"Alexander Kazantsev. The Destruction of Faena (ГИБЕЛЬ ФАЭНЫ, англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

the slippery board. He stood like that on the foaming crest and with
frightening speed swept towards the shore, clad in foam and spray. It seemed
incredible that he should stay on the moving watery mountain. But the madman
not only held his position; laughing defiantly, he began gliding down the
steep watery slope, then allowed the wave to throw him upon its crest again.
The crowded beach gasped at this bold display of skill.
"But I must see how that's done," said Mada determinedly, casting off
the "ancient robe" and handing it to her worried nanny.
"What are you doing, my dear?" she protested, forgetting her recent
advice. "He'll bump you with his board. And is it fitting for the daughter
of Yar Jupi to swim beside him?"
Mada ran into the sea and dived into an oncoming wave. The dark cap of
stretch material protecting her thick hair from the water bobbed amid the
foaming crests.
Mada swam as far as the breakwater and climbed onto it. From there she
saw the foreign swimmer going back to the sea with his board for another
ride on the breakers. She waved to him, although he could not see her.
There was unlikely to be as skilful a swimmer on the Great Shore as
Mada. The ocean waves bore her up onto their crests and tried to hurl her
back. But she was not accustomed to giving up once she had set her heart on
something. She decided that she absolutely must stand on that magic board,
and no force in the world could have stopped her.
The foreigner swimming away from the shore didn't even look round.
Mada only had a glimpse of the stranger, but as she swam after him she
had the distinct impression of an athletic figure in a loincloth, strong
muscles rippling under the skin, and curly hair as tousled as that of a boy.
Suddenly, Mada saw him. He was standing on a foaming crest. The water
seemed to be boiling under him, and with reckless abandon he began gliding
down the watery slope straight at Mada.
Ave noticed her at the last moment and jumped, while Mada dived under
the board.
It seemed to her that the wave had crashed down on her, but it was just
the board grazing her slightly.
Mada surfaced and looked round. The stranger's eyes met hers as he
bobbed up to the surface. He laughed joyfully and promptly began swimming
towards her, seizing the board on the way.
"Hold on!" he shouted while still some distance off.
Mada could not make anything out, but she smiled in answer, since she
realised that he was hurrying to her assistance. When he swam up to her, she
said:
"I want to stand on that..." and she pointed at the board.
"Ave Mar will be happy to help..."
"Mada Jupi."
"You'll learn the meaning of joy, strength and happiness!"
The people standing on the shore watched what was happening on the
other side of the breakwater. A sigh coursed along the beach when the two
figures appeared standing straight up on the crest of a wave, holding on to
one another and each evidently standing with one foot on the board. It
seemed like a miracle. With their arms round each other's waists in full
view of the onlookers and without falling, they were borne on the foaming