Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
15. Zaemon’s Summons
Mylordwouldhavedonewisertohavebroughtawifewithhim,though,andIthoughtitwasunderstoodbythegoodladythatspoketomedownattheharbour,orI’dhavementioneditearlier.ThesavagesinmyTinIslandsgonakedandstainthemselvesbluewithwoad,andareveryfilthyandbrutishtolookupon.Theyaresturdy,andshouldmakegoodslaves,butonewouldhavetogetbluntedinthetastebeforeonecouldwishtobefathertotheirchildren.”
“IamstillhusbandtoPhorenice.”
Tobgrinned.“TheGodsgiveyoujoyofher.Butitispartofamariner’screed—andyouwillgrowtobeamarinerhere—thatwedlockdoesnotholdacrosstheseas.However,thatmattermayrest.But,comingtomyTinIslandsagain:they’lldelightyou.AndItellyou,akingdomwillnotbesohardtocarveoutasitwasinEgypt,orasyoufoundinYucatan.Therearebeaststhere,ofcourse,andnoonewhocanhuntneedevergohungry.Butthegreaterbeastsarefew.Therearecave-bearsandcave-tigersinsmallnumbers,tobesure,andsomeriver-horsesandgreatsnakes.Butthegreaterlizardsseemtoavoidtheland;andasforbirds,thereisrarelyseenonethatcanhurtagrownman.Oh,Itellyou,itwillbeamostdesirablekingdom.”
“TobseemstohaveimaginedhimselfkingoftheTinIslandswithmuchreality.”
Hesighedalittle.“IntruthIdid,andthereisnodenyingit,andItellyouplain,thereisnotanothermanlivingthatIwouldhavebrokenthisvoyageforbutDeucalion.Butdon’tthinkIregretit,anddon’tthinkIwanttopushmyselfabovemyplace.
