登陆注册
15682500000004

第4章

Nearer and nearer it came, borne on the sparkling waves, and ever thinner shrank the protecting wall of shadow be-tween it and us.Within the mistiness was a core, a nucleus of intenser light--veined, opaline, effulgent, intensely alive.

And above it, tangled in the plumes and spirals that throbbed and whirled were seven glowing lights.

Through all the incessant but strangely ordered move-ment of the--THING--these lights held firm and steady.They were seven--like seven little moons.One was of a pearly pink, one of a delicate nacreous blue, one of lambent saffron, one of the emerald you see in the shallow waters of tropic isles; a deathly white; a ghostly amethyst; and one of the silver that is seen only when the flying fish leap beneath the moon.

The tinkling music was louder still.It pierced the ears with a shower of tiny lances; it made the heart beat jubi-lantly--and checked it dolorously.It closed the throat with a throb of rapture and gripped it tight with the hand of infinite sorrow!

Came to me now a murmuring cry, stilling the crystal notes.It was articulate--but as though from something utterly foreign to this world.The ear took the cry and trans-lated with conscious labour into the sounds of earth.And even as it compassed, the brain shrank from it irresistibly, and simultaneously it seemed reached toward it with irre-sistible eagerness.

Throckmartin strode toward the front of the deck, straight toward the vision, now but a few yards away from the stern.His face had lost all human semblance.Utter agony and utter ecstasy--there they were side by side, not resisting each other; unholy inhuman companions blending into a look that none of God's creatures should wear--and deep, deep as his soul! A devil and a God dwelling harmoniously side by side! So must Satan, newly fallen, still divine, seeing heaven and contemplating hell, have appeared.

And then--swiftly the moon path faded! The clouds swept over the sky as though a hand had drawn them to-gether.Up from the south came a roaring squall.As the moon vanished what I had seen vanished with it--blotted out as an image on a magic lantern; the tinkling ceased abruptly--leaving a silence like that which follows an abrupt thunder clap.There was nothing about us but silence and blackness!

Through me passed a trembling as one who has stood on the very verge of the gulf wherein the men of the Louisades says lurks the fisher of the souls of men, and has been plucked back by sheerest chance.

Throckmartin passed an arm around me.

"It is as I thought," he said.In his voice was a new note;the calm certainty that has swept aside a waiting terror of the unknown."Now I know! Come with me to my cabin, old friend.For now that you too have seen I can tell you"--he hesitated--"what it was you saw," he ended.

As we passed through the door we met the ship's first officer.Throckmartin composed his face into at least a sem-blance of normality.

"Going to have much of a storm?" he asked.

"Yes," said the mate."Probably all the way to Mel-bourne."

Throckmartin straightened as though with a new thought.

He gripped the officer's sleeve eagerly.

"You mean at least cloudy weather--for"--he hesitated --"for the next three nights, say?""And for three more," replied the mate.

"Thank God!" cried Throckmartin, and I think I never heard such relief and hope as was in his voice.

The sailor stood amazed."Thank God?" he repeated.

"Thank--what d'ye mean?"

But Throckmartin was moving onward to his cabin.Istarted to follow.The first officer stopped me.

"Your friend," he said, "is he ill?"

"The sea!" I answered hurriedly."He's not used to it.Iam going to look after him."

Doubt and disbelief were plain in the seaman's eyes but I hurried on.For I knew now that Throckmartin was ill indeed--but with a sickness the ship's doctor nor any other could heal.

同类推荐
  • 诸子辩

    诸子辩

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 重修台湾府志

    重修台湾府志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 天豹图

    天豹图

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 丽白楼诗话

    丽白楼诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 事师法五十颂

    事师法五十颂

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 剑不语

    剑不语

    此生我愿与她浪迹天涯,不离不弃。但世上的悲欢离合,月的阴晴圆缺。我早已见怪不怪。
  • 五教章集成记

    五教章集成记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 那些年的那些往事

    那些年的那些往事

    人活着总会有些故事,不论完美还是残缺,悲伤或者快乐,我们都会经历许多的事情,总有一天我们会老,记忆会逐渐尘封,也许年迈后我们会经常回想品味自己的过去一生,不管酸甜,都是一首首赞歌,我是东风魄,趁年轻,写一点如今还能记起的往事,那些年的我,真真假假,假假真真,我们一起来回忆,老了再来看又是哪一番光景呢?
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 重生之双面人头

    重生之双面人头

    一个男人国和女人国仇杀不断的异世大陆,一个连头都不知怎么弄丢了的热血少年。女王陛下给了他一个正面英俊潇洒,反面却是娇艳欲滴的双面人头。他,就靠这两张脸男女两国、男女老少通吃!男王陛下呢,临终之时,将自己的金刚不坏之身和至高无上的帝王权柄,连同那雍容华贵的紫馨公主一并托付给了他……他,只需要做好一件事:让人头满天飞吧!看热血少年逆袭名扬,斗智斗勇半生征战沙场,历尽艰辛终于建国称王,快意人生几人能够,如愿以偿?怎奈到头却是英雄气短儿女情长……
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 星系回归

    星系回归

    小云出身在水蓝星球,从事资料整理工作。某天,小云在整理资料时,看到一条特别的信息。那是一篇描述太空星系的文章。上面描述的理论是他二十年学习中从来没有听到过的。那是什么呢?
  • 落月吟风

    落月吟风

    千古世间,神月教一统八荒,月尊之称惊古烁今。千载后的今天,背负命运的村落少年因故,踏上伐“月”之路,在路上,他将经历什么,会遇到谁?失去谁?
  • 证治准绳·杂病

    证治准绳·杂病

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 重生之重新出发

    重生之重新出发

    李大雷在表白当天发生意外,回到高考前,带着重生而来的信息,他能否突破性格的局限,改变命运