Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
17. Nais The Regained
Thegrassblazedupforasignalalmostbeforehistimorousheelswereclearofit,andthatnightwhenthedarknessgavemecover,Itooktheriskofwhatbeastsmightbeprowling,andwenttotheplaceappointed.Therewasnoropedangling,butpresentlyonecamedownthesmoothclifffacelikesomeslendersnake.Imadealoop,slippeditoveraleg,andpulledhardasasignal.Thoseabovebegantohaul,andsoIwentbacktotheSacredMountainafteranabsenceofsomanytoilsomeandwarringyears.Therewerenonetodisturbtheascent.Phorenice’stroopshadnothoughttoguardthatgaunt,bare,seamlessprecipice.
Themenwhohauledmeupwereold,andpantedheavilywiththeirtask,and,untilIknewthereason,Iwonderedwhyaknotofyoungerpriestshadnotbeenappointedfortheduty.ButIputnoquestion.WithusofthePriests’ClanontheSacredMountain,itisalwaystakenasgrantedthatwhenanorderisgiven,itisgivenforthebest.Besides,thesepriestsdidnotofferthemselvestoquestion.TheytookmeoffatoncetoZaemon,andthatiswhatIcouldhavewished.
Theoldmangreetedmewiththeroyalsign.“AllhailtoDeucalion,”hecried,“KingofAtlantis,dulycalledtheretobytheHighCouncilofthepriests.”
“IsPhorenicedead?”Iasked.
“Itremainsforyoutoslayher,andtakeyourkingdom,if,indeed,whenallisdone,thereremainsamanoraroodoflandtogovern.
