Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
11. An Affair With The Barbarous Fishers
ButIhavespoiledmyprettyclothes,andshedajewelortwo,andthat’sannoyingenoughasyousay,goodman.”
ThesillyfellowrepeatedawishthathemightbeblindedbeforetheEmpresswaseverputtosuchdiscomfortagain.
Butitseemedshecouldbecloyedwithflattery.“Ifyouaretiredofyoureyes,”saidshe,“letmetellyouthatyouhavegonethewaytohavethempluckedoutfromtheirsockets.Killmymammoth,wouldyou,becausehehasshownhimselfatriflefrolicsome?Youandyoursortwantmoreeducation,myman.Ishallhavetoteachyouthatport-captainsandsuchsmallcreaturesareveryeasytocomeby,andverysmallvaluewhengot,butthatmymammothismine—mine,doyouunderstand?—thepropertyofGoddessPhorenice,andassuchissacred.”
Theport-captainabasedhimselfbeforeher.“Iamanignorantfellow,”saidhe,“andheavenwasrobbedofitsbrightestornamentwhenPhorenicecamedowntoAtlantis.Butifreparationispermittedme,Ihavetwoprisonersinthecabinoftheboatherewhoshallbesacrificedtothemammothforthwith.Doubtlessitwouldpleasehimtomakesportwiththem,andspilloutthelastleesofhisrageupontheirbodies.”
“Prisonersyou’vegot,haveyou?Howtaken?”
“Undercoveroflastnighttheyweretryingtopassinbetweenthetwofortswhichguardtheharbourmouth.Buttheirboatfouledthechain,andbythelightofthetorchesthesentriesspiedthem.Theywerecaughtwithropes,andputinadungeon.Thereisanordernottoabuseprisonersbeforetheyhavebeenbroughtbeforeajudgment?”
“Itwasmyorder.
