# ■ 11 Glubbdubdrib and Luggnagg

Although the Laputans were kind to me，I did not want to spend a long time in their country．Therefore，I de-cided to travel from Balnibarbi to the island of Luggnagg，from there to Japan，and then home to England．But before I went to Luggnagg，an official I had met in Lagado persuaded me to visit the small island of Glubbdubdrib．

‘You'll find it a very interesting place，he told me．‘Glubbdubdrib means the island of magicians．All the impor－tant people there are good at magic，you see．The President is the best magician of them all．But I must warn you，he has some very strange servants-they're all ghosts！By using magic he can order the ghost of any dead person to be his ser－vant for twenty-four hours，and the ghost must obey．’

It seemed unbelievable，but it was true．When we arrived on the island，we were invited to the President's palace．His servants certainly looked strange to me there was a smell of death about them．When the President no longer needed them，he waved a hand，and they simply disappeared．

I visited the President every day during my stay，and soon got used to seeing the ghosts．One day the President said，‘Gulliver，would you like to call a ghost？It could be anyone from the beginning of the world up to the present day．You could ask them questions about their lives．And you can be sure they'll tell the truth— ghosts always do．

‘That's very kind of you，sir，I replied，and thought hard for a moment．‘First，I’d like to see Alexander the Great，please．’

The President pointed out of the window．There in a large field was the ghost of Alexander，with his huge army．This famous king lived long ago in Macedonia in northern Greece．His kingdom covered many countries，from Greece to Egypt，from Persia to parts of India．But he died very young，when he was only thirty－three，and no one knew why．The Presi－dent called him into the room．

‘Great King，’I said to him，‘just tell me one thing．Were you murdered，or did you die naturally！’

‘Young man，’he replied，‘nobody murdered me．I drank too much and died of a fever．’

So，in these few words，I had learnt one of the secrets of history！I turned to the President．‘And now，may we see Julius Caesar and Brutus？’

The two Romans took Alexander's place．Brutus，of course，had killed Julius Caesar in Rome on 15th March，44BC—one of the most famous murders in history．It is terrible to die by the hand of a friend．

‘Great Caesar，’I said，‘how do you feel about your mur-derer，Brutus？’

‘Do not call him that，’replied Caesar，‘He is a brave，good man，the best in Rome，and he did the right thing for Rome by killing me．In death，as in life，he has always been my friend．’

I cannot remember how many more ghosts I called to appear．I was very interested in their answers to my questions，which often seemed to offer a different view of his-tory from the one I had been taught at school．

However，it was soon time to leave Glubbdubdrib，and sail to Luggnagg，a much larger island to the south－east of Japan．The Luggnuggians are polite and generous people，and I stayed here for three months．I made many friends among them．One day，one of them asked me，‘Have you ever seen any of our Struldbrugs？’

‘I don't think so，’I replied．‘What's that？’

‘Well，a Struldbrug is a human being who will never die，but will live for ever．If a Luggnuggian baby is born with a round spot above its left eye，which never disappears，it's a Struldbrug．We have over a thousand of them in the country．’

‘How wonderful！’I cried．‘How exciting！How lucky you are in Luggnagg，where a child has a chance of living for ever！And how especially lucky the Struldbrugs are！Disease，disas－ter，and death can never touch them！And imagine how much we can learn from them！I expect they're among the most im－portant people in the country．They've lived through history and know so much，which they're certain to pass on to the rest of us．If I had the chance，I’d like to spend my whole life listening to the intelligent conversation of these extraordinary people，here in Luggnagg！’

‘Well，of course，’answered my Luggnuggian friend with a smue，‘we'll be delighted if you stay longer with us．But I’d like to know how川you would plan卯your life if you were a Struldbrug．’

‘That's easy，’I replied．‘First I’d work hard，and earn a lot of money．In about two hundred years I’d be the richest man in Luggnagg．I’d study too，so that I knew more about everything than the cleverest professors．I’d also write down everything important that happened over the years，so that students of history would come to me for help．I’d teach young people what I had learnt．But most of my time I’d spend with other Struldbrugs，friends of mine．Together we could help to destroy crime in the world，and begin to build a new and bet－ter life for everyone．’

I had only just finished describing the happiness of endless life，when I realized that my friend's shoulders were shaking and tears of laughter were running down his face．

‘I really must explain，’he said．‘You see，you've made a very understandable mistake．You suppose that if someone lives for ever，he is young，healthy，and strong for ever too．And that doesn't happen．Our Struldbrugs have a terrible life．After living for about eighty years，they become ill and miser－able．They have no friends and they can't remember much of the past．At that age the law considers them to be dead， so their children inherit their houses and money．Then they sometimes have to beg to get enough food to eat．They lose their teeth and hair，they forget the names of their families，and the only thing they want is to die．But that's impossible！’

I realized how stupid I had been，and felt very sorry for the poor Struldbrugs．

I finally left Luggnagg on a boat sailing to Japan．From there I found a ship which was returning to England．My voy－age to Laputa，Balnibarbi，Glubbdubdrib and Luggnagg had taken me away from home for five and a half years．

■ 11 格勒大錐和拉格奈格

儘管勒皮他人對我很和善，我並不想在這個國家呆多長時間，所以我決定從巴爾尼巴比旅行到拉格奈格島，從那兒到日本，然後回到英國。可是在我去拉格奈格以前我在拉格多見到的一個官員說服我去參觀格勒大錐小島。

“你會發現那是一個非常有意思的地方。”他告訴我，“格勒大錐的意思是魔術師之島，那兒所有的重要人物都擅長魔術，你明白吧。總統是他們中間最好的魔術師，但是我得警告你，他有一些非常奇怪的僕人——他們是鬼魂！他可以用魔法命令任何一個死去的人的鬼魂給他當24小時的僕人，而且鬼魂必須服從。”

這似乎難以置信，卻是真的。我們到達島上，被邀請到總統的宮裡去。他的僕人在我看來絕對很古怪——他們有種死人的氣味。當總統不再需要他們時，他一揮手他們就簡單地不見了。

我在逗留期間天天去拜訪總統，不久就習慣了看鬼魂。有一天總統說，“格列佛，你想不想叫一個鬼魂來？可以從世界開始那一時刻起直到現在的任何一個。你可以問他們關於他們一生的問題。而且你可以肯定他們會告訴實情——鬼魂總是這樣的。”

“非常感謝你，先生。”我回答說，費力地考慮了一會，“首先，我想見亞歷山大大帝，拜託。”

總統向窗外一指，那兒，在一個大的戰場上出現了亞歷山大大帝的鬼魂，以及他龐大的軍隊。這個偉大的國王很久以前生活在北希臘的馬其頓。他的王國包括許多國家，從希臘到埃及，從波斯到印度的部分地區，但是他很年輕就死了，只活了33歲，誰也不知道為什麼。總統叫他進屋來。

“偉大的國王，”我對他說，“只告訴我一件事，你是被謀殺的還是自然死亡？”

“年輕人，”他回答說，“沒有人謀殺我，我喝得太多，死於熱病。”

這樣，就這幾句話，我得知了歷史上的一大祕密！我轉向總統，“現在，我們可以見尤里烏斯·凱撒和布魯圖嗎？”

這兩個羅馬人站到了亞歷山大的地方。當然，布魯圖於公元前44年3月15日在羅馬殺死了尤里烏斯·凱撒——歷史上最為有名的謀殺之一。死於朋友之手太可怕了。

“偉大的凱撒，”我說，“你對你的謀殺者布魯圖怎麼看？”

“不要那樣叫他，”凱撒回答，“他是一個勇敢的好人，羅馬最優秀的人，他殺死我為羅馬做了一件正確的事。身後和生前一樣，他永遠是我的朋友。”

我不記得我還叫了多少鬼魂現身，我對他們對我問題的回答非常感興趣，這些回答似乎提供了一種對歷史的看法，經常與學校所教的毫不相同。

但是很快就到了該離開格勒大錐、駛向拉格奈格的時間，一個在日本東南、大得多的島嶼。拉格奈格人是有禮貌而慷慨大方的人民，我在那兒呆了3個月。我交了許多朋友。一天，有一個朋友問我，“你見過了我們的斯特魯布魯格沒有？”

“我想沒有。”我回答說，“那是什麼？”

“噢，斯特魯布魯格是長生不死的人，如果一個拉格奈格嬰兒生下來時左眼上有一個圓點，而且圓點是永不消失的，那麼這個嬰兒就是個斯特魯布魯格。我們國家有1000多個這樣的人。”

“多麼美妙啊！”我叫道，“多麼令人興奮！你們在拉格奈格多麼幸運，孩子有機會永生！這些斯特魯布魯格是多麼特別的運氣呀！疾病、災難和死亡不能奈何他們！你想想我們可以從他們那兒學到多少東西！我想他們是這個國家最重要的人。他們活了這麼多年，知道多少的東西，他們肯定要傳播給其餘的人。如果我有機會，我願意整個一生都來聽這些不同尋常的人的睿智的談話，就在拉格奈格！”

“噢，當然，”我的拉格奈格朋友笑著回答，“我們將很高興如果你和我們呆久一點。不過我想知道如果你是個斯特魯布魯格的話，你將怎樣安排你的生活。”

“那很容易。”我回答，“首先我將努力工作，掙許多錢。用近200年的時間我將成為拉格奈格最富有的人。我也將學習，這樣我比最聰明的教授知道的都還多。我也會記下這些年裡發生的每一件重大的事情，這樣歷史學者也會向我求助。我要教年輕人我所學到的。不過大多數時間我將與其他斯特魯布魯格，我的朋友，一起度過，我們一起可以幫助消滅世界上的犯罪，開始為每一個人建立新的更好的生活。”

我剛剛描繪完無盡生活的幸福，才發現我的朋友的肩膀抖動、笑得淚水都流到了臉上。

“我必須說明，”我朋友說，“你看，你犯了一個可以理解的錯誤。你以為如果一個人永遠活著，他也永遠年輕、健康而且強壯。可是那並沒有發生。我們的斯特魯布魯格生活很可怕。在活了大約80年後，他們變得多病而悲慘。他們沒有朋友，也記不住過去。在這個歲數法律認定他們已經死了，所以他們的孩子繼承了他們的房屋和錢財。這樣他們有時候不得不乞討以搞到足夠的東西吃。他們掉了牙齒和頭髮，他們忘記了他們家族的名字，他們唯一想要的就是死去。但是那不可能！”

我明白了我是多麼愚蠢，為可憐的斯特魯布魯格感到難過。

最後我乘了一隻駛往日本的船離開了拉格奈格。我在那兒找到了一艘正要回英國的船。我到勒皮他、巴爾尼巴比、格勒大錐和拉格奈格的航行使我離開家已經五年半了。