At last, I fixed upon a resolution, for which it is
probable I may incur some censure, and not unjustly;
for I confess I owe the preserving of mine eyes, and
consequently my liberty, to my own great rashness
and want of experience; because, if I had then known
the nature of princes and ministers, which I have since
observed in many other courts, and their methods of
treating criminals less obnoxious than myself, I should,
with great alacrity and readiness, have submitted
to so easy a punishment. But hurried on by the
precipitancy of youth, and having his imperial majesty’s
license to pay my attendance upon the emperor of Blefuscu,
I took this opportunity, before the three days were
elapsed, to send a letter to my friend the secretary,
signifying my resolution of setting out that morning
for Blefuscu, pursuant to the leave I had got; and,
without waiting for an answer, I went to that side
of the island where our fleet lay. I seized
a large man of war, tied a cable to the prow, and,
lifting up the anchors, I stripped myself, put my
clothes (together with my coverlet, which I carried
under my arm) into the vessel, and, drawing it after
me, between wading and swimming arrived at the royal
port of Blefuscu, where the people had long expected
me: they lent me two guides to direct me to the
capital city, which is of the same name. I held
them in my hands, till I came within two hundred yards
of the gate, and desired them “to signify my
arrival to one of the secretaries, and let him know,
I there waited his majesty’s command.”
I had an answer in about an hour, “that his
majesty, attended by the royal family, and great officers
of the court, was coming out to receive me.”
I advanced a hundred yards. The emperor and
his train alighted from their horses, the empress
and ladies from their coaches, and I did not perceive
they were in any fright or concern. I lay on
the ground to kiss his majesty’s and the empress’s
hands. I told his majesty, “that I was
come according to my promise, and with the license
of the emperor my master, to have the honour of seeing
so mighty a monarch, and to offer him any service
in my power, consistent with my duty to my own prince;”
not mentioning a word of my disgrace, because I had
hitherto no regular information of it, and might suppose
myself wholly ignorant of any such design; neither
could I reasonably conceive that the emperor would
discover the secret, while I was out of his power;
wherein, however, it soon appeared I was deceived.
I shall not trouble the reader with the particular
account of my reception at this court, which was suitable
to the generosity of so great a prince; nor of the
difficulties I was in for want of a house and bed,
being forced to lie on the ground, wrapped up in my
coverlet.
CHAPTER VIII.
[The author, by a lucky accident, finds means to leave
Blefuscu; and, after some difficulties, returns safe
to his native country.]
