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- Генри Хаггард
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- Копи царя Соломона
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- Стр. 132/166
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At
the
edge
of
this
vast
hole
,
which
was
none
other
than
the
pit
marked
on
the
old
Dom
's
map
,
the
Great
Road
branched
into
two
and
circumvented
it
.
In
many
places
,
by
the
way
,
this
surrounding
road
was
built
entirely
out
of
blocks
of
stone
,
apparently
with
the
object
of
supporting
the
edges
of
the
pit
and
preventing
falls
of
reef
.
Along
this
path
we
pressed
,
driven
by
curiosity
to
see
what
were
the
three
towering
objects
which
we
could
discern
from
the
hither
side
of
the
great
gulf
.
As
we
drew
near
we
perceived
that
they
were
Colossi
of
some
sort
or
another
,
and
rightly
conjectured
that
before
us
sat
the
three
"
Silent
Ones
"
that
are
held
in
such
awe
by
the
Kukuana
people
.
But
it
was
not
until
we
were
quite
close
to
them
that
we
recognised
the
full
majesty
of
these
"
Silent
Ones
.
"
There
,
upon
huge
pedestals
of
dark
rock
,
sculptured
with
rude
emblems
of
the
Phallic
worship
,
separated
from
each
other
by
a
distance
of
forty
paces
,
and
looking
down
the
road
which
crossed
some
sixty
miles
of
plain
to
Loo
,
were
three
colossal
seated
forms
--
two
male
and
one
female
--
each
measuring
about
thirty
feet
from
the
crown
of
its
head
to
the
pedestal
.
The
female
form
,
which
was
nude
,
was
of
great
though
severe
beauty
,
but
unfortunately
the
features
had
been
injured
by
centuries
of
exposure
to
the
weather
.
Rising
from
either
side
of
her
head
were
the
points
of
a
crescent
.
The
two
male
Colossi
,
on
the
contrary
,
were
draped
,
and
presented
a
terrifying
cast
of
features
,
especially
the
one
to
our
right
,
which
had
the
face
of
a
devil
.
That
to
our
left
was
serene
in
countenance
,
but
the
calm
upon
it
seemed
dreadful
.
It
was
the
calm
of
that
inhuman
cruelty
,
Sir
Henry
remarked
,
which
the
ancients
attributed
to
beings
potent
for
good
,
who
could
yet
watch
the
sufferings
of
humanity
,
if
not
without
rejoicing
,
at
least
without
sorrow
.
These
three
statues
form
a
most
awe-inspiring
trinity
,
as
they
sit
there
in
their
solitude
,
and
gaze
out
across
the
plain
for
ever
.
Contemplating
these
"
Silent
Ones
,
"
as
the
Kukuanas
call
them
,
an
intense
curiosity
again
seized
us
to
know
whose
were
the
hands
which
had
shaped
them
,
who
it
was
that
had
dug
the
pit
and
made
the
road
.
Whilst
I
was
gazing
and
wondering
,
suddenly
it
occurred
to
me
--
being
familiar
with
the
Old
Testament
--
that
Solomon
went
astray
after
strange
gods
,
the
names
of
three
of
whom
I
remembered
--
"
Ashtoreth
,
the
goddess
of
the
Zidonians
,
Chemosh
,
the
god
of
the
Moabites
,
and
Milcom
,
the
god
of
the
children
of
Ammon
"
--
and
I
suggested
to
my
companions
that
the
figures
before
us
might
represent
these
false
and
exploded
divinities
.
"
Hum
,
"
said
Sir
Henry
,
who
is
a
scholar
,
having
taken
a
high
degree
in
classics
at
college
,
"
there
may
be
something
in
that
;
Ashtoreth
of
the
Hebrews
was
the
Astarte
of
the
Phoenicians
,
who
were
the
great
traders
of
Solomon
's
time
.
Astarte
,
who
afterwards
became
the
Aphrodite
of
the
Greeks
,
was
represented
with
horns
like
the
half-moon
,
and
there
on
the
brow
of
the
female
figure
are
distinct
horns
.
Perhaps
these
Colossi
were
designed
by
some
Phoenician
official
who
managed
the
mines
.
Who
can
say
?
"
Before
we
had
finished
examining
these
extraordinary
relics
of
remote
antiquity
,
Infadoos
came
up
,
and
having
saluted
the
"
Silent
Ones
"
by
lifting
his
spear
,
asked
us
if
we
intended
entering
the
"
Place
of
Death
"
at
once
,
or
if
we
would
wait
till
after
we
had
taken
food
at
mid-day
.
If
we
were
ready
to
go
at
once
,
Gagool
had
announced
her
willingness
to
guide
us
.
As
it
was
not
later
than
eleven
o'clock
--
driven
to
it
by
a
burning
curiosity
--
we
announced
our
intention
of
proceeding
instantly
,
and
I
suggested
that
,
in
case
we
should
be
detained
in
the
cave
,
we
should
take
some
food
with
us
.
Accordingly
Gagool
's
litter
was
brought
up
,
and
that
lady
herself
assisted
out
of
it
.
Meanwhile
Foulata
,
at
my
request
,
stored
some
"
biltong
,
"
or
dried
game-flesh
,
together
with
a
couple
of
gourds
of
water
,
in
a
reed
basket
with
a
hinged
cover
.
Straight
in
front
of
us
,
at
a
distance
of
some
fifty
paces
from
the
backs
of
the
Colossi
,
rose
a
sheer
wall
of
rock
,
eighty
feet
or
more
in
height
,
that
gradually
sloped
upwards
till
it
formed
the
base
of
the
lofty
snow-wreathed
peak
,
which
soared
into
the
air
three
thousand
feet
above
us
.
As
soon
as
she
was
clear
of
her
hammock
,
Gagool
cast
one
evil
grin
upon
us
,
and
then
,
leaning
on
a
stick
,
hobbled
off
towards
the
face
of
this
wall
.
We
followed
her
till
we
came
to
a
narrow
portal
solidly
arched
that
looked
like
the
opening
of
a
gallery
of
a
mine
.
Here
Gagool
was
waiting
for
us
,
still
with
that
evil
grin
upon
her
horrid
face
.
"
Now
,
white
men
from
the
Stars
,
"
she
piped
;
"
great
warriors
,
Incubu
,
Bougwan
,
and
Macumazahn
the
wise
,
are
ye
ready
?
Behold
,
I
am
here
to
do
the
bidding
of
my
lord
the
king
,
and
to
show
you
the
store
of
bright
stones
.
Ha
!
ha
!
ha
!
"
