d
from the ancient time when first the Ark was built, that when the day
for its purpose came, one woman and one man should be its only tenants,
and they are here already. Zaemon's will in the matter is not to be
twisted by you or by me. He has a message to be delivered to the Gods,
and (if I know him at all), he grudges every minute that is lost in
carrying it to them."

I left her then, and went out again up the stair, and stood once more on
the roof of the Ark. On the Mountain top men still ran about distracted,
but gradually they were coming to where the Ark rested on the highest
point. For the moment, however, I passed them lightly. The drowning of
the great continent that had been spread out below filled the eye. Ocean
roared in upon it with still more furious waves. The plains and the
level lands were foaming lakes. The great city of Atlantis had vanished
eternally. The mountains alone kept their heads above the flood, and
spewed out rocks, and steam, and boiling stone, or burst when the waters
reached them and created great whirlpools of surging sea, and twisted
trees, and bubbling mud.

In the space of a few breaths every living creature that dwelt in the
lower grounds had been smothered by the waters, save for a few who
huddled in a pair of galleys that were driven oarless inland, over what
had once been black forest and hunting land for the beasts. And even as
I watched, these also were swallowed up by the horrid turmoil of sea,
and nothing but the sea beasts, and those of the greater lizards which
can live in such outrageous waters, could have survived even that
state of the destruction. Indeed, none but those men who had now found
standing-ground on the upper slopes of the Sacred Mountain survived,
and it was plain that their span was short, for the great mass of the
continent sank deeper and more deep every minute before our aching eyes,
beneath the boiling inrush of the seas.

But though the great mass of the soldiery were dazed and maddened at the
prospect of the overwhelming which threatened them, there were some with
a strength of mind too valiant to give any outward show of discomposure.
Presently a compact little body of people came from out the houses and
the temples, and headed directly across the open ground towards the Ark.
On the outside marched Phorenice's personal guards with their weapons
new blooded. They had been forced to fight a way through their own
fellow soldiers. The poor demented c