If an express requires extraordinary speed the Man-Mountain shall be obliged to carry in his pocket the messenger and horse a six days ' journey , and return the said messenger -LRB- if so required -RRB- safe to our imperial presence . `` Sixth . He shall be our ally against our enemies in the island of Blefuscu , and do his utmost to destroy their fleet , which is now preparing to invade us . `` Lastly . Upon his solemn oath to observe all the above articles , the said Man-Mountain shall have a daily allowance of meat and drink sufficient for the support of 1,724 of our subjects , with free access to our royal person , and other marks of our favor . Given at our palace at Belfaburac , the twelfth day of the ninety-first moon of our reign . '' I swore to these articles with great cheerfulness , whereupon my chains were immediately unlocked , and I was at full liberty . One morning , about a fortnight after I had obtained my freedom , Reldresal , the Emperor 's secretary for private affairs , came to my house , attended only by one servant . He ordered his coach to wait at a distance , and desired that I would give him an hour 's audience . I offered to lie down that he might the more conveniently reach my ear ; but he chose rather to let me hold him in my hand during our conversation . He began with compliments on my liberty , but he added that , save for the present state of things at Court , perhaps I might not have obtained it so soon . `` For , '' he said , `` however flourishing we may seem to foreigners , we are in danger of an invasion from the island of Blefuscu , which is the other great empire of the universe , almost as large and as powerful as this of his Majesty . For as to what we have heard you say , that there are other kingdoms in the world , inhabited by human creatures as large as yourself , our philosophers are very doubtful , and rather conjecture that you dropped from the moon , or one of the stars , because a hundred mortals of your size would soon destroy all the fruit and cattle of his Majesty 's dominions . Besides , our histories of six thousand moons make no mention of any other regions than the two mighty empires of Lilliput and Blefuscu , which , as I was going to tell you , are engaged in a most obstinate war , which began in the following manner : It is allowed on all hands that the primitive way of breaking eggs was upon the larger end ; but his present Majesty 's grandfather , while he was a boy , going to eat an egg , and breaking it according to the ancient practice , happened to cut one of his fingers . Whereupon the Emperor , his father , made a law commanding all his subjects to break the smaller end of their eggs . The people so highly resented this law that there have been six rebellions raised on that account , wherein one emperor lost his life , and another his crown . It is calculated that eleven hundred persons have at different times suffered rather than break their eggs at the smaller end . But these rebels , the Bigendians , have found so much encouragement at the Emperor of Blefuscu 's Court , to which they always fled for refuge , that a bloody war , as I said , has been carried on between the two empires for six-and-thirty moons ; and now the Blefuscudians have equipped a large fleet , and are preparing to descend upon us . Therefore his Imperial Majesty , placing great confidence in your valor and strength , has commanded me to set the case before you . '' I desired the secretary to present my humble duty to the Emperor , and to let him know that I was ready , at the risk of my life , to defend him against all invaders .
CHAPTER IV It was not long before I communicated XXXXX his Majesty the plan I formed for seizing the enemy 's whole fleet .
Besides For Upon as during in of on to with