GULLIVER’S
TRAVELS
PART 3
CHAPTER II.
The emperor of Lilliput,
attended by several of the nobility, comes to see the author in his
confinement. The emperor’s person and habit described. Learned men
appointed to teach the author their language. He gains favour by his mild
disposition. His pockets are searched, and his sword and pistols taken
from him.
When I
found myself on my feet, I looked about me, and must confess I never beheld a
more entertaining prospect. The country around appeared like a continued
garden, and the enclosed fields, which were generally forty feet square,
resembled so many beds of flowers. These fields were intermingled with
woods of half a stang, [301] and the tallest trees, as I could judge,
appeared to be seven feet high. I viewed the town on my left hand, which
looked like the painted scene of a city in a theatre.
I had been
for some hours extremely pressed by the necessities of nature; which was no
wonder, it being almost two days since I had last disburdened myself. I
was under great difficulties between urgency and shame. The best
expedient I could think of, was to creep into my house, which I accordingly
did; and shutting the gate after me, I went as far as the length of my chain
would suffer, and discharged my body of that uneasy load. But this was
the only time I was ever guilty of so uncleanly an action; for which I cannot
but hope the candid reader will give some allowance, after he has maturely and
impartially considered my case, and the distress I was in. From this time
my constant practice was, as soon as I rose, to perform that business in open
air, at the full extent of my chain; and due care was taken every morning
before company came, that the offensive matter should be carried off in
wheel-barrows, by two servants appointed for that purpose. I would not
have dwelt so long upon a circumstance that, perhaps, at first sight, may
appear not very momentous, if I had not thought it necessary to justify my
character, in point of cleanliness, to the world; which, I am told, some of my
maligners have been pleased, upon this and other occasions, to call in
question.
When this
adventure was at an end, I came back out of my house, having occasion for fresh
air. The emperor was already descended from the tower, and advancing on
horseback towards me, which had like to have cost him dear; for the beast,
though very well trained, yet wholly unused to such a sight, which appeared as
if a mountain moved before him, reared up on its hinder feet: but that prince,
who is an excellent horseman, kept his seat, till his attendants ran in, and
held the bridle, while his majesty had time to dismount. When he
alighted, he surveyed me round with great admiration; but kept beyond the
length of my chain. He ordered his cooks and butlers, who were already
prepared, to give me victuals and drink, which they pushed forward in a sort of
vehicles upon wheels, till I could reach them. I took these vehicles and
soon emptied them all; twenty of them were filled with meat, and ten with
liquor; each of the former afforded me two or three good mouthfuls; and I
emptied the liquor of ten vessels, which was contained in earthen vials, into
one vehicle, drinking it off at a draught; and so I did with the rest.
The empress, and young princes of the blood of both sexes, attended by many
ladies, sat at some distance in their chairs; but upon the accident that
happened to the emperor’s horse, they alighted, and came near his person, which
I am now going to describe. He is taller by almost the breadth of my
nail, than any of his court; which alone is enough to strike an awe into the
beholders. His features are strong and masculine, with an Austrian lip
and arched nose, his complexion olive, his countenance erect, his body and
limbs well proportioned, all his motions graceful, and his deportment
majestic. He was then past his prime, being twenty-eight years and three
quarters old, of which he had reigned about seven in great felicity, and generally
victorious. For the better convenience of beholding him, I lay on my
side, so that my face was parallel to his, and he stood but three yards off:
however, I have had him since many times in my hand, and therefore cannot be
deceived in the description. His dress was very plain and simple, and the
fashion of it between the Asiatic and the European; but he had on his head a
light helmet of gold, adorned with jewels, and a plume on the crest. He
held his sword drawn in his hand to defend himself, if I should happen to break
loose; it was almost three inches long; the hilt and scabbard were gold
enriched with diamonds. His voice was shrill, but very clear and
articulate; and I could distinctly hear it when I stood up. The ladies
and courtiers were all most magnificently clad; so that the spot they stood
upon seemed to resemble a petticoat spread upon the ground, embroidered with
figures of gold and silver. His imperial majesty spoke often to me, and I
returned answers: but neither of us could understand a syllable. There
were several of his priests and lawyers present (as I conjectured by their
habits), who were commanded to address themselves to me; and I spoke to them in
as many languages as I had the least smattering of, which were High and Low Dutch,
Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and Lingua Franca, but all to no
purpose. After about two hours the court retired, and I was left with a
strong guard, to prevent the impertinence, and probably the malice of the
rabble, who were very impatient to crowd about me as near as they durst; and
some of them had the impudence to shoot their arrows at me, as I sat on the
ground by the door of my house, whereof one very narrowly missed my left
eye. But the colonel ordered six of the ringleaders to be seized, and
thought no punishment so proper as to deliver them bound into my hands; which
some of his soldiers accordingly did, pushing them forward with the butt-ends
of their pikes into my reach. I took them all in my right hand, put five
of them into my coat-pocket; and as to the sixth, I made a countenance as if I
would eat him alive. The poor man squalled terribly, and the colonel and
his officers were in much pain, especially when they saw me take out my
penknife: but I soon put them out of fear; for, looking mildly, and immediately
cutting the strings he was bound with, I set him gently on the ground, and away
he ran. I treated the rest in the same manner, taking them one by one out
of my pocket; and I observed both the soldiers and people were highly delighted
at this mark of my clemency, which was represented very much to my advantage at
court.
Towards
night I got with some difficulty into my house, where I lay on the ground, and
continued to do so about a fortnight; during which time, the emperor gave orders
to have a bed prepared for me. Six hundred beds of the common measure
were brought in carriages, and worked up in my house; a hundred and fifty of
their beds, sewn together, made up the breadth and length; and these were four
double: which, however, kept me but very indifferently from the hardness of the
floor, that was of smooth stone. By the same computation, they provided
me with sheets, blankets, and coverlets, tolerable enough for one who had been
so long inured to hardships.
As the
news of my arrival spread through the kingdom, it brought prodigious numbers of
rich, idle, and curious people to see me; so that the villages were almost
emptied; and great neglect of tillage and household affairs must have ensued,
if his imperial majesty had not provided, by several proclamations and orders
of state, against this inconveniency. He directed that those who had
already beheld me should return home, and not presume to come within fifty
yards of my house, without license from the court; whereby the secretaries of
state got considerable fees.
In the
mean time the emperor held frequent councils, to debate what course should be
taken with me; and I was afterwards assured by a particular friend, a person of
great quality, who was as much in the secret as any, that the court was under
many difficulties concerning me. They apprehended my breaking loose; that
my diet would be very expensive, and might cause a famine. Sometimes they
determined to starve me; or at least to shoot me in the face and hands with poisoned
arrows, which would soon despatch me; but again they considered, that the
stench of so large a carcass might produce a plague in the metropolis, and
probably spread through the whole kingdom. In the midst of these
consultations, several officers of the army went to the door of the great
council-chamber, and two of them being admitted, gave an account of my
behaviour to the six criminals above-mentioned; which made so favourable an
impression in the breast of his majesty and the whole board, in my behalf, that
an imperial commission was issued out, obliging all the villages, nine hundred
yards round the city, to deliver in every morning six beeves, forty sheep, and
other victuals for my sustenance; together with a proportionable quantity of
bread, and wine, and other liquors; for the due payment of which, his majesty
gave assignments upon his treasury:—for this prince lives chiefly upon his own
demesnes; seldom, except upon great occasions, raising any subsidies upon his
subjects, who are bound to attend him in his wars at their own expense.
An establishment was also made of six hundred persons to be my domestics, who
had board-wages allowed for their maintenance, and tents built for them very
conveniently on each side of my door. It was likewise ordered, that three
hundred tailors should make me a suit of clothes, after the fashion of the
country; that six of his majesty’s greatest scholars should be employed to
instruct me in their language; and lastly, that the emperor’s horses, and those
of the nobility and troops of guards, should be frequently exercised in my
sight, to accustom themselves to me. All these orders were duly put in
execution; and in about three weeks I made a great progress in learning their
language; during which time the emperor frequently honoured me with his visits,
and was pleased to assist my masters in teaching me. We began already to
converse together in some sort; and the first words I learnt, were to express
my desire “that he would please give me my liberty;” which I every day repeated
on my knees. His answer, as I could comprehend it, was, “that this must
be a work of time, not to be thought on without the advice of his council, and
that first I must lumos kelmin pesso desmar lon emposo;” that is, swear
a peace with him and his kingdom. However, that I should be used with all
kindness. And he advised me to “acquire, by my patience and discreet
behaviour, the good opinion of himself and his subjects.” He desired “I
would not take it ill, if he gave orders to certain proper officers to search
me; for probably I might carry about me several weapons, which must needs be
dangerous things, if they answered the bulk of so prodigious a person.” I
said, “His majesty should be satisfied; for I was ready to strip myself, and
turn up my pockets before him.” This I delivered part in words, and part
in signs. He replied, “that, by the laws of the kingdom, I must be
searched by two of his officers; that he knew this could not be done without my
consent and assistance; and he had so good an opinion of my generosity and
justice, as to trust their persons in my hands; that whatever they took from
me, should be returned when I left the country, or paid for at the rate which I
would set upon them.” I took up the two officers in my hands, put them
first into my coat-pockets, and then into every other pocket about me, except
my two fobs, and another secret pocket, which I had no mind should be searched,
wherein I had some little necessaries that were of no consequence to any but
myself. In one of my fobs there was a silver watch, and in the other a
small quantity of gold in a purse. These gentlemen, having pen, ink, and
paper, about them, made an exact inventory of every thing they saw; and when
they had done, desired I would set them down, that they might deliver it to the
emperor. This inventory I afterwards translated into English, and is,
word for word, as follows:
“Imprimis:
In the right coat-pocket of the great man-mountain” (for so I interpret the
words quinbus flestrin,) “after the strictest search, we found only one
great piece of coarse-cloth, large enough to be a foot-cloth for your majesty’s
chief room of state. In the left pocket we saw a huge silver chest, with
a cover of the same metal, which we, the searchers, were not able to
lift. We desired it should be opened, and one of us stepping into it,
found himself up to the mid leg in a sort of dust, some part whereof flying up
to our faces set us both a sneezing for several times together. In his
right waistcoat-pocket we found a prodigious bundle of white thin substances,
folded one over another, about the bigness of three men, tied with a strong
cable, and marked with black figures; which we humbly conceive to be writings,
every letter almost half as large as the palm of our hands. In the left
there was a sort of engine, from the back of which were extended twenty long
poles, resembling the pallisados before your majesty’s court: wherewith we
conjecture the man-mountain combs his head; for we did not always trouble him
with questions, because we found it a great difficulty to make him understand
us. In the large pocket, on the right side of his middle cover” (so I
translate the word ranfulo, by which they meant my breeches,) “we saw a
hollow pillar of iron, about the length of a man, fastened to a strong piece of
timber larger than the pillar; and upon one side of the pillar, were huge
pieces of iron sticking out, cut into strange figures, which we know not what
to make of. In the left pocket, another engine of the same kind. In
the smaller pocket on the right side, were several round flat pieces of white
and red metal, of different bulk; some of the white, which seemed to be silver,
were so large and heavy, that my comrade and I could hardly lift them. In
the left pocket were two black pillars irregularly shaped: we could not,
without difficulty, reach the top of them, as we stood at the bottom of his
pocket. One of them was covered, and seemed all of a piece: but at the
upper end of the other there appeared a white round substance, about twice the
bigness of our heads. Within each of these was enclosed a prodigious
plate of steel; which, by our orders, we obliged him to show us, because we
apprehended they might be dangerous engines. He took them out of their cases,
and told us, that in his own country his practice was to shave his beard with
one of these, and cut his meat with the other. There were two pockets
which we could not enter: these he called his fobs; they were two large slits
cut into the top of his middle cover, but squeezed close by the pressure of his
belly. Out of the right fob hung a great silver chain, with a wonderful
kind of engine at the bottom. We directed him to draw out whatever was at
the end of that chain; which appeared to be a globe, half silver, and half of
some transparent metal; for, on the transparent side, we saw certain strange
figures circularly drawn, and thought we could touch them, till we found our
fingers stopped by the lucid substance. He put this engine into our ears,
which made an incessant noise, like that of a water-mill: and we conjecture it
is either some unknown animal, or the god that he worships; but we are more
inclined to the latter opinion, because he assured us, (if we understood him
right, for he expressed himself very imperfectly) that he seldom did any thing
without consulting it. He called it his oracle, and said, it pointed out
the time for every action of his life. From the left fob he took out a
net almost large enough for a fisherman, but contrived to open and shut like a
purse, and served him for the same use: we found therein several massy pieces
of yellow metal, which, if they be real gold, must be of immense value.
“Having
thus, in obedience to your majesty’s commands, diligently searched all his
pockets, we observed a girdle about his waist made of the hide of some
prodigious animal, from which, on the left side, hung a sword of the length of
five men; and on the right, a bag or pouch divided into two cells, each cell
capable of holding three of your majesty’s subjects. In one of these
cells were several globes, or balls, of a most ponderous metal, about the
bigness of our heads, and requiring a strong hand to lift them: the other cell
contained a heap of certain black grains, but of no great bulk or weight, for
we could hold above fifty of them in the palms of our hands.
“This is
an exact inventory of what we found about the body of the man-mountain, who
used us with great civility, and due respect to your majesty’s
commission. Signed and sealed on the fourth day of the eighty-ninth moon
of your majesty’s auspicious reign.
Clefrin Frelock, Marsi Frelock.”
When this
inventory was read over to the emperor, he directed me, although in very gentle
terms, to deliver up the several particulars. He first called for my
scimitar, which I took out, scabbard and all. In the mean time he ordered
three thousand of his choicest troops (who then attended him) to surround me at
a distance, with their bows and arrows just ready to discharge; but I did not
observe it, for mine eyes were wholly fixed upon his majesty. He then
desired me to draw my scimitar, which, although it had got some rust by the sea
water, was, in most parts, exceeding bright. I did so, and immediately
all the troops gave a shout between terror and surprise; for the sun shone
clear, and the reflection dazzled their eyes, as I waved the scimitar to and
fro in my hand. His majesty, who is a most magnanimous prince, was less
daunted than I could expect: he ordered me to return it into the scabbard, and
cast it on the ground as gently as I could, about six feet from the end of my
chain. The next thing he demanded was one of the hollow iron pillars; by
which he meant my pocket pistols. I drew it out, and at his desire, as
well as I could, expressed to him the use of it; and charging it only with
powder, which, by the closeness of my pouch, happened to escape wetting in the
sea (an inconvenience against which all prudent mariners take special care to
provide,) I first cautioned the emperor not to be afraid, and then I let it off
in the air. The astonishment here was much greater than at the sight of
my scimitar. Hundreds fell down as if they had been struck dead; and even
the emperor, although he stood his ground, could not recover himself for some
time. I delivered up both my pistols in the same manner as I had done my
scimitar, and then my pouch of powder and bullets; begging him that the former
might be kept from fire, for it would kindle with the smallest spark, and blow
up his imperial palace into the air. I likewise delivered up my watch,
which the emperor was very curious to see, and commanded two of his tallest
yeomen of the guards to bear it on a pole upon their shoulders, as draymen in
England do a barrel of ale. He was amazed at the continual noise it made,
and the motion of the minute-hand, which he could easily discern; for their
sight is much more acute than ours: he asked the opinions of his learned men
about it, which were various and remote, as the reader may well imagine without
my repeating; although indeed I could not very perfectly understand them.
I then gave up my silver and copper money, my purse, with nine large pieces of
gold, and some smaller ones; my knife and razor, my comb and silver snuff-box,
my handkerchief and journal-book. My scimitar, pistols, and pouch, were
conveyed in carriages to his majesty’s stores; but the rest of my goods were
returned me.
I had as I
before observed, one private pocket, which escaped their search, wherein there
was a pair of spectacles (which I sometimes use for the weakness of mine eyes,)
a pocket perspective, and some other little conveniences; which, being of no
consequence to the emperor, I did not think myself bound in honour to discover,
and I apprehended they might be lost or spoiled if I ventured them out of my
possession.
To be continued
