Mardi: Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Taji Sits Down To Dinner With Five-And-Twenty Kings, And A Royal Time
They Have

It was afternoon when we emerged from the defile. And informed that
our host was receiving his guests in the House of the Afternoon,
thither we directed our steps.

Soft in our face, blew the blessed breezes of Omi, stirring the
leaves overhead; while, here and there, through the trees, showed the
idol-bearers of the royal retreat, hand in hand, linked with festoons
of flowers. Still beyond, on a level, sparkled the nodding crowns of
the kings, like the constellation Corona-Borealis, the horizon just
gained.

Close by his noon-tide friend, the cascade at the mouth of the
grotto, reposed on his crimson mat, Donjalolo:--arrayed in a vestment
of the finest white tappa of Mardi, figured all over with bright
yellow lizards, so curiously stained in the gauze, that he seemed
overrun, as with golden mice.

Marjora's girdle girdled his loins, tasseled with the congregated
teeth of his sires. A jeweled turban-tiara, milk-white, surmounted
his brow, over which waved a copse of Pintado plumes.

But what sways in his hand? A scepter, similar to those likenesses of
scepters, imbedded among the corals at his feet. A polished thigh-
bone; by Braid-Beard declared once Teei's the Murdered. For to
emphasize his intention utterly to rule, Marjora himself had selected
this emblem of dominion over mankind.

But even this last despite done to dead Teei had once been
transcended. In the usurper's time, prevailed the belief, that
the saliva of kings must never touch ground; and Mohi's Chronicles
made mention, that during the life time of Marjora, Teei's skull had
been devoted to the basest of purposes: Marjora's, the hate no turf
could bury.

Yet, traditions like these ever seem dubious. There be many who deny
the hump, moral and physical, of Gloster Richard.

Still advancing unperceived, in social hilarity we descried their
Highnesses, chatting together like the most plebeian of mortals; full
as merry as the monks of old. But marking our approach, all changed.
A pair of potentates, who had been playfully trifling, hurriedly
adjusted their diadems, threw themselves into attitudes, looking
stately as statues. Phidias turned not out his Jupiter so soon.

In various-dyed robes the five-and-twenty kings were arrayed; and
various their features, as the rows of lips, eyes and ears in John
Caspar Lavater's physiognomical charts. Nevertheless, to a king, all
their noses were aquiline.

There were long fox-tail beards of silver gray, and enameled chins,
like those of girls; bald pates and Merovingian locks; smooth brows
and wrinkles: forms erect and stooping; an eye that squinted; one
king was deaf; by his side, another that was halt; and not far off, a
dotard. They were old and young, tall and short, handsome and ugly,
fat and lean, cunning and simple.

With animated courtesy our host received us; assigning a neighboring
bower for Babbalanja and the rest; and among so many right-royal,
demi-divine guests, how could the demi-gods Media and Taji be
otherwise than at home?

The unwonted sprightliness of Donjalolo surprised us. But he was in
one of those relapses of desperate gayety in-variably following his
failures in efforts to amend his life. And the bootless issue of his
late mission to outer Mardi had thrown him into a mood for revelry.
Nor had he lately shunned a wild wine, called Morando.

A slave now appearing with a bowl of this beverage, it circulated
freely.

Not to gainsay the truth, we fancied the Morando much. A nutty,
pungent flavor it had; like some kinds of arrack distilled in the
Philippine isles. And a marvelous effect did it have, in dissolving
the crystalization of the brain; leaving nothing but precious little
drops of good humor, beading round the bowl of the cranium.

Meanwhile, garlanded boys, climbing the limbs of the idol-pillars,
and stirruping their feet in their most holy mouths, suspended
hangings of crimson tappa all round the hall; so that sweeping the
pavement they rustled in the breeze from the grot.

Presently, stalwart slaves advanced; bearing a mighty basin of a
porphyry hue, deep-hollowed out of a tree. Outside, were innumerable
grotesque conceits; conspicuous among which, for a border, was an
endless string of the royal lizards circumnavigating the basin in
inverted chase of their tails.

Peculiar to the groves of Willamilla, the yellow lizard formed part
of the arms of Juam. And when Donjalolo's messenger went abroad, they
carried its effigy, as the emblem of their royal master; themselves
being known, as the Gentlemen of the Golden Lizard.

The porphyry-hued basin planted full in our midst, the attendants
forthwith filled the same with the living waters from the cascade; a
proceeding, for which some of the company were at a loss to account,
unless his highness, our host, with all the coolness of royalty,
purposed cooling himself still further, by taking a bath in presence
of his guests. A conjecture, most premature; for directly, the basin
being filled to within a few inches of the lizards, the attendants
fell to launching therein divers goodly sized trenchers, all laden
with choice viands:--wild boar meat; humps of grampuses; embrowned
bread-fruit, roasted in odoriferous fires of sandal wood, but
suffered to cool; gold fish, dressed with the fragrant juices
of berries; citron sauce; rolls of the baked paste of yams; juicy
bananas, steeped in a saccharine oil; marmalade of plantains; jellies
of guava; confections of the treacle of palm sap; and many other
dainties; besides numerous stained calabashes of Morando, and other
beverages, fixed in carved floats to make them buoyant.

The guests assigned seats, by the woven handles attached to his
purple mat, the prince, our host, was now gently moved by his
servitors to the head of the porphyry-hued basin. Where, flanked by
lofty crowned-heads, white-tiaraed, and radiant with royalty, he sat;
like snow-turbaned Mont Blanc, at sunrise presiding over the head
waters of the Rhone; to right and left, looming the gilded summits of
the Simplon, the Gothard, the Jungfrau, the Great St. Bernard, and
the Grand Glockner.

Yet turbid from the launching of its freight, Lake Como tossed to and
fro its navies of good cheer, the shadows of the king-peaks wildly
flitting thereupon.

But no frigid wine and fruit cooler, Lake Como; as at first it did
seem; but a tropical dining table, its surface a slab of light blue
St. Pons marble in a state of fluidity.

Now, many a crown was doffed; scepters laid aside; girdles slackened;
and among those verdant viands the bearded kings like goats did
browse; or tusking their wild boar's meat, like mastiffs ate.

And like unto some well-fought fight, beginning calmly, but pressing
forward to a fiery rush, this well-fought feast did now wax warm.

A few royal epicures, however, there were: epicures intent upon
concoctions, admixtures, and masterly compoundings; who comported
themselves with all due deliberation and dignity; hurrying themselves
into no reckless deglutition of the dainties. Ah! admirable conceit,
Lake Como: superseding attendants. For, from hand to hand the
trenchers sailed; no sooner gaining one port, than dispatched over
sea to another.

Well suited they were for the occasion; sailing high out of
water, to resist the convivial swell at times ruffling the sociable
sea; and sharp at both ends, still better adapting them to easy
navigation.

But soon, the Morando, in triumphant decanters, went round, reeling
like barks before a breeze. But their voyages were brief; and ere
long, in certain havens, the accumulation of empty vessels threatened
to bridge the lake with pontoons. In those directions, Trade winds
were setting. But full soon, cut out were all unladen and
unprofitable gourds; and replaced by jolly-bellied calabashes, for a
time sailing deep, yawing heavily to the push.

At last, the whole flotilla of trenchers--wrecks and all--were sent
swimming to the further end of Lake Como; and thence removed, gave
place to ruddy hillocks of fruit, and floating islands of flowers.
Chief among the former, a quince-like, golden sphere, that filled the
air with such fragrance, you thought you were tasting its flavor.

Nor did the wine cease flowing. That day the Juam grape did bleed;
that day the tendril ringlets of the vines, did all uncurl and grape
by grape, in sheer dismay, the sun ripe clusters dropped. Grape-glad
were five-and-twenty kings: five-and-twenty kings were merry.

Morando's vintage had no end; nor other liquids, in the royal cellar
stored, somewhere secret in the grot. Oh! where's the endless Niger's
source? Search ye here, or search ye there; on, on, through ravine,
vega, vale--no head waters will ye find. But why need gain the hidden
spring, when its lavish stream flows by? At three-fold mouths that
Delta-grot discharged; rivers golden, white, and red.

But who may sing for aye? Down I come, and light upon the old and
prosy plain.

Among other decanters set afloat, was a pompous, lordly-looking
demijohn, but old and reverend withal, that sailed about,
consequential as an autocrat going to be crowned, or a treasure-
freighted argosie bound home before the wind. It looked
solemn, however, though it reeled; peradventure, far gone with its
own potent contents.

Oh! russet shores of Rhine and Rhone! oh, mellow memories of ripe old
vintages! oh, cobwebs in the Pyramids! oh, dust on Pharaoh's tomb!--
all, all recur, as I bethink me of that glorious gourd, its contents
cogent as Tokay, itself as old as Mohi's legends; more venerable to
look at than his beard. Whence came it? Buried in vases, so saith the
label, with the heart of old Marjora, now dead one hundred thousand
moons. Exhumed at last, it looked no wine, but was shrunk into a
subtile syrup.

This special calabash was distinguished by numerous trappings,
caparisoned like the sacred bay steed led before the Great Khan of
Tartary. A most curious and betasseled network encased it; and the
royal lizard was jealously twisted about its neck, like a hand on a
throat containing some invaluable secret.

All Hail, Marzilla! King's Own Royal Particular! A vinous Percy!
Dating back to the Conquest! Distilled of yore from purple berries
growing in the purple valley of Ardair! Thrice hail.

But the imperial Marzilla was not for all; gods only could partake;
the Kings and demigods of the isles; excluding left-handed
descendants of sad rakes of immortals, in old times breaking heads
and hearts in Mardi, bequeathing bars-sinister to many mortals, who
now in vain might urge a claim to a cup-full of right regal Marzilla.

The Royal Particular was pressed upon me, by the now jovial
Donjalolo. With his own sceptered hand charging my flagon to the
brim, he declared his despotic pleasure, that I should quaff it off
to the last lingering globule. No hard calamity, truly; for the
drinking of this wine was as the singing of a mighty ode, or frenzied
lyric to the soul.

"Drink, Taji," cried Donjalolo, "drink deep. In this wine a king's
heart is dissolved. Drink long; in this wine lurk the seeds of the
life everlasting Drink deep; drink long: thou drinkest wisdom
and valor at every draught. Drink forever, oh Taji, for thou drinkest
that which will enable thee to stand up and speak out before mighty
Oro himself."

"Borabolla," he added, turning round upon a domed old king at his
left, "Was it not the god Xipho, who begged of my great-great-
grandsire a draught of this same wine, saying he was about to beget a
hero?"

"Even so. And thy glorious Marzilla produced thrice valiant Ononna,
who slew the giants of the reef."

"Ha, ha, hear'st that, oh Taji?" And Donjalolo drained another cup.

Amazing! the flexibility of the royal elbow, and the rigidity of the
royal spine! More especially as we had been impressed with a notion
of their debility. But, sometimes these seemingly enervated young
blades approve themselves steadier of limb, than veteran revelers of
very long standing.

"Discharge the basin, and refill it with wine," cried Donjalolo.
"Break all empty gourds! Drink, kings, and dash your cups at every
draught."

So saying, he started from his purple mat; and with one foot planted
unknowingly upon the skull of Marjora; while all the skeletons
grinned at him from the pavement; Donjalolo, holding on high his
blood-red goblet, burst forth with the following invocation:--

Ha, ha, gods and kings; fill high, one and all;
Drink, drink! shout and drink! mad respond to the call!
Fill fast, and fill frill; 'gainst the goblet ne'er sin;
Quaff there, at high tide, to the uttermost rim:--
Flood-tide, and soul-tide to the brim!

Who with wine in him fears? who thinks of his cares?
Who sighs to be wise, when wine in him flares?
Water sinks down below, in currents full slow;
But wine mounts on high with its genial glow:--
Welling up, till the brain overflow!

As the spheres, with a roll, some fiery of soul,
Others golden, with music, revolve round the pole;

So let our cups, radiant with many hued wines,
Round and round in groups circle, our Zodiac's Signs:--
Round reeling, and ringing their chimes!

Then drink, gods and kings; wine merriment brings;
It bounds through the veins; there, jubilant sings.
Let it ebb, then, and flow; wine never grows dim;
Drain down that bright tide at the foam beaded rim:--
Fill up, every cup, to the brim!

Caught by all present, the chorus resounded again and again. The
beaded wine danced on many a beard; the cataract lifted higher its
voice; the grotto sent back a shout; the ghosts of the Coral Monarchs
seemed starting from their insulted bones. But ha, ha, ha, roared
forth the five-and-twenty kings--alive, not dead--holding both hands
to their girdles, and baying out their laughter from abysses; like
Nimrod's hounds over some fallen elk.

Mad and crazy revelers, how ye drank and roared! but kings no more:
vestures loosed; and scepters rolling on the ground.

Glorious agrarian, thou wine! bringing all hearts on a level, and at
last all legs to the earth; even those of kings, who, to do them
justice, have been much maligned for imputed qualities not theirs.
For whoso has touched flagons with monarchs, bear they their back
bones never so stiffly on the throne, well know the rascals, to be at
bottom royal good fellows; capable of a vinous frankness exceeding
that of base-born men. Was not Alexander a boon companion? And daft
Cambyses? and what of old Rowley, as good a judge of wine and other
matters, as ever sipped claret or kisses.

If ever Taji joins a club, be it a Beef-Steak Club of Kings!

Donjalolo emptied yet another cup.

The mirth now blew a gale; like a ship's shrouds in a Typhoon, every
tendon vibrated; the breezes of Omi came forth with a rush; the
hangings shook; the goblets danced fandangos; and Donjalolo,
clapping his hands, called before him his dancing women.

Forth came from the grotto a reed-like burst of song, making all
start, and look that way to behold such enchanting strains. Sounds
heralding sights! Swimming in the air, emerged the nymphs, lustrous
arms interlocked like Indian jugglers' glittering snakes. Round the
cascade they thronged; then paused in its spray. Of a sudden, seemed
to spring from its midst, a young form of foam, that danced into the
soul like a thought. At last, sideways floating off, it subsided into
the grotto, a wave. Evening drawing on apace, the crimson draperies
were lifted, and festooned to the arms of the idol-pillars, admitting
the rosy light of the even.

Yielding to the re-action of the banquet, the kings now reclined; and
two mute damsels entered: one with a gourd of scented waters; the
other with napkins. Bending over Donjalolo's steaming head, the first
let fall a shower of aromatic drops, slowly aborbed by her companion.
Thus, in turn, all were served; nothing heard but deep breathing.

In a marble vase they now kindled some incense: a handful of spices.

Shortly after, came three of the king's beautiful smokers; who,
lighting their tubes at this odorous fire, blew over the company the
sedative fumes of the Aina.

Steeped in languor, I strove against it long; essayed to struggle out
of the enchanted mist. But a syren hand seemed ever upon me, pressing
me back.

Half-revealed, as in a dream, and the last sight that I saw, was
Donjalolo:--eyes closed, face pale, locks moist, borne slowly to his
sedan, to cross the hollow, and wake in the seclusion of his harem.

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