43. CHAPTER XLIII.
As erewhile recounted, not being on the best terms in
Mardi with the King of Dominora, Media saw fit to draw
nigh unto his dominions in haughty state; he (Media) being
upon excellent terms with himself. Our sails were set, our
paddles paddling, streamers streaming, and Vee-Vee in the
shark's mouth, clamorous with his conch. The din was
soon heard; and sweeping into a fine broad bay we beheld
its margin seemingly pebbled in the distance with heads;
so populous the land.
Winding through a noble valley, we presently came to
Bello's palace, couchant and bristling in a grove. The
upright canes composing its front projected above the eaves
in a long row of spear-heads fluttering with scarlet pennons;
while below, from the intervals of the canes, were slantingly
thrust three tiers of decorated lances. A warlike aspect!
The entire structure looking like the broadside of the Macedonian
phalanx, advancing to the charge, helmeted with a roof.
“Ah, Bello,” said Media, “thou dwellest among thy
quills like the porcupine.”
“I feel a prickly heat coming over me,” cried Mohi,
“my lord Media, let us enter.”
“Ay,” said Babbalanja, “safer the center of peril, than
the circumference.”
Passing under an arch, formed by two pikes crossed, we
found ourselves targets in prospective, for certain flingers of
javelins, with poised weapons, occupying the angles of the
palace.
Fronting us, stood a portly old warrior, spear in hand,
hump on back, and fire in eye.
“Is it war?” he cried, pointing his pike, “or peace?”
reversing it.
“Peace,” said Media.
Whereupon advancing, King Bello courteously welcomed
us.
He was an arsenal to behold: Upon his head the hereditary
crown of Dominora,—a helmet of the sea-porcupine's
hide, bristling all over with spikes, in front displaying a
river-horse's horn, leveled to the charge; thrust through his
ears were barbed arrows; and from his dyed shark-skin
girdle, depended a kilt of strung javelins.
The broad chest of Bello was the chart of Mardi. Tattooed
in sea-blue were all the groups and clusters of the
Archipelago; and every time he breathed, rose and fell the
isles, as by a tide: Dominora full upon his heart.
His sturdy thighs were his triumphal arch; whereon in
numerous medallions, crests, and shields, were blazoned all
his victories by sea and land.
His strong right arm was Dominora's scroll of Fame,
where all her heroes saw their names recorded.—An endless
roll!
Our chronicler avouched, that on the sole of Bello's dexter
foot was stamped the crest of Franko's king, his hereditary
foe. “Thus, thus,” cried Bello, stamping, “thus I
hourly crush him.”
In stature, Bello was a mountaineer; but, as over some
tall tower impends the hill-side cliff, so Bello's Athos hump
hung over him. Could it be, as many of his nobles held,
that the old monarch's hump was his sensorium and source
of strength; full of nerves, muscles, ganglions and tendons?
Yet, year by year it grew, ringed like the bole of his palms.
The toils of war increased it. But another skirmish with
the isles, said the wiseacres of Porpheero, and Bello's mount
will crush him.
Against which calamity to guard, his medicos and Sangredos
sought the hump's reduction. But down it would not
come. Then by divers mystic rites, his magi tried. Making
a deep pit, many teeth they dropped therein. But they
could not fill it. Hence, they called it the Sinking Pit, for
bottom it had none. Nevertheless, the magi said, when this
pit is filled, Bello's hump you'll see no more. “Then, hurrah
for the hump!” cried the nobles, “for he will never hurl
it off. Long life to the hump! By the hump we will
rally and die! Cheer up, King Bello! Stand up, old
king!”
But these were they, who when their sovereign went
abroad, with that Athos on his back, followed idly in its
shade; while Bello leaned heavily upon his people, staggering
as they went.
Ay, sorely did Bello's goodly stature lean; but though
many swore he soon must fall; nevertheless, like Pisa's
Leaning Tower, he may long lean over, yet never nod.
Visiting Dominora in a friendly way, in good time, we
found King Bello very affable; in hospitality, almost exceeding
portly Borabolla: October-plenty reigned throughout
his palace borders.
Our first reception over, a sumptuous repast was served,
at which much lively talk was had.
Of Taji, Bello sought to know, whether his solar Majesty
had yet made a province of the moon; whether the Astral
hosts were of much account as territories, or mere Motoos,
as the little tufts of verdure are denominated, here and there
clinging to Mardi's circle reef; whether the people in the
sun vilified him (Bello) as they did in Mardi; and what
they thought of an event, so ominous to the liberties of
the universe, as the addition to his navy of three large
canoes.
Ere long, so fused in social love we grew, that Bello, filling
high his can, and clasping Media's palm, drank everlasting
amity with Odo.
So over their red cups, the two kings forgot their differences,
and concerning the disputed islet nothing more was
ever heard; especially, as it so turned out, that while they
were most hot about it, it had suddenly gone out of sight,
being of volcanic origin.
