When all were pleasantly seated beneath the canopy4, pipes in full blast, calabashes revolving5, and the paddlers quietly urging us along, Media proposed that, for the benefit of the company, some one present, in a pithy6, whiffy sentence or two, should sum up the character of the Tapparians; and ended by nominating Babbalanja to that office.
"Pardon me, my lord, but you must permit me to ponder awhile; nothing requires more time, than to be brief. An example: they say that in conversation old Bardianna dealt in nothing but trisyllabic sentences. His talk was thunder peals8: sounding reports, but long intervals9."
"The devil take old Bardianna. And would that the grave-digger had buried his Ponderings, along with his other remains10. Can none be in your company, Babbalanja, but you must perforce make them hob-a-nob with that old prater11? A brand for the Tapparians! that is what we seek."
"You shall have it, my lord. Full to the brim of themselves, for that reason, the Tapparians are the emptiest of mortals."
"A good blow and well planted, Babbalanja."
"In sooth, a most excellent saying; it should be carved upon his tombstone," said Mohi, slowly withdrawing his pipe.
"What! would you have my epitaph read thus:—'Here lies the emptiest of mortals, who was full of himself?' At best, your words are exceedingly ambiguous, Mohi."
"Now have I the philosopher," cried Yoomy, with glee. "What did some one say to me, not long since, Babbalanja, when in the matter of that sleepy song of mine, Braid-Beard bestowed12 upon me an equivocal compliment? Was I not told to wrest14 commendation from it, though I. — tortured it to the quick?"
"Take thy own pills, philosopher," said Mohi.
"Then would he be a great original," said Media.
"Tell me, Yoomy," said Babbalanja, "are you not in fault? Because I. — sometimes speak wisely, you must not imagine that I should always act so."
"I never imagined that," said Yoomy, "and, if I did, the truth would belie15 me. It is you who are in fault, Babbalanja; not I, craving16 your pardon."
"The minstrel's sides are all edges to-day," said Media.
"This, then, thrice gentle Yoomy, is what I would say;" resumed Babbalanja, "that since we philosophers bestow13 so much wisdom upon others, it is not to be wondered at, if now and then we find what is left in us too small for our necessities. It is from our very abundance that we want."
"And from the fool's poverty," said Media, "that he is opulent; for his very simplicity17, is sometimes of more account than the wisdom of the sage18. But we were discoursing19 of the Tapparians. Babbalanja: sententiously you have acquitted20 yourself to admiration21; now amplify22, and tell us more of the people of Pimminee."
"My lord, I might amplify forever."
"Then, my worshipful lord, let him not begin," interposed Braid-Beard.
"I mean," said Babbalanja, "that all subjects are inexhaustible, however trivial; as the mathematical point, put in motion, is capable of being produced into an infinite line."
"But forever extending into nothing," said Media. "A very bad example to follow. Do you, Babbalanja, come to the point, and not travel off with it, which is too much your wont23."
"Since my lord insists upon it then, thus much for the Tapparians, though but a thought or two of many in reserve. They ignore the rest of Mardi, while they themselves are but a rumor24 in the isles25 of the East; where the business of living and dying goes on with the same uniformity, as if there were no Tapparians in existence. They think themselves Mardi in full; whereas, by the mass, they are stared at as prodigies26; exceptions to the law, ordaining27 that no Mardian shall undertake to live, unless he set out with at least the average quantity of brains. For these Tapparians have no brains. In lieu, they carry in one corner of their craniums, a drop or two of attar of roses; charily28 used, the supply being small. They are the victims of two incurable29 maladies: stone in the heart, and ossification30 of the head. They are full of fripperies, fopperies, and finesses31; knowing not, that nature should be the model of art. Yet, they might appear less silly than they do, were they content to be the plain idiots which at bottom they are. For there be grains of sense in a simpleton, so long as he be natural. But what can be expected from them? They are irreclaimable Tapparians; not so much fools by contrivance of their own, as by an express, though inscrutable decree of Oro's. For one, my lord, I can not abide32 them."
Nor could Taji.
In Pimminee were no hilarious33 running and shouting: none of the royal good cheer of old Borabolla; none of the mysteries of Maramma; none of the sentiment and romance of Donjalolo; no rehearsing of old legends: no singing of old songs; no life; no jolly commotion34: in short, no men and women; nothing but their integuments; stiff trains and farthingales.
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收听单词发音
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1
waiving
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| v.宣布放弃( waive的现在分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等） | |
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2
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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3
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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4
canopy
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| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
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revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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6
pithy
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| adj.(讲话或文章)简练的 | |
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7
syllables
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| n.音节( syllable的名词复数 ) | |
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8
peals
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| n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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9
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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10
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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11
prater
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| 多嘴的人，空谈者 | |
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12
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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14
wrest
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| n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲 | |
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15
belie
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| v.掩饰，证明为假 | |
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16
craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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17
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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18
sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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19
discoursing
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| 演说（discourse的现在分词形式） | |
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20
acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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21
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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22
amplify
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| vt.放大，增强；详述，详加解说 | |
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23
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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24
rumor
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| n.谣言，谣传，传说 | |
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25
isles
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| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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26
prodigies
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| n.奇才，天才（尤指神童）( prodigy的名词复数 ) | |
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27
ordaining
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的现在分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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28
charily
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| 小心谨慎地，节俭地，俭省地 | |
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29
incurable
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| adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人 | |
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30
ossification
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| n.骨化，（思想等的）僵化 | |
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31
finesses
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| v.手腕，手段，技巧( finesse的第三人称单数 ) | |
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32
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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33
hilarious
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| adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed | |
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34
commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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