Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
10. A Wooing
Faugh!Deucalion,youshouldhaveseenhowhewasmangledwhentheybroughthimbacktomehere.”
“Didthepeopleriseonhim?Hasitcometothat?”
“Thepeoplestayedpassive,”saidRobitterly,“whatfewofthemhadinteresttoattend;butourLordtheSunsawfittotryHisministersomewhatharshly.Thewoodwaslaid;thesacrificewasdisposeduponitaccordingtotheprescribedrites;theprocessionhadbeenformedroundthealtar,andthedrumsandthetrumpetswerespeakingforth,toletallmenknowthatpresentlythesmokeoftheirprayerwouldbewafteduptowardsThosethatsitinthegreatplacesintheheavens.Butthen,abovethenoiseoftheceremonial,therecametherushingsoundofwings,andfromoutoftheskythereflewoneofthosegreatfeatherlessman-eatingbirds,ofabignesssuchasseldombeforehasbeenseen.”
“Anarrowshotintheeye,oralong-shaftedspearreceivesthembest.”
“Oh,allmenknowwhattheyweretaughtaschildren,Deucalion;butthesepriestswereunarmed,accordingtotherubric,whichordainsthattheyshallintrustthemselvescompletelytotheguardianshipoftheHighGodsduringthehoursofsacrifice.Thegreatbirdswoopeddown,settlingonthewoodpyre,andattackedthesacrificewithbeakandtalon.Mypoorsuperiorhere,stillstronginhisfaith,calledloudlyonourLordtheSuntolendpowertohisarm,andspranguponthealtarwithnaughtbuthisteethandhisbarearmsforweapons.
