Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
17. Nais The Regained
Andlook,Deucalion,itisasmallmatter,anditwouldbelesslikelytoslipyourmemoryifyousawtoitatonceonyourlanding.Later,youmaybedisturbed.Phoreniceisboundtopullyoudownoffyourperchuptherenowshehasmadehermindtoit.Sheneverfails,onceshehassetherhandtoathing.Indeed,ifshewasnoGoddessatbirth,sheismakingherselfintooneveryrapidly.ShehasgotalltheancientlearningofourPriests,andmorebesides.ShehasdiscoveredtheSecretofLifetheserecentmonths—”
“Shehasfoundthat?”Icried,fairlystartled.“How?Tellmehow?OnlytheThreeknowthat.ItisbeyondourknowledgeevenwhoaremembersoftheSeven.”
“Iknownothingofhermeans.Butshehasthesecret,andnowsheisasgoodanimmortal(soshesays)asanyofthem.Well,Deucalion,itisdangerousformetobemissingfrommytempleoverlong,soIwillgo.Youwillcarrythatmatterwespokeofinyourmind?Itmeansmuchtome.”—Hiseyewanderedovermyraggedperson—“Andifyouthinkmyserviceisofvaluetoyou—”
“Youseemepoor,myman,andpracticallydestitute.”
“Somesmallcoin,”hemurmured,“orevenalinkofbronze?Iamatgreatexpensejustnowbuyingnourishmentformywife.Well,ifyouhavenothing,youcannotgive.SoI’lljustbidyoufarewell.”
Hetookhimselfoffthen,andIwasnotsorry.IhadneverlikedRo.ButIwastednomoreprecioustimethen.
