Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
11. An Affair With The Barbarous Fishers
ButforthelifeofmeIcouldnotdoit.TheGodsknowIwasearnestenoughaboutmytask,andTheyknowalsohowitrepelledme.ButIwasatruepriestthatday,andIhadputawayallpersonallikingtocarryoutthecommandswhichtheCouncilhadlaiduponme.IfIhadknownhowtosetaboutit,Iwouldhavefalleninwithhermood.Butwhereanyofthoseshallowbedizenedtriflersaboutthecourtwouldhavebeengliblyinhiselement,Istuckforlackofadozenwords.
Therewasnohelpforitbuttoleaveall,savewhatIactuallyfelt,unsaid.DiplomacyIwastrainedin,andonmostmattersIhadaglibenoughtongue.ButtopalterwithwomenwasalightnessIhadalwaysneglected,andifIhadinventedwould-beprettyspeechesoutofmyclumsyinexperience,Phorenicewouldhaveseenthroughthefraudontheinstant.Shehadbeennurturedduringtheseyearsofherruleonapapofthesesillyprotestations,andcouldweightheirvaluewithanexpert’sexactness.
Norwasitacasewherehonestconfessionwouldhaveservedmypurposebetter.IfIhadputmypositiontoherinplainwords,itwouldhavemaderelationsworse.AndsoperforceIhadtoholdmytongue,andsubmittobeconsideredaclown.
“Ihadalwaysheard,”shesaid,“thatyoucolonistsinYucatanwerefaraheadofthoseinEgyptinalltheartsandgraces.Butyou,sir,dosmallcredittoyourvice-royalty.Why,IhavehadgentryfromtheNilecomehere,andyoumightalmostthinktheyhadneverlefttheirnativeshores.”
“Theymusthavemadegreatstridesthislasttwentyyears,then.
