Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
15. Zaemon’s Summons
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Sothereonwesetoff,YlgaandI,leavingthelightsofthebivouacbehindus,andsheshowedtheway,whilstIcarriedmyweaponsreadytowardoffattackswhetherfrombeastsorfrommen.Fewwordswerepassedbetweenus,exceptthosewhichhadconcernwiththedangersnaturaltotheway.Onceonlydidwetouchoneanother,andthatwaswhereatree-trunkbridgedarivuletofscaldingwaterwhichflowedfromaboil-springtowardsthesea.
“Areyousureoffooting?”Iasked,forthenightwasdark,andtheheatofthewaterwouldpeelthefleshfromthebonesifoneslippedintoit.
“No,”shesaid,“Iamnot,”andreachedoutandtookmyhand.Ihelpedheroverandthenloosedmygrip,andshesighed,andslowlyslippedherhandaway.Thenonagainwewentinsilence,sidebyside,hourafterhour,andleagueafterleague.
Butatlastwetoppedarise,andbelowusthroughthetreesIcouldseethegleamofthegreatestuaryonwhichthecityofAtlantisstands.Thegroundwassoggyandwetbeneathus,thetreeswerefullofbarbsandspines,thewaywasmonstroushard.Ylga’sbreathwasbeginningtocomeinlabouredpants.ButwhenIofferedtotakeherarm,andhelpher,assomereturnagainstwhatshehaddoneforme,sherepulsedmerudelyenough.“Iamnopoorweakling,”saidshe,“ifthatisyouronlyreasonforwantingtotouchme.”
Presently,however,wecameoutthroughthetrees,andtheroughestpartofourjourneywasdone.Wesawtheshipridingtoheranchorsinshoreamileaway,andaweirdenoughobjectshewasunderthefaintstarlight.
