Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
1. My Recall
Theworstofitis,itwaswrittenbyahighly-educatedmanwhosomewhatnaturallywritesaverybadfist.I’vehammeredatitallthenightthrough,andhaveonlymanagedtomakeoutafewsentenceshereandthere”—herubbedhishandsappreciatively.“Itwilltakemeayear’shardworktotranslatethisproperly.”
“Everymantohistaste.I’mafraidmyinterestinthethingwouldn’tlastaslongasthat.Buthowdiditgetthere?DidyourancientEgyptiancometoGrandCanaryforthegoodofhislungs,andwriteitbecausehefeltdullupinthatcave?”
“Imadeamistakethere.TheauthorwasnotanEgyptian.Itwasthesimilarityoftheinscribedcharacterwhichmisledme.ThebookwaswrittenbyoneDeucalion,whoseemstohavebeenapriestorgeneral—orperhapsboth—andhewasanAtlantean.Howitgotthere,Idon’tknowyet.Probablythatwastoldinthelastfewpages,whichacertainvandalsmashedupwithhispocketknife,ingettingthemawayfromtheplacewheretheywerestowed.”
“That’sright,abuseme.Deucalionyousay?TherewasaDeucalionintheGreekmythology.HewasoneofthetwowhoescapedfromtheFlood:theirNoah,infact.”
“TheswampingofthecontinentofAtlantismightverywellcorrespondtotheFlood.”
“IsthereaPyrrhathen?ShewasDeucalion’swife.”
“Ihaven’tcomeacrossheryet.Butthere’saPhorenice,whomaybethesame.SheseemstohavebeenthereigningEmpress,asfarasIcanmakeoutatpresent.”
Ilookedwithinterestatillustrationsinthemargin.Theywerequiteunderstandable,althoughtheperspectivewasallwrong.
