the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第21节

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s：〃As　thou　seemest　again　to　revive　the　spirit　of　ancient　adventure；　permit　me　to　place　upon　thy　head　this　favour；　as　a　mark　of　the　esteem　in　which　I　hold　thy　valorous　disposition。〃

The　Lady　Fragrantia；　my　dear　friends；　was　one　of　the　most　divine　creatures　in　all　Great　Britain；　and　was　desperately　in　love　with　me。　She　was　drawing　my　portrait　upon　a　piece　of　white　satin；　when　the　most　noble　Hilaro　Frosticos　advanced。　He　pointed　to　the　cap　of　dignity　which　he　had　placed　upon　my　head。　〃I　do　declare；　Hilaro；〃　said　the　lovely　Fragrantia；　〃'tis　pretty；　'tis　interesting；　I　love　you；　and　I　like　you；　my　dear　Baron；〃　said　she；　putting　on　another　plume：　〃this　gives　it　an　air　more　delicate　and　more　fantastical。　I　do　thus；　my　dear　Munchausen；　as　your　friend；　yet　you　can　reject　or　accept　my　present　just　as　you　please；　but　I　like　the　fancy；　'tis　a　good　one；　and　I　mean　to　improve　it：　and　against　whatever　enemies　you　go；　I　shall　have　the　sweet　satisfaction　to　remember　you　bear　my　favour　on　your　head！〃

I　snatched　it　with　trepidation；　and　gracefully　dropping　on　my　knees；　I　three　times　kissed　it　with　all　the　rapture　of　romantic　love。　〃I　swear；〃　cried　I；　〃by　thy　bright　eyes；　and　by　the　lovely　whiteness　of　thine　arm；　that　no　savage；　tyrant；　or　enemy　upon　the　face　of　the　earth　shall　despoil　me　of　this　favour；　while　one　drop　of　the　blood　of　the　Munchausens　doth　circulate　in　my　veins！　I　will　bear　it　triumphant　through　the　realms　of　Africa；　whither　I　now　intend　my　course；　and　make　it　respected；　even　in　the　court　of　Prester　John。〃

〃I　admire　your　spirit；〃　replied　she；　〃and　shall　use　my　utmost　interest　at　court　to　have　you　despatched　with　every　pomp；　and　as　soon　as　possible；　but　here　comes　a　most　brilliant　company　indeed；　Lady　Carolina　Wilhelmina　Amelia　Skeggs；　Lord　Spigot；　and　Lady　Faucet；　and　the　Countess　of　Belleair。〃

After　the　ceremonies　of　introduction　to　this　company　were　over；　we　proceeded　to　consult　upon　the　business；　and　as　the　cause　met　with　general　applause；　it　was　immediately　determined　that　I　should　proceed　without　delay；　as　soon　as　I　obtained　the　sovereign　approbation。　〃I　am　convinced；〃　said　Lord　Spigot；　〃that　if　there　be　any　thing　really　unknown　and　worthy　of　our　most　ardent　curiosity；　it　must　be　in　the　immense　regions　of　Africa；　that　country；　which　seems　to　be　the　oldest　on　the　globe；　and　yet　with　the　greater　part　of　which　we　are　almost　utterly　unacquainted；　what　prodigious　wealth　of　gold　and　diamonds　must　not　lie　concealed　in　those　torrid　regions；　when　the　very　rivers　on　the　coast　pour　forth　continual　specimens　of　golden　sand！　'Tis　my　opinion；　therefore；　that　the　Baron　deserves　the　applause　of　all　Europe　for　his

spirit；　and　merits　the　most　powerful　assistance　of　the　sovereign。〃

So　flattering　an　approbation；　you　may　be　sure；　was　delightful　to　my　heart；　and　with　every　confidence　and　joy　I　suffered　them　to　take　me　to　court　that　instant。　After　the　usual　ceremonies　of　introduction；　suffice　it　to　say　that　I　met　with　every　honour　and　applause　that　my　most　sanguine　expectations　could　demand。　I　had　always　a　taste　for　the　fashionable　/je　ne　sais　quoi/　of　the　most　elegant　society；　and　in　the　presence　of　all　the　sovereigns　of　Europe　I　ever　found　myself　quite　at　home；　and　experienced　from　the　whole　court　the　most　flattering　esteem　and　admiration。　I　remember；　one　particular　day；　the　fate　of　the　unfortunate　Marquis　de　Bellecourt。　The　Countess　of　Rassinda；　who　accompanied　him；　looked　most　divinely。　〃Yes；　I　am　confident；〃　said　the　Marquis　de　Bellecourt　to　me；　〃that　I　have　acted　according　to　the　strictest　sentiments　of　justice　and　of　loyalty　to　my　sovereign。　What　stronger　breast…plate　than　a　heart　untainted？　and　though　I　did　not　receive　a　word　nor　a　look；　yet　I　cannot　thinkno；　it　were　impossible　to　be　misrepresented。　Conscious　of　my　own　integrity；　I　will　try　again　I　will　go　boldly　up。〃　The　Marquis　de　Bellecourt　saw　the　opportunity；　he　advanced　three　paces；　put　his　hand　upon　his　breast　and　bowed。　〃Permit　me；〃　said　he；　〃with　the　most　profound　respect；　to。〃　His　tongue　falteredhe　could　scarcely　believe　his　sight；　for　at　that　moment　the　whole　company　were　moving　out　of　the　room。　He　found　himself　almost　alone；　deserted　by　every　one。　〃What！〃　said　he；　〃and　did　he　turn　upon　his　heel　with　the　most　marked　contempt？　Would　he　not　speak　to　me？　Would　he　not　even　hear　me　utter　a　word　in　my　defence？〃　His　heart　died　within　himnot　even　a　look；　a　smile　from　any　one。　〃My　friends！　Do　they　not　know　me？　Do　they　not　see　me？　Alas！　they　fear　to　catch　the　contagion　of　my。　Then；〃　said　he；　〃adieu！'tis　more　than　I　can　bear。　I　shall　go　to　my　country　seat；　and　never；　never　will　return。　Adieu；　fond　court；　adieu！〃

The　venerable　Marquis　de　Bellecourt　stopped　for　a　moment　ere　he　entered　his　carriage。　Thrice　he　looked　back；　and　thrice　he　wiped　the　starting　tear　from　his　eye。　〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃for　once；　at　least；　truth　shall　be　foundin　the　bottom　of　a　well！〃

Peace　to　thy　ghost；　most　noble　marquis！　a　King　of　kings　shall　pity　thee；　and　thousands　who　are　yet　unborn　shall　owe　their　happiness　to　thee；　and　have　cause　to　bless　the　thousands；　perhaps；　that　shall　never　even　know　thy　name；　but　Munchausen's　self　shall　celebrate　thy　glory！



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXII

　　/Preparations　for　the　Baron's　expedition　into　AfricaDescription　　　of　his　chariot；　the　beauties　of　its　interior　decorations；　the　　　animals　that　drew　it；　and　the　mechanism　of　the　wheels。/

Everything　being　concluded；　and　having　received　my　instructions　for　the　voyage；　I　was　conducted　by　the　illustrious　Hilaro　Frosticos；　the　Lady　Fragrantia；　and　a　prodigious　crowd　of　nobility；　and　placed　sitting　upon　the　summit　of　the　whale's　bones　at　the　palace；　and　having　remained　in　this　situation　for　three　days　and　three　nights；　as　a　trial　ordeal；　and　a　specimen　of　my　perseverance　and　resolution；　the　third　hour　after　midnight　they　seated　me　in　the　chariot　of　Queen　Mab。　It　was　a　prodigious　dimension；　large　enough　to　contain　more　stowage　than　the　tun　of　Heidelberg；　and　globular　like　a　hazel…nut：　in　fact；　it　seemed　to　be　really　a　hazel…nut　grown　to　a　most　extravagant　dimension；　and　that　a　great　worm　of　proportionable　enormity　had　bored　a　hole　in　the　shell。　Through　this　same　entrance　I　was　ushered。　It　was　as　large　as　a　coach…door；　and　I　took　my　seat　in　the　centre；　a　kind　of　chair　self…　balanced　without　touching　anything；　like　the　fancied　tomb　of　Mahomet。　The　whole　interior　surface　of　the　nutshell　appeared　a　luminous　representation　of　all　the　stars　of　heaven；　the　fixed　stars；　the　planets；　and　a　comet。　The　stars　were　as　large　as　those　worn　by　our　first　nobility；　and　the　comet；　excessively　brilliant；　seemed　as　if　you　had　assembled　all　the　eyes　of　the　beautiful　girls　in　the　kingdom；　and　combined　them；　like　a　peacock's　plumage；　into　the　form　of　a　comet　that　is；　a　globe；　and　a　bearded　tail　to　it；　diminishing　gradually　to　a　point。　This　beautiful　constellation　seemed　very　sportive　and　delightful。　It　was　much　in　the　form　of　a　tadpole！　and；　without　ceasing；　went；　full　of　playful　giddiness；　up　and　down；　all　over　the　heaven　on　the　concave　surface　of　the　nutshell。　One　time　it　would　be　at　that　part　of　the　heavens　under　my　feet；　and　in　the　next　minute　would　be　over　my　head。　It　was　never　at　rest；　but　for　ever　going　east；　west；　north；　or　south；　and　paid　no　more　respect　to　the　different　worlds　than　if　they　were　so　many　lanterns　without　reflectors。　Some　of　them　he　would　dash　against　and　push　out　of　their　places；　others　he　would　burn　up　and　consume　to　ashes：　and　others　again　he　would　split　into　fritters；　and　their　fragments　would　instantly　take　a　globular　form；　like　spilled　quicksilver；　and　become　satellites　to　whatever　other　worlds　they　should　happen　to　meet　with　in　their　career。　In　short；　the　whole　seemed　an　epitome　of　the　creation；　past；　present；　and　future；　and　all　that　passes　among　the　stars　during　one　thousand　years　was　here　generally　performed　in　as　many　seconds。

I　surveyed　all　the　beauties　of　the　chariot　with　wonder　and　delight。　〃Certainly；〃　cried　I；　〃this　is　heaven　in　miniature！〃　In　short；　I　took　the　reins　in　my　hand。　But　before　I　proceed　on　my　adventures；　I　shall　mention　the　rest　of　my　attendant　furniture。　The　chariot　was　drawn　by　a　team　of　nine　bulls　harnessed　to　it；　three　after　three。　In　the　first　rank　was　a　most　tremendous　bull　named　John　Mowmowsky；　the　rest　were　called　Jacks　in　general；　but　not　dignified　by　any　particular　denomination。　They　were　all　shod　for　the　journey；　not　indeed　like　horses；　with　iron；　or　as　bullocks　commonly　are；　to　drag　on　a　cart；　but　were　shod　with　men's　skulls。　Each　of　their　feet　was；　hoof　and　all；　crammed　into　a　man's　head；　cut　off　for　the　purpose；　and　fastened　therein　with　a　kind　of　cement　or　paste；　so　that　the　skull　seemed　to　be　a　part　of　the　foot　and　hoof　of　the　animal。　With　these　skull…shoes　the　creatures　could　perform　astonishing　journeys；　and　slide　upon　the　water；　or　upon　the　ocean；　with　great　velocity。　The　harnesses　were　fastened　with　golden　buckles；　and　decked　with　studs　in　a　superb　style；　and　the　creatures　were　ridden　by　nine　postillions；　crickets　of　a　great　size；　as　large　as　monkeys；　who　sat　squat　upon　the　heads　of　the　bulls；　and　were　continually　chirping　at　a　most　infernal　rate；　loud　in　proportion　to　their　bodies。

The　wheels　of　the　chariot　consisted　of　upwards　of　ten　thousand　springs；　forme