Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
14. Again The Gods Make Change
Ourarmour-bearersmetuswithweapons,andwesteppedintolitters,andtheslavestookusoffhotfoot.Thewoundedmanwhohadfirstbroughtthenewshadfalleninafaint,andnomoretidingswastobegotfromhim,butthegrowingdinofthefightgaveusthegeneraldirection,andpresentlywebegantomeetknotsofpeoplewhodweltneartheplaceofirruption,runningawayinwildpanic,loadeddownwiththeirhouseholdgoods.
Itwasuselesstostopthese,asfighttheycouldnot,andiftheyhadstayedtheywouldmerelyhavebeenslaughteredlikeflies,andwouldinalllikelihoodhaveimpededourownsoldiery.Andsoweletthemrunscreamingontheirblindway,butforcedthelittersthroughthemwithbutverylittleregardfortheircowardconvenience.
Nowtheadvantageoftherebels,whenitcametobelookeduponbyasoldier’seye,wasathingoflittleenoughimportance.Theyhaddrivenatunnelfrombehindacoveringmound,beneaththewalls,andhadopeneditcleverlyenoughthroughthefloorofamiddle-classhouse.Theyhadcomethroughintothis,collectingtheirnumbersunderitsshelter,anddoubtlesshopingthatthemarriageoftheEmpress(ofwhichspieshadgiventheminformation)wouldsapthewatchfulnessofthecityguards.Butitseemstheywerediscoveredandattackedbeforetheywerethoroughlyreadytoemerge,and,asafinebodyoftroopswerebarrackednearthespot,theirexterminationwouldhavebeenmerelyamatteroftime,evenifwehadnotcomeup.
