Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 15
Itstoodtoreasonthatacoolie,possessingbuttheclotheshestoodupin,mustbeextremelydirty.Andtoreasonitstoodthattheindividualinimmaculatewhitemustpossessmanychangesandcommandthelabouroflaundressestokeephischangesimmaculate.Asfortheyang-banswhoworethepale,vari-colouredsilks,theywerebeyondsuchcommonyardstickofplace.
Afterrestinginaninnforseveraldays,duringwhichtimewewashedourgarmentsandrepairedtheravagesofshipwreckandtravel,weweresummonedbeforetheEmperor.Inthegreatopenspacebeforethepalacewallwerecolossalstonedogsthatlookedmoreliketortoises.Theycrouchedonmassivestonepedestalsoftwicetheheightofatallman.Thewallsofthepalacewerehugeandofdressedstone.Sothickwerethesewallsthattheycoulddefyabreachfromthemightiestofcannoninayear-longsiege.Themeregatewaywasofthesizeofapalaceinitself,risingpagoda-like,inmanyretreatingstories,eachstoryfringedwithtile-roofing.Asmartguardofsoldiersturnedoutatthegateway.These,Kimtoldme,weretheTigerHuntersofPyeng-yang,thefiercestandmostterriblefightingmenofwhichCho-Sencouldboast.
Butenough.OnmeredescriptionoftheEmperor’spalaceathousandpagesofmynarrativecouldbeworthilyexpended.Letitsufficethathereweknewpowerinallitsmaterialexpression.Onlyacivilizationdeepandwideandoldandstrongcouldproducethisfar-walled,many-gabledroofofkings.
