20000 лье под водой

Chapter 9. A Lost Continent

           Thereindeedundermyeyes,ruined,destroyed,layatownitsroofsopentothesky,itstemplesfallen,itsarchesdislocated,itscolumnslyingontheground,fromwhichonewouldstillrecognisethemassivecharacterofTuscanarchitecture.Furtheron,someremainsofagiganticaqueduct;herethehighbaseofanAcropolis,withthefloatingoutlineofaParthenon;theretracesofaquay,asifanancientporthadformerlyabuttedonthebordersoftheocean,anddisappearedwithitsmerchantvesselsanditswar-galleys.Fartheronagain,longlinesofsunkenwallsandbroad,desertedstreetsaperfectPompeiiescapedbeneaththewaters.SuchwasthesightthatCaptainNemobroughtbeforemyeyes!

           WherewasI?WherewasI?Imustknowatanycost.Itriedtospeak,butCaptainNemostoppedmebyagesture,and,pickingupapieceofchalk-stone,advancedtoarockofblackbasalt,andtracedtheoneword:

           ATLANTIS

           Whatalightshotthroughmymind!Atlantis!theAtlantisofPlato,thatcontinentdeniedbyOrigenandHumbolt,whoplaceditsdisappearanceamongstthelegendarytales.Ihadittherenowbeforemyeyes,bearinguponittheunexceptionabletestimonyofitscatastrophe.TheregionthusengulfedwasbeyondEurope,Asia,andLybia,beyondthecolumnsofHercules,wherethosepowerfulpeople,theAtlantides,lived,againstwhomthefirstwarsofancientGreekswerewaged.

           Thus,ledbythestrangestdestiny,Iwastreadingunderfootthemountainsofthiscontinent,touchingwithmyhandthoseruinsathousandgenerationsoldandcontemporarywiththegeologicalepochs.Iwaswalkingontheveryspotwherethecontemporariesofthefirstmanhadwalked.

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