Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
12. The Drug Of Our Lady The Moon
ForthesefishersholdthattheGodsofthesearegulatetheircraft,andthatifoneisnotpleasingtoThemTheyrobhimofhisbirds;afterwhichitwouldbeimpioustohaveanytruckordealingwithsuchafellow;andaccordinglyheislefttostarveorrobashechooses.
Allofwhichcircumstancestendtomakethefishersrude,desperatemen,whohavebeenforcedintothetradebecauseallothercallingshaverejectedthem.Theyarefellows,moreover,whowillspendthegainsofamonthonanight’sdebauch,forfearthatthemorrowwillrobthemoflifeandthechanceofspending;and,moreover,itistheironepointofhonourtobecurbedinnodesirebyanordinaryfearofconsequences.Aswillappear.
Iwentquicklytowardsthelargestknotofthesepeople,whowereskulkingbehindthehouses,leavingthelitterhaltedinthepathbehindme,andIbadethemsharplyenoughtodisperse.“Foranemployment,”Iadded,“putyourhousesinorder,andcleanthefishoffalfromthelanesbetweenthem.To-morrowIwillcomeroundheretoinspect,andputthisquarterintoabetterorder.Butforto-daytheEmpress(whosenamebeadored)wishesforaprivacy,soceaseyourstaring.”
“Thengiveusmoney,”saidashrillvoicefromamongstthehuts.
“Iwillsendyouatorchinanhour’stime,”Isaidgrimly,“andrigyouagallows,ifyougivememoreannoyance.Toyourkennels,you!”
Ithinktheywouldhaveobeyedthevoiceofauthorityiftheyhadbeenlefttothemselves.Therewasaquickstiramongstthem.
