Chapter 7 LUCIAN IS VERY HELPFUL
　　MRS. MANNERING was pleased to hear that the ship was to call at the romantic island of Amulis.
　　She, like the children, had been fascinated by all the misty-purple islands that kept looming¹ up in thedark-blue sea. She had been dipping into Greek history, and somehow it seemed as if the Aegean Seabelonged to the past, not to the present.
　　The children borrowed her books and read them too. How old these islands were, and what storiesthey held! Lucy-Ann was fascinated by them. She stood at the deck-rail and watched all day long.
　　"Why are there so many?" she said. "What do you call a collection of so many islands — it's a longname, I know."
　　"Archipelago," said Mrs. Mannering. "You know, Lucy-Ann, it's said that once all these islands werejoined together, making a great mainland. Then something happened, and the sea rushed into what isnow the Mediterranean² basin, filled it up, and drowned a lot of this mainland. Only the highest parts,the hills and mountains, were left — and they show above the water as islands — the Aegean islandswe are cruising among!"
　　"My goodness," said Lucy-Ann, her quick imagination showing her a great sweep of water, rushingrelentlessly over a land where towns and villages stood — swallowing them up one by one, drowningthem — and at last leaving only the highest parts showing above the surface of the waters. "Oh, AuntAllie — do you mean that far below us on the ocean bed, are the ruined remains³ of cities andvillages? Did it happen long ago?"
　　"Thousands and thousands of years ago," said Mrs. Mannering. "There wouldn't be a trace of themleft now. But it explains the myriads⁴ of little islands in this sea. I'm glad we are to visit one of thethem."
　　"You're not afraid of us falling into some exciting adventure now, are you?" said Lucy-Ann slyly.
　　"You think it will be safe to visit this romantic little island?""Quite safe," said Mrs. Mannering, laughing. "For one thing I shall be with you.""We've asked Lucian to come too," said Dinah. "I know he's a nit-wit — but he really does knowabout these islands, Mother. He's told us all sorts of stories about them. His uncle owns some ofthem."

分享到：