Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
6. The Biters Of The City Walls
IowedmuchtothePriests’Clan,byreasonofmyoathandmembership;itseemedIowednolesstoPhorenice.And,again,wasZaemonthetrulyaccreditedenvoyofthehighcouncilofthepriestsoftheSacredMountain?AndwastheEmpressofatruthdeposedbytheHighGodsabove,orwasshestillEmpress,andstillthecommanderofmyduty?Icouldnottell,andsoIsatinmyseatawaitingwhattheeventwouldsow.
Phorenice’sfurywasgrowing.“DoIstandalonehere?”shecried.“HaveIpamperedyoucreaturesoutofalltouchwithgratitude?ItseemsthatatlastIwantanewchieftomyguards.Ho!WhowillbechiefoftheguardsoftheEmpress?”
Therewasashiftingofeyes,ahesitation.Thenagreatburlyformstrodeupfromthefartherendofthehall,andaperceptibleshudderwentupfromalltheothersastheywatchedhim.
“So,Tarca,youprefertotaketherisks,andremainchiefoftheguardyourself?”shesaidwithanangryscoff.“Trulytheredidnotseemtobemanythrustingforwardtostripyouoftheoffice.Ishallhaveafinesortingupofplacesinpaymentforthisnight’swork.Butforthepresent,Tarca,doyourduty.”
Themancameup,obviouslytimorous.Hewasasolidlymadefellow,butnotaltogetherunmartial,andthoughbutlittleofhischeekshowedabovehisdecoratedbeard,Icouldseethathepaledashecameneartothepriest.“Mylord,”hesaidquietly,“Imustaskyoutocomewithme.”
“Standaside,”saidtheoldman,thrustingouttheSymbolinfrontofhim.Icouldseehiseyesgatheronthesoldierandhisbrowsknitwithastrainofwill.
