Хребти божевілля
VIII
Inthedecadentsculpturesthereweresignsofthinnervegetationeverywhere,andofadecreasedcountrylifeonthepartoftheOldOnes. Heatingdeviceswereshowninthehouses,andwintertravelerswererepresentedasmuffledinprotectivefabrics. Thenwesawaseriesofcartouches—thecontinuousbandarrangementbeingfrequentlyinterruptedintheselatecarvings—depictingaconstantlygrowingmigrationtothenearestrefugesofgreaterwarmth—somefleeingtocitiesundertheseaoffthefar-awaycoast,andsomeclamberingdownthroughnetworksoflimestonecavernsinthehollowhillstotheneighboringblackabyssofsubterrenewaters.
Intheenditseemstohavebeentheneighboringabysswhichreceivedthegreatestcolonization. Thiswaspartlydue,nodoubt,tothetraditionalsacrednessofthisspecialregion,butmayhavebeenmoreconclusivelydeterminedbytheopportunitiesitgaveforcontinuingtheuseofthegreattemplesonthehoneycombedmountains,andforretainingthevastlandcityasaplaceofsummerresidenceandbaseofcommunicationwithvariousmines. Thelinkageofoldandnewabodeswasmademoreeffectivebymeansofseveralgradingsandimprovementsalongtheconnectingroutes,includingthechiselingofnumerousdirecttunnelsfromtheancientmetropolistotheblackabyss —sharplydown-pointingtunnelswhosemouthswecarefullydrew,accordingtoourmostthoughtfulestimates,ontheguidemapwewerecompiling. Itwasobviousthatatleasttwoofthesetunnelslaywithinareasonableexploringdistanceofwherewewere—bothbeingonthemountainwardedgeofthecity,onelessthanaquarterofamiletowardtheancientrivercourse,andtheotherperhapstwicethatdistanceintheoppositedirection.
