Avon Fantasy Reader No. 9 — page 36: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

half submerged in the breaking sea. Of spotless white marble they were, with manes and tails and half-furled, stretching wings of tooled gold, steeds of the very gods, freeing themselves from the clinging waters of Earth and coursing straight upward into heaven, into infinity. Never do I wish to see such horses again! I could not stand it. In the chariot, one hand grasping loosely the golden reins, the other thrusting high in exultation a trident of gold, stood the colossal figure of a man, a god, as majestic and serene as the roses were, and like them filled with the spirit and exuberance of Life itself. His feet were spread wide apart, his massive limbs and chest with their rolling muscles were. bared by the single snowy garment that swept back in the wind of his passing. His golden beard and long yellow locks of half-curled hair, whipped back in the tempest that gripped him, and against which he braced himself. And in his calm face and far-gazing eyes was, perhaps, a little of pity and of farewell, aside from the great pace and majesty and expectation. Here and there, buried in the cresting wave, clinging to the smooth black form of dolphins, were white and gold forms, female forms, nereids bidding farewell to their master. There was sadness, great sadness in the faces turned toward that great central form, but there was also hope, hope and a little of the vision, the expectation, that lay in the serene eyes of the sea- god, leaving his children, his kingdom, forever, answering the call of Olympus. Doc’s helmet was off now, dropped and forgotten, as he stood before a tablet of the radiant metal that rose to the height of a man before the mighty group. I heard muttering, half to himself, half to me, to the world: ““These be the laws of Poseidon, given unto the children of Atlas in the beginning, erected by His will in this, His temple, in Y2dral, first city of the Underworld, fifth city of Atlantis after the transformation by the wrath of Zeus! Look ye, O sons of Atlas, and obey!’” He was silent, then “ ‘After the transformation.’ Well, queerer things have happened, but to think—! It—it’s wonderful!” He turned half toward me: “Jack, do you know your Plato? Have you read the “Timeus’ and what there is of the ‘Critias’?” “No, Doc, I’m afraid I haven’t. Technical students were not SP ReseS to need much culture, in college. It was above them.” “T suppose so. It is usually so. But I am glad that I have my share of culture, even though they called me ‘the A.B.’ back in the old days. But you have heard of Atlantis?” “Oh, certainly. But that’s a fable, isn’t ite “A good many men think not, Jack. I am one. And, Jack, it seems that we are right.” “What do you mean, Doc? Has this anything to do with Atlantis? How could it? I thought Atlantis was on Earth.” 34 Conmliclooolks.co@ im