Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
11. An Affair With The Barbarous Fishers
ThesethingsalsowouldhavegiventoeitherPhoreniceormyselflittleenoughofconcern,astheyarethetrivialandcommonincidentsofeverysiege;butthemammothonwhichwerodehadnotbeensoproperlyschooled.Whenthefirstbluewhiffofsmokecametousdownthewindingsofthestreet,thehugeredbeasthoisteditstrunk,andbegantoswayitsheaduneasily.Whenthesmokedriftsgrewmoredense,andhereandthereatongueofflameshowedpalebeneaththesunshine,itstoppedabruptlyandbegantotrumpet.
Theguardswholedit,tuggedmanfullyatthechainswhichhungfromthejaggedmetalcollarrounditsneck,sothatthespikesrandeepintoitsflesh,andremindeditkeenlyofitsbondage.Butthebeast’sterroratthefire,whichwasnativetoitsconstitution,masteredallitsnew-boughthabitsofobedience.Fromtimeunknownmenhavehuntedthemammothinthesavageground,andthemammothhashuntedmen;andthemenhavealwaysusedfireasashield,andmammothshavelearnedtodreadfireasthemostdangerousofallenemies.
Phorenice’sbrowbegantodarkenasthegreatbeastgrewmorerestive,andsheshookherredcurlsviciously.“Someoneshallloseaheadforthisblundering,”saidshe.“Iorderedtohavethisbeasttrainedtostandindifferenttodrums,shouting,arrows,stones,andfire,andthetrainersassuredmethatallwasdone,andbroughtexamples.”
Islippedmygirdle.“Here,”Isaid,“quick.Letmeloweryoutotheground.”
Sheturnedonmewithagleam.
