- description
- # CHAPTER LVI. A Scene In The Land Of Warwicks, Or King-Makers
## Overview
This is chapter LVI of the novel *Mardi: And a Voyage Thither*. It is a text-based chapter extracted from the file `mardi_vol2.txt`.
## Context
This chapter is part of the larger work, *Mardi: And a Voyage Thither*, a novel by Herman Melville. The novel is included in the *Melville Complete Works* collection. This chapter follows Chapter LV, "Wherein Babbalanja Comments Upon The Speech Of Alanno," and precedes Chapter LVII, "They Hearken Unto A Voice From The Gods."
## Contents
Chapter LVI, titled "A Scene In The Land Of Warwicks, Or King-Makers," describes an encounter in a land where leadership appears to be fluid and perhaps self-appointed. The narrative follows the protagonist's group as they are guided by a native named Znobbi. Znobbi boasts of his influence in elevating a "great chief," who is distinguished by thirty stars tattooed on his forehead and carries a long spear. The chief mingles freely with the crowd, and Znobbi's familiarity with him is highlighted. The chapter depicts a scene where Znobbi attempts to steal from a bystander, leading to his capture and punishment by being tied to a tree, as ordered by the chief. The characters Media and Babbalanja comment on the events, with Babbalanja observing the apparent equality and freedom of the land, while also noting the swift justice meted out.
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- CHAPTER LVI. A Scene In The Land Of Warwicks, Or King-Makers
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- text
- CHAPTER LVI.
A Scene In The Land Of Warwicks, Or King-Makers
Wending our way from the temple, we were accompanied by a fluent,
obstreperous wight, one Znobbi, a runaway native of Porpheero, but now
an enthusiastic inhabitant of Vivenza.
“Here comes our great chief!” he cried. “Behold him! It was _I_ that
had a hand in making him what he is!”
And so saying, he pointed out a personage, no way distinguished, except
by the tattooing on his forehead—stars, thirty in number; and an
uncommonly long spear in his hand. Freely he mingled with the crowd.
“Behold, how familiar I am with him!” cried Znobbi, approaching, and
pitcher-wise taking him by the handle of his face.
“Friend,” said the dignitary, “thy salute is peculiar, but welcome. I
reverence the enlightened people of this land.”
“Mean-spirited hound!” muttered Media, “were I him, I had impaled that
audacious plebeian.”
“There’s a Head-Chief for you, now, my fine fellow!” cried Znobbi.
“Hurrah! Three cheers! Ay, ay! All kings here—all equal. Every thing’s
in common.”
Here, a bystander, feeling something grazing his side, looked down; and
perceived Znobbi’s hand in clandestine vicinity to the pouch at his
girdle-end.
Whereupon the crowd shouted, “A thief! a thief!” And with a loud voice
the starred chief cried—“Seize him, people, and tie him to yonder
tree.”
And they seized, and tied him on the spot.
“Ah,” said Media, “this chief has something to say, after all; he
pinions a king at a word, though a plebeian takes him by the nose.
Beshrew me, I doubt not, that spear of his, though without a tassel, is
longer and sharper than mine.”
“There’s not so much freedom here as these freemen think,” said
Babbalanja, turning; “I laugh and admire.”
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- CHAPTER LVI. A Scene In The Land Of Warwicks, Or King-Makers