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Gulliver's Travels

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4 Gulliver escapes from Lilliput

I soon discovered that Flimnap，one of the King's highest officials，was my secret enemy．He had always disliked me，although he pretended to like me， but now he began to suspect his wife of visiting me privately，and he became jealous．Of course his wife did visit me， but always with her daughters and other ladies who came for regular afternoon vis－its．When visitors arrived at my house， I used to bring the coaches and horses inside，and put them carefully on my table．There was a high edge round the table，so that nobody would fall off．I sat in my chair with my face close to the table， and while I was talking to one group of visitors， the others used to drive round the table．I spent many hours like this，in very enjoyable conversation．

In the end Flimnap realized that his wife was not in love with me，and had not done anything wrong， but he was still angry with me．There were other lords who also disliked me，and together they managed to persuade the King that I was a danger to Lilliput．I knew they were discussing me in private，but I was seriously alarmed when I discovered what they had decided．Luckily，as well as Reldresal，I had another good friend among the King’ s officials．Late one night he visited me secretly，in order to warn me．

‘You know，’he began，‘that you've had enemies here for some time．Many of the lords are jealous of your great success against Blefuscu，and Flimnap still hates you．They accuse you of crimes against Lilliput，crimes punishable by death！’

‘But…’I cried，‘that's not right！I only want to help Lilliput！’

‘Listen，’he said．‘I must tell you what I've heard，al－though my life is in danger if I do．They've accused you of making water in the King's palace，refusing to take all the en－emy's ships，refusing to destroy all the Big-Endians，seeing the enemy's officials privately，and planning to visit Blefuscu in order to help the enemy against Lilliput．’

‘This is unbelievable！’ I cried．

‘I must say，’continued my friend，‘that our King remind－ed his lords how much you had helped the country．But your enemies wanted to destroy you，and they suggested setting fire to your house at night．Then you would die in the fire！’

‘What！’I shouted angrily．

‘Be quiet，nobody must hear us．Anyway，the King decided not to kill you，and that's when your friend Reldresal started speaking He agreed you’d made mistakes，but said that a good King should always be generous，as our King is．And he suggested that a suitable punishment would be for you to lose your sight．You’d still be strong enough to work for us， but you wouldn't be able to help the Big－Endians．’

I covered my eyes with my hands．I had wanted to help these people and their King．How could they decide to punish me as cruelly as this？

‘Your enemies were most disappointed with Reldresal’ s plan，’my friend went on．‘They said you were a Big—Endi-an in your heart，and reminded the King how much you cost Lilliput in food and drink．Reldresal spoke again，to suggest saving money by giving you a little less food every day．In this way you’d become ill，and in a few months you’d die．And so they all agreed．In three days Reldresal will be sent to explain your punishment to you．He'll inform you that the King has been very kind to you， and that you're lucky to lose only your eyes．You'll be tied dowu，and very sharp arrows will be shot into your eyes．The King's doctors will make sure that you can no longer see．’

‘This is terrible news！’ I said，‘but thank you for warning me，my dear friend．’

‘You alone must decide what to do，’ he replied，‘and now I must leave you，so that nobody suspects me of warning you．’

When I was alone，I thought about the situation for a long time．Perhaps I was wrong，but I could not see that the King was being kind and generous in ordering such an inhuman pun-ishment．What should I do？I could ask for a trial，but I was not confident of the judges’honesty．I could attack the capital and kill all the Lilliputians，but when I remembered the King’ s past kindness to me，I did not want to do that．

At last I decided to escape．And so，before Reldresal came to tell me of my punishment，I went to the north of Lilliput，where our ships lay．I took my clothes off and put them into one of the largest warships．I also put a blanket into it．Then I stepped into the sea，and swam to Blefuscu．By pulling the Lilliput warship behind me， I kept my clothes and blanket dry．

When I arrived，the King of Blefuscu sent two guides to show me the way to the capital．There I met the King，the Queen and the lords and ladies in their coaches．I explained that I had come to visit Blefuscu，as I had been invited．How－ever，I did not say anything about the punishment waiting for me in Lilliput．They welcomed me warmly．That night，as there was no building big enough for me，I slept on the ground，covered by my blanket．It was not as comfortable as my bed in Lilliput，but I did not mind．

I did not spend long in Blefuscu．Only three days after my arrival，I noticed a boat in the sea，near the beach．It was a real boat，large enough for me．Perhaps it had been driven there by a storm．I swam out to it and tied ropes to it．Then，with the help of twenty of Blefuscu's ships and three thousand sailors，I pulled it on to the beach．It was not badly damaged，and it was exciting to be able to start planning my journey back to England and my home．

During this time，the King of Lilliput had written to ask the King of Blefuscu to send me back， as a prisoner，so that I could receive my punishment．The King of Blefuscu，however，replied that I was too strong to be taken prisoner，and that I would soon be returning to my country anyway．Secretly he invited me to stay and help him in Blefuscu，but I no longer believed in the promises of kings or their officials， so I politely refused．

I was now impatient to start my voyage home，and the King ordered his workmen to repair the boat and prepare everything I needed．I had the meat of one hundred cattle and three hun－dred sheep to eat on the journey，and I also had some live ani-mals to show to my friends in England．

About one month later，I left Blefuscu，on September 24th，1701．The King，the Queen and their lords and ladies all came down to the beach to wave goodbye．

After sailing all day，I reached a small island，where I slept that night．On the third day，September 26th，I saw a sail，and was delighted to discover that it was an English ship， on its way home to England．The captain picked me up，and I told him my story．At first he thought I was mad，but when I took the live animals out of my pocket to show him，he be-lieved me．

We arrived home at last on April 13th，1702，and I saw my dear wife and children again．At first I was delighted to be at home again．I earned quite a lot of money by showing my Lil－liputian animals to people，and in the end I sold them for a high price．But as the days passed，I became restless，and wanted to see more of the world．And so，only two months later，I said goodbye to my family and sailed away again．