Past and its graves are being dug over?"

They were furious; so wildly rolling their eyes after victims, that
well was it for King Media, he wore not his crown; and in silence, we
moved unnoted from out the crowd.

"My lord, I am amazed at the indiscretion of a demigod," said
Babbalanja, as we passed on our way; "I recognized your sultanic style
the very first sentence. This, then, is the result of your hours of
seclusion."

"Philosopher! I am astounded at your effrontery. I detected your
philosophy the very first maxim. Who posted that parchment for you?"

So, each charged the other with its authorship: and there was no
finding out, whether, indeed, either knew aught of its origin.

Now, could it have been Babbalanja? Hardly. For, philosophic as the
document was, it seemed too dogmatic and conservative for him. King
Media? But though imperially absolute in his political sentiments,
Media delivered not himself so boldly, when actually beholding the
eruption in Franko.

Indeed, the settlement of this question must be left to the
commentators on Mardi, some four or five hundred centuries hence.

CHAPTER LVIII
They Visit The Extreme South Of Vivenza

We penetrated further and further into the valleys around; but,
though, as elsewhere, at times we heard whisperings that promised an
end to our wanderings;--we still wandered on; and once again, even
Yoomy abated his sanguine hopes.

And now, we prepared to embark for the extreme south of the land.

But we were warned by the people, that in that portion of Vivenza,
whither we were going, much would be seen repulsive to strangers. Such
things, however, indulgent visitors overlooked. For themselves, they
were well aware of those evils. Northern Vivenza had done all it could
to assuage them; but in vain; the inhabitants of those southern
valleys were a fiery, and intractable race; heeding neither
expostulations, nor entreaties. They were wedded to their ways. Nay,
they swore, that if the northern tribes persisted in intermeddlings,
they would dissolve the common alliance, and establish a distinct
confederacy among themselves.

Our coasting voyage at an end, our keels grated the beach among many
prostrate palms, decaying, and washed by the billows. Though part and
parcel of the shore we had left, this region seemed another land.
Fewer thriving thingswere seen; fewer cheerful sounds were heard.

"Here labor has lost his laugh!" cried Yoomy.

It was a great p