Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
1. My Recall
Butheinsistedonclamberingdowntoeachoneinperson,andashedecidedthatoneofmygranarieswasaprison,andanotherapot-makingfactory,andanotheraschoolroomforyoungpriests,henaturallysaidhehadn’tmuchrelianceonmyjudgment,andwouldhavetogothroughthewholelothimself.Youknowwhatthesethorough-goingarchaeologistsareforimagination.
Butasthedaywenton,andthesunrosehigher,Coppingerbeganclearlytohavehadenoughofit,thoughhewasverygame,andinsistedongoingonmuchlongerthanwassafe.ImustsayIdidn’tlikeit.Youseethedropwasseldomlessthaneightyfeetfromthetopofthecliffs.However,atlasthewasforcedtogiveitup.IsuggestedmarchingofftoSantaBrigidaforthwith,buthewouldn’tdothat.Therewerethreemorecave-openingstobelookedinto,andifIwouldn’tdothemforhim,hewouldhavetomakeanotherefforttogettherehimself.Hetriedtomakeouthewasconferringaverygreatfavouronmebyofferingtotakeareportsolelyfrommyuntrainedobservation,butIflatlyrefusedtolookatitinthatlight.Iwasprettytiredalso;Iwassoakedwithperspirationfromtheheat;myheadachedfromtheviolenceofthesun;andmyhandswerecutrawwiththerope.
Coppingermightbetired,buthewasstillenthusiastic.Hetriedtomakemeenthusiasticalso.“Lookhere,”hesaid,“there’snoknowingwhatyoumayfindupthere,andifyoudolayhandsonanything,rememberit’syourown.Ishallhavenoclaimwhatever.”
“Verykindofyou,butI’vegotnouseforanymoremummiesdoneupingoatskinbags.
