Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
20. On The Bosom Of The Deep
YetImanagedtopreserveadecentshowofattentiontotheceremony;makingallthoseresponseswhichwererequiredofme;andtryingaswellasmightbetopreserveinmymindthosesentenceswhichwerethekeystopowerandlearning,andnotmerephrasingsofgrandeuranddevotion.
Butitbecameclearthatiftheceremonyofmyraisingdidnotsoonarriveatitsnaturalend,itwouldbecutshortpresentlywithsomethingofsuddenness.Phorenice’sconqueringlegionsswarmedoutontothecrestoftheMountain,andnowcarriedfullknowledgeofthedreadfulthingthatwascomeuponthecountry.Theywereoutofallcontrol,andranaboutlikemendistracted;butknowingfullwellthatthePriestswouldhavebroughtthisterriblewrecktopassbyvirtueofthepowerswhichwerestoredwithintheArkoftheMysteries,itwouldbetheirnaturalimpulsetopouroutafinalvengeanceuponanyofthesesamePrieststheycouldcomeacrossbeforeitwastoolate.
Itbegantocometomymindthatiftheceremonydidnotveryshortlyterminate,thefurtherpartoftheplanwouldstandverysmallchanceofcompletion,andIshouldcomebymydeathafterallbyfightingtoafinish,asIhadpicturedtomyselfbefore.Myflickeringattentionsawthesoldierscomingalwaysnearerintheirfranticwanderings,andsawalsotheseabelowrollingdeeperanddeeperinupontheland.
Thefires,too,whichringedinhalfthemountain,spurteduptodoubletheiroldheight,andburnedwithanunceasingroar.
