I seized a large man-of-war, tied a cable to the prow,
and lifting up the anchors, I stript 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 until 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 hand.
[Illustration]
I told his majesty that I was come, according to my promise, and with
the license of the emperor, my master, to have the honor 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.
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