[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
shock, some dim recess of his memory produced a kind of explanation: a
superstition claiming that by this means the ghost of a murderer's victim
could
be prevented from haunting him.
With Medea and the Mouse running as fast as any of the men, the entire body
of
Argonauts hastened to get aboard the Argo. In a few moments some thirty
sturdy
oarsmen were putting their whole backs into the oars, forcing them rapidly
downstream.
Proteus had never seen Jason so shaken. It was almost as if the captain had
never killed a man before; and Proteus knew that was not the case.
"I do not like the taste of blood," he muttered, wiping his smeared mouth on
his
sleeve, and hastily gulped down first a draught of water, then one of wine.
Then
he shuddered and looked around him, like a man in fear of immediate pursuit.
A few hours later, Jason also made such sacrifices as he could to Artemis,
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ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
with
the limited resources available on the ship. He said that such omens as he
was
able to detect were all unfavorable.
"One would think," Medea pondered, "that Diana might be angry with us too.
Can
anyone think of some way to placate her?"
"It is quite possible," offered Proteus, "that she didn't even notice." But
those who heard him only looked at him strangely, and went on making their
own
suggestions. Each man and woman aboard had a firm personal conviction of what
gods and goddesses must be like, though none of them had ever seen one.
Then they were all in the ship, and shoving off. Jason with vehement gestures
silently urged the men to speed, and to quiet at the same time. The helmsman
had
turned Argo's prow downstream, and they were making the greatest possible
speed
in that direction, in an effort to break through the ring of their pursuers
while confusion reigned aboard the Colchian ships, and reach the open sea.
Never had the ship's more than thirty oars sounded so loud to Proteus as they
did now. Once there drifted over the water, from somewhere in the darkness to
their right, a sound of confused and muffled shouting, as if the crew of one
or
more Colchian ships might be reacting to the news of their leader's death. At
any moment it seemed that one of the ships that had been standing watch might
loom out of the darkness and cut off the fugitives' escape, but so far the
darkness just ahead remained empty of their enemies.
Jason, seemingly well recovered from his horror, directed the steersman to
hold
in his mind the image of any peaceful, welcoming shore or island that might
be
available. Ideally this haven would be neither uncomfortably near, so
pursuers
would not stumble on it, nor more than a few days away. In earlier phases of
their flight from Colchis they had often yearned for such a goal, but the
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ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
compass-pyx had consistently refused to show them anything of the kind.
"But now I see it!" There was sudden elation in the navigator's voice, even
while the man's face remained glued to his instrument. "Captain, a vision of
the
very place we want!"
The words sent a murmur of relief up and down the rowers' benches, creaking
with
the shifting weight of large, hard-working men.
"I will hold that thought too," Jason muttered. "How far have we to go?"
All the indications were that such an island was only about three days away,
though no one could remember such a place being in this region, or what its
name
must be.
Proteus asked permission to take a look through the compass-pyx. When his
forehead rested on the ivory box, there grew behind his closed eyelids a
vision
of an island, a beautiful place that seemed to him hauntingly familiar,
though
he could not recall its name. The vision was so clear, the island looked so
large, that he thought it could be no more than a few days away.
When daylight came, there was no sign of any pursuit. It seemed that Medea's
assessment had been correct, regarding what must follow on her brother's
death.
The latest entry in the log said nothing of Prince Apsyrtus, certainly
nothing
of the manner of his death. It said little more than that the Argo had taken
advantage of thick fog to slip past her blockaders.
And in fact as soon as the ship reached the open sea, a thick fog did indeed
close in. Everyone aboard was willing to accept it as a sign that their luck
had
turned. The image of the welcoming island, only a few days distant, held firm
in
the mind of anyone who bent over the compass-pyx.
SIXTEEN
Page 229
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Isle of Dawn
Thinking back as he rowed in darkness and silence, and observing the moon,
which
was just past full, Proteus reckoned that four full months had now elapsed
since
he had linked his fate to that of Jason and the Argonauts. A very short time, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl ocenkijessi.opx.pl
shock, some dim recess of his memory produced a kind of explanation: a
superstition claiming that by this means the ghost of a murderer's victim
could
be prevented from haunting him.
With Medea and the Mouse running as fast as any of the men, the entire body
of
Argonauts hastened to get aboard the Argo. In a few moments some thirty
sturdy
oarsmen were putting their whole backs into the oars, forcing them rapidly
downstream.
Proteus had never seen Jason so shaken. It was almost as if the captain had
never killed a man before; and Proteus knew that was not the case.
"I do not like the taste of blood," he muttered, wiping his smeared mouth on
his
sleeve, and hastily gulped down first a draught of water, then one of wine.
Then
he shuddered and looked around him, like a man in fear of immediate pursuit.
A few hours later, Jason also made such sacrifices as he could to Artemis,
Page 227
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
with
the limited resources available on the ship. He said that such omens as he
was
able to detect were all unfavorable.
"One would think," Medea pondered, "that Diana might be angry with us too.
Can
anyone think of some way to placate her?"
"It is quite possible," offered Proteus, "that she didn't even notice." But
those who heard him only looked at him strangely, and went on making their
own
suggestions. Each man and woman aboard had a firm personal conviction of what
gods and goddesses must be like, though none of them had ever seen one.
Then they were all in the ship, and shoving off. Jason with vehement gestures
silently urged the men to speed, and to quiet at the same time. The helmsman
had
turned Argo's prow downstream, and they were making the greatest possible
speed
in that direction, in an effort to break through the ring of their pursuers
while confusion reigned aboard the Colchian ships, and reach the open sea.
Never had the ship's more than thirty oars sounded so loud to Proteus as they
did now. Once there drifted over the water, from somewhere in the darkness to
their right, a sound of confused and muffled shouting, as if the crew of one
or
more Colchian ships might be reacting to the news of their leader's death. At
any moment it seemed that one of the ships that had been standing watch might
loom out of the darkness and cut off the fugitives' escape, but so far the
darkness just ahead remained empty of their enemies.
Jason, seemingly well recovered from his horror, directed the steersman to
hold
in his mind the image of any peaceful, welcoming shore or island that might
be
available. Ideally this haven would be neither uncomfortably near, so
pursuers
would not stumble on it, nor more than a few days away. In earlier phases of
their flight from Colchis they had often yearned for such a goal, but the
Page 228
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
compass-pyx had consistently refused to show them anything of the kind.
"But now I see it!" There was sudden elation in the navigator's voice, even
while the man's face remained glued to his instrument. "Captain, a vision of
the
very place we want!"
The words sent a murmur of relief up and down the rowers' benches, creaking
with
the shifting weight of large, hard-working men.
"I will hold that thought too," Jason muttered. "How far have we to go?"
All the indications were that such an island was only about three days away,
though no one could remember such a place being in this region, or what its
name
must be.
Proteus asked permission to take a look through the compass-pyx. When his
forehead rested on the ivory box, there grew behind his closed eyelids a
vision
of an island, a beautiful place that seemed to him hauntingly familiar,
though
he could not recall its name. The vision was so clear, the island looked so
large, that he thought it could be no more than a few days away.
When daylight came, there was no sign of any pursuit. It seemed that Medea's
assessment had been correct, regarding what must follow on her brother's
death.
The latest entry in the log said nothing of Prince Apsyrtus, certainly
nothing
of the manner of his death. It said little more than that the Argo had taken
advantage of thick fog to slip past her blockaders.
And in fact as soon as the ship reached the open sea, a thick fog did indeed
close in. Everyone aboard was willing to accept it as a sign that their luck
had
turned. The image of the welcoming island, only a few days distant, held firm
in
the mind of anyone who bent over the compass-pyx.
SIXTEEN
Page 229
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Isle of Dawn
Thinking back as he rowed in darkness and silence, and observing the moon,
which
was just past full, Proteus reckoned that four full months had now elapsed
since
he had linked his fate to that of Jason and the Argonauts. A very short time, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]