The Moon Pool, A. Merritt [books to read to get smarter txt] 📗

the speed of light. I caught a glimpse of luminous immensities on the verge of which we flew; of depths inconceivable, and flitting through the incredible spaces⁠—gigantic shadows as of the wings of Israfel, which are so wide, say the Arabs, the world can cower under them like a nestling⁠—and then⁠—again the living blackness!

“What was that?” This from Larry, with the nearest approach to awe that he had yet shown.

“Trolldom!” croaked the voice of Olaf.

“Chert!” This from Marakinoff. “What a space!”

“Have you considered, Dr. Goodwin,” he went on after a pause, “a curious thing? We know, or, at least, is it not that nine out of ten astronomers believe, that the moon was hurled out of this same region we now call the Pacific when the Earth was yet like molasses; almost molten, I should say. And is it not curious that that which comes from the Moon Chamber needs the moon-rays to bring it forth; is it not? And is it not significant again that the stone depends upon the moon for operating? Da! And last⁠—such a space in mother Earth as we just glimpsed, how else could it have been torn but by some gigantic birth⁠—like that of the moon? Da! I do not put forward these as statements of fact⁠—no! But as suggestions⁠—”

I started; there was so much that this might explain⁠—an unknown element that responded to the moon-rays in opening the moon door; the blue Pool with its weird radioactivity, and the force within it that reacted to the same light stream⁠—

It was not inconceivable that a film had drawn over the world wound, a film of Earth-flesh which drew itself over that colossal abyss after our planet had borne its satellite⁠—that world womb did not close when her shining child sprang forth⁠—it was possible; and all that we know of Earth depth is four miles of her eight thousand.

What is there at the heart of Earth? What of that radiant unknown element upon the moon mount Tycho? What of that element unknown to us as part of Earth which is seen only in the corona of the sun at eclipse that we call coronium? Yet the Earth is child of the sun as the moon is Earth’s daughter. And what of that other unknown element we find glowing green in the far-flung nebulae⁠—green as that we had just passed through⁠—and that we call nebulium? Yet the sun is child of the nebulae as the Earth is child of the sun and the moon is child of the Earth.

And what miracles are there in coronium and nebulium which, as the child of nebula and sun, we inherit? Yes⁠—and in Tycho’s enigma which came from Earth heart?

We were flashing down to Earth heart! And what miracles were hidden there?

XII The End of the Journey

“Say Doc!” It was Larry’s voice flung back at me. “I was thinking about that frog. I think it was her pet. Damn me if I see any difference between a frog and a snake, and one of the nicest women I ever knew had two pet pythons that followed her around like kittens. Not such a devilish lot of choice between a frog and a snake⁠—except on the side of the frog? What? Anyway, any pet that girl wants is hers, I don’t care if it’s a leaping twelve-toed lobster or a whale-bodied scorpion. Get me?”

By which I knew that our remarks upon the frog woman were still bothering O’Keefe.

“He thinks of foolish nothings like the foolish sailor!” grunted Marakinoff, acid contempt in his words. “What are their women to⁠—this?” He swept out a hand and as though at a signal the car poised itself for an instant, then dipped, literally dipped down into sheer space; skimmed forward in what was clearly curved flight, rose as upon a sweeping upgrade and then began swiftly to slacken its fearful speed.

Far ahead a point of light showed; grew steadily; we were within it⁠—and softly all movement ceased. How acute had been the strain of our journey I did not realize until I tried to stand⁠—and sank back, leg-muscles too shaky to bear my weight. The car rested in a slit in the centre of a smooth walled chamber perhaps twenty feet square. The wall facing us was pierced by a low doorway through which we could see a flight of steps leading downward.

The light streamed through a small opening, the base of which was twice a tall man’s height from the floor. A curving flight of broad, low steps led up to it. And now it came to my steadying brain that there was something puzzling, peculiar, strangely unfamiliar about this light. It was silvery, shaded faintly with a delicate blue and flushed lightly with a nacreous rose; but a rose that differed from that of the terraces of the Pool Chamber as the rose within the opal differs from that within the pearl. In it were tiny, gleaming points like the motes in a sunbeam, but sparkling white like the dust of diamonds, and with a quality of vibrant vitality; they were as though they were alive. The light cast no shadows!

A little breeze came through the oval and played about us. It was laden with what seemed the mingled breath of spice flowers and pines. It was curiously vivifying, and in it the diamonded atoms of light shook and danced.

I stepped out of the car, the Russian following, and began to ascend the curved steps toward the opening, at the top of which O’Keefe and Olaf already stood. As they looked out I saw both their faces change⁠—Olaf’s with awe, O’Keefe’s with incredulous amaze. I hurried to their side.

At first all that I could see was space⁠—a space filled with the same coruscating effulgence that pulsed about me. I glanced upward, obeying that instinctive impulse of Earth folk that bids them seek within the sky for sources of light. There was no