Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
14. Again The Gods Make Change
”Sheleanedinclosetomesothattheredcurlsofherhairsweptmycheek,andherbreathcamehotagainstmymouth.“Tastedyoueveranysweetsodeliciousasthisknowledgethatwearemadeonenow,Deucalion,pastallpossibledissolving?”
Icouldnotlietoheranymorejustthen.TheGodsknowhowhonestlyIhadstriventoplaythepartcommandedmeforAtlantis’good,butthereisalimittohumanendurance,andminewasreached.Iwasnotallangertowardsher.Ihadsomepityforthispassionofhers,whichhadgrownofitselfcertainly,butwhichIhaddonenothingtocheck;andtheindecentfranknesswithwhichitwasdisplayedwasonlypartoftheliveryofpotentateswhoflauntwhatmeanerfolkwouldcoylyhide.Butalwaysbeforemyeyeswasapictureofthegirlonwhomherjealousyhadtakensuchabittervengeance,andtoinventspuriouslover’stalkthenwasathingmytonguerefusedtodo.
“Wordsarepoorthings,”Isaid,“andIamamanunusedtowomen,andhavebutasmallstockofanyphrasesexceptthedryest.Remember,Phorenice,aweekagone,Ididnotknowwhatlovewas,andnowthatIhavelearnedthelesson,somewhatofthesuddenest,thelanguageremainsstilltocometome.Myinwardsspeak;indeedtheyarefullofspeech;butIcannottranslateintobaldcoldwordswhattheysay.”
Andhere,surelytheHighGodstookpityonmytiedtongueandmymisery,andmadeanopportunityforbringingtheceremonytoanend.
