CHAPTER VI.
1 The rulers send unto Artemas. 4 He seeketh the Lord High Physician. 22 And findeth him. 23 One carrieth a multitude of papers. 27 A man of fat hoppeth wonderfully. 31 The scribe performeth also. 37 Wherefore he is sent away.
Now it came to pass that the rulers sent word unto me, saying, Stand forth, and show thyself unto a physician, for we have need of thee to smite the men of Hu.
2 And I rose up from my bed and anointed myself with sweet oil and did shave the hair from off my face with a razor.
3 And I did don my richest apparel and did put in the pocket of it a brush for the teeth, fearing lest they should straightway send me into battle, and mine habitation, I should see it no more.
41 ¶ And after I was made ready, I did hie me unto the place appointed.
5 Now when I was come there, I saw a man; and he was one of the fighters of En, being also a scribe.
6 And I drew nigh unto him, and I did salute him saying, Peace be unto thee, brother, and peace be upon thy father's house. Nevertheless, he heeded me not, but did continue in the task that he was doing.
7 And after he had writ all that which he was minded to write, and more also, then lifted he his eyes towards me. And he spake unto me in a voice of thunder, saying, Wots-yer nime?
8 And because the language that he spake, it was strange unto mine ear, and because the look upon his face, it was terrible, therefore did I seek for to pacify him.
9 And I said unto him, Whatsoever thou hast said, verily, it is so; and who be I to gainsay thee? But what be the meaning of it, that indeed I know not.
10 Now there was one that came after me, a young man, benign of countenance; and he did understand the meaning of it, and he interpreted it unto me,
11 So I made answer, and I said unto him that asked, Behold I am a citizen of Lon, a poor scribe, and my name, it is Artemas.
12 Wherefore he did write down Artemus. And after he had written it so, he spake unto me again, saying, Get thee to the physician, that we may know what manner of man thou art. And I gat me thence.
13 And I came unto a certain place, where four winds did meet. And I did take up my stand in that corner of it that was most draughty; and I did wait.
14 And after I was become hardened by the length of my vigil, then did the Lord High Physician send out an herald.
15 And he stood upon the step of the house wherein the physician was hid, and he called out in a loud voice, saying, Artemus.
16 And the eyes of them that were round about, they did look on me with envy; and there was hate in their hearts also because I was summoned for to go up before them.
17 And when I was come within the house, behold, there was a man, and he commanded me that I should take off my raiment, that was also my richest apparel. Yea, whatsoever I did have on, that did he command me to take off.
18 And the mandate troubled me greatly, for I was a young man and loth to reveal my loveliness before all the world.
19 And because I was backward in setting about it, therefore did he hearten me with words; yea, he did bid me that I should get me a move on.
20 And I did get me a move on; but all else I did get me off.
21 And when I was become naked enough, then did he measure the height of my stature, and what it was. And I was weighed in the balance, also, and found wanting. And afterwards he did take me unto the Lord High Physician.
22 ¶ And there were others in that room, being in like straits to myself. And each of us did eye his fellows with a great contempt, for, verily, we were a sorry lot, and strangely made.
23 ¶ Now he that went up before me, he did carry in his hand a multitude of papers. And he spake unto the Lord High Physician, and he said unto him, Behold, I am sick unto death.
24 And after the Lord High Physician had taken stock of him, and after he had read that which was writ upon the papers, then spake he unto the young man, and he said,
25 It seemeth unto me that thou art a vigorous youth and hefty. But if, peradventure, thou art sick unto death, what matter the means to thy end? And he did send him forth.
26 And the young man was amazed, for he had paid one hundred talents of gold for that which was writ upon the papers, being assured that he might work the matter by force of their numbers.
27 ¶ And after him there stood forth another. And he was a man given over to fatness, so that even in his resting moments he was continually out of breath.
28 And the Lord High Physician spake unto him in these words, saying, Stand thou upon thy right leg, and hop; and he did hop.
29 And the Lord High Physician spake unto him again, saying, Stand thou now upon thy left leg, and hop; and he did hop upon his left leg also.
30 And, behold, his stomach, it did shake before him, for it was of a size, and loose withal. Wherefore, the hopping of him, it was a matter of delight.
31 ¶ And after it was finished, then did the Lord High Physician command me to stand forth; and I did stand forth.
32 And when he had seen me, what I was, he said unto the scribe that attended him, Verily, this man's nakedness becometh him ill, and his body, it lacketh meat. So let it be recorded of him.
33 And he spake unto me again, saying, Read now the symbols that thou seest before thee. And because they were beyond the sight of mine eye, therefore spake he unto the scribe again, saying unto him, Verily, the fool hath not even eyes to see. So let it be recorded of him.
34 And he did smite me upon the chest, and he ordered me to say unto him, Ninety-nine.
35 And he did smite me upon the stomach, being in a tender place, and on the top of the back did he smite me also.
36 And he commanded me that I should perform the hop; and I did perform it. And I did do other things also, and did disport myself about the floor. And the eyes of the man of fat, they were filled with satisfaction.
37 ¶ And after the Lord High Physician, he had marked me for what I was, he called a servant unto him, and he commanded him, saying, Take thou this man out of my sight. And I departed out of his sight for ever.
38 And I returned unto mine habitation, taking also the brush for the teeth that I had brought away.
39 Neither did the rulers send unto me again, for what I was, it was writ upon the records, and what I was, behold, it was enough.