Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
10. A Wooing
Ilearnedafterwaysthatsopressingwastherebels’attack,andsodestructivethebatteringoftheirnewwarengines,thatPhorenicehadgoneofftothewallsfirsttolendawhileherbrilliantskillforitsrepulse,andtoputheartintothedefenders.Butasitwas,thedayhadburnedouttoitsmiddleandscorchedusintolerably,beforethenoiseofthedrumsandhornsgaveadvertisementthatthepageanthadformedinprocession;andofthosewhowaitedinthecrowd,manyhadfaintedwithexhaustionandtheheat,andnotafewhaddied.ButlifewascheapinthecityofAtlantisnow,andnooneheededthefallen.
Nearerandnearerdrewthedrumsandthebrayingoftheothermusic,andpresentlytheheadofaglitteringprocessionbegantoarriveanddisposeitselfinthespacewhichhadbeensetapart.Manyathousandpoorstarvingwretchessighedwhentheysawthewantonsplendourofit.ButtheselordsandthesecourtiersofthisnewAtlantishadnoconcernbeyondtheirownbelliesandtheirownbacks,exceptfortheironealienregard—theirsimperingaffectionforPhorenice.
Ithink,though,theirloyaltyfortheEmpresswasrealenough,anditwasnottobewonderedat,sinceeverythingtheyhadcamefromherlavishhands.
