- end_line
- 3747
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:09.927Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 3665
- text
- ranged around a board heaped up with fossil fruits, and flanked with
vitreous vases, grinning like empty skulls. There they sat, exchanging
rigid courtesies. One’s hand was on his stony heart; his other pledged
a lord who held a hollow beaker. Another sat, with earnest face beneath
a mitred brow. He seemed to whisper in the ear of one who listened
trustingly. But on the chest of him who wore the miter, an adder lay,
close-coiled in flint.
At the further end, was raised a throne, its canopy surmounted by a
crown, in which now rested the likeness of a raven on an egg.
The throne was void. But half-concealed by drapery, behind the
goodliest lord, sideway leaned a figure diademed, a lifted poniard in
its hand:—a monarch fossilized in very act of murdering his guest.
“Most high and sacred majesty!” cried Babbalanja, bowing to his feet.
While all stood gazing on this sight, there came two servitors of
Media’s, who besought of Babbalanja to settle a dispute, concerning
certain tracings upon the islet’s other side.
Thither we followed them.
Upon a long layer of the slaty stone were marks of ripplings of some
now waveless sea; mid which were tri-toed footprints of some huge
heron, or wading fowl.
Pointing to one of which, the foremost disputant thus spoke:—“I
maintain that these are three toes.”
“And I, that it is one foot,” said the other.
“And now decide between us,” joined the twain.
Said Babbalanja, starting, “Is not this the very question concerning
which they made such dire contention in Maramma, whose tertiary rocks
are chisseled all over with these marks? Yes; this it is, concerning
which they once shed blood. This it is, concerning which they still
divide.”
“Which of us is right?” again demanded the impatient twain.
“Unite, and both are right; divide, and both are wrong. Every unit is
made up of parts, as well as every plurality. Nine is three threes; a
unit is as many thirds; or, if you please, a thousand thousandths; no
special need to stop at thirds.”
“Away, ye foolish disputants!” cried Media. “Full before you is the
thing disputed.”
Strolling on, many marvels did we mark; and Media said:—“Babbalanja,
you love all mysteries; here’s a fitting theme. You have given us the
history of the rock; can your sapience tell the origin of all the
isles? how Mardi came to be?”
“Ah, that once mooted point is settled. Though hard at first, it proved
a bagatelle. Start not my lord; there are those who have measured Mardi
by perch and pole, and with their wonted lead sounded its utmost
depths. Listen: it is a pleasant story. The coral wall which
circumscribes the isles but continues upward the deep buried crater of
the primal chaos. In the first times this crucible was charged with
vapors nebulous, boiling over fires volcanic. Age by age, the fluid
thickened; dropping, at long intervals, heavy sediment to the bottom;
which layer on layer concreted, and at length, in crusts, rose toward
the surface. Then, the vast volcano burst; rent the whole mass; upthrew
the ancient rocks; which now in divers mountain tops tell tales of what
existed ere Mardi was completely fashioned. Hence many fossils on the
hills, whose kith and kin still lurk beneath the vales. Thus Nature
works, at random warring, chaos a crater, and this world a shell.”
Mohi stroked his beard.
Yoomy yawned.
Media cried, “Preposterous!”
“My lord, then take another theory—which you will—the celebrated
sandwich System. Nature’s first condition was a soup, wherein the
agglomerating solids formed granitic dumplings, which, wearing down,
deposited the primal stratum made up of series, sandwiching strange
shapes of mollusks, and zoophytes; then snails, and periwinkles:—
marmalade to sip, and nuts to crack, ere the substantials came.
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- Chunk 2