Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
10. A Wooing
Thenakedcarriedarmsinthehopesofmeetingsomeonewhomtheycouldovercomeandrob;thosethathadapossessionwalkedreadytodoabattleforitsownership.Therewasnosecurity,notrust;thelessonofcivilisationhaddroppedawayfromthesecommonpeopleasmudiswashedfromthefeetbyrain,andintheirnewhabitsandtheirthoughtstheyhadgonebacktothegradefromwhichsavageslikethoseofEuropehaveneveryetemerged.ItwasagrimcommentaryonthesuccessofPhorenice’srule.
Thecrowdmergedmeintotheirrankswithoutquestion,andwiththemIpressedforwarddownthewindingstreets,oncesocleanandtrim,nowsofoulandmud-strewn.Menandwomenhaddiedofhungerinthesestreetstheselatteryears,androttedwheretheylay,andwetrodtheirbonesunderfootaswewalked.Yetrisingoutofthissqualorandthismiseryweregreatpyramidsandpalaces,thelikeofwhichforsplendourandmagnificencehadneverbeenseenbefore.Itwasajarringadmixture.
Intimewecametotheopenspaceinthecentreofthecity,whichevenPhorenicehadnotdaredtoencroachuponwithherambitiousbuildingschemes,andstoodontheseculargroundwhichsurroundsthemostancient,themostgrand,andthebreastofallthisworld’stemples.
Sincethebeginningoftime,whenmanfirstemergedamongstthebeasts,ourLordtheSunhasalwaysbeenhischiefestGod,andlegendsaysthatHeraisedthiscircleofstonesHimselftobeaplacewherevotariesshouldofferHimworship.Itisthefashionamongstusmodernsnottotaketheseoldtalesinatooliteralsense,butformyself,thisonesatisfiesme.
