Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
10. A Wooing
AndherethevowoftheSevenhamperedmyprogress;foritisordainedthatundernocircumstances,whateverthestress,shallegressbemadefromthispassagebeforemortaleye.OnebranchafteranotherdidItry,butalwaysfoundloiterersneartheexits.Ihadhopedtomakemyemergencebythatpathwhichcameinsidetheroyalpyramid.Buttherewasnochanceofcomingupunobservedhere;theplacewashumminglikeahive.Andso,too,witheachofthefivenextoutletsthatIvisited.Thecitywasagogwithsomestrangeexcitement.
ButIcameatlasttoatempleofoneofthelesserGods,andstoodbehindtheimageforawhilemakingobservation.Theplacewasempty;nay,fromthedustwhichrobedallthefloorsandtheseatsoftheworshippers,ithadbeenemptylongenough;soImovedallthatwasneedful,steppedout,andclosedallentrybehindme.Abroomlayunnoticedononeofthepews,andwiththisIsoondisguisedallrouteoffootmark,andtookmywaytothetempledoor.Itwasshut,andpriestthoughIwas,thesecretofitsopeningwasbeyondme.
Herewasaprettypass.Noonebuttheattendantpriestsofthetemplecouldmovethemechanismwhichclosedandopenedthemassivestonewhichfilledthedoorway;andifallhadgoneouttoattendthisspectacle,whateveritmightbe,thatwasstirringthecity,whythereIshouldbenonearerenlargementthanbefore.
