penguin island-第26部分

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VII。　CONCLUSION

Nunc　est　bibendum。　Delivered　from　its　fears　and　pleased　at　having　escaped　from　so　great　a　danger；　the　government　resolved　to　celebrate　the　anniversary　of　the　Penguin　regeneration　and　the　establishment　of　the　Republic　by　holding　a　general　holiday。

President　Formose；　the　Ministers；　and　the　members　of　the　Chamber　and　of　the　Senate　were　present　at　the　ceremony。

The　Generalissimo　of　the　Penguin　army　was　present　in　uniform。　He　was　cheered。

Preceded　by　the　black　flag　of　misery　and　the　red　flag　of　revolt；　deputations　of　workmen　walked　in　the　procession；　their　aspect　one　of　grim　protection。

President；　Ministers；　Deputies；　officials；　heads　of　the　magistracy　and　of　the　army；　each；　in　their　own　names　and　in　the　name　of　the　sovereign　people；　renewed　the　ancient　oath　to　live　in　freedom　or　to　die。　It　was　an　alternative　upon　which　they　were　resolutely　determined。　But　they　preferred　to　live　in　freedom。　There　were　games；　speeches；　and　songs。

After　the　departure　of　the　representatives　of　the　State　the　crowd　of　citizens　separated　slowly　and　peaceably；　shouting　out；　〃Hurrah　for　the　Republic！〃　〃Hurrah　for　liberty！〃　〃Down　with　the　shaven　pates！〃

The　newspapers　mentioned　only　one　regrettable　incident　that　happened　on　that　wonderful　day。　Prince　des　Boscenos　was　quietly　smoking　a　cigar　in　the　Queen's　Meadow　when　the　State　procession　passed　by。　The　prince　approached　the　Minister's　carriage　and　said　in　a　loud　voice：　〃Death　to　the　Republicans！〃　He　was　immediately　apprehended　by　the　police；　to　whom　he　offered　a　most　desperate　resistance。　He　knocked　them　down　in　crowds；　but　he　was　conquered　by　numbers；　and；　bruised；　scratched；　swollen；　and　unrecognisable　even　to　the　eyes　of。　his　wife；　he　was　dragged　through　the　joyous　streets　into　an　obscure　prison。

The　magistrates　carried　on　the　case　against　Chatillon　in　a　peculiar　style。　Letters　were　found　at　the　Admiralty　which　revealed　the　complicity　of　the　Reverend　Father　Agaric　in　the　plot。　Immediately　public　opinion　was　inflamed　against　the　monks；　and　Parliament　voted；　one　after　the　other；　a　dozen　laws　which　restrained；　diminished；　limited；　prescribed；　suppressed；　determined；　and　curtailed；　their　rights；　immunities；　exemptions；　privileges；　and　benefits；　and　created　many　invalidating　disqualifications　against　them。

The　Reverend　Father　Agaric　steadfastly　endured　the　rigour　of　the　laws　which　struck　himself　personally；　as　well　as　the　terrible　fall　of　the　Emiral　of　which　he　was　the　chief　cause。　Far　from　yielding　to　evil　fortune；　he　regarded　it　as　but　a　bird　of　passage。　He　was　planning　new　political　designs　more　audacious　than　the　first。

When　his　projects　were　sufficiently　ripe　he　went　one　day　to　the　Wood　of　Conils。　A　thrush　sang　in　a　tree　and　a　little　hedgehog　crossed　the　stony　path　in　front　of　him　with　awkward　steps。　Agaric　walked　with　great　strides；　muttering　fragments　of　sentences　to　himself。

When　he　reached　the　door　of　the　laboratory　in　which；　for　so　many　years；　the　pious　manufacturer　bad　distilled　the　golden　liqueur　of　St。　Orberosia；　he　found　the　place　deserted　and　the　door　shut。　Having　walked　around　the　building　he　saw　in　the　backyard　the　venerable　Cornemuse；　who；　with　his　habit　pinned　up；　was　climbing　a　ladder　that　leant　against　the　wall。

〃Is　that　you；　my　dear　friend？〃　said　he　to　him。　〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃

〃You　can　see　for　yourself；〃　answered　the　monk　of　Conils　in　a　feeble　voice；　turning　a　sorrowful　look　Upon　Agaric。　〃I　am　going　into　my　house。〃

The　red　pupils　of　his　eyes　no　longer　imitated　the　triumph　and　brilliance　of　the　ruby；　they　flashed　mournful　and　troubled　glances。　His　countenance　had　lost　its　happy　fulness。　His　shining　head　was　no　longer　pleasant　to　the　sight；　perspiration　and　inflamed　blotches　bad　altered　its　inestimable　perfection。

〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Agaric。

〃It　is　easy　enough　to　understand。　You　see　the　consequences　of　your　plot。　Although　a　multitude　of　laws　are　directed　against　me　I　have　managed　to　elude　the　greater　number　of　them。　Some；　however；　have　struck　me。　These　vindictive　men　have　closed　my　laboratories　and　my　shops；　and　confiscated　my　bottles；　my　stills；　and　my　retorts。　They　have　put　seals　on　my　doors　and　now　I　am　compelled　to　go　in　through　the　window。　I　am　barely　able　to　extract　in　secret　and　from　time　to　time　the　juice　of　a　few　plants　and　that　with　an　apparatus　which　the　humblest　labourer　would　despise。〃

〃You　suffer　from　the　persecution；〃　said　Agaric。　〃It　strikes　us　all。〃

The　monk　of　Conils　passed　his　hand　over　his　afflicted　brow：

〃I　told　you　so；　Brother　Agaric；　I　told　you　that　your　enterprise　would　turn　against　ourselves。〃

〃Our　defeat　is　only　momentary；〃　replied　Agaric　eagerly。　〃It　is　due　to　purely　accidental　causes；　it　results　from　mere　contingencies。　Chatillon　was　a　fool；　he　has　drowned　himself　in　his　own　ineptitude。　Listen　to　me；　Brother　Cornemuse。　We　have　not　a　moment　to　lose。　We　must　free　the　Penguin　people；　we　must　deliver　them　from　their　tyrants；　save　them　from　themselves；　restore　the　Dragon's　crest；　reestablish　the　ancient　State；　the　good　State；　for　the　honour　of　religion　and　the　exaltation　of　the　Catholic　faith。　Chatillon　was　a　bad　instrument；　he　broke　in　our　hands。　Let　us　take　a　better　instrument　to　replace　him。　I　have　the　man　who　will　destroy　this　impious　democracy。　He　is　a　civil　official；　his　name　is　Gomoru。　The　Penguins　worship　him；　He　has　already　betrayed　his　party　for　a　plate　of　rice。　There's　the　man　we　want！〃

At　the　beginning　of　this　speech　the　monk　of　Conils　had　climbed　into　his　window　and　pulled　up　the　ladder。

〃I　foresee；〃　answered　he；　with　his　nose　through　the　sash；　〃that　you　will　not　stop　until　you　have　us　all　expelled　from　this　pleasant；　agreeable；　and　sweet　land　of　Penguinia。　Good　night；　God　keep　you！〃

Agaric；　standing　before　the　wall；　entreated　his　dearest　brother　to　listen　to　him　for　a　moment：

〃Understand　your　own　interest　better；　Cornemuse！　Penguinia　is　ours。　What　do　we　need　to　conquer　it？　just　one　effort　more　。　。　。　one　more　little　sacrifice　of　money　and　。　。　。〃

But　without　listening　further；　the　monk　of　Conils　drew　in　his　head　and　closed　his　window。



BOOK　VI。　MODERN　TIMES。

THE　AFFAIR　OF　THE　EIGHTY　THOUSAND　TRUSSES　OF　HAY

O　Father　Zeus；　only　save　thou　the　sons　of　the　Acheans　from　the　darkness；　and　make　clear　sky　and　vouchsafe　sight　to　our　eyes；　and　then；　so　it　be　but　light；　slay　us；　since　such　is　thy　good　pleasure。　　（Iliad；　xvii。　645　et　seq。）


I。　GENERAL　GREATAUK；　DUKE　OF　SKULL

A　short　time　after　the　flight　of　the　Emiral；　a　middle…class　Jew　called　Pyrot；　desirous　of　associating　with　the　aristocracy　and　wishing　to　serve　his　country；　entered　the　Penguin　army。　The　Minister　of　War；　who　at　the　time　was　Greatauk；　Duke　of　Skull；　could　not　endure　him。　He　blamed　him　for　his　zeal；　his　hooked　nose；　his　vanity；　his　fondness　for　study；　his　thick　lips；　and　his　exemplary　conduct。　Every　time　the　author　of　any　misdeed　was　looked　for；　Greatauk　used　to　say：

〃It　must　be　Pyrot！〃

One　morning　General　Panther；　the　Chief　of　the　Staff；　informed　Greatauk　of　a　serious　matter。　Eighty　thousand　trusses　of　hay　intended　for　the　cavalry　had　disappeared　and　not　a　trace　of　them　was　to　be　found。

Greatauk　exclaimed　at　once：

〃It　must　be　Pyrot　who　has　stolen　them！〃

He　remained　in　thought　for　some　time　and　said：　〃The　more　I　think　of　it　the　more　I　am　convinced　that　Pyrot　has　stolen　those　eighty　thousand　trusses　of　hay。　And　I　know　it　by　this：　he　stole　them　in　order　that　he　might　sell　them　to　our　bitter　enemies　the　Porpoises。　What　an　infamous　piece　of　treachery！

〃There　is　no　doubt　about　it；〃　answered　Panther；　〃it　only　remains　to　prove　it。〃

The　same　day；　as　he　passed　by　a　cavalry　barracks；　Prince　des　Boscenos　heard　the　troopers　as　they　were　sweeping　out　the　yard；　singing：

　　　Boscenos　est　un　gros　cochon；　　　　On　en　va　faire　des　andouilles；　　　　Des　saucisses　et　du　jambon　　　　Pour　le　riveillon　des　pauy'　bougres。

It　seemed　to　him　contrary　to　all　discipline　that　soldiers　should　sing　this　domestic　and　revolutionary　refrain　which　on　days　of　riot　had　been　uttered　by　the　lips　of　jeering　workmen。　On　this　occasion　he　deplored　the　moral　degeneration　of　the　army；　and　thought　with　a　bitter　smile　that　his　old　comrade　Greatauk；　the　head　of　this　degenerate　army；　basely　exposed　him　to　the　malice　of　an　unpatriotic　government。　And　he　promised　himself　that　he　would　make　an　improvement　before　long。

〃That　scoundrel　Greatauk；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃will；　not　remain　long　a　Minister。〃

Prince　des　Boscenos　was　the　most　irreconcilable　of　the　opponents　of　modem　democracy；　free　thought；　and　the　government　which　the　Penguins　had　voluntarily　given　themselves。　He　had　a　vigorous　and　undisguised　hatred　for　the　Jews；　and　he　worked　in　public　and　in　private；　night　and　day；　for　the　restoration　of　the　line　of　the　Draconides。　His　ardent　royalism　was　still　further　excited　by　the　thought　of　his　private　affairs；　which　were　in　a　bad　way　and　were　hourly　growing　worse。　He　had　no　hope　of　seeing　an　end　to　his　pecuniary　embarrassments　until　the　heir　of　Draco　the　Great　entered　the　city　of　Alca。

When　he　returned　to　his　house；　the　prince　took　out　of　his　safe　a　bundle　of　old　letters　consisting　of　a　private　correspondence　of　the　most　secret　nature；　which　he　had　obtained　from　a　treacherous　secretary。　They　proved　that　his　old　comrade　Greatauk；　the　Duke　of　Skull；　had　been　guilty　of　jobbery　regarding　the　military　stores　and　had　received　a　present　of　no　great　value　from　a　manufacturer　called　Maloury。　The　very　smallness　of　this　present　deprived　the　Minister　who　had　accepted　it　of　all　excuse。

The　prince　re…read　the　letters　with　a　bitter　satisfaction；　put　them　carefully　back　into　his　safe；　and　dashed　to　the　Minister　of　War。　He　was　a　man　of　resolute　character。　On　being　told　that　the　Minister　could　see　no　one　he　knocked　down　the　ushers；　swept　aside　the　orderlies；　trampled　under　foot　the　civil　and　military　clerks；　burst　through　the　doors；　and　entered　the　room　of　the　astonished　Greatauk。

〃I　will　not　say　much；〃　said　he　to　him；　〃but　I　will　speak　to　the　point。　You　are　a　confounded　cad。　I　have　asked　you　to　put　a　flea　in　the　ear　of　General　Mouchin；　the　tool　of　those　Republicans；　and　you　would　not　do　it。　I　have　asked　you　to　give　a　command　to　General　des　Clapiers；　who　works　for　the　Dracophils；　and　who　has　obliged　me　personally；　and　you　wou