Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
8. The Preacher From The Mountains
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“Wewerethedaughtersofonebirth;butIdonotcountwitheitherZaemonorYlganow.YlgaisthecreatureofPhorenice,andPhorenicewouldhaveallthepeopleofAtlantisslavesandinchains,sothatshemightcrushthemtheeasier.AndasforZaemon,heisnofriendofPhorenice’s;hefightswithbrainandsoultodragtheoldauthoritytothoseontheSacredMountain;andthat,ifitcomedownonusagain,wouldonlybetheexchangeofoneformofslaveryforanother.”
“Itseemstomeyoubiteatallauthority.”
“Infact,”shesaidsimply,“Ido.Ihaveseentoomuchofit.”
“Andsoyouthinkaruleofno-rulewouldbebestforthecountry?”
“Youhaveputitplainlyinwordsforme.Thatismycreedto-day.Thatisthecreedofallthoseyonder,whositinthecampandbesiegethiscity.Andwenumberonourside,now,allinAtlantissavethoseinthecityandahandfulonthepriests’Mountain.”
Ishookmyhead.“Acreedofdesperation,ifyoulike,Nais,but,believeme,asillycreed.Sincemanwasbornoutofthequakingsandthefeversofthisearth,andpickedhiswayamongstthecooler-places,hehasbeendependentalwaysonhisfellow-men.Andwheretwoarecongregatedtogether,onemustbechief,andorderhowmattersaretobegoverned—atleast,Ispeakofmenwhohaveawishtobehigherthanthebeasts.HaveyoueversetfootinEurope?”
“No.”
“Ihave.YearsbackIsailedthere,gatheringslaves.WhatdidIsee?Acountrywithoutruleororder.Tyrantstheywere,tobesure,buttheywerethebeasts.
