"A Tale of the Ragged Mountains" - читать интересную книгу автора (Poe Edgar Allan)

arouse myself to waking consciousness. I stepped boldly and briskly
forward. I rubbed my eyes. I called aloud. I pinched my limbs. A small
spring of water presented itself to my view, and here, stooping, I
bathed my hands and my head and neck. This seemed to dissipate the
equivocal sensations which had hitherto annoyed me. I arose, as I
thought, a new man, and proceeded steadily and complacently on my
unknown way.
"At length, quite overcome by exertion, and by a certain
oppressive closeness of the atmosphere, I seated myself beneath a
tree. Presently there came a feeble gleam of sunshine, and the
shadow of the leaves of the tree fell faintly but definitely upon
the grass. At this shadow I gazed wonderingly for many minutes. Its
character stupefied me with astonishment. I looked upward. The tree
was a palm.
"I now arose hurriedly, and in a state of fearful agitation- for the
fancy that I dreamed would serve me no longer. I saw- I felt that I
had perfect command of my senses- and these senses now brought to my
soul a world of novel and singular sensation. The heat became all at
once intolerable. A strange odor loaded the breeze. A low,
continuous murmur, like that arising from a full, but gently flowing
river, came to my ears, intermingled with the peculiar hum of
multitudinous human voices.
"While I listened in an extremity of astonishment which I need not
attempt to describe, a strong and brief gust of wind bore off the
incumbent fog as if by the wand of an enchanter.
"I found myself at the foot of a high mountain, and looking down
into a vast plain, through which wound a majestic river. On the margin
of this river stood an Eastern-looking city, such as we read of in the
Arabian Tales, but of a character even more singular than any there
described. From my position, which was far above the level of the
town, I could perceive its every nook and corner, as if delineated
on a map. The streets seemed innumerable, and crossed each other
irregularly in all directions, but were rather long winding alleys
than streets, and absolutely swarmed with inhabitants. The houses were
wildly picturesque. On every hand was a wilderness of balconies, of
verandas, of minarets, of shrines, and fantastically carved oriels.
Bazaars abounded; and in these were displayed rich wares in infinite
variety and profusion- silks, muslins, the most dazzling cutlery,
the most magnificent jewels and gems. Besides these things, were seen,
on all sides, banners and palanquins, litters with stately dames close
veiled, elephants gorgeously caparisoned, idols grotesquely hewn,
drums, banners, and gongs, spears, silver and gilded maces. And amid
the crowd, and the clamor, and the general intricacy and confusion-
amid the million of black and yellow men, turbaned and robed, and of
flowing beard, there roamed a countless multitude of holy filleted
bulls, while vast legions of the filthy but sacred ape clambered,
chattering and shrieking, about the cornices of the mosques, or
clung to the minarets and oriels. From the swarming streets to the
banks of the river, there descended innumerable flights of steps
leading to bathing places, while the river itself seemed to force a