Gulliver Redux

In the morning, Belinda contrived to return me to my quarters, and she pressed her lips to entirely cover my face with their cushions. As she was leaving, I vowed to protect her in future from her brother. I succeeded in this by instructing her to tell her brother that, should he lay a finger on her in future, I would report him to the queen and have him removed from service permanently.

I am pleased to report that this warning was heeded, though I was frequently unnerved thereafter by Towser's carnivorous grin, which drew close to me on any occasion his master was nearby and could let the leash out to its full length. Nevertheless, I survived these torments, and was ultimately freed from them one day when the beast inadvertently stumbled beneath the wheels of a hurtling carriage.

The dog had found the turning wheels so vexing that he attempted to bite their turning rims. Evidently, Towser was as stupid as his master. Belinda's brother, Samuel, lapsed into meekness thereafter, seemingly so grief-stricken by his companion's demise that his character suffered a forced reformation.

As for Belinda, I was not to see her again, for my adventures soon took me elsewhere. Still, she will not soon be forgotten, for upon that one occasion I came to understand an aspect of woman's strength which could not otherwise have been imagined by a mere man such as I.