Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
11. An Affair With The Barbarous Fishers
Weleftbehindusquicklyallthosewhohadtrodinthatglitteringpageant,andwewerecarriedhelplesslyonthroughthewardsofthecity.
Thebeastwasutterlybeyondallcontrol.Sogreatwasitspacethattherewasnoalternativebuttotryandclingontothecastle.Uptherewewerebeyonditsreach.Tohaveleaptoff,evenifwehadavoidedhavingbrainsdashedoutorlimbssmashedbythefall,wouldhavebeentoputourselvesatonceatafrightfuldisadvantage.Themammothwouldhavescentedusimmediately,andturned(asisthecustomofthesebeasts),andweshouldhavebeentrampledintoapulpinadozenseconds.
ThethoughtcametomethatherewastheHighGod’sanswertoPhorenice’ssacrilege.ThemammothwasappointedtocarryoutTheirvengeancebydashinghertopieces,andI,theirpriest,wastobehumanwitnessthatjusticehadbeendone.Butnodirectrevelationhadbeengivenmeonthismatter,andsoItooknoinitiative,buthungontotheswayingcastle,andheldtheEmpressagainstbruisesinmyarms.
Therewasnoguidingthebrute:initsinsanityofmadnessitdoubledmanytimesuponitscourse,thewindingsofthestreetsconfusingit.Butbydegreesweleftthelargepalacesandpyramidsbehind,andgotamongstthequartersofartisans,whereweaversandsmithsgapedatusfromtheirdoorsaswethunderedpast.Andthenwecameuponthemerchants’quarterswheremenliveovertheirstorehousesthatdotrafficwiththepeopleoverseas,andthendownanopenspacethereglitteredbeforeusamirrorofwater.
