http://
www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/booksfile.php?item=0010275554 單德興老師注譯的版本《格理弗遊記》
超級無敵棒的註釋！
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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, {1} 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.
