penguin island-第28部分

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ubvert　the　proofs　of　the　accusation　because　they　could　not　know　what　they　were；　and　they　could　not　know　what　they　were　because　there　were　none。　Pyrot's　guilt　was　indefeasible　through　its　very　nullity。　And　it　was　with　a　legitimate　pride　that　Greatauk；　expressing　himself　as　a　true　artist；　said　one　day　to　General　Panther：　〃This　case　is　a　master…piece：　it　is　made　out　of　nothing。〃　The　seven　hundred　Pyrotists　despaired　of　ever　clearing　up　this　dark　business；　when　suddenly　they　discovered；　from　a　stolen　letter；　that　the　eighty　thousand　trusses　of　hay　had　never　existed；　that　a　most　distinguished　nobleman；　Count　de　Maubec；　had　sold　them　to　the　State；　that　he　had　received　the　price　but　had　never　delivered　them。　Indeed　seeing　that　he　was　descended　from　the　richest　landed　proprietors　of　ancient　Penguinia；　the　heir　of　the　Maubecs　of　Dentdulynx；　once　the　possessors　of　four　duchies；　sixty　counties；　and　six　hundred　and　twelve　marquisates；　baronies；　and　viscounties；　he　did　not　possess　as　much　land　as　he　could　cover　with　his　hand；　and　would　not　have　been　able　to　cut　a　single　day'S　mowing　of　forage　off　his　own　domains。　As　to　his　getting　a　single　rush　from　a　land…owner　or　a　merchant；　that　would　have　been　quite　impossible；　for　everybody　except　the　Ministers　of　State　and　the　Government　officials　knew　that　it　would　be　easier　to　get　blood　from　a　stone　than　a　farthing　from　a　Maubec。

The　seven　hundred　Pyrotists　made　a　minute　inquiry　concerning　the　Count　Maubec　de　la　Dentdulynx's　financial　resources；　and　they　proved　that　that　nobleman　was　chiefly　supported　by　a　house　in　which　some　generous　ladies　were　ready　to　furnish　all　comers　with　the　most　lavish　hospitality。　They　publicly　proclaimed　that　he　was　guilty　of　the　theft　of　the　eighty　thousand　trusses　of　straw　for　which　an　innocent　man　had　been　condemned　and　was　now　imprisoned　in　the　cage。

Maubec　belonged　to　an　illustrious　family　which　was　allied　to　the　Draconides。　There　is　nothing　that　a　democracy　esteems　more　highly　than　noble　birth。　Maubec　had　also　served　in　the　Penguin　army；　and　since　the　Penguins　were　all　soldiers；　they　loved　their　army　to　idolatry。　Maubec；　on　the　field　of　battle；　had　received　the　Cross；　which　is　a　sign　of　honour　among　the　Penguins　and　which　they　valued　even　more　highly　than　the　embraces　of　their　wives。　All　Penguinia　declared　for　Maubec；　and　the　voice　of　the　people　which　began　to　assume　a　threatening　tone；　demanded　severe　punishments　for　the　seven　hundred　calumniating　Pyrotists。

Maubec　was　a　nobleman；　he　challenged　the　seven　hundred　Pyrotists　to　combat　with　either　sword；　sabre；　pistols；　carabines；　or　sticks。

〃Vile　dogs；〃　he　wrote　to　them　in　a　famous　letter；　〃you　have　crucified　my　God　and　you　want　my　life　too；　I　warn　you　that　I　will　not　be　such　a　duffer　as　He　was　and　that　I　will　cut　off　your　fourteen　hundred　ears。　Accept　my　boot　on　your　seven　hundred　behinds。〃

The　Chief　of　the　Government　at　the　time　was　a　peasant　called　Robin　Mielleux；　a　man　pleasant　to　the　rich　and　powerful；　but　hard　towards　the　poor；　a　man　of　small　courage　and　ignorant　of　his　own　interests。　In　a　public　declaration　he　guaranteed　Maubec's　innocence　and　honour；　and　presented　the　seven　hundred　Pyrotists：　to　the　criminal　courts　where　they　were　condemned；　as　libellers；　to　imprisonment；　to　enormous　fines；　and　to　all　the　damages　that　were　claimed　by　their　innocent　victim。

It　seemed　as　if　Pyrot　was　destined　to　remain　for　ever　shut　in　the　cage　on　which　the　ravens　perched。　But　all　the　Penguins　being　anxious　to　know　and　prove　that　this　Jew　was　guilty；　all　the　proofs　brought　forward　were　found　not　to　be　good；　while　some　of　them　were　also　contradictory。　The　officers　of　the　Staff　showed　zeal　but　lacked　prudence。　Whilst　Greatauk　kept　an　admirable　silence；　General　Panther　made　inexhaustible　speeches　and　every　morning　demonstrated　in　the　newspapers　that　the　condemned　man　was　guilty。　He　would　have　done　better；　perhaps；　if　he　had　said　nothing。　The　guilt　was　evident　and　what　is　evident　cannot　be　demonstrated。　So　much　reasoning　disturbed　people's　minds；　their　faith；　though　still　alive；　became　less　serene。　The　more　proofs　one　gives　a　crowd　the　more　they　ask　for。

Nevertheless　the　danger　of　proving　too　much　would　not　have　been　great　if　there　had　not　been　in　Penguinia；　as　there　are；　indeed；　everywhere；　minds　framed　for　free　inquiry；　capable　of　studying　a　difficult　question；　and　inclined　to　philosophic　doubt。　They　were　few；　they　were　not　all　inclined　to　speak；　and　the　public　was　by　no　means　inclined　to　listen　to　them。　Still；　they　did　not　always　meet　with　deaf　ears。　The　great　Jews；　all　the　Israelite　millionaires　of　Alca；　when　spoken　to　of　Pyrot；　said：　〃We　do　not　know　the　man〃；　but　they　thought　of　saving　him。　They　preserved　the　prudence　to　which　their　wealth　inclined　them　and　wished　that　others　would　be　less　timid。　Their　wish　was　to　be　gratified。



V。　COLOMBAN

Some　weeks　after　the　conviction　of　the　seven　hundred　Pyrotists；　a　little；　gruff；　hairy；　short…sighted　man　left　his　house　one　morning　with　a　paste…pot；　a　ladder；　and　a　bundle　of　posters　and　went　about　the　streets　pasting　placards　to　the　walls　on　which　might　be　read　in　large　letters：　Pyrot　is　innocent；　Maubec　is　guilty。　He　was　not　a　bill…poster；　his　name　was　Colomban；　and　as　the　author　of　sixty　volumes　on　Penguin　sociology　he　was　numbered　among　the　most　laborious　and　respected　writers　in　Alca。　Having　given　sufficient　thought　to　the　matter　and　no　longer　doubting　Pyrot's　innocence；　he　proclaimed　it　in　the　manner　which　he　thought　would　be　most　sensational。　He　met　with　no　hindrance　while　posting　his　bills　in　the　quiet　streets；　but　when　he　came　to　the　populous　quarters；　every　time　he　mounted　his　ladder；　inquisitive　people　crowded　round　him　and；　dumbfounded　with　surprise　and　indignation；　threw　at　him　threatening　looks　which　he　received　with　the　calm　that　comes　from　courage　and　short…sightedness。　Whilst　caretakers　and　tradespeople　tore　down　the　bills　he　had　posted；　he　kept　on　zealously　placarding；　carrying　his　tools　and　followed　by　little　boys　who；　with　their　baskets　under　their　arms　or　their　satchels　on　their　backs；　were　in　no　hurry　to　reach　school。　To　the　mute　indignation　against　him；　protests　and　murmurs　were　now　added。　But　Colomban　did　not　condescend　to　see　or　hear　anything。　As；　at　the　entrance　to　the　Rue　St。　Orberosia；　he　was　posting　one　of　his　squares　of　paper　bearing　the　words：　Pyrot　is　innocent；　Maubec　is　guilty；　the　riotous　crowd　showed　signs　of　the　most　violent　anger。　They　called　after　him；　〃Traitor；　thief；　rascal；　scoundrel。〃　A　woman　opened　a　window　and　emptied　a　vase　full　of　filth　over　his　head；　a　cabby　sent　his　hat　flying　from　one　end　of　the　street　to　the　other　by　a　blow　of　his　whip　amid　the　cheers　of　the　crowd　who　now　felt　themselves　avenged。　A　butcher's　boy　knocked　Colomban　with　his　paste…pot；　his　brush；　and　his　posters；　from　the　top　of　his　ladder　into　the　gutter；　and　the　proud　Penguins　then　felt　the　greatness　of　their　country。　Colomban　stood　up；；　covered　with　filth；　lame；　and　with　his　elbow　injured；　but　tranquil　and　resolute。

〃Low　brutes；〃　he　muttered；　shrugging　his　shoulders。

Then　he　went　down　on　all…fours　in　the　gutter　to　look　for　his　glasses　which　he　had　lost　in　his　fall。　t　was　then　seen　that　his　coat　was　split　from　the　collar　to　the　tails　and　that　his　trousers　were　in　rags。　The　rancour　of　the　crowd　grew　stronger。

On　the　other　side　of　the　street　stretched　the　big　St。　Orberosian　Stores。　The　patriots　seized　whatever　they　could　lay　their　hands　on　from　the　shop　front；　and　hurled　at　Colomban　oranges；　lemons；　pots　of　jam；　pieces　of　chocolate；　bottles　of　liqueurs；　boxes　of　sardines；　pots　of　foie　gras；　hams；　fowls；　flasks　of　oil；　and　bags　of　haricots。　Covered　with　the　debris　of　the　food；　bruised；　tattered；　lame；　and　blind；　he　took　to　flight；　followed　by　the　shop…boys；　bakers；　loafers；　citizens；　and　hooligans　whose　number　increased　each　moment　and　who　kept　shouting：　〃Duck　him！　Death　to　the　traitor！　Duck　him！〃　This　torrent　of　vulgar　humanity　swept　along　the　streets　and　rushed　into　the　Rue　St。　Mael。　The　police　did　their　duty。　From　all　the　adjacent　streets　constables　proceeded　and；　holding　their　scabbards　with　their　left　hands；　they　went　at　full　speed　in　front　of　the　pursuers。　They　were　on　the　point　of　grabbing　Colomban　in　their　huge　hands　when　he　suddenly　escaped　them　by　falling　through　an　open　man…hole　to　the　bottom　of　a　sewer。

He　spent　the　night　there　in　the　darkness；　sitting　close　by　the　dirty　water　amidst　the　fat　and　slimy　rats。　He　thought　of　his　task；　and　his　swelling　heart　filled　with　courage　and　pity。　And　when　the　dawn　threw　a　pale　ray　of　light　into　the　air…hole　he　got　up　and　said；　speaking　to　himself：

〃I　see　that　the　fight　will　be　a　stiff　one。〃

Forthwith　he　composed　a　memorandum　in　which　he　clearly　showed　that　Pyrot　could　not　have　stolen　from　the　Ministry　of　War　the　eighty　thousand　trusses　of　hay　which　it　had　never　received；　for　the　reason　that　Maubec　had　never　delivered　them；　though　he　had　received　the　money。　Colomban　caused　this　statement　to　be　distributed　in　the　streets　of　Alca。　The　people　refused　to　read　it　and　tore　it　up　in　anger。　The　shop…keepers　shook　their　fists　at　the　distributers；　who　made　off；　chased　by　angry　women　armed　with　brooms。　Feelings　grew　warm　and　the　ferment　lasted　the　whole　day。　In　the　evening　bands　of　wild　and　ragged　men　went　about　the　streets　yelling：　〃Death　to　Colomban！〃　The　patriots　snatched　whole　bundles　of　the　memorandum　from　the　newsboys　and　burned　them　in　the　public　squares；　dancing　wildly　round　these　bon…fires　with　girls　whose　petticoats　were　tied　up　to　their　waists。

Some　of　the　more　enthusiastic　among　them　went　and　broke　the　windows　of　the　house　in　which　Colomban　had　lived　in　perfect　tranquillity　during　his　forty　years　of　work。

Parliament　was　roused　and　asked　the　Chief　of　the　Government　what　measures　he　proposed　to　take　in　order　to　repel　the　odious　attacks　made　by　Colomban　upon　the　honour　of　the　National　Arm　and　the　safety　of　Penguinia。　Robin　Mielleux　denounced　Colomban's　impious　audacity　and　proclaimed　amid　the　cheers　of　the　legislators　that　the　man　would　be　summoned　before　the　Courts　to　answer　for　his　infamous　libel。

The　Minister　of　War　was　called　to　the　tribune　and　appeared　in　it　transfigured。　He　had　no　longer　the　air；　as　in　former　days；　of　one　of　the　sacred　geese　of　the　Penguin　citadels。　Now；　bristling；　with