Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды

3. A Rival Navy

           “Thatyoumaycertainlyhaveifyouwishit.Butmyshipsarefoulwiththelongpassage,andareinneedofacareen.Ifyoutakethem,youwillmakeaslowvoyageofittoAtlantis.Whydoyounottakeyourownnavy?Theshipsareinharbournow,forIsawthemtherewhenwecamein.Braveshipstheyaretoo.”

           “Butnotmine.ThatnavybelongstoYucatan.”

           “Well,Deucalion,youareYucatan;or,rather,youwereyesterday,andhavebeenthesetwentyyears.”

           Isawwhathemeant,andtheideadidnotpleaseme.Iansweredstifflyenoughthattheshipswereownedbyprivatemerchants,orbelongedtotheState,andIcouldnotclaimsomuchasaten-slavegalley.

           Tathoshruggedhisshoulders.“Isupposeyouknowyourownpoliciesbest,”hesaid,“thoughtomeitseemsbutriskyforamanwhohasattainedtoapositionlikeyoursandminenottohaveprovidedhimselfwithastoutnavyofhisown.Oneneverknowswhenarecallmaybesent,and,throughlackoftheseprecautions,alife’searningsmayverywellbelostinadozenhours.”

           “Ihavenofearformine,”Isaidcoldly.

           “Ofcoursenot,becauseyouknowmetobeyourfriend.Buthadanothermanbeenappointedtothisvice-royalty,youmighthavebeensadlyshorn,Deucalion.Itisnotmanyfellowswhocanresistasnughoardreadyandwaitingintheverycofferstheyhavecometoline.”

           “MyLordTatho,”Isaid,“itiscleartomethatyouandIhavegrowntobeofdifferenttastes.AllofthehoardthatIhavemadeformyselfinthiscolony,fewmenwouldcovet.

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