The Sunless City/Chapter 15

"Wretched and despised being," the man commenced, "know that I who address you am the great high priest and magician of this happy and peaceful realm of Esnesnon, over which his most gracious Majesty King Gubmuh has reigned for two hundred years. My name is Ytidrusba, and I am commanded by the King to inquire why you have left the infernal regions to penetrate into this land of civilisation and beauty. I give you the power of free thought, so that you may answer me."

"Really, Mr -. I beg your pardon, sir, what did you say your name was?"

"Ytidrusba," replied the priest.

"Mr. Ytidrusba," continued Flin, "I must really correct a very grave error into which you have fallen. I assure you, sir, that I do not come from the infernal regions. My name is Josiah Flintabbety Flonatin, I am an American subject, and have the honour to represent a very learned body known as the Society for the Exploration of Unknown Regions. I may further inform you that the enlightened and highly civilised people of the world I have left have generally been in the habit, from time immemorial, of fixing the locality of the regions you speak of as being situated somewhere down here. I undertook to make a journey into the centre of the earth purely on scientific grounds, and to prove the truth or falsehood of that theory. And I can only say that if this is Hades, and if the gentleman with the tin crown is a certain person whose name I need not mention, that you are altogether a very strange lot of people, and very much wanting in politeness to a foreigner."

Ytidrusba's brow darkened with a frown, and he seemed to be very angry indeed, though it was evident he was trying to preserve an even temper.

"You are a presumptuous and daring man," answered Ytidrusba.

Flin bowed.

"Thank you, sir," he said; "while not owning to presumption, I think I may fairly lay claim to being daring."

"Listen to me," continued the priest. "You must understand that the nation over which King Gubmuh reigns is the most civilised in the whole world." (Mr Flonatin records that at this point he felt very much inclined to laugh outright, but not wishing that these semi-savages should consider him wanting in politeness as the representative of a great nation, he constrained himself with considerable difficulty). "The barbarous, blood-thirsty people from whom you have come have ever been looked upon with horror by us. It is given to me and my brother magicians to know something of the awful regions in which you dwell. We are aware that scattered all over the outside crust of this beautiful earth are millions of wretched beings like yourself. They are, in fact, the spirits of those who have lived in the inner world, and who for misdeeds done here are doomed for a purgatorial period to take upon themselves the forms of men and women and pass a life of most awful suffering on the crust, and which is, in fact, a kind of probationary Hades, as proved by our sages and philosophers from time immemorial. But the most dreadful degradation of all to which you are subject is to live in a tailless state. There could be no surer sign of utter barbarism and degenerated nature than that, as you will observe that this enlightened people is distinguished by a most graceful caudal appendage. The longer the tail the higher is the rank of the person. The lower orders are not allowed to wear long tails, and so they are clipped in childhood. The greatest mark of distinction among the subjects of King Gubmuh is the ancient order of the Blue Ribbon of the Tail. But this order is only conferred upon those who have rendered signal service to the State, and whose lives have been blameless."

"Really, sir, you astonish me very much," Flin observed. "I could scarcely have believed, had it not come from such undeniable authority as yourself, that any such order existed among human beings."

"You will permit me to correct you, Mr. Flonatin," answered the priest, "we are not human, but prehuman beings. The human state is that awful darkness in which you dwell --- it is, in fact, a state of degeneration, and we grieve deeply for those who are doomed to pass into it."

"Dear me, dear me," Flin remarked thoughtfully, and wishing to propitiate this very self- opinionated gentleman, "this is odd, very odd indeed. You are possibly, sir, not aware that situated on the crust of the earth is a very small, and somewhat insignificant, insular spot which we call England."

"I beg to remark that I am quite aware of this fact," answered Ytidrusba.

"Upon my word this is startling," cried Flin.

"Why, your knowledge seems to be infinite."

"No, sir, you are mistaken," the priest observed sadly, "our knowledge is extremely limited. We, as priests, have the gift of being able to know, by a sort of spiritual intuition, what takes place on the exterior of the world, but this gift is not given to the lower orders, nor even to the kings. I may tell you that our high calling does not always command that respect that it should, and our teachings have been attacked by some of the most learned men of this country. I regret that we have unbelievers and hard-headed sceptics amongst us who have dared to impeach our noble order of propagating unsound doctrines. Even his Majesty King Gubmuh is not free from this infidel scepticism --- if I may so term it. He, in common with thousands of his subjects, has doubted the possibility of there being an outer and purgatorial world. In our great public library there are hundreds and hundreds of massive tomes, written by the ablest men who ever lived, and who have endeavoured, by logical reasoning, to prove that living beings could not exist on the crust of the earth. We call these writers materialists, in opposition to those who believe to the contrary, and who are known as spiritualists."

"Then I take it, sir, that you are a spiritualist?" said Flin.

"Unquestionably so."

"Bless my life, this is very strange. But I was about to observe before you interrupted me that in the little spot known as England is an author of some eminence, who has written a very great deal upon what he is pleased to call the 'origin of species.' And he has brought upon himself no small ridicule by asserting that the people who inhabit the exterior of the earth formerly had tails."

"Oh, miraculous!" exclaimed Ytidrusba joyfully; "this is indeed confirmation strong in support of our doctrine."

He hurriedly moved to the throne, and in rapid language told the King what he had heard, but the monarch only shook his head, and a smile of incredulity sat upon his royal lips.

"It is very shocking," the priest observed, as he crossed again to where Flin sat, "it is very shocking indeed that even the sight of a tailless and degenerated being cannot convince his Majesty that the existence of races in another state is anything more than a fable. This gentleman to whom you refer to as dwelling in England must be a man of incomprehensible wisdom, and I confess that my knowledge does not enable me to tell why he should be doomed to pass a term in such an unenlightened place and among such awful savages. I have no doubt that you will be surprised to hear that we have several eminent authors among us who have written learned treatises also upon the origin or our species. They have sought to prove that we have descended from races who lived in the far-off past, and who spoke no language, wore no clothes, but were covered with long hair and lived like beasts in the jungles. I am happy to say, however, that these gentlemen have only had contempt and ridicule for their pains. That we, enlightened, skilled and highly civilised as we are, should have descended from animals of the monkey tribe is a monstrously absurd theory. But that the writer you speak of should be enabled to tell that you who are human are degenerated from us who are pre-human, shows how deep must be his learning; and that he should have to preach to unbelievers is truly lamentable. Here we have evidence of all he has written. We are as a nation immeasurably superior to the people which you represent, and you see that we have tails. And that your people are without tails is --- as I have before observed ---  one of the most dreadful marks of degradation. But when some of our writers try to prove by shallow argument that we have sprung from monkeys, it is really heartrending. We must draw the line somewhere, you know, and we draw it at tails, sir."

Mr Flonatin smiled inwardly at the self-satisfied air with which the priest said this, and he thought that he might have been taken as a fair representative of certain pig-headed people who lived in the upper world, and who believed only in themselves and ridiculed everybody else who differed from them. But at the same time he was also grieved to think that this principle of inherent selfishness was so very widespread. He had indulged in a hope that when he left the upper regions to descend into the lower he would leave all such human weaknesses behind him. But here he was actually among a race who were pleased to style themselves pre-human, and to assert that to pass from the pre-human to the human state was to be utterly degraded and to fall. Possibly, thought Flin, could the apes of the jungles have spoken they would have said that to pass from the monkeyfied to the pre-human state, and to have the gift of speech, was to fall into the very deepest depths of humiliation and bondage.

"The knowledge you possess of the upper earth, Mr. Ytidrusba, is, to say the least, very remarkable," observed Flin, "and I take it that this knowledge springs from some inherent principle; in fact, a sort of second or spiritual sight."

"Precisely," the priest answered. "I must really compliment you upon your astuteness, which shows an amount of intelligence that is very extraordinary for a human being. I may inform you that we priests are true spiritual media and clairvoyants, and that this power is confined entirely to the priests, who are a distinct race in this central world. Amongst your people there are professing spiritualists, but they are all shallow impostors and arrant knaves, and their dupes are imbeciles and fools."

Flin coughed. Although not a spiritualist so called himself he did not like to hear that belief which had become almost a second creed in his country spoken of in such an irreverent manner. However, he thought it was better not to interrupt, and so the priest proceeded.

"The vile trade carried on by your people who call themselves spiritualists is a disgrace, if anything can be a disgrace to human beings; and since they trade upon the credulity of the ignorant and vulgar, they should be suppressed with a strong hand."

"Really, Mr Ytidrusba, you are using very strong language," Flin remarked, unable longer to restrain himself.

"No stronger than is justifiable, sir. Impostors should be dealt with boldly. And I really feel that nothing I could say about the lying humbugs of the upper world who call themselves spiritualists would be too strong. They are a set of miserable, deceiving rascals, and ought to be burned with brimstone."

"I am afraid you are very severe."

"I am, and rightly so. For here we are too enlightened and too highly civilised to play the humbug. We worship truth, and anyone detected uttering that which is not true for the sake of gain is instantly put to death."

"Then I venture to infer from your remarks, sir, that sectarianism is not known among you?"

"Certainly not, sir. We have one universal creed known as Esnes Nommoc. It is alike the religion of the King and the humblest subject in his Majesty's realm, and those who differ from it are killed."

"Then I presume executions are not uncommon in this kingdom of Esnesnon?"

"I regret that they are not," answered the priest.

"If it be true, then," Flin remarked, "that the wicked pre-human people who die here take upon themselves the human state, and dwell outside of the earth, it may account for differences in opinion on religious matters being so rife amongst us."

"Exactly!" exclaimed the priest delightedly.

"You are a very clever person. Sectarianism is one of the tortures to which the human race is doomed. Another certain sign of the degradation to which you are made to suffer, as tailless beings, is your awful, savage gluttony for that commonest of all metals --- gold."

"My dear sir, you labour under a wrong impression as to the metal in question being 'common.' I assure you that we look upon it as being very precious."

The priest laughed contemptuously.

"Poor fellow," he observed sympathisingly, "how very apparent your human nature is. I repeat that this gold is the commonest of all metals. Here we have whole plains of it, hundreds of miles in extent. We quarry it out, and build our palaces and houses with it. But you fight, and tear, and mangle each other to pieces for a mere handful of the rubbish. It is, in fact, the god of the infernal regions. You bow down and worship it, and it binds you in the most terrible and cruel slavery."

"I must admit that there is some truth in what you say," observed Flin; "but may I take the liberty to inquire if you have no equivalent for gold?"

"We have a metal that is very rare --- we call it tin, and it is brought from mines that are situated in a far off and lonely region."

"Indeed, and who are the people who work these mines?"

"They are people who have been guilty of breaking the laws, and so they are doomed to work as slaves for periods ranging from twenty to a hundred years."

"Then what is the average duration of life here?"

"Three hundred years; though we have had extreme cases of old age, where persons have reached four hundred years. These are, however rare."

Mr Flonatin was thoughtful for some time. These people were on the priest's own showing full of those weaknesses so characteristic of the human family above. Like a good many other persons whom Flin could have named, this very self-satisfied gentleman was very desirous of plucking the mote out of his brother's eye, but could not see the beam in his own.

"As I am very desirous," he observed, "of learning more of your interesting country, and of the habits and customs of its highly-cultivated and enlightened people, so that I may be enabled to show my own unfortunate fellow-beings the error of their ways, I respectfully crave permission to sojourn here for some time."

"I will solicit his Majesty to grant your request," answered the priest; "but I think it right to inform you that it is our rule to send all foreigners who may intrude upon our kingdom to work in the mines. At a long distance from here is situated another race ruled over by King Thgirenivid. He is a very low and uncivilised person, and scarcely superior to your own wretched people. For centuries our two nations have been enemies, and some terrible wars have been the result. But King Thgirenivid has always been the oppressor. This barbarian is bound by none of those rules which we as enlightened and peaceful people recognise. Whenever any of his subjects are caught within our dominions we instantly put them to death."

"May I venture to remark, sir, that I consider that rather a harsh measure," said Mr Flonatin.

"Oh, nonsense," cried the priest, "nothing can be harsh that is justified, and we are beyond all question of doubt justified in putting these miserable savages to death, because their object is to try and corrupt our morals, and poison the minds of King Gubmuh's most loyal subjects. They are jealous of our happy and flourishing condition, and take every opportunity to harass us. We have occasionally sent missionaries to them, but they have never returned. And though we have not been able to glean any accurate information, we have reason to believe that our unfortunate emissaries have either been made slaves of or put to death."

"Ah, very shocking indeed, very shocking," observed Flin, a little ironically.

"However," continued the priest, without seeming to notice the interruption, "as you do not come from King Thgirenivid's people, you may possibly be allowed to remain here for a little time, so that the curiosity of our scholars and scientific men may be satisfied, for you are sure to be the subject of much discussion; and there will be those among us who will doubt the evidence of their own eyes, and refuse to believe that you have descended from the infernal regions to visit our happy realm. I shall therefore strongly recommend King Gubmuh to let you remain, as you will not only afford amusement for the lower classes, but be excellent pabulum for the savants of our learned societies, and we shall no doubt have many clever works written about you."

Flin felt a little annoyed at this. He by no means relished the idea of being exhibited in the same way as in his own country any rare and curious animal might have been shown and written about. "Afford amusement for the lower classes indeed" --- the mere suggestion of such a thing was a base indignity to one of the most distinguished men of his time. A fellow of the important Society for the Exploration of Unknown Regions, and enjoying the personal acquaintance of all the great men of the United States, from Mr. Barnum down to the President, for him to be treated in every way as his own countrymen would have treated a heathen Chinese or a naked savage from Equatorial Africa, was simply monstrous, and he felt that he must enter a protest.

"You will pardon me, Mr. Ytidrusba," he said calmly, although he was burning with indignation, "you will pardon me, sir, but I find it necessary to inform you that in the United States, of which it is my proud privilege to be a native, I have the honour to be looked upon as a man of considerable scientific knowledge. In fact, sir, I hold a very high and important position, and as a public man am respected and looked up to as a leader in the paths of knowledge. You will therefore, I trust, sir, understand that it is not at all agreeable to my feelings as a man of superior intelligence and great intellectual culture to be treated as if I were some strange fish or animal, and to be paraded for the amusement of your lower orders, and as a debatable subject for your philosophers."

The priest smiled rather contemptuously, and he patted the bald head of Mr. Flonatin in a soothing sort of way.

"Poor fellow, poor fellow," he remarked, "the exalted notion you entertain of yourself is very shocking to my civilised ears, and it points to a defect in your brain, for which some of our great physicians may be able to prescribe a remedy. Coming as you do from a degenerated and tailless race, your attempt to lay claim to anything like civilisation or superior knowledge is simply absurd. You are but a poor representative of fallen greatness, and possibly having, in common with your people, some instinctive knowledge of the state you occupied when with us, you ape our manners, our customs, and lay claim to some of our wisdom. But it is a sorry attempt, a sorry attempt. You are all impostors. No doubt if some of the huge animals which we capture in the jungles and exhibit for the amusement of the people could speak, they would enter such another protest as you have done, and have the audacity to talk about the high positions they held amongst their fellows, and how infinitely superior they were to every other animal, and so on. But you, my poor fellow, are very small in stature, and your intellect corresponds, so I will pardon your presumption."

Mr. Flonatin was really boiling over with rage. To be spoken about in such a disdainful and contemptuous manner by a person who seemed to him to be only one remove from a monkey, was almost more than human patience could stand. By a great effort he managed to control his wrath, for he knew that he was in the power of the enemy. But he made a resolution that if ever he escaped he would have revenge by letting his world know what wretched barbarians the people who inhabited the interior of the earth were.

The priest moved over to the King, and with him had a long conversation, during which his Majesty frequently burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter, and Flin felt that he was the cause of it, because the priest was holding him up to ridicule. At length the man came back and said, ---

"I have obtained his Majesty's permission for you to remain, as he has no desire to stand in the way of his subjects acquiring knowledge, and he considers that you will be an excellent study for them for some time. Before releasing you from the mesmeric state I may give you the key to our ancient language. You read from left to right, but we read from right to left, so that with this hint, and if you are diligent, you will soon be able to make yourself understood by our people."