lips　over　them。　　They　cut　off　gravity；　just　about　as　the　shadow
  screens　cut　off　lightand　consequently　whatever's　in　their
  range　goes　shooting　just　naturally　up　to　the　moon
  〃They　get　my　goat；　why　deny　it？〃　went　on　Larry。　　〃With
  them　and　the　_Keth_　and　gentle　invisible　soldiers　walking
  around　assassinating　at　willwell；　the　worst　Bolsheviki　are
  only　puling　babes；　eh；　Doc？
  〃I　don't　mind　the　Shining　One；〃　said　O'Keefe；　〃one　splash
  of　a　downtown　New　York　high…pressure　fire　hose　would　do
  for　it！　　But　the　othersare　the　goods！　　Believe　me！〃
  But　for　once　O'Keefe's　confidence　found　no　echo　within
  me。　Not　lightly；　as　he；　did　I　hold　that　dread　mystery；　the
  Dwellerand　a　vision　passed　before　me；　a　vision　of　an
  Apocalypse　undreamed　by　the　Evangelist。
  A　vision　of　the　Shining　One　swirling　into　our　world；　a
  monstrous；　glorious　flaming　pillar　of　incarnate；　eternal　Evil
  of　peoples　passing　through　its　radiant　embrace　into　that
  hideous；　unearthly　life…in…death　which　I　had　seen　enfold　the
  sacrificesof　armies　trembling　into　dancing　atoms　of　dia…
  mond　dust　beneath　the　green　ray's　rhythmic　deathof　cities
  rushing　out　into　space　upon　the　wings　of　that　other　demoniac
  force　which　Olaf　had　watched　at　workof　a　haunted　world
  through　which　the　assassins　of　the　Dweller's　court　stole　in…
  visible；　carrying　with　them　every　passion　of　hellof　the
  rallying　to　the　Thing　of　every　sinister　soul　and　of　the　weak
  and　the　unbalanced；　mystics　and　carnivores　of　humanity
  alike；　for　well　I　knew　that；　once　loosed；　not　any　nation　could
  hold　this　devil…god　for　long　and　that　swiftly　its　blight　would
  spread！
  And　then　a　world　that　was　all　colossal　reek　of　cruelty　and
  terror；　a　welter　of　lusts；　of　hatreds　and　of　torment；　a　chaos
  of　horror　in　which　the　Dweller　waxing　ever　stronger；　the
  ghastly　hordes　of　those　it　had　consumed　growing　ever
  greater；　wreaked　its　inhuman　will！
  At　the　last　a　ruined　planet；　a　cosmic　plague；　spinning
  through　the　shuddering　heavens；　its　verdant　plains；　its　mur…
  muring　forests；　its　meadows　and　its　mountains　manned　only
  by　a　countless　crew　of　soulless；　mindless　dead…alive；　their
  shells　illumined　with　the　Dweller's　infernal　gloryand　flam…
  ing　over　this　vampirized　earth　like　a　flare　from　some　hell
  far；　infinitely　far；　beyond　the　reach　of　man's　farthest　flung
  imaginingthe　Dweller！
  Rador　jumped　to　his　feet；　walked　to　the　whispering　globe。
  He　bent　over　its　base；　did　something　with　its　mechanism；
  beckoned　to　us。　　The　globe　swam　rapidly；　faster　than　ever　I
  had　seen　it　before。　　A　low　humming　arose；　changed　into　a
  murmur；　and　then　from　it　I　heard　Lugur's　voice　clearly。
  〃It　is　to　be　war　then？〃
  There　was　a　chorus　of　assentfrom　the　Council；　I
  thought。
  〃I　will　take　the　tall　one　named_Larree_。〃　It　was　the　priest…
  ess's　voice。　　〃After　the　three　_tal_；　you　may　have　him；　Lugur；
  to　do　with　as　you　will。〃
  〃No！〃　it　was　Lugur's　voice　again；　but　with　a　rasp　of　anger。
  〃All　must　die。〃
  〃He　shall　die；〃　again　Yolara。　　〃But　I　would　that　first　he
  see　Lakla　passand　that　she　know　what　is　to　happen　to
  him。〃
  〃No！〃　I　startedfor　this　was　Marakinoff。　　〃Now　is　no
  time；　Yolara；　for　one's　own　desires。　　This　is　my　counsel。　　At
  the　end　of　the　three　_tal_　Lakla　will　come　for　our　answer。　　Your
  men　will　be　in　ambush　and　they　will　slay　her　and　her　escort
  quickly　with　the　_Keth_。　　But　not　till　that　is　done　must　the
  three　be　slainand　then　quickly。　　With　Lakla　dead　we　shall
  go　forth　to　the　Silent　Onesand　I　promise　you　that　I　will
  find　the　way　to　destroy　them！〃
  〃It　is　well！〃　It　was　Lugur。
  〃It　IS　well；　Yolara。〃　It　was　a　woman's　voice；　and　I　knew
  it　for　that　old　one　of　ravaged　beauty。　　〃Cast　from　your　mind
  whatever　is　in　it　for　this　strangereither　of　love　or　hatred。
  In　this　the　Council　is　with　Lugur　and　the　man　of　wisdom。〃
  There　was　a　silence。　　Then　came　the　priestess's　voice；　sul…
  len　butbeaten。
  〃It　is　well！〃
  〃Let　the　three　be　taken　now　by　Rador　to　the　temple　and
  given　to　the　High　Priest　Sator〃thus　Lugur〃until　what
  we　have　planned　comes　to　pass。〃
  Rador　gripped　the　base　of　the　globe；　abruptly　it　ceased
  its　spinning。　　He　turned　to　us　as　though　to　speak　and　even　as
  he　did　so　its　bell　note　sounded　peremptorily　and　on　it　the
  colour　films　began　to　creep　at　their　accustomed　pace。
  〃I　hear；〃　the　green　dwarf　whispered。　　〃They　shall　be　taken
  there　at　once。〃　The　globe　grew　silent。　　He　stepped　toward
  us。
  〃You　have　heard；〃　he　turned　to　us。
  〃Not　on　your　life；　Rador；〃　said　Larry。　　〃Nothing　doing！〃
  And　then　in　the　Murian's　own　tongue。　　〃We　follow　Lakla；
  Rador。　　And　YOU　lead　the　way。〃　He　thrust　the　pistol　close
  to　the　green　dwarf's　side。
  Rador　did　not　move。
  〃Of　what　use；　_Larree_？〃　he　said；　quietly。　　〃Me　you　can　slay
  but　in　the　end　you　will　be　taken。　　Life　is　not　held　so　dear
  in　Muria　that　my　men　out　there　or　those　others　who　can
  come　quickly　will　let　you　byeven　though　you　slay　many。
  And　in　the　end　they　will　overpower　you。〃
  There　was　a　trace　of　irresolution　in　O'Keefe's　face。
  〃And；〃　added　Rador；　〃if　I　let　you　go　I　dance　with　the
  Shining　Oneor　worse！〃
  O'Keefe's　pistol　hand　dropped。
  〃You're　a　good　sport；　Rador；　and　far　be　it　from　me　to　get
  you　in　bad；〃　he　said。　　〃Take　us　to　the　templewhen　we　get
  therewell；　your　responsibility　ends；　doesn't　it？〃
  The　green　dwarf　nodded；　on　his　face　a　curious　expres…
  sionwas　it　relief？　　Or　was　it　emotion　higher　than　this？
  He　turned　curtly。
  〃Follow；〃　he　said。　　We　passed　out　of　that　gay　little　pavilion
  that　had　come　to　be　home　to　us　even　in　this　alien　place。　　The
  guards　stood　at　attention。
  〃You；　Sattoya；　stand　by　the　globe；〃　he　ordered　one　of
  them。　　〃Should　the　_Afyo　Maie_　ask；　say　that　I　am　on　my　way
  with　the　strangers　even　as　she　has　commanded。〃
  We　passed　through　the　lines　to　the　_corial_　standing　like　a
  great　shell　at　the　end　of　the　runway　leading　into　the　green
  road。
  〃Wait　you　here；〃　he　said　curtly　to　the　driver。　　The　green
  dwarf　ascended　to　his　seat；　sought　the　lever　and　we　swept
  onon　and　out　upon　the　glistening　obsidian。
  Then　Rador　faced　us　and　laughed。
  〃_Larree_；〃　he　cried；　〃I　love　you　for　that　spirit　of　yours！
  And　did　you　think　that　Rador　would　carry　to　the　temple
  prison　a　man　who　would　take　the　chances　of　torment　upon
  his　own　shoulders　to　save　him？　　Or　you；　Goodwin；　who　saved
  him　from　the　rotting　death？　　For　what　did　I　take　the　_corial_
  or　lift　the　veil　of　silence　that　I　might　hear　what　threatened
  you〃
  He　swept　the　_corial_　to　the　left；　away　from　the　temple　ap…
  proach。
  〃I　am　done　with　Lugur　and　with　Yolara　and　the　Shining
  One！〃　cried　Rador。　　〃My　hand　is　for　you　three　and　for　Lakla
  and　those　to　whom　she　is　handmaiden！〃
  The　shell　leaped　forward；　seemed　to　fly。
  CHAPTER　XXII
  The　Casting　of　the　Shadow
  NOW　we　were　racing　down　toward　that　last　span　whose
  ancientness　had　set　it　apart　from　all　the　other　soaring　arches。
  The　shell's　speed　slackened；　we　approached　warily。
  〃We　pass　there？〃　asked　O'Keefe。
  The　green　dwarf　nodded；　pointing　to　the　right　where　the
  bridge　ended　in　a　broad　platform　held　high　upon　two　gigantic
  piers；　between　which　ran　a　spur　from　the　glistening　road。
  Platform　and　bridge　were　swarming　with　men…at…arms；　they
  crowded　the　parapets；　looking　down　upon　us　curiously　but
  with　no　evidence　of　hostility。　　Rador　drew　a　deep　breath　of
  relief。
  〃We　don't　have　to　break　our　way　through；　then？〃　There
  was　disappointment　in　the　Irishman's　voice。
  〃No　use；　_Larree_！〃　Smiling；　Rador　stopped　the　_corial_　just
  beneath　the　arch　and　beside　one　of　the　piers。　　〃Now；　listen
  well。　　They　have　had　no　warning；　hence　does　Yolara　still
  think　us　on　the　way　to　the　temple。　　This　is　the　gateway　of　the
  Portaland　the　gateway　is　closed　by　the　Shadow。　　Once　I
  commanded　here　and　I　know　its　laws。　　This　must　I　do
  by　craft　persuade　Serku；　the　keeper　of　the　gateway；　to　lift　the
  Shadow；　or　raise　it　myself。　　And　that　will　be　hard　and　it　may
  well　be　that　in　the　struggle　life　will　be　stripped　of　us　all。
  Yet　is　it　better　to　die　fighting　than　to　dance　with　the　Shining
  One！〃
  He　swept　the　shell　around　the　pier。　　Opened　a　wide　plaza
  paved　with　the　volcanic　glass；　but　black　as　that　down　which
  we　had　sped　from　the　chamber　of　the　Moon　Pool。　　It　shone
  like　a　mirrored　lakelet　of　jet；　on　each　side　of　it　arose　what
  at　first　glance　seemed　towering　bulwarks　of　the　same　ebon
  obsidian；　at　second；　revealed　themselves　as　structures　hewn
  and　set　in　place　by　men；　polished　faces　pierced　by　dozens
  of　high；　narrow　windows。
  Down　each　facade　a　stairway　fell；　broken　by　small　land…
  ings　on　which　a　door　opened；　they　dropped　to　a　broad　ledge
  of　greyish　stone　edging　the　lip　of　this　midnight　pool　and
  upon　it　also　fell　two　wide　flights　from　either　side　of　the
  bridge　platform。　　Along　all　four　stairways　the　guards　were
  ranged；　and　here　and　there　against　the　ledge　stood　the　sh