On the 26th day of October we arrived at the metropolis,
called in their language Lorbrulgrud, or Pride of
the Universe. My master took a lodging in the
principal street of the city, not far from the royal
palace, and put out bills in the usual form, containing
an exact description of my person and parts.
He hired a large room between three and four hundred
feet wide. He provided a table sixty feet in
diameter, upon which I was to act my part, and pallisadoed
it round three feet from the edge, and as many high,
to prevent my falling over. I was shown ten
times a-day, to the wonder and satisfaction of all
people. I could now speak the language tolerably
well, and perfectly understood every word, that was
spoken to me. Besides, I had learnt their alphabet,
and could make a shift to explain a sentence here
and there; for Glumdalclitch had been my instructor
while we were at home, and at leisure hours during
our journey. She carried a little book in her
pocket, not much larger than a Sanson’s Atlas;
it was a common treatise for the use of young girls,
giving a short account of their religion: out
of this she taught me my letters, and interpreted
the words.
CHAPTER III.
[The author sent for to court. The queen buys
him of his master the farmer, and presents him to
the king. He disputes with his majesty’s
great scholars. An apartment at court provided
for the author. He is in high favour with the
queen. He stands up for the honour of his own
country. His quarrels with the queen’s
dwarf.]
The frequent labours I underwent every day, made,
in a few weeks, a very considerable change in my health:
the more my master got by me, the more insatiable
he grew. I had quite lost my stomach, and was
almost reduced to a skeleton. The farmer observed
it, and concluding I must soon die, resolved to make
as good a hand of me as he could. While he was
thus reasoning and resolving with himself, a sardral,
or gentleman-usher, came from court, commanding my
master to carry me immediately thither for the diversion
of the queen and her ladies. Some of the latter
had already been to see me, and reported strange things
of my beauty, behaviour, and good sense. Her
majesty, and those who attended her, were beyond measure
delighted with my demeanour. I fell on my knees,
and begged the honour of kissing her imperial foot;
but this gracious princess held out her little finger
towards me, after I was set on the table, which I
embraced in both my arms, and put the tip of it with
the utmost respect to my lip. She made me some
general questions about my country and my travels,
which I answered as distinctly, and in as few words
as I could. She asked, “whether I could
be content to live at court?” I bowed down to
the board of the table, and humbly answered “that
I was my master’s slave: but, if I were
at my own disposal, I should be proud to devote my
life to her majesty’s service.”
