- end_line
- 11387
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:18.539Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 11304
- text
- “Yamjamma disdained to be plain; he scorned to be fully comprehended by
mortals. Like all oracles, he dealt in dark sayings. But old Bardianna
was of another sort; he spoke right out, going straight to the point
like a javelin; especially when he laid it down for a universal maxim,
that minus exceptions, all men are bedeviled.”
“Of course, then,” said Media, “you include yourself among the number.”
“Most assuredly; and so did old Bardianna; who somewhere says, that
being thoroughly bedeviled himself, he was so much the better qualified
to discourse upon the deviltries of his neighbors. But in another place
he seems to contradict himself, by asserting, that he is not so
sensible of his own deviltry as of other people’s.”
“Hold!” cried Media, “who have we here?” and he pointed ahead of our
prow to three men in the water, urging themselves along, each with a
paddle.
We made haste to overtake them.
“Who are you?” said Media, “where from, and where bound?”
“From Variora,” they answered, “and bound to Mondoldo.” “And did that
devil Tribonnora swamp your canoe?” asked Media, offering to help them
into ours.
“We had no such useless incumbrance to lose,” they replied, resting on
their backs, and panting with their exertions. “If we had had a canoe,
we would have had to paddle it along with us; whereas we have only our
bodies to paddle.”
“You are a parcel of loons,” exclaimed Media. “But go your ways, if you
are satisfied with your locomotion, well and good.”
“Now, it is an extreme case, I grant,” said Babbalanja, “but those poor
devils there, help to establish old Bardianna’s position. They belong
to that species of our bedeviled race, called simpletons; but their
devils harming none but themselves, are permitted to be at large with
the fish. Whereas, Tribonnora’s devil, who daily runs down canoes,
drowning their occupants, belongs to the species of out and out devils;
but being high in station, and strongly backed by kith and kin,
Tribonnora can not be mastered, and put in a strait jacket. For myself,
I think my devil is some where between these two extremes; at any rate,
he belongs to that class of devils who harm not other devils.”
“I am not so sure of that,” retorted Media. “Methinks this doctrine of
yours, about all mankind being bedeviled, will work a deal of mischief;
seeing that by implication it absolves you mortals from moral
accountability. Further-more; as your doctrine is exceedingly evil, by
Yamjamma’s theory it follows, that you must be proportionably
bedeviled; and since it harms others, your devil is of the number of
those whom it is best to limbo; and since he is one of those that can
be limboed, limboed he shall be in you.”
And so saying, he humorously commanded his attendants to lay hands upon
the bedeviled philosopher, and place a bandage upon his mouth, that he
might no more disseminate his devilish doctrine.
Against this, Babbalanja demurred, protesting that he was no
orang-outang, to be so rudely handled.
“Better and better,” said Media, “you but illustrate Bardianna’s
theory; that men are not sensible of their being bedeviled.”
Thus tantalized, Babbalanja displayed few signs of philosophy.
Whereupon, said Media, “Assuredly his devil is foaming; behold his
mouth!” And he commanded him to be bound hand and foot.
At length, seeing all resistance ineffectual, Babbalanja submitted; but
not without many objurgations.
Presently, however, they released him; when Media inquired, how he
relished the application of his theory; and whether he was still’ of
old Bardianna’s mind?
To which, haughtily adjusting his robe, Babbalanja replied, “The strong
arm, my lord, is no argument, though it overcomes all logic.”
END OF VOL. I.
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