Chapter 56 - Page 2

in. At every fresh deposit,
Media directing our attention to the same, as yet additional evidence
of his ample resources as a host. The evidence was finally closed by
dragging under the eaves a felled plantain tree, the spike of red
ripe fruit, sprouting therefrom, blushing all over, at so rude an
introduction to the notice of strangers.

During this scene, Jarl was privily nudging Samoa, in wonderment, to
know what upon earth it all meant. But Samoa, scarcely deigning to
notice interrogatories propounded through the elbow, only let drop a
vague hint or two.

It was quite amusing, what airs Samoa now gave himself, at least
toward my Viking. Among the Mardians he was at home. And who,
when there, stretches not out his legs, and says unto himself, "Who
is greater than I?"

To be plain: concerning himself and the Skyeman, the tables were
turned. At sea, Jarl had been the oracle: an old sea-sage, learned in
hemp and helm. But our craft high and dry, the Upoluan lifted his
crest as the erudite pagan; master of Gog and Magog, expounder of all
things heathenish and obscure.

An hour or two was now laughed away in very charming conversation
with Media; when I hinted, that a couch and solitude would be
acceptable. Whereupon, seizing a taper, our host escorted us without
the palace. And ushering us into a handsome unoccupied mansion, gave
me to understand that the same was mine. Mounting to the dais, he
then instituted a vigorous investigation, to discern whether every
thing was in order. Not fancying something about the mats, he rolled
them up into bundles, and one by one sent them flying at the heads of
his servitors; who, upon that gentle hint made off with them, soon
after returning with fresh ones. These, with mathematical precision,
Media in person now spread on the dais; looking carefully to the
fringes or ruffles with which they were bordered, as if striving to
impart to them a sentimental expression.

This done, he withdrew.