Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
17. Nais The Regained
TributewasalwayspaidfromthepeopletotheirPriests,andpresently,sotheoldhistoriessay,itwasappointedthatthisshouldtaketheformofgrain,asthiswasamediumbothdignifiedandfitting.Andthoseofthepeoplewhohaditnot,wereforcedtobartertheirotherproduceforgrainbeforetheycouldpaythistribute.
OntheSacredMountainitselfvaststorehousesweredugintherock,andherethegrainwasteemedingreatyellowheaps,andeachgenerationofthosethatweresetoverit,tookaprideinaddingtotheaccumulation.
InmoremoderndaysithadbeenacustomamongsttheyoungerandmoreforwardofthePrieststoscoffatthisancientprovision,andtoholdthatatreasureofgold,orweapons,orjewelswouldhavemorevalueandnolessofdignity;andmorethanonceithasbeenaclosethinglesttheseinnovatorsshouldnotbeout-voted.Butasitwas,theoldconstitutionhadhappilybeenpreserved,andnowintheseyearsoftrialtheClanreapedthebenefit.Andsowiththesegranaries,andaseriesofgreattanksandcisternswhichheldtherainfall,therewasnochanceofPhorenicereducingourstrongholdbymerecloseinvestment,eventhoughshesatdownstubbornlybeforeitforascoreofyears.
Butitwasthepaucityofmenforthedefencewhichoppressedmemost.AsItookmywayabouttheheadoftheMountain,inspectingallpoints,theemptinessoftheplacesmotemelikeasuccessionofblows.Thegroves,oncesotrim,werenowshaggyandunpruned.Windhadwhirledtheleavesinuponthetemplefloors,andtheylaythereunswept.
