Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
17. Nais The Regained
It’saleanenoughlivingwhenwarsandthepestilencehaveleftsofewpoorfolktoliveintheland.”
“DoyouvisitAtlantis?”
“NotI.Phorenicewouldhavemeboiledinbrine,living,ifshecouldlayeasyhandsonme.OurdaintyEmpresstoleratesnomagicbutherown.TheysaysheisforpullingdownthePriestsofftheirMountainnow.”
“Soyoudogetnewsofthecity?”
“Assuredly.Itismytradetogetgoodnews,orotherwisehowcouldItellfortunestothevulgar?Yousee,mylord,Idetectedyourqualitybyyourspeech,andknowingyouarenotoneofthosethatcometomeforspells,andpotions,Ihavenofearinspeakingtoyouplainly.”
“Tellmethen:Phorenicestillreigns?”
“Mostvilely.”
“Asamaiden?”
“Asthemotheroftwinsons.Tatho’sherhusbandnow,andhasbeenthesethreeyears.”
“Tatho!WhofollowedhimasviceroyofYucatan?”
“ThereisnoYucatan.Avastnationoflittlehairymen,sothetalegoes,comingfromtheWestoverranthecountry.Theyhadclubsofwoodtippedwithstoneastheironlyarm,butnumbersmadetheirchiefweapon.Theyhadnodesireforplunder,orthetakingofslaves,ortheconqueringofcities.ToeatthefleshofAtlanteanswastheironlylust,andtheyfolloweditprodigiously.Theirnumberswerelikethebeesinaswarm.
“TheycametoeachofthecitiesofYucataninturn,andthoughthecolonistsslewtheminthousands,theweightofnumbersalwaysprevailed.Theyatecleaneachcitytheytook,andleftittothebeastsoftheforest,andwentontothenext.
