Путешествие Гулливера

Chapter 6

           Ofthesehairs(asIhadalwaysamechanicalgenius)Ilikewisemadeaneatlittlepurse,aboutfivefeetlong,withhermajesty’snamedecipheredingoldletters,whichIgavetoGlumdalclitch,bythequeen’sconsent.Tosaythetruth,itwasmoreforshowthanuse,beingnotofstrengthtobeartheweightofthelargercoins,andthereforeshekeptnothinginitbutsomelittletoysthatgirlsarefondof.

           Theking,whodelightedinmusic,hadfrequentconcertsatcourt,towhichIwassometimescarried,andsetinmyboxonatabletohearthem:butthenoisewassogreatthatIcouldhardlydistinguishthetunes.Iamconfidentthatallthedrumsandtrumpetsofaroyalarmy,beatingandsoundingtogetherjustatyourears,couldnotequalit.Mypracticewastohavemyboxremovedfromtheplacewheretheperformerssat,asfarasIcould,thentoshutthedoorsandwindowsofit,anddrawthewindowcurtains;afterwhichIfoundtheirmusicnotdisagreeable.

           Ihadlearnedinmyyouthtoplayalittleuponthespinet.Glumdalclitchkeptoneinherchamber,andamasterattendedtwicea-weektoteachher:Icalleditaspinet,becauseitsomewhatresembledthatinstrument,andwasplayeduponinthesamemanner.Afancycameintomyhead,thatIwouldentertainthekingandqueenwithanEnglishtuneuponthisinstrument.Butthisappearedextremelydifficult:forthespinetwasnearsixtyfeetlong,eachkeybeingalmostafootwide,sothatwithmyarmsextendedIcouldnotreachtoabovefivekeys,andtopressthemdownrequiredagoodsmartstrokewithmyfist,whichwouldbetoogreatalabour,andtonopurpose.ThemethodIcontrivedwasthis:Ipreparedtworoundsticks,aboutthebignessofcommoncudgels;theywerethickeratoneendthantheother,andIcoveredthethickerendswithpiecesofamouse’sskin,thatbyrappingonthemImightneitherdamagethetopsofthekeysnorinterruptthesound.

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