l secret meetings
of the King's Privy Council, on his account. The Lord High Admiral
(who now hated him because of his success against the Blefuscan
fleet), Flimnap, the High Treasurer, and others of his enemies, had
drawn up against him charges of treason and other crimes. The courtier
had brought with him a copy of these charges, and Gulliver now read
them.

It was made a point against him that, when ordered to do so by the
King, he had refused to seize all the other Blefuscan ships. It was
also said that he would not join in utterly crushing the empire of
Blefuscu, nor give aid when it was proposed to put to death not only
all the Big endians who had fled for refuge to that country, but all
the Blefuscans themselves who were friends of the Big-endians. For
this he was said to be a traitor.

He was also accused of being over-friendly with the Blefuscan
ambassadors; and it was made a grave charge against him that though
his Majesty had not given him written leave to visit Blefuscu, he yet
was getting ready to go to that country, in order to give help to the
Emperor against Lilliput.

There had been many debates on these charges, said the courtier, and
the Lord High Admiral had made violent speeches, strongly advising
that the Great Man Mountain should be put to death. In this he was
joined by Flimnap, and by others, so that actually the greater part of
the council was in favor of instant death by the most painful means
that could be used.

The less unfriendly members of the council, however, while saying that
they had no doubt of Gulliver's guilt, were yet of the opinion that,
as his services to the kingdom of Lilliput had been great, the
punishment of death was too severe. They thought it would be enough if
his eyes were put out. This, they said, would not prevent him from
being still made useful.

Then began a most excited argument, the Admiral and those who sided
with him insisting that Gulliver should be killed at once.

At last the Secretary rose and said that he had a middle course to
suggest. This was, that Gulliver's eyes should be put out, and that
thereafter his food should be gradually so reduced in quantity that in
the course of two or three months he would die of starvation. By which
time, said the Secretary, his body would be wasted to an extent that
would make it easy for five or six hundred men, in a few days, to cut
off the flesh and take it away in cart-loads to be buried at a
distance. Thus