Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
3. A Rival Navy
“Thatyoumaycertainlyhaveifyouwishit.Butmyshipsarefoulwiththelongpassage,andareinneedofacareen.Ifyoutakethem,youwillmakeaslowvoyageofittoAtlantis.Whydoyounottakeyourownnavy?Theshipsareinharbournow,forIsawthemtherewhenwecamein.Braveshipstheyaretoo.”
“Butnotmine.ThatnavybelongstoYucatan.”
“Well,Deucalion,youareYucatan;or,rather,youwereyesterday,andhavebeenthesetwentyyears.”
Isawwhathemeant,andtheideadidnotpleaseme.Iansweredstifflyenoughthattheshipswereownedbyprivatemerchants,orbelongedtotheState,andIcouldnotclaimsomuchasaten-slavegalley.
Tathoshruggedhisshoulders.“Isupposeyouknowyourownpoliciesbest,”hesaid,“thoughtomeitseemsbutriskyforamanwhohasattainedtoapositionlikeyoursandminenottohaveprovidedhimselfwithastoutnavyofhisown.Oneneverknowswhenarecallmaybesent,and,throughlackoftheseprecautions,alife’searningsmayverywellbelostinadozenhours.”
“Ihavenofearformine,”Isaidcoldly.
“Ofcoursenot,becauseyouknowmetobeyourfriend.Buthadanothermanbeenappointedtothisvice-royalty,youmighthavebeensadlyshorn,Deucalion.Itisnotmanyfellowswhocanresistasnughoardreadyandwaitingintheverycofferstheyhavecometoline.”
“MyLordTatho,”Isaid,“itiscleartomethatyouandIhavegrowntobeofdifferenttastes.AllofthehoardthatIhavemadeformyselfinthiscolony,fewmenwouldcovet.
