the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第36章

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Saying　these　words；　I　drove　my　chariot　with　all　my　might　in　my　former　track；　that　vestige　mentioned　by　the　Baron　de　Tott；　and　when　I　was　advanced　considerably；　I　felt　my　chariot　sinking　under　me。　I　attempted　to　drive　on；　but　the　ground；　or　rather　immense　vault；　giving　way；　my　chariot　and　all　went　down　precipitately。　Stunned　by　the　fall；　it　was　some　moments　before　I　could　recollect　myself；　when　at　length；　to　my　amazement；　I　perceived　myself　fallen　into　the　Alexandrine　Library；　overwhelmed　in　an　ocean　of　books；　thousands　of　volumes　came　tumbling　on　my　head　amidst　the　ruins　of　that　part　of　the　vault　through　which　my　chariot　had　descended；　and　for　a　time　buried　my　bulls　and　all　beneath　a　heap　of　learning。　However；　I　contrived　to　extricate　myself；　and　advanced　with　awful　admiration　through　the　vast　avenues　of　the　library。　I　perceived　on　every　side　innumerable　volumes　and　repositories　of　ancient　learning；　and　all　the　science　of　the　Antediluvian　world。　Here　I　met　with　Hermes　Trismegistus；　and　a　parcel　of　old　philosophers　debating　upon　the　politics　and　learning　of　their　days。　I　gave　them　inexpressible　delight　in　telling　them；　in　a　few　words；　all　the　discoveries　of　Newton；　and　the　history　of　the　world　since　their　time。　These　gentry；　on　the　contrary；　told　me　a　thousand　stories　of　antiquity　that　some　of　our　antiquarians　would　give　their　very　eyes　to　hear。

In　short；　I　ordered　the　library　to　be　preserved；　and　I　intend　making　a　present　of　it；　as　soon　as　it　arrives　in　England；　to　the　Royal　Society；　together　with　Hermes　Trismegistus；　and　half　a　dozen　old　philosophers。　I　have　got　a　beautiful　cage　made；　in　which　I　keep　these　extraordinary　creatures；　and　feed　them　with　bread　and　honey；　as　they　seem　to　believe　in　a　kind　of　doctrine　of　transmigration；　and　will　not　touch　flesh。　Hermes　Trismegistus　especially　is　a　most　antique　looking　being；　with　a　beard　half　a　yard　long；　covered　with　a　robe　of　golden　embroidery；　and　prates　like　a　parrot。　He　will　cut　a　very　brilliant　figure　in　the　Museum。

Having　made　a　track　with　my　chariot　from　sea　to　sea；　I　ordered　my　Turks　and　Russians　to　begin；　and　in　a　few　hours　we　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　a　fleet　of　British　East　Indiamen　in　full　sail　through　the　canal。　The　officers　of　this　fleet　were　very　polite；　and　paid　me　every　applause　and　congratulation　my　exploits　could　merit。　They　told　me　of　their　affairs　in　India；　and　the　ferocity　of　that　dreadful　warrior；　Tippoo　Sahib；　on　which　I　resolved　to　go　to　India　and　encounter　the　tyrant。　I　travelled　down　the　Red　Sea　to　Madras；　and　at　the　head　of　a　few　Sepoys　and　Europeans　pursued　the　flying　army　of　Tippoo　to　the　gates　of　Seringapatam。　I　challenged　him　to　mortal　combat；　and；　mounted　on　my　steed；　rode　up　to　the　walls　of　the　fortress　amidst　a　storm　of　shells　and　cannon…balls。　As　fast　as　the　bombs　and　cannon…balls　came　upon　me；　I　caught　them　in　my　hands　like　so　many　pebbles；　and　throwing　them　against　the　fortress；　demolished　the　strongest　ramparts　of　the　place。　I　took　my　mark　so　direct；　that　whenever　I　aimed　a　cannon…ball　or　a　shell　at　any　person　on　the　ramparts　I　was　sure　to　hit　him：　and　one　time　perceiving　a　tremendous　piece　of　artillery　pointed　against　me；　and　knowing　the　ball　must　be　so　great　it　would　certainly　stun　me；　I　took　a　small　cannon…ball；　and　just　as　I　perceived　the　engineer　going　to　order　them　to　fire；　and　opening　his　mouth　to　give　the　word　of　command；　I　took　aim　and　drove　my　ball　precisely　down　his　throat。

Tippoo；　fearing　that　all　would　be　lost；　that　a　general　and　successful　storm　would　ensue　if　I　continued　to　batter　the　place；　came　forth　upon　his　elephant　to　fight　me；　I　saluted　him；　and　insisted　he　should　fire　first。

Tippoo；　though　a　barbarian；　was　not　deficient　in　politeness；　and　declined　the　compliment；　upon　which　I　took　off　my　hat；　and　bowing；　told　him　it　was　an　advantage　Munchausen　should　never　be　said　to　accept　from　so　gallant　a　warrior：　on　which　Tippoo　instantly　discharged　his　carbine；　the　ball　from　which；　hitting　my　horse's　ear；　made　him　plunge　with　rage　and　indignation。　In　return　I　discharged　my　pistol　at　Tippoo；　and　shot　off　his　turban。　He　had　a　small　field…piece　mounted　with　him　on　his　elephant；　which　he　then　discharged　at　me；　and　the　grape…shot　coming　in　a　shower；　rattled　in　the　laurels　that　covered　and　shaded　me　all　over；　and　remained　pendant　like　berries　on　the　branches。　I　then；　advancing；　took　the　proboscis　of　his　elephant；　and　turning　it　against　the　rider；　struck　him　repeatedly　with　the　extremity　of　it　on　either　side　of　the　head；　until　I　at　length　dismounted　him。　Nothing　could　equal　the　rage　of　the　barbarian　finding　himself　thrown　from　his　elephant。　He　rose　in　a　fit　of　despair；　and　rushed　against　my　steed　and　myself：　but　I　scorned　to　fight　him　at　so　great　a　disadvantage　on　his　side；　and　directly　dismounted　to　fight　him　hand　to　hand。　Never　did　I　fight　with　any　man　who　bore　himself　more　nobly　than　this　adversary；　he　parried　my　blows；　and　dealt　home　his　own　in　return　with　astonishing　precision。　The　first　blow　of　his　sabre　I　received　upon　the　bridge　of　my　nose；　and　but　for　the　bony　firmness　of　that　part　of　my　face；　it　would　have　descended　to　my　mouth。　I　still　bear　the　mark　upon　my　nose。

He　next　made　a　furious　blow　at　my　head；　but　I；　parrying；　deadened　the　force　of　his　sabre；　so　that　I　received　but　one　scar　on　my　forehead；　and　at　the　same　instant；　by　a　blow　of　my　sword；　cut　off　his　arm；　and　his　hand　and　sabre　fell　to　the　earth；　he　tottered　for　some　paces；　and　dropped　at　the　foot　of　his　elephant。　That　sagacious　animal；　seeing　the　danger　of　his　master；　endeavoured　to　protect　him　by　flourishing　his　proboscis　round　the　head　of　the　Sultan。

Fearless　I　advanced　against　the　elephant；　desirous　to　take　alive　the　haughty　Tippoo　Sahib；　but　he　drew　a　pistol　from　his　belt；　and　discharged　it　full　in　my　face　as　I　rushed　upon　him；　which　did　me　no　further　harm　than　wound　my　cheek…bone；　which　disfigures　me　somewhat　under　my　left　eye。　I　could　not　withstand　the　rage　and　impulse　of　that　moment；　and　with　one　blow　of　my　sword　separated　his　head　from　his　body。

I　returned　overland　from　India　to　Europe　with　admirable　velocity；　so　that　the　account　of　Tippoo's　defeat　by　me　has　not　as　yet　arrived　by　the　ordinary　passage；　nor　can　you　expect　to　hear　of　it　for　a　considerable　time。　I　simply　relate　the　encounter　as　it　happened　between　the　Sultan　and　me；　and　if　there　be　any　one　who　doubts　the　truth　of　what　I　say；　he　is　an　infidel；　and　I　will　fight　him　at　any　time　and　place；　and　with　any　weapon　he　pleases。

Hearing　so　many　persons　talk　about　raising　the　〃Royal　George；〃　I　began　to　take　pity　on　that　fine　old　ruin　of　British　plank；　and　determined　to　have　her　up。　I　was　sensible　of　the　failure　of　the　various　means　hitherto　employed　for　the　purpose；　and　therefore　inclined　to　try　a　method　different　from　any　before　attempted。　I　got　an　immense　balloon；　made　of　the　toughest　sail…cloth；　and　having　descended　in　my　diving…　bell；　and　properly　secured　the　hull　with　enormous　cables；　I　ascended　to　the　surface；　and　fastened　my　cables　to　the　balloon。　Prodigious　multitudes　were　assembled　to　behold　the　elevation　of　the　〃Royal　George；〃　and　as　soon　as　I　began　to　fill　my　balloon　with　inflammable　air　the　vessel　evidently　began　to　move：　but　when　my　balloon　was　completely　filled；　she　carried　up　the　〃Royal　George〃　with　the　greatest　rapidity。　The　vessel　appearing　on　the　surface　occasioned　a　universal　shout　of　triumph　from　the　millions　assembled　on　the　occasion。　Still　the　balloon　continued　ascending；　trailing　the　hull　after　like　a　lantern　at　the　tail　of　a　kite；　and　in　a　few　minutes　appeared　floating　among　the　clouds。

It　was　then　the　opinion　of　many　philosophers　that　it　would　be　more　difficult　to　get　her　down　then　it　had　been　to　draw　her　up。　But　I　convinced　them　to　the　contrary　by　taking　my　aim　so　exactly　with　a　twelve…pounder；　that　I　brought　her　down　in　an　instant。

I　considered；　that　if　I　should　break　the　balloon　with　a　cannon…ball　while　she　remained　with　the　vessel　over　the　land；　the　fall　would　inevitable　occasion　the　destruction　of　the　hull；　and　which；　in　its　fall；　might　crush　some　of　the　multitude；　therefore　I　thought　it　safer　to　take　my　aim　when　the　balloon　was　over　the　sea；　and　pointing　my　twelve…pounder；　drove　the　ball　right　through　the　balloon；　on　which　the　inflammable　air　rushed　out　with