格列佛遊記（中英雙語典藏版）-FindBook 找書網 ISBN:9789865529802

小人國遊記

周圍響起一陣吵雜聲，可是我除了天空什麼也看不到。過了一會兒，感覺有什麼東西在我的左腿上蠕動，輕輕地向前移，越過我的胸脯，來到了我的下巴，我盡力往下看，發現周遭盡是身高不到六英吋、手持弓箭、背負箭袋的小人們，推測至少有四十個以上。
我驚訝萬分，大吼了一聲，他們嚇得落荒而逃。其中有幾個急著從我的腰部往下跳，結果受傷了。
但是不一會兒他們又回來了，而且其中一個還走到能看清我整個臉的地方，舉起雙手，抬起雙眼，一副驚訝的模樣，他用刺耳卻清晰的聲音高喊著一句我聽不懂的語言，其他人也跟著重複喊了幾次。
我努力掙扎著，扯斷了繩子，扯鬆了地樁，總算鬆開了左手臂，我把手舉到眼前，看清楚他們綑綁我的方法，再用力一扯，雖然十分疼痛，但還是將綁住我左側頭髮的繩子扯鬆了一點，這樣我的頭大概可以轉動兩英吋。
他們在我伸手抓到他們之前又逃開了。此時我聽見其中一個人大喊一聲，像是一道命令，隨即有一百多支像針一樣的箭射中我的左臂；他們又向空中射了一陣─就像我們在歐洲投下炸彈一樣─我猜想有許多箭落到身上，雖然我並沒有感覺到；有些則落在臉上，我趕緊用左手去遮擋。
一陣箭雨過後，我痛得呻吟起來，掙扎著想脫身，他們便向我發射更多的箭，有幾個還試圖用矛來刺我的腰，幸虧我穿著一件牛皮背心，那些矛刺不進去。我想現在最好乖乖地躺著，就這樣等到夜晚，因為我的左手已經鬆綁，可以很輕鬆地逃脫。至於那些居民，如果他們都長得和我看到的一樣，那麼就算他們派來最強大的軍隊，也不會是我的對手。
但是命運卻不如我所預測。
當這些小人發現我安靜下來，就不再放箭了，不過人數增加了。我的右耳聽見大約四碼外傳來敲敲打打的聲音，持續了一個多小時，我盡可能地把頭朝那個方向轉去，看見一個離地面一英呎半高的平臺，旁邊還靠著兩、三道梯子用以攀登。平臺可以容納四個人，其中站著一個看起來身分地位很高的人，他發表了一長串演說，但是我一個字也聽不懂。
他看起來像個中年人，比跟在他旁邊的三個人都來得高，那三個人中有一個是侍從，身高似乎只比我的中指略長一些，正捧著那人拖在身後的衣襬；另外兩人則分別站在他的左右扶著他。他是個十足的演說家，我看得出來他用了許多威脅的語句，有時也提出承諾，並且說了一些表示同情與友好的話。
我態度極為恭順地答了幾句，並且舉起左手，雙眼注視著太陽，請它為我作證。從我離船到現在，已經有好幾個小時沒有吃東西了，由於極度飢餓，再也無法克制不耐煩的情緒，頻頻把手指放入嘴裡，表示我要吃東西。
他完全看懂了我要表達的意思，於是他從臺上下來，命令在我的兩側放幾把梯子，接著便有一百多個人爬上來，將裝滿肉的籃子送到我的嘴邊。我看得出是好幾種動物的肉，但從味道上卻分辨不出其中的差別，有肩胛肉、腿肉和腰肉，從形狀上看起來都像羊肉，料理得很好，但是比雲雀的翅膀還要小。我一口吃下兩、三塊肉，而像步槍子彈般大的麵包一口就是三個，他們對我的體型和胃口驚訝萬分，儘速供應我食物。接著我又作手勢表示想喝水，他們從我吃東西的情形知道，少量的水是不夠的。他們熟練地吊起一個超大的桶子，讓它運轉到我手邊，再把桶蓋打開，我一飲而盡，因為裡面裝的酒還不到半品脫，酒的味道很像勃艮地葡萄酒，但是更為芳香。接著他們又送了一桶過來，我照樣一口就喝乾，並表示還想要，但是他們已經沒有了。
我表演完這些奇技之後，他們高聲歡呼了好幾次，在我的胸脯上跳起舞來。
我得承認，當他們在我身上來回走動時，我很想一把抓住最靠近我的四、五十個人，把他們摔到地上去。可是想起剛才所受的苦，也許那還不是他們最厲害的手段，而且我也承諾過要尊重他們，所以就打消了這個念頭。再說，他們如此大費周章地款待，原則上我也應該以禮相待。然而，我對這些小人的大膽行徑頗為驚訝，因為我的一隻手已經可以自由活動，他們竟敢爬到我身上走來走去，面對我這個龐然大物，他們連抖都不抖一下。

A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT

I heard a confused noise about me; but in the posture I lay, could see nothing except the sky. In a little time I felt something alive moving on my left leg, which advancing gently forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin; when, bending my eyes downwards as much as I could, I perceived it to be a human creature not six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his hands, and a quiver at his back. In the mean time, I felt at least forty more of the same kind (as I conjectured) following the first.
I was in the utmost astonishment, and roared so loud, that they all ran back in a fright; and some of them were hurt with the falls they got by leaping from my sides upon the ground.
However, they soon returned, and one of them, who ventured so far as to get a full sight of my face, lifting up his hands and eyes by way of admiration, cried out in a shrill but distinct voice, the others repeated several times, but then I knew not what they meant.
At length, struggling to get loose, I had the fortune to break the strings, and wrench out the pegs that fastened my left arm to the ground; for, by lifting it up to my face, I discovered the methods they had taken to bind me, and at the same time with a violent pull, which gave me excessive pain, I a little loosened the strings that tied down my hair on the left side, so that I was just able to turn my head about two inches.
But the creatures ran off a second time, before I could seize them; whereupon there was a great shout in a very shrill accent, like an order; when in an instant I felt above a hundred arrows discharged on my left hand, which, pricked me like so many needles; and besides, they shot another flight into the air, as we do bombs in Europe, whereof many, I suppose, fell on my body, (though I felt them not), and some on my face, which I immediately covered with my left hand.
When this shower of arrows was over, I fell a groaning with grief and pain; and then striving again to get loose, they discharged another volley larger than the first, and some of them attempted with spears to stick me in the sides; but by good luck I had on a buff jerkin, which they could not pierce. I thought it the most prudent method to lie still, and my design was to continue so till night, when, my left hand being already loose, I could easily free myself: and as for the inhabitants, I had reason to believe I might be a match for the greatest army they could bring against me, if they were all of the same size with him that I saw.
But fortune disposed otherwise of me.
When the people observed I was quiet, they discharged no more arrows; but, by the noise I heard, I knew their numbers increased; and about four yards from me, over against my right ear, I heard a knocking for above an hour, like that of people at work; when turning my head that way, as well as the pegs and strings would permit me, I saw a stage erected about a foot and a half from the ground, capable of holding four of the inhabitants, with two or three ladders to mount it: from whence one of them, who seemed to be a person of quality, made me a long speech, whereof I understood not one syllable.
He appeared to be of a middle age, and taller than any of the other three who attended him, whereof one was a page that held up his train, and seemed to be somewhat longer than my middle finger; the other two stood one on each side to support him. He acted every part of an orator, and I could observe many periods of threatenings, and others of promises, pity, and kindness.
I answered in a few words, but in the most submissive manner, lifting up my left hand, and both my eyes to the sun, as calling him for a witness; and being almost famished with hunger, having not eaten a morsel for some hours before I left the ship, I found the demands of nature so strong upon me, that I could not forbear showing my impatience (perhaps against the strict rules of decency) by putting my finger frequently to my mouth, to signify that I wanted food.
He understood me very well. He descended from the stage, and commanded that several ladders should be applied to my sides, on which above a hundred of the inhabitants mounted and walked towards my mouth, laden with baskets full of meat, which had been provided and sent thither by the king's orders, upon the first intelligence he received of me. I observed there was the flesh of several animals, but could not distinguish them by the taste. There were shoulders, legs, and loins, shaped like those of mutton, and very well dressed, but smaller than the wings of a lark. I ate them by two or three at a mouthful, and took three loaves at a time, about the bigness of musket bullets. They supplied me as fast as they could, showing a thousand marks of wonder and astonishment at my bulk and appetite. I then made another sign, that I wanted drink. They found by my eating that a small quantity would not suffice me; and being a most ingenious people, they slung up, with great dexterity, one of their largest hogsheads, then rolled it towards my hand, and beat out the top; I drank it off at a draught, which I might well do, for it did not hold half a pint, and tasted like a small wine of Burgundy, but much more delicious. They brought me a second hogshead, which I drank in the same manner, and made signs for more; but they had none to give me.
When I had performed these wonders, they shouted for joy, and danced upon my breast.
I confess I was often tempted, while they were passing backwards and forwards on my body, to seize forty or fifty of the first that came in my reach, and dash them against the ground. But the remembrance of what I had felt, which probably might not be the worst they could do, and the promise of honour I made them - for so I interpreted my submissive behaviour - soon drove out these imaginations. Besides, I now considered myself as bound by the laws of hospitality, to a people who had treated me with so much expense and magnificence. However, in my thoughts I could not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity of these diminutive mortals, who durst venture to mount and walk upon my body, while one of my hands was at liberty, without trembling at the very sight of so prodigious a creature as I must appear to them.