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.

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