and were but shaking vessels of terror.
“The Ancient Ones took counsel. This was their decision; that they would go from the gardens before the Silver Waters — leaving, since they could not kill it, the Shining One with its worshippers. They sealed the mouth of the passage that leads to the Moon Pool Chamber and they changed the face of the cliff so that none might tell where it had been. But the passage itself they left open — having foreknowledge I think, of a thing that was to come to pass in the far future — perhaps it was your journey here, my Larry and Goodwin — verily I think so. And they destroyed all the ways save that which we three trod to the Dweller’s abode.
“For the last time they went to the Three — to pass sentence upon them. This was the doom — that here they should remain, alone, among the Akka, served by them, until that time dawned when they would have will to destroy the evil they had created — and even now — loved; nor might they seek death, nor follow their judges until this had come to pass. This was the doom they put upon the Three for the wickedness that had sprung from their pride, and they strengthened it with their arts that it might not be broken.
“Then they passed — to a far land they had chosen where the Shining One could not go, beyond the Black Precipices of Doul, a green land —”
“Ireland!” interrupted Larry, with conviction, “I knew it.”
“Since then time upon time had passed,” she went on, unheeding. “The people called this place Muria after their sunken land and soon they forgot where had been the passage the Taithu had sealed. The moon king became the Voice of the Dweller and always with the Voice is a woman of the moon king’s kin who is its priestess.
“And many have been the journeys upward of the Shining One, through the Moon Pool — returning with still others in its coils.
“And now again has it grown restless, longing for the wider spaces. It has spoken to Yolara and to Lugur even as it did to the dead Taithu, promising them dominion. And it has grown stronger, drawing to itself power to go far on the moon stream where it will. Thus was it able to seize your friend, Goodwin, and Olaf’s wife and babe — and many more. Yolara and Lugur plan to open way to earth face; to depart with their court and under the Shining One grasp the world!
“And this is the tale the Silent Ones bade me tell you — and it is done.”
Breathlessly I had listened to the stupendous epic of a long-lost world. Now I found speech to voice the question ever with me, the thing that lay as close to my heart as did the welfare of Larry, indeed the whole object of my quest — the fate of Throckmartin and those who had passed with him into the Dweller’s lair; yes, and of Olaf’s wife, too.
“Lakla,” I said, “the friend who drew me here and those he loved who went before him — can we not save them?”
“The Three say no, Goodwin.” There was again in her eyes the pity with which she had looked upon Olaf. “The Shining One — FEEDS— upon the flame of life itself, setting in its place its own fires and its own will. Its slaves are only shells through which it gleams. Death, say the Three, is the best that can come to them; yet will that be a boon great indeed.”
“But they have souls, mavourneen,” Larry said to her. “And they’re alive still — in a way. Anyhow, their souls have not gone from them.”
I caught a hope from his words — sceptic though I am — holding that the existence of soul has never been proved by dependable laboratory methods — for they recalled to me that when I had seen Throckmartin, Edith had been close beside him.
“It was days after his wife was taken, that the Dweller seized Throckmartin,” I cried. “How, if their wills, their life, were indeed gone, how did they find each other mid all that horde? How did they come together in the Dweller’s lair?”
“I do not know,” she answered, slowly. “You say they loved — and it is true that love is stronger even than death!”
“One thing I DON’T understand”— this was Larry again —“is why a girl like you keeps coming out of the black-haired crowd; so frequently and one might say, so regularly, Lakla. Aren’t there ever any red-headed boys — and if they are what becomes of them?”
“That, Larry, I cannot answer,” she said, very frankly. “There was a pact of some kind; how made or by whom I know not. But for long the Murians feared the return of the Taithu and greatly they feared the Three. Even the Shining One feared those who had created it — for a time; and not even now is it eager to face them — THAT I know. Nor are Yolara and Lugur so SURE. It may be that the Three commanded it: but how or why I know not. I only know that it is true — for here am I and from where else would I have come?”
“From Ireland,” said Larry O’Keefe, promptly. “And that’s where you’re going. For ’tis no place for a girl like you to have been brought up — Lakla; what with people like frogs, and a half-god three quarters devil, and red oceans, an’ the only Irish things yourself and the Silent Ones up there, bless their hearts. It’s no place for ye, and by the soul of St. Patrick, it’s out of it soon ye’ll be gettin’!”
Larry! Larry! If it had but been true — and I could see Lakla and you beside me now!
Chapter XXXI.
Larry and the Frog–Men
Long had been her tale in the telling, and too long, perhaps, have I been in the repeating — but not every day are the mists rolled away to reveal undreamed secrets of earth-youth. And I have set it down here, adding nothing, taking nothing from it; translating liberally, it is true, but constantly