Копи царя Соломона
The Place of Death
There,uponhugepedestalsofdarkrock, sculpturedwithrudeemblemsofthePhallicworship,separatedfromeachotherbyadistanceoffortypaces,andlookingdowntheroadwhichcrossedsomesixtymilesofplaintoLoo,werethreecolossalseatedforms—twomaleandonefemale —eachmeasuringaboutthirtyfeetfromthecrownofitsheadtothepedestal.
Thefemaleform,whichwasnude,wasofgreatthoughseverebeauty, butunfortunatelythefeatureshadbeeninjuredbycenturiesofexposuretotheweather. Risingfromeithersideofherheadwerethepointsofacrescent. ThetwomaleColossi,onthecontrary,weredraped,andpresentedaterrifyingcastoffeatures,especiallytheonetoourright, whichhadthefaceofadevil. Thattoourleftwassereneincountenance,butthecalmuponitseemeddreadful. Itwasthecalmofthatinhumancruelty,SirHenryremarked,whichtheancientsattributedtobeingspotentforgood,whocouldyetwatchthesufferingsofhumanity,ifnotwithoutrejoicing,atleastwithoutsorrow. Thesethreestatuesformamostawe-inspiringtrinity,astheysitthereintheirsolitude,andgazeoutacrosstheplainforever.
Contemplatingthese"SilentOnes,"astheKukuanascallthem,anintensecuriosityagainseizedustoknowwhosewerethehandswhichhadshapedthem,whoitwasthathaddugthepitandmadetheroad.
