Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
11. An Affair With The Barbarous Fishers
WhenlastIwassenttoEgypttoreport,theblackswereclearlymastersoftheland,andourpeoplelivedthereonlyonsufferance.Theirpyramidswerepuny,andtheircitiesnothingmorethanforts.”
“Oh,”shesaidmockingly,“theyaremereexilesstill,buttheyremembertheirmanners.Mypoorfaceseemedtopleasethem,atleasttheyallwentintorapturesoverit.Andfortenpleasantwords,oneofthemcutoffhisownrighthand.Wemadethebargain,myEgyptiangallantandI,andthehandliesdriedonsomeshelfinmyapartmentto-dayasapleasantmemento.”
Buthere,byaluckychanceforme,anincidentoccurredwhichsavedmefromfurtherbaiting.Therebelsoutsidethewallswereconductingtheirday’sattackwithvigourandsomeintelligence.Morethanonceduringourprocessionthelightermissilesfromtheirwarengineshadsungupthroughtheair,andsplitagainstabuilding,andthrownsplinterswhichwoundedthosewhothrongedthestreets.Stilltherehadbeennothingtorufflethenervesofanyoneatallusedtothehapsofwarfare,orinanywaytohinderourcourtship.Butpresently,itseems,theystoppedhurlingstonesfromtheirwarengines,andtooktoloadingthemwithcarcasesofwoodlinedwiththethrowingfire.
Now,againststonebuildingsthesedidlittleharm,saveonlythattheyscorchedhorriblyanypoorwretchthatwaswithinsplashofthemwhentheyburst;butwhentheyfellupontherudewoodenboothsandrushsheltersofthepoorerfolk,theysetthemablazeinstantly.Therewasnoputtingoutthesefires.
