the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第28节

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〃Audacious　wight！　that　thus；　in　complete　steel　arrayed；　doth　dare　to　venture　cross　my　way；　to　stop　the　great　Munchausen。　Know　then；　proud　knight；　that　thou　shalt　instant　perish　'neath　my　potent　arm。〃

When　Quixote；　Mancha's　knight；　responded　firm：

〃Gigantic　monster！　leader　of　witches；　crickets；　and　chimeras　dire！　know　thou；　that　here　before　yon　azure　heaven　the　cause　of　truth；　of　valour；　and　of　faith　right　pure　shall　ordeal　counter　try　it！〃

Thus　he　spoke；　and　brandishing　his　mighty　spear；　would　instant　prodigies　sublime　perform；　had　not　some　wight　placed　'neath　the　tail　of　dark　Rosinante　furze　all　thorny　base；　at　which；　quadrupedanting；　plunged　the　steed；　and　instant　on　the　earth　the　knight　roared　/credo/　for　his　life。

At　that　same　moment　ten　thousand　frogs　started　from　the　morions　of　Gog　and　Magog；　and　furiously　assailed　the　knight　on　every　side。　In　vain　he　roared；　and　invoked　fair　Dulcinea　del　Toboso：　for　frogs'　wild　croaking　seemed　more　loud；　more　sonorous　than　all　his　invocations。　And　thus　in　battle　vile　the　knight　was　overcome；　and　spawn　all　swarmed　upon　his　glittering　helmet。

〃Detested　miscreants！〃　roared　the　knight；　〃avaunt！　Enchanters　dire　and　goblins　could　alone　this　arduous　task　perform；　to　rout　the　knight　of　Mancha；　foul　defeat；　and　war；　even　such　as　ne'er　was　known　before。　Then　hear；　O　del　Toboso！　hear　my　vows；　that　thus　in　anguish　of　my　soul　I　urge；　midst　frogs；　Gridalbin；　Hecaton；　Kai；　Talon；　and　the　Rove！　＇for　such　the　names　and　definitions　of　their　qualities；　their　separate　powers。＇　For　Merlin　plumed　their　airy　flight；　and　then　in　watery　moonbeam　dyed　his　rod　eccentric。　At　the　touch　ten　thousand　frogs；　strange　metamorphosed；　croaked　even　thus：　And　here　they　come；　on　high　behest；　to　vilify　the　knight　that　erst　defended　famed　virginity；　and　matrons　all　bewronged；　and　pilgrims　hoar；　and　courteous　guise　of　all！　But　the　age　of　chivalry　is　gone；　and　the　glory　of　Europe　is　extinguished　for　ever？〃

He　spake；　and　sudden　good　Lord　Whittington；　at　head　of　all　his　raree…　show；　came　forth；　armour　antique　of　chivalry；　and　helmets　old；　and　troops；　all　streamers；　flags　and　banners　glittering　gay；　red；　gold；　and　purple；　and　in　every　hand　a　square　of　gingerbread；　all　gilded　nice；　was　brandished　awful。　At　a　word；　ten　thousand　thousand　Naples　biscuits；　crackers；　buns；　and　flannel…cakes；　and　hats　of　gingerbread　encountered　in　mid　air　in　glorious　exaltation；　like　some　huge　storm　of　mill…stones；　or　when　it　rains　whole　clouds　of　dogs　and　cats。

The　frogs；　astonished；　thunderstruck；　forgot　their　notes　and　music；　that　before　had　seemed　so　terrible；　and　drowned　the　cries　of　knight　renown；　and　mute　in　wonder　heard　the　words　of　Whittington；　pronouncing　solemn：〃Goblins；　chimeras　dire；　or　frogs；　or　whatsoe'er　enchantment　thus　presents　in　antique　shape；　attend　and　hear　the　words　of　peace；　and　thou；　good　herald；　read　aloud　the　Riot　Act！〃

He　ceased；　and　dismal　was　the　tone　that　softly　breathed　from　all　the　frogs　in　chorus；　who　quick　had　petrified　with　fright；　unless　redoubted　Gog　and　Magog；　both　with　poles；　high　topped　with　airy　bladders　by　a　string　dependent；　had　not　stormed　against　his　lordship。　Ever　and　anon　the　bladders；　loud　resounding　on　his　chaps；　proclaimed　their　fury　against　all　potent　law；　coercive　mayoralty；　when　he；　submissive；　thus　in　cunning　guile　addressed　the　knights　assailant：〃Gog；　Magog；　renowned　and　famous！　what；　my　sons；　shall　you　assail　your　father；　friend；　and　chief　confessed？　Shall　you；　thus　armed　with　bladders　vile；　attack　my　title；　eminence；　and　pomp　sublime？　Subside；　vile　discord；　and　again　return　to　your　true　'legiance。　Think；　my　friends；　how　oft　your　gorgeous　pouch　I've　crammed；　all　calapash；　green　fat；　and　calapee。　Remember　how　you've　feasted；　stood　inert　for　ages；　until　size　immense　you've　gained。　And　think；　how　different　is　the　service　of　Munchausen；　where　you　o'er　seas；　cold；　briny；　float　along　the　tide；　eternal　toiling　like　to　slaves　of　Algiers　and　Tripoli。　And　ev'n　on　high；　balloon　like；　through　the　heavens　have　journeyed　late；　upon　a　rainbow　or　some　awful　bridge　stretched　eminent；　as　if　on　earth　he　had　not　work　sufficient　to　distress　your　potent　servitudes；　but　he　should　also　seek　in　heaven　dire　cause　of　labour！　Recollect；　my　friends；　even　why　or　wherefore　should　you　thus　assail　your　lawful　magistrate；　or　why　desert　his　livery？　or　for　what　or　wherefore　serve　this　German　Lord　Munchausen；　who　for　all　your　labour　shall　alone　bestow　some　fudge　and　heroic　blows　in　war？　Then　cease；　and　thus　in　amity　return　to　friendship　aldermanic；　bungy；　brown；　and　sober。〃

Ceased　he　then；　right　worshipful；　when　both　the　warring　champions　instant　stemmed　their　battle；　and　in　sign　of　peace　and　unity　returning；　'neath　their　feet　reclined　their　weapons。　Sudden　at　a　signal　either　stamped　his　foot　sinistrine；　and　the　loud　report　of　bursten　bladder　stunned　each　ear　surrounding；　like　the　roar　of　thunder　from　on　high　convulsing　heaven　and　earth。

'Twas　now　upon　the　saddle　once　again　the　knight　of　Mancha　rose；　and　in　his　hand　far　balancing　his　lance；　full　tilt　against　the　troops　of　bulls　opposing　run。　And　thou；　shrill　Crillitrilkril；　than　whom　no　cricket　e'er　on　hob　of　rural　cottage；　or　chimney　black；　more　gladsome　turned　his　merry　note；　e'en　thou　didst　perish；　shrieking　gave　the　ghost　in　empty　air；　the　sport　of　every　wind；　for　e'en　that　heart　so　jocund　and　so　gay　was　pierced；　harsh　spitted　by　the　lance　of　Mancha；　while　undaunted　thou　didst　sit　between　the　horns　that　crowned　Mowmowsky。　And　now　Whittington　advanced；　'midst　armour　antique　and　the　powers　Magog　and　Gog；　and　with　his　rod　enchanting　touched　the　head　of　every　frog；　long　mute　and　thunderstruck；　at　which；　in　universal　chorus　and　salute；　they　sung　blithe　jocund；　and　amain　advanced　rebellious　'gainst　my　troop。

While　Sphinx；　though　great；　gigantic；　seemed　instinctive　base　and　cowardly；　and　at　the　sight　of　storming　gingerbread；　and　powers；　Magog　and　Gog；　and　Quixote；　all　against　her；　started　fierce；　o'erturning　boat；　balloons；　and　all；　loud　roared　the　bulls；　hideous；　and　the　crash　of　wheels；　and　chaos　of　confusion　drear；　resounded　far　from　earth　to　heaven。　And　still　more　fierce　in　charge　the　great　Lord　Whittington；　from　poke　of　ermine　his　famed　Grimalkin　took。　She　screamed；　and　harsh　attacked　my　bulls　confounded；　lightning…like　she　darted；　and　from　half　the　troop　their　eyes　devouring　tore。　Nor　could　the　riders；　crickets　throned　sublime；　escape　from　rage；　from　fury　less　averse　than　cannons　murder　o'er　the　stormy　sea。　The　great　Mowmowsky　roared　amain　and　plunged　in　anguish；　shunning　every　dart　of　fire…eyed　fierce　Grimalkin。　Dire　the　rage　of　warfare　and　contending　crickets；　Quixote　and　great　Magog；　when　Whittington　advancing〃Good；　my　friends　and　warriors；　headlong　on　the　foe　bear　down　impetuous。〃　He　spoke；　and　waving　high　the　mighty　rod；　tipped　wonderful　each　bull；　at　which　more　fierce　the　creatures　bellowed；　while　enchantment　drear　devoured　their　vitals。　And　all　had　gone　to　wreck　in　more　than　mortal　strife；　unless；　like　Neptune　orient　from　the　stormy　deep；　I　rose；　e'en　towering　o'er　the　ruins　of　my　fighting　troops。　Serene　and　calm　I　stood；　and　gazed　around　undaunted；　nor　did　aught　oppose　against　my　foes　impetuous。　But　sudden　from　chariot　purses　plentiful　of　fudge　poured　forth；　and　scattered　it　amain　o'er　all　the　crowd　contending。　As　when　old　Catherine　or　the　careful　Joan　doth　scatter　to　the　chickens　bits　of　bread　and　crumbs　fragmented；　while　rejoiced　they　gobble　fast　the　proffered　scraps　in　general　plenty　and　fraternal　peace；　and　〃hush；〃　she　cries；　〃hush！　hush！〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXX

　　/The　Baron　arrives　in　Englandthe　Colossus　of　Rhodes　comes　to　　　congratulate　himGreat　rejoicings　on　the　Baron's　return；　and　a　　　tremendous　concertThe　Baron's　discourse　with　Fragrantia；　and　her　　　opinion　of　the　Tour　to　the　Hebrides。/

Having　arrived　in　England　once　more；　the　greatest　rejoicings　were　made　for　my　return；　the　whole　city　seemed　one　general　blaze　of　illumination；　and　the　Colossus　of　Rhodes；　hearing　of　my　astonishing　feats；　came　on　purpose　to　England　to　congratulate　me　on　such　unparalleled　achievements。　But　above　all　other　rejoicings　on　my　return；　the　musical　oratorio　and　song　of　triumph　were　magnificent　in　the　extreme。　Gog　and　Magog　were　ordered　to　take　the　maiden　tower　of　Windsor；　and　make　a　tambourine　or　great　drum　of　it。　For　this　purpose　they　extended　an　elephant's　hide；　tanned　and　prepared　for　the　design；　across　the　summit　of　the　tower；　from　parapet　to　parapet；　so　that　in　proportion　this　extended　elephant's　hide　was　to　the　whole　of　the　castle　what　the　parchment　is　to　a　drum；　in　such　a　manner　that　the　whole　became　one　great　instrument　of　war。

To　correspond　with　this；　Colossus　took　Guildhall　and　Westminster　Abbey；　and　turning　the　foundations　towards　the　heavens；　so　that　the　roofs　of　the　edifices　were　upon　the　ground；　he　strung　them　across　with　brass　and　steel　wire　from　side　to　side；　and　thus；　when　strung；　they　had　the　appearance　of　most　noble　dulcimers。　He　then　took　the　great　dome　of　St。　Paul's；　raising　it　off　the　earth　with　as　much　facility　as　you　would　a　decanter　of　claret。　And　when　once　risen　up　it　had　the　appearance　of　a　quart　bottle。　Colossus　instantly；　with　his　teeth；　cracked　off　the　superior　part　of　the　cupola；　and　then　applying　his　lips