Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
14. Again The Gods Make Change
Yet,whenIhadbiddentheguardsunhaspthecollarwhichheldtheprisoner’sneck,andclappedmyarmsaroundher,showingalltheroughnessofonewhohasnomindthathiscaptiveshallescapeorevenundulystruggle,athrillgushedthroughmesopotentthatIwasliketohavefainted,anditwasonlybysupremestrainofwillthatIheldunbrokenlyonwiththeceremonial.I,whohadneverembracedawomanwithaughtbutthearmofroughnessbefore,nowheldpressedtomeonewhomIlovedwithaninfinitetenderness,andtherevelationofhowlovecancomeoutandlinkwithlovewasalmostmyundoing.Yet,outwardly,Naismadesosign,butlayhalf-strangledinmyarms,asanywomandoesthatisbeingborneawaybyaspoiler.
Itrodwithhertotheuppermoststep,thevastthrone-stoneoverhangingus,andthensothatallofthosewhoweregazingfromthesidesofthepyramidsandtheroofsofthebuildingsroundmightsee,thoughwewerebeyondPhorenice’sview,Iusedaforcethatwasbrutalindraggingheracrossthelevel,andputtingherdownintothehollow.Andyetthegirlresistedmewithnooneeffortwhatever.
Sothatthevictimmightnotstruggleoutandbecrushed,andsogainaneasydeathwhenthestonedescended,therewerebrazenclampstofitintogroovesofthestonesabovethehollowwhereshelay,andtheseIfittedinplaceaboveher,andfastenedonebyone,doingthisbutcher’sworkwithonehand,andstillfiercelyholdingherdownbytheother.Gods!andthesweatofagonydrippedfrommeontothethirstystoneasIworked.Icouldnotkeepthatin.
