Indegatus. “We can readily understand the many ways in which its publicity would compromise your endeavors to render us aid, and you can rely upon our watchful discretion and submission to your direction. But I would wish to be resolved upon a subject all important for the fulfillment of our higher responsibility? Your discursive narration of events in your locomotive attainments, has implied a reliance upon a higher source of aid than our gods. It would appear that you claim for creation a sole Creator, who has bestowed upon mankind a duality, compounded of instinct for the support and prompting of material manifestations of the body, with an affectionate guide in readiness for an alliance to perfect individuality for a happy earthly initiation of the animus into the blissful current of immortality? This has reflected through the darkness of our customary usages a path of light, most cheering in prospect of immortality! Do you deny the existence of Gods whose favors are to be propitiated with acceptable prayers and sacrifices?”
Giganteo. “We have within ourselves all sufficient evidence of a supreme Creator, who has created mankind with a privileged superiority from an alliance with affectionate purity and goodness. A knowledge of this optional endowment we have derived from its practical observance in exampled association, founded upon an educated preference above, and for the affectionate direction of our bodies self-sustaining instincts. Of our method of education, which adapts the body’s instincts for the allied entertainment of animus purity and goodness for affectionate anticipations of immortality, we will practically instruct you in season for adoption.”
Indegatus. “Then you not only deny the existence of our Gods, but erect an altar within the body for the sacrifice of animal passions, in purification for the reception of a proffered alliance with affectionate goodness?”
Giganteo. “Your quick comprehension surprises me! It will, however, lead you to a ready appreciation of our system of education for insuring allied reciprocation.”
Indegatus. “The cause of my augur sight is that my parents offered with example a happy impression of attainments in kind with those you describe. But as the hour of reflection approaches I will ask you to join us, that you may be refreshed, for the continuation of your suggestive history, with its application to our needs under the direction of your people!”
Giganteo. “Gratias, for your kind proffer! But I must not allow my appetite to act the parasite in your famishing need. My wife occupies the howdah of the phaeton, and has brought at least a month’s provision, so that in our plenty we are better able to share with you, and I should, at least in the form of courtesy, have asked you to test Leoptilea’s skill in the culinary art; for I can assure you, she has an excellent reputation in the art of appetizing food combinations.”
Gnipho and his brother, with all their restraining efforts, could not refrain from a hearty outburst of merriment at this courteous sally of the Dosch, whose commissary stores for a month’s supply for himself, wife, companions, and volantaphs, were the scarcely perceptible burden of a bee. Indegatus catching the infection, the trio startled the hereditary silence of the latifundium with the unusual echoes of jocund laughter, causing the distant laborers to suspend their occupations in wondering surprise at the vent of emotions which had been so long suppressed with the rule of discontent and anxiety. The cause of this ebullition lent his mitey chirrup to swell the chorus, and incite its continuance with Gnipho. Changing to the ear of Indegatus after the more urgent emotions had subsided, the Dosch complimented him for his well preserved sympathetic mirthful tones of voice, expressing in commendation his surprise that the long disuse of mirth provocatives had not caused the resonance of his intonations to become dry and wheezy. Then, in continuation, he said, “Now that I have gained your kindly appreciation seasoned with the genial sympathy of a hearty laugh, I will rejoin my family while you are absent with yours during the heat of noontide.”
CHAPTER XV.
While Gnipho was rehearsing the wonders of his marvelous interview with the Dosch of Manatitla, to his mother and sisters, as he was about closing he became suddenly silent, with his eyes drawn attentively to his right ear. The strabismic impulse startled his mother and sisters, but a bright smile on Gnipho’s face relieved their fears. In a few seconds he held out his hand, and presented, with an introduction, the Dosch and his wife, with their companions. When female curiosity had subsided the Doschessa intimated her desire to hold an auramental interview with the eldest daughter! Her compliance was accompanied with evidences of trepidation, but after a few minutes these subsided giving place to an expression of vivacious interest, indicating a discussion of matters pertaining to female economy. The Dosch observing these symptoms of female confluency, reminded the prætor that the confidence of the sex was formalistic, and never free in the presence of males! Acting upon this hint Indegatus with the Dosch, Gnipho, and brother withdrew to the thalmus auditorium. The renewed interview of the Dosch with Indegatus and sons was opened by Gnipho, who petitioned his father, “May I question the Dosch to obtain further knowledge of this power of self control? It appears so natural and free from the delusions of our worship, in which we are constantly supplicating for what we neglect to obtain from our own endowed resources, it must insure happy contentment in life, and as he says, a pro-realizing foretaste of immortality. Indeed, father, I have before felt that there was within my control a peaceful joy that would serve as a shield from self-deception and the wiles of hypocrisy, which, in grateful thankfulness, I have wished to impart for others’ benefit.”
Indegatus. “My son, I have looked back with reverence upon the ceremonial forms of worship practiced by our ancestors, relying upon their efficacy without questioning the authenticity of their divine origin. Even on the appearance of the Dosch, as a stranger, in a form so questionable, and in accordance with my preconceived ideas of disembodied spirits, I did not doubt but that he was a nuncio of some special admonition, in answer to my supplications for aid in controlling the disaffected Heracleans, who have so greatly increased the misery of our position. But since he has convinced us that he is in reality a diminutive impersonation of our mortality, and has spoken so directly to our understanding, my eyes have been opened to the profane delusions of our long practiced ritualistic rites, addressed from and to an instinctive void, in evasion of our privileged endowment of goodness, which should direct our grateful thanksgivings to the Supreme Creator. We are surrounded with sad realities, which require self reliance for their correction, and from the source of goodness we can alone hope for directing aid. The discourse of the Dosch harmonizes with a host of new thoughts, which convict me, from past admonitions, of willful infatuation and stupidity in avoiding the animus impressions of my better nature. In the sincerity of truthful surprise, we can now look forward, my sons, with the confident hope of inaugurating for future generations a source of happiness that will reflect the current rays of immortality. But we should address our grateful emotions to the Dosch, who has interested himself for the redemption of our race from selfish infatuation.”