Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
11. An Affair With The Barbarous Fishers
Didtheseprisonersoffertobuytheirliveswithnews?”
“Themanhasnotspoken.Indeed,Ithinkhegothisdeath-woundinbeingtaken.Thewomanfoughtlikeacatalso,sotheysaidinthefort,butshewascaughtwithouthurt.Shesaysshehasgotnothingthatwouldbeofusetotell.Shesaysshehastiredoflivinglikeasavageoutsidethecity,andmoreoverthat,inside,thereisamanforwhosenearnessshecravesmostmightily.”
“Tut!”saidPhorenice.“Isthisaromancewehaveswumto?Youseewhataffectionatecreatureswewomenare,Deucalion.”—Thegalleywasbroughtupagainsttheroyalquayandmadefasttoitsgoldenrings.IhandedtheEmpressashore,butsheturnedagainandfacedtheboat,hergarmentsstillyieldingupaslenderdripofwater.—“Produceyourwomanprisoner,mastercaptain,andletusseewhethersheisarunawaywife,oralovesickgirlmadafterhersweetheart.ThenIwilldeliverjudgmentonher,andaslikeasnotwillsurpriseyouallwithmyclemency.Iaminamoodfortenderromanceto-day.”
Theport-captainwentintothelittlehutchofacabinwithawhiteface.ItwasplainthatPhorenice’spleasantriesscaredhim.“Themanappearstobedead,YourMajesty.Iseethathiswounds—”
“Bringoutthewoman,youfool.Iaskedforher.Keepyourcarrionwhereitis.”
Isawthefellowstoopforhisknifetocutalashing,andpresentlywhoshouldhebringouttothedaylightbutthegirlIhadsavedfromthecave-tigersinthecircus,andwhohadsostrangelydrawnmetoherduringthehoursthatwehadspentafterwardsincompanionship.
