Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
17. Nais The Regained
Aringoffires,fedeternallyfromtheearth-breathwhichwellsupfrombelow,burnsroundone-halfofthecrest,lightingitalwaysasbrightasday,andinfactformingnosmallpartofitsfortification.Indeed,itissaidthat,intheearlydawnofhistory,menfirstcametotheMountainasastrongholdbecauseofthenaturaldefencewhichthefiresoffered.
Thereisnobridgingtheseflamesorsmotheringthem.Oneithersideoftheirlineforahundredpacesthegroundglowswithheat,andamanwouldbeturnedtoashwhotriedtocrossit.Roundfullone-halfthemountainslopesthefiresmakearampartunbreakable,andontheothersidetherockrunsinonesheerprecipicefromthecresttotheplainwhichspreadsbeyonditsfoot.ButitisonthisfarthersidethatthereistheonlyentrancewaywhichgivespassagetothecrestoftheSacredMountainfrombelow.Runningdiagonallyupthesteepfaceofthecliffisagiganticfissure,whichsucceedingages(asmanhasgrownmoreluxurious)havemademoreeasytoclimb.
Lookingattheadditions,intheancientdays,Icanwellimaginethatnonebutthemostdaringcouldhavemadetheascent.Butonegenerationhasthrownabridgeoverabadgaphere,andanotherhascutintothelivingstoneandwidenedaledgethere,tillintheselatteryearsthereisapathwithcutstepsandcarvedbalustradesuchasthefeeblestormostgiddymighttraversewithlittleeffortorexertion.Butalwayswhentheseimproversmadesmooththeobstacles,theywerecarefultoweakeninnopossiblewaythenaturaldefencesbutrathertoaddtothem.
