The Moth Message by Laurence Manning Page 3

and breathlessly beautiful. At the very center,

  “It is some attempt to persuade me to yield my a shaft of light was reflected from the sky guardianship over the gold!” he cried. Then he above by polished triangles of gold that smiled and said, “We will forget this covered the opening.

  nonsense. I will tell you why you have been We crossed the stone floor and brought here. Listen well.

  commenced climbing a great staircase cut in

  “You must know that this plateau was

  the rock. Minute after minute passed and our left cut off from the surrounding plain many legs were growing fatigued when we came

  thousands of years ago. Upon it were a dozen upon a broad passage from which many men and women of the ruling class of Atlantis, arched doors opened. Into the first of these we my ancestors, and a few hundred of the

  were led and the old man seated himself working classes. They waited for an beside a large open window through which the expedition to come with my slaves to bear sunlight streamed. He beckoned us to seat away the gold and so far we still wait in vain.

  ourselves on stone benches resting against the Something must have happened—not the

  wall of the room and the guards retired absurd thing you suggest, but more likely,” he outside. Then in the language we had spent looked hard at us, “much more likely, an weeks learning, the old man spoke, and his enemy has cut Atlantis off from her mines and voice was grave and chilling.

  colonies. No matter, for here we will wait

  “You will wonder why I have brought

  until the gold we guard is sent for.

  you here. That you will learn soon. First I ask

  “Many years passed. They could not

  you why you came to my plateau. Answer!”

  get down to the plains below the cliffs, though We hesitated as to who should be our

  many slaves were forced to make the attempt.

  spokesman, but LaBrot took it upon himself to Always they fell and my ancestors saw them answer. “We read the message on the wing of die below. So they bred over long, slow

  the moth,” said he.

  centuries of selection a moth that bore their The old man inclined his head. “We

  message in its wings and these moths were found that moth upon your clothing.”

  released by thousands; Yet more centuries

  “We came to learn if you still needed

  passed.

  “Whether from some natural

  help.” “That is possible—yet must I be sure weakness in the human strains on this plateau that you are qualified to help. Were you sent or whether from the mere number of inbred to us from Atlantis?”

  generations, I know not, but our workers

  “From

  Atlantis! ” (The name was degenerated with the centuries and our rulers pronounced as in English.)

  brought forth fewer and fewer children. This We looked around at one another. I

  is now so serious that of the line of rulers blurted out: “But Atlantis does not exist! It there remain only myself and my daughter.

  has not existed for thousands of years—not The workers—they are the deformed dwarfs

  since human history began, if ever!”

  you have seen! I have permitted none of them The old man’s eyes were hard as they

  to breed—for many years the newly born have strove to pierce my brain. “What you say is been monsters or imbeciles, which I

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  12

  destroyed. The race must die out. That is a the old man and we waited in silence for her small matter, for they are only workers. But to come. It was an awkward situation—which my daughter is of the race of the sun. When of the four of us would she choose? Only one four young men arrive upon our plateau, you could live! We looked at each other in veiled can easily imagine to what purpose I shall side glances—our eyes betraying our private devote you!

  thoughts. Suddenly Seeman laughed, his

  “From you four she must select a mate;

  yellowed face wrinkled and his eyes bitter. In this she shall do today.”

  English he spoke to us. “You know, we’re

  “But—the other three?”

  actin’ like a lot of players on a stage! Let’s He raised white bushy eyebrows. seize the old man and make him order the

  “They are of no use to me.” he said coldly.

  guards to stand aside while we walk out of

  “And what will you do with us, then?”

  here. We can’t get more than killed!”

  “You will be destroyed, for you are not

  LaBrot’s brow furrowed in thought

  of the working class to be of use, and no man and his eyes became apologetic. “Please! Not who has seen the gold can be permitted to yet! You see—well—I love Val-Bel! I think leave these mines—even if he could.”

  she loves me, but .... how can I find out unless

  “Hr-r-rumph!” exploded the Colonel,

  we wait? Besides, I have an idea that will give red of face, “we came here, did we not?”

  us all more time. It’s this: after she chooses . .

  “I know how you came—for the great

  . .”

  flying boat that brought you was here again a But then it was too late, for through

  few days since looking for you. We had no the door came Val-Bel and LaBrot became

  such things in my day—we scorned material dumb like a man stricken so. She looked at her comfort and progress in Atlantis, considering father questioningly and then without words that only the mind was worthy of nodded and turned to LaBrot, placing her hand development. I am not curious as to how your gently upon his shoulder.

  flying boat is constructed, nor am I impressed

  “I have chosen,” she said simply.

  with its creation. Such mechanical tricks do And at her words the old man struck

  not bespeak a great race—rather a lazy one.”

  the gong again and before we three had time His face was scornful and Seeman looked

  to think what it meant, the room was full of quizzically at me.

  guards and it was too late. I saw LaBrot

  “Your own race would have left here

  struggling with two of them—Val-Bel

  thousands of years ago if you had had an

  anxiously urging them to be gentle with him; I airship, sir!” Colonel Marsh sputtered. “It’s all saw Seeman, his face impassive, marching

  very well to call names, but how about your down the hall without resistance, and Colonel own case!”

  Marsh wordily submitting to overpowering

  “This is absurd! What use would it be

  force. Then I permitted myself to be shoved to take gold to Atlantis if the gold were not along in the wake of Seeman. Down the stairs needed? If it had been needed, they would we went in the darkness and along a sweating have come here! Enough of this nonsense.

  tunnel of stone and through a doorway into a Val-Bel shall choose here and now which of prison similar to our old rooms. Seeman was you she will mate with—then we can dispose awaiting me, and after a minute the Colonel of the rest of you!”

  was thrust in, panting and blowing, and with He struck a gong at his side and a

  three small wounds bleeding in his thigh

  guard entered. “Your mistress!” commanded where the urging spear points had thrust.

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  13

  “Looks like we’re done for this time,”

  to find the Gulf of Mexico—find the

  he announced gloomily, staring at the guards Mississippi River, probably. They sail up it to beyond the doorway.

  its source which in those days, evidently, ran

  “Oh, I dunno,” answered Seeman. close by this plateau. They land here and

  “LaBrot said he had an idea, y’know! We’re discover gold and leave a colony to mine it not dead yet!”

  and d
etermine its richness. Years later the ship returns with more colonists and picks up a It was almost pitch dark; just a faint glow of cargo of gold to go back to civilization. Again light came from the tunnel, but after an hour and again the ships come for gold until the or two, our eyes could make out three straw Day of Wrath when Atlantis sinks beneath the pallets against the wall—our only furniture—

  sea. Even here in Colorado—thousands of

  and we lay down on these and slept. After a miles away—that cataclysm was felt.

  while, some food and drink was brought in Mountains were thrust up and the river

  under guard and set upon the floor of our vanished. The gold mine and the colony

  chamber. Here in the darkness we ate and

  around it were elevated a few thousand feet slept and ate again, for we knew not how

  and cut off from the surrounding country.

  many days or hours—fearfully waiting for They attempt to descend the cliff and fail.

  what each next minute might bring forth.

  They spend their time breeding messages on

  “In God’s name, why didn’t we break moth wings and—no doubt—other equally

  free the first day when we still had our fanciful attempts at communication with the revolvers?” I heard Colonel Marsh groan, and outer world during the long centuries. But my own thoughts echoed the sentiment.

  discipline goes on—gold is still mined and There followed two days of waiting

  piled up waiting the next ship that is to sail never knowing from minute to minute how

  from a sunken civilization up a dry river! It much longer we had to live. We became quite must take a lot to convince these Atlanteans of philosophical toward the last, resigned to our a fact!”

  fate and all that sort of thing, and spent much

  “It

  does make a story the way you sum time discussing what we had heard from the it up, Colonel,” agreed Seeman.

  old man as to the origin and purpose of this

  “And now that we have solved the

  strange unworldly colony of a long-vanished mystery, how much better off are we?” I put race. Also we wondered how LaBrot was in a trifle bitterly. “Apparently we are to be making out in his enforced marriage and for killed and our knowledge is to die with us, how many weeks our aviator would return for anyway!”

  us in the blimp before he gave up hope and We were all three silent for a time.

  (perhaps) organized a searching party—and Then Seeman broke it. “Curious that we three whether they would find us still alive!

  should actually see an Atlantean. Do you

  During that dark vigil we pieced remember the story that night at the Stranger together the story of this strange gold-mine Club? Why do you suppose we have been

  colony. Seeman started it by remarking that picked out for these revelations? And why, we had learned very little for the probable cost having seen and heard, are we selected to to ourselves.

  die?”

  “Nonsense!” said Colonel Marsh. “We

  “But LaBrot is free—surely he will

  have the whole story. First exploring parties think of something to help us!”

  from the continent of Atlantis set out in ships

  “Doubt it!” snapped the Colonel. “You

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  14

  can’t depend on a man when he falls in love.”

  quickly vanished into the darkness of a near-

  “I don’t agree,” drawled Seeman. “I

  by archway. Then the old man seemed to get a think he’ll find a way. But if he doesn’t, I new grip on himself and strode unfalteringly shan’t worry. The only way to act is to be toward us, torch in hand. I strained my head to calm and prepared. If we have to die—well—

  catch a glimpse of LaBrot’s window—it was that’s that! What good would it do to worry?”

  empty! Now the old man was lighting the

  When it came, therefore, we were not

  faggots at my feet and they caught slowly and three determined men but three fatalists and crackled and the smoke swirled up and choked before we could make up our minds to die

  me so that I coughed. It never occurred to me resisting, the room was full of guards as to speak. Somehow I knew that no prayers or before and we were led out through the pleadings could move my executioner to a passages into the sunlight where we blinked moment’s pity. I heard Colonel Marsh groan strongly and stared stupidly around us. Then inarticulately.

  Then suddenly LaBrot was

  we saw the pile of brush and the three stakes there kicking away the blazing sticks and and—but there were three guards to each of us holding off his father-in-law with one hand as and that panic-stricken moment of struggle he did so. In a moment he had cut the bonds was quickly over. With our hands lashed that held my wrists, doing it so hastily that he behind us, we were marched each to his stake almost severed the thumb from my left hand at and securely tied there.

  “No

  sign

  of

  the same time. Spouting blood, I fumbled with LaBrot!” said Colonel Marsh significantly.

  my leg fastenings and raced around to free my

  “Wait awhile—we’re not dead yet,”

  companions. Free at last, we stood there, the replied Seeman.

  four of us, facing the old white-bearded

  The brush was being piled around our

  Atlantean. He gazed at us imperturbably, only knees now and my eyes frantically searched his eyes betraying his excitement and anger.

  the doorways and windows in the shadowed

  “Kill me!” he demanded quietly. “You

  cliff face. Surely LaBrot would at least have won! The gold is unguarded and I have attempt a rescue! But, except for the nine failed. I cannot continue to live!”

  guards, there was no human being in sight.

  None of us answered him, but just

  And then from the golden arch of the temple stood staring. Then Val-Bel’s voice came

  came the old man and in his hands was a

  from the rear. “Husband—what

  have

  you

  lighted torch that smoked and sputtered. On he done?”

  came, his pace slow and sedate and his face LaBrot turned and went to her and I

  grave and serene. Now he was but ten steps watched them talking in whispers, she

  away and in sick dread I closed my eyes and seeming to be convinced of something against wondered desperately how painful this death her will. After a while her head drooped in might prove.

  acquiescence and hand in hand the two

  walked up to the old man, who was trembling So I only heard the shots—I did not see now with fatigue.

  LaBrot leaning out of the window fifty feet up

  “He says, father, that you are wrong.

  the cliff until four of the squat guards were Atlantis no longer exists. Let the gold stay writhing in their death agonies upon the here—for it needs no guards since none can ground in front of me. He must have had

  climb the surrounding cliffs—and do you

  another revolver ready, for six more shots come with us in the flying boat out over the rang out and only one guard was left and he world and see for yourself. He says that if you

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  15

  decide to return here, you shall be free to do but the other four were planning a series of so and the gold shall be guarded for you—but flights to convince the old Atlantean that the if you find that he is right, then you shall say world had changed.

  what is best to be done and whatever you say It was almost a month when I heard

  he will agree to. To this he pledges his life and again from LaBrot. The letter was postmarked his honor.”

  from the Canary Islands. Here it is. for it The old man was silent for a while.

  makes as good a conclusion to this yarn as

  “An
d what of my dead guards?”

  anything I can think of:

  “What loss? A degenerate race * * *

  doomed to die in this generation!”

  “We have made three cruises over the

  “It is absurd! He lies when he says that

  Atlantic Ocean from here and Val-Bel’s father the great empire of Atlantis is lost and is resigned to the truth at last. The question is, forgotten among men!”

  in that case, what to do with the gold back on

  “Then his life is forfeit to you—he

  the plateau? I put it up to him and he seems swears so!” “I swear it!” said LaBrot in a not to care in the least He wants none of it, for low voice.

  “Well—well—what else can I

  Val-Bel and I have assured him that he must do? I am his prisoner; why does he not kill spend the rest of his days with us. I suggested me?”

  that some of it be given to you and Seeman, And I could see then that the argument

  for Colonel Marsh insists that he has more was won, but the sun seemed to be fading and than enough money for his needs, and to this there was something the matter with my eyes, he agreed listlessly. Now so much is all very for the cliff was tilting over us at a fearful well—wait for the rest of it.

  angle and my head buzzed. Everything went

  “I asked him then how much gold

  black and I remembered no more.

  there was and he pulled from his robes a tile When I was again conscious, it was to

  tablet and consulted it a moment. Thirty-three the drone of the airship. I was lying on a bunk

  ‘Cog-drach’ was what he made it. And a Cog-and Seeman kneeled beside me. “There,” he drach? As nearly as I could understand him, said. “Do you feel better?”