“My very honorable lord, I hurry to conclude. They live in a compound structure; but though connected by membranous canals, freely communicating throughout the league—each member has a heart and stomach of its own; provides and digests its own dinners; and grins and bears its own gripes, without imparting the same to its neighbors. But if a prowling shark touches one member, it ruffles all. Precisely thus now with Vivenza. In that confederacy, there are as many consciences as tribes; hence, if one member on its own behalf, assumes aught afterwards repudiated, the sin rests on itself alone; is not participated.” “A very subtle explanation, Babbalanja. You must allude, then, to those recreant tribes; which, while in their own eyes presenting a sublime moral spectacle to Mardi,—in King Bello’s, do but present a hopeless example of bad debts. And these, the tribes that boast of boundless wealth.” “Most true, my lord. But Bello errs, when for this thing, he stigmatizes all Vivenza, as a unity.” “Babbalanja, you yourself are made up of members:—then, if you be sick of a lumbago,—’tis not _you_ that are unwell; but your spine.” “As you will, my lord. I have said. But to speak no more on that head —what sort of a sensation, think you, life is to such creatures as those mollusca?” “Answer your own question, Babbalanja.” “I will; but first tell me what sort of a sensation life is to you, yourself, my lord.” “Pray answer that along with the other, Azzageddi.” “Directly; but tell me, if you will, my lord, what sort of a sensation life is to a toad-stool.” “Pray, Babbalanja put all three questions together; and then, do what you have often done before, pronounce yourself a lunatic.” “My lord, I beseech you, remind me not of that fact so often. It is true, but annoying. Nor will any wise man call another a fool.” “Do you take me for a mere man, then, Babbalanja, that you talk to me thus?” “My demi-divine lord and master, I was deeply concerned at your indisposition last night:—may a loving subject inquire, whether his prince is completely recovered from the effect of those guavas?” “Have a care, Azzageddi; you are far too courteous, to be civil. But proceed.”