32-a voyage to lilliput-第3部分

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walks　to　our　principal　high　roads；　and　not　offer　to　walk

or　lie　down　in　a　meadow　or　field　of　corn。



〃Fourth。　As　he　walks　the　said　roads　he　shall　take　the

utmost　care　not　to　trample　upon　the　bodies　of　any　of　our

loving　subjects；　their　horses　or　carriages；　nor　take　any　of

our　subjects　into　his　hands　without　their　own　consent。



〃Fifth。　If　an　express　requires　extraordinary　speed　the

Man…Mountain　shall　be　obliged　to　carry　in　his　pocket　the

messenger　and　horse　a　six　days'　journey；　and　return　the

said　messenger　（if　so　required）　safe　to　our　imperial

presence。



〃Sixth。　He　shall　be　our　ally　against　our　enemies　in　the

island　of　Blefuscu；　and　do　his　utmost　to　destroy　their

fleet；　which　is　now　preparing　to　invade　us。



〃Lastly。　Upon　his　solemn　oath　to　observe　all　the　above

articles；　the　said　Man…Mountain　shall　have　a　daily　allowance

of　meat　and　drink　sufficient　for　the　support　of　1；724

of　our　subjects；　with　free　access　to　our　royal　person；　and

other　marks　of　our　favor。　Given　at　our　palace　at　Belfaburac；

the　twelfth　day　of　the　ninety…first　moon　of　our

reign。〃



I　swore　to　these　articles　with　great　cheerfulness；

whereupon　my　chains　were　immediately　unlocked；　and　I　was

at　full　liberty。



One　morning；　about　a　fortnight　after　I　had　obtained

my　freedom；　Reldresal；　the　Emperor's　secretary　for

private　affairs；　came　to　my　house；　attended　only　by　one

servant。　He　ordered　his　coach　to　wait　at　a　distance；　and

desired　that　I　would　give　him　an　hour's　audience。　I

offered　to　lie　down　that　he　might　the　more　conveniently

reach　my　ear；　but　he　chose　rather　to　let　me　hold　him　in

my　hand　during　our　conversation。　He　began　with　compliments

on　my　liberty；　but　he　added　that；　save　for　the

present　state　of　things　at　Court；　perhaps　I　might　not

have　obtained　it　so　soon。　〃For；〃　he　said；　〃however

flourishing　we　may　seem　to　foreigners；　we　are　in　danger

of　an　invasion　from　the　island　of　Blefuscu；　which　is　the

other　great　empire　of　the　universe；　almost　as　large　and　as

powerful　as　this　of　his　Majesty。　For　as　to　what　we　have

heard　you　say；　that　there　are　other　kingdoms　in　the

world；　inhabited　by　human　creatures　as　large　as　yourself；

our　philosophers　are　very　doubtful；　and　rather　conjecture

that　you　dropped　from　the　moon；　or　one　of　the　stars；

because　a　hundred　mortals　of　your　size　would　soon　destroy

all　the　fruit　and　cattle　of　his　Majesty's　dominions。

Besides；　our　histories　of　six　thousand　moons　make　no　mention

of　any　other　regions　than　the　two　mighty　empires　of

Lilliput　and　Blefuscu；　which；　as　I　was　going　to　tell　you；

are　engaged　in　a　most　obstinate　war；　which　began　in　the

following　manner：　It　is　allowed　on　all　hands　that　the

primitive　way　of　breaking　eggs　was　upon　the　larger　end；

but　his　present　Majesty's　grandfather；　while　he　was　a　boy；

going　to　eat　an　egg；　and　breaking　it　according　to　the

ancient　practice；　happened　to　cut　one　of　his　fingers。

Whereupon　the　Emperor；　his　father；　made　a　law　commanding

all　his　subjects　to　break　the　smaller　end　of　their

eggs。　The　people　so　highly　resented　this　law　that　there

have　been　six　rebellions　raised　on　that　account；　wherein

one　emperor　lost　his　life；　and　another　his　crown。　It　is

calculated　that　eleven　hundred　persons　have　at　different

times　suffered　rather　than　break　their　eggs　at　the　smaller

end。　But　these　rebels；　the　Bigendians；　have　found　so

much　encouragement　at　the　Emperor　of　Blefuscu's

Court；　to　which　they　always　fled　for　refuge；　that　a　bloody

war；　as　I　said；　has　been　carried　on　between　the　two　empires

for　six…and…thirty　moons；　and　now　the　Blefuscudians　have

equipped　a　large　fleet；　and　are　preparing　to　descend　upon

us。　Therefore　his　Imperial　Majesty；　placing　great

confidence　in　your　valor　and　strength；　has　commanded　me

to　set　the　case　before　you。〃



I　desired　the　secretary　to　present　my　humble　duty　to

the　Emperor；　and　to　let　him　know　that　I　was　ready；　at

the　risk　of　my　life；　to　defend　him　against　all　invaders。





CHAPTER　IV





It　was　not　long　before　I　communicated　to　his　Majesty

the　plan　I　formed　for　seizing　the　enemy's　whole　fleet。

The　Empire　of　Blefuscu　is　an　island　parted　from　Lilliput

only　by　a　channel　eight　hundred　yards　wide。　I　consulted

the　most　experienced　seamen　on　the　depth　of　the　channel；

and　they　told　me　that　in　the　middle；　at　high　water；　it　was

seventy　glumguffs　（about　six　feet　of　European　measure）。

I　walked　toward　the　coast；　where；　lying　down　behind　a

hillock；　I　took　out　my　spy…glass；　and　viewed　the　enemy's

fleet　at　anchorabout　fifty　men…of…war；　and　other　vessels。

I　then　came　back　to　my　house　and　gave　orders　for　a　great

quantity　of　the　strongest　cables　and　bars　of　iron。　The

cable　was　about　as　thick　as　packthread；　and　the　bars　of

the　length　and　size　of　a　knitting…needle。　I　trebled　the

cable　to　make　it　stronger；　and　for　the　same　reason　twisted

three　of　the　iron　bars　together；　bending　the　ends　into　a

hook。　Having　thus　fixed　fifty　hooks　to　as　many　cables；

I　went　back　to　the　coast；　and　taking　off　my　coat；　shoes；

and　stockings；　walked　into　the　sea　in　my　leather　jacket

about　half　an　hour　before　high　water。　I　waded　with　what

haste　I　could；　swimming　in　the　middle　about　thirty　yards；

till　I　felt　ground；　and　thus　arrived　at　the　fleet　in　less　than

half　an　hour。　The　enemy　was　so　frightened　when　they

saw　me　that　they　leaped　out　of　their　ships　and　swam

ashore；　where　there　could　not　be　fewer　than　thirty

thousand。　Then；　fastening　a　hook　to　the　hole　at　the　prow　of

each　ship；　I　tied　all　the　cords　together　at　the　end。

Meanwhile　the　enemy　discharged　several　thousand　arrows；

many　of　which　stuck　in　my　hands　and　face。　My　greatest

fear　was　for　my　eyes；　which　I　should　have　lost　if　I　had

not　suddenly　thought　of　the　pair　of　spectacles　which　had

escaped　the　Emperor's　searchers。　These　I　took　out　and

fastened　upon　my　nose；　and　thus　armed　went　on　with　my

work　in　spite　of　the　arrows；　many　of　which　struck　against

the　glasses　of　my　spectacles；　but　without　any　other　effect

than　slightly　disturbing　them。　Then；　taking　the　knot　in

my　hand；　I　began　to　pull；　but　not　a　ship　would　stir；　for

they　were　too　fast　held　by　their　anchors。　Thus　the　boldest

part　of　my　enterprise　remained。　Letting　go　the　cord；

I　resolutely　cut　with　my　knife　the　cables　that　fastened

the　anchors；　receiving　more　than　two　hundred　shots　in

my　face　and　hands。　Then　I　took　up　again　the　knotted　end

of　the　cables　to　which　my　hooks　were　tied；　and　with　great

ease　drew　fifty　of　the　enemy's　largest　men…of…war　after　me。



When　the　Blefuscudians　saw　the　fleet　moving　in　order；

and　me　pulling　at　the　end；　they　set　up　a　scream　of　grief

and　despair　that　it　is　impossible　to　describe。　When　I　had

got　out　of　danger　I　stopped　awhile　to　pick　out　the　arrows

that　stuck　in　my　hands　and　face；　and　rubbed　on　some　of

the　same　ointment　that　was　given　me　at　my　arrival。　I

then　took　off　my　spectacles；　and　after　waiting　about　an

hour；　till　the　tide　was　a　little　fallen；　I　waded　on　to　the

royal　port　of　Lilliput。



The　Emperor　and　his　whole　Court　stood　on　the　shore

awaiting　me。　They　saw　the　ships　move　forward　in　a　large

half…moon；　but　could　not　discern　me；　who；　in　the　middle

of　the　channel；　was　under　water　up　to　my　neck。　The

Emperor　concluded　that　I　was　drowned；　and　that　the

enemy's　fleet　was　approaching　in　a　hostile　manner。　But

he　was　soon　set　at　ease；　for；　the　channel　growing　shallower

every　step　I　made；　I　came　in　a　short　time　within　hearing；

and　holding　up　the　end　of　the　cable　by　which　the　fleet

was　fastened；　I　cried　in　a　loud　voice：　〃Long　live　the　most

puissant　Emperor　of　Lilliput！〃　The　Prince　received　me

at　my　landing　with　all　possible　joy；　and　made　me　a

Nardal　on　the　spot；　which　is　the　highest　title　of　honor

among　them。



His　Majesty　desired　that　I　would　take　some　opportunity

to　bring　all　the　rest　of　his　enemy's　ships　into　his　ports；

and　seemed　to　think　of　nothing　less　than　conquering　the

whole　Empire　of　Blefuscu；　and　becoming　the　sole　monarch

of　the　world。　But　I　plainly　protested　that　I　would　never

be　the　means　of　bringing　a　free　and　brave　people　into

slavery；　and　though　the　wisest　of　the　Ministers　were　of

my　opinion；　my　open　refusal　was　so　opposed　to　his

Majesty's　ambition　that　he　could　never　forgive　me。　And

from　this　time　a　plot　began　between　himself　and　those　of

his　Ministers　who　were　my　enemies；　that　nearly　ended

in　my　utter　destruction。



About　three　weeks　after　this　exploit　there　arrived　an

embassy　from　Blefuscu；　with　humble　offers　of　peace；

which　was　soon　concluded；　on　terms　very　advantageous

to　our　Emperor。　There　were　six　ambassadors；　with　a

train　of　about　five　hundred　persons；　all　very　magnificent。

Having　been　privately　told　that　I　had　befriended　them；

they　made　me　a　visit；　and　paying　me　many　compliments

on　my　valor　and　generosity；　invited　me　to　their　kingdom

in　the　Emperor　their　master's　name。　I　asked　them　to

present　my　most　humble　respects　to　the　Emperor　their

master；　whose　royal　person　I　resolved　to　attend　before　I

returned　to　my　own　country。　Accordingly；　the　next　time

I　had　the　honor　to　see　our　Emperor　I　desired　his　general

permission　to　visit　the　Blefuscudian　monarch。　This　he

granted　me；　but　in　a　very　cold　manner；　of　which　I　afterward

learned　the　reason。



When　I　was　just　preparing　to　pay　my　respects　to　the

Emperor　of　Blefuscu；　a　distinguished　person　at　Court；　to

whom　I　had　once　done　a　great　service；　came　to　my　house

very　privately　at　night；　and　without　sending　his　name

desired　admission。　I　put　his　lordship　into　my　coat　pocket；

and；　giving　orders　to　a　trusty　servant　to　admit　no　one；　I

fastened　the　door；　placed　my　visitor　on　the　table；　and　sat

down　by　it。　His　lordship's　face　was　full　of　trouble；　and

he　asked　me　to　hear　him　with　patience；　in　a　matter　that

highly　concerned　my　honor　and　my　life。



〃You　are　aware；〃　he　said；　〃that　Skyresh　Bolgolam　has

been　your　mortal　enemy　ever　since　your　arrival；　and　his

hatred　is　increased　since　your　great　success　against