penguin island-第30部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



〃Proofs　against　Pyrot；〃　answered　General　Panther　with　patriotic　satisfaction。　〃We　had　not　got　them　when　we　convicted　him；　but　we　have　plenty　of　them　now。〃

The　door　was　open；　and　Greatauk　saw　coming　up　the　stair…case　a　long　file　of　porters　who　were　unloading　heavy　bales　of　papers　in　the　hall；　and　he　saw　the　lift　slowly　rising　heavily　loaded　with　paper　packets。

〃What　are　those　others？〃　said　he。

〃They　are　fresh　proofs　against　Pyrot　that　are　now　reaching　us；〃　said　Panther。　〃I　have　asked　for　them　in　every　county　of　Penguinia；　in　every　Staff　Office　and　in　every　Court　in　Europe。　I　have　ordered　them　in　every　town　in　America　and　in　Australia；　and　in　every　factory　in　Africa；　and　I　am　expecting　bales　of　them　from　Bremen　and　a　ship…load　from　Melbourne。〃　And　Panther　turned　towards　the　Minister　of　War　the　tranquil　and　radiant　look　of　a　hero。　However；　Greatauk；　his　eye…glass　in　his　eye；　was　looking　at　the　formidable　pile　of　papers　with　less　satisfaction　than　uneasiness。

〃Very　good；〃　said　he；　〃very　good！　but　I　am　afraid　that　this　Pyrot　business　may　lose　its　beautiful　simplicity。　It　was　limpid；　like　a　rock…crystal　its　value　lay　in　its　transparency。　You　could　have　searched　it　in　vain　with　a　magnifying…glass　for　a　straw；　a　bend；　a　blot；　for　the　least　fault。　When　it　left　my　hands　it　was　as　pure　as　the　light。　Indeed　it　was　the　light。　I　give　you　a　pearl　and　you　make　a　mountain　out　of　it。　To　tell　you　the　truth　I　am　afraid　that　by　wishing　to　do　too　well　you　have　done　less　well。　Proofs！　of　course　it　is　good　to　have　proofs；　but　perhaps　it　is　better　to　have　none　at　all。　I　have　already　told　you；　Panther；　there　is　only　one　irrefutable　proof；　the　confession　of　the　guilty　person　（or　if　the　innocent　what　matter！）。　The　Pyrot　affair；　as　I　arranged　it；　left　no　room　for　criticism；　there　was　no　spot　where　it　could　be　touched。　It　defied　assault。　t　was　invulnerable　because　it　was　invisible。　Now　it　gives　an　enormous　handle　for　discussion。　I　advise　you；　Panther；　to　use　your　paper　packets　with　great　reserve。　I　should　be　particularly　grateful　if　you　would　be　more　sparing　of　your　communications　to　journalists。　You　speak　well；　but　you　say　too　much。　Tell　me；　Panther；　are　there　any　forged　documents　among　these？〃

〃There　are　some　adapted　ones。〃

〃That　is　what　I　meant。　There　are　some　adapted　ones。　So　much　the　better。　As　proofs；　forged　documents；　in　general；　are　better　than　genuine　ones；　first　of　all　because　they　have　been　expressly　made　to　suit　the　needs　of　the　case；　to　order　and　measure；　and　therefore　they　are　fitting　and　exact。　They　are　also　preferable　because　they　carry　the　mind　into　an　ideal　world　and　turn　it　aside　from　the　reality　which；　alas！　in　this　world　is　never　without　some　alloy。　。　。　。　Nevertheless；　I　think　I　should　have　preferred；　Panther；　that　we　had　no　proofs　at　all。〃

The　first　act　of　the　Anti…Pyrotist　Association　was　to　ask　the　Government　immediately　to　summon　the　seven　hundred　Pyrotists　and　their　accomplices　before　the　High　Court　of　Justice　as　guilty　of　high　treason。　Prince　des　Boscenos　was　charged　to　speak　on　behalf　of　the　Association　and　presented　himself　before　the　Council　which　had　assembled　to　hear　him。　He　expressed　a　hope　that　the　vigilance　and　firmness　of　the　Government　would　rise　to　the　height　of　the　occasion。　He　shook　hands　with　each　of　the　ministers　and　as　he　passed　General　Greatauk　he　whispered　in　his　ear：

〃Behave　properly；　you　ruffian；　or　I　will　publish　the　Maloury　dossier！〃

Some　days　later　by　a　unanimous　vote　of　both　Houses；　on　a　motion　proposed　by　the　Government；　the　Anti…Pyrotist　Association　was　granted　a　charter　recognising　it　as　beneficial　to　the　public　interest。

The　Association　immediately　sent　a　deputation　to　Chitterlings　Castle　in　Porpoisia；　where　Crucho　was　eating　the　bitter　bread　of　exile；　to　assure　the　prince　of　the　love　and　devotion　of　the　Anti…Pyrotist　members。

However；　the　Pyrotists　grew　in　numbers；　and　now　counted　ten　thousand。　They　had　their　regular　cafes　on　the　boulevards。　The　patriots　had　theirs　also；　richer　and　bigger；　and　every　evening　glasses　of　beer；　saucers；　match…stands；　jugs；　chairs；　and　tables　were　hurled　from　one　to　the　other。　Mirrors　were　smashed　to　bits；　and　the　police　ended　the　struggles　by　impartially　trampling　the　combatants　of　both　parties　under　their　hob…nailed　shoes。

On　one　of　these　glorious　nights；　as　Prince　des　Boscenos　was　leaving　a　fashionable　cafe　in　the　company　of　some　patriots；　M。　de　La　Trumelle　pointed　out　to　him　a　little；　bearded　man　with　glasses；　hatless；　and　having　only　one　sleeve　to　his　coat；　who　was　painfully　dragging　himself　along　the　rubbish…strewn　pavement。

〃Look！〃　said　he；　〃there　is　Colomban！〃

The　prince　had　gentleness　as　well　as　strength；　he　was　exceedingly　mild；　but　at　the　name　of　Colomban　his　blood　boiled。　He　rushed　at　the　little　spectacled　man；　and　knocked　him　down　with　one　blow　of　his　fist　on　the　nose。

M。　de　La　Trumelle　then　perceived　that；　misled　by　an　undeserved　resemblance；　he　had　mistaken　for　Colomban；　M。　Bazile；　a　retired　lawyer；　the　secretary　of　the　Anti…pyrotist　Association；　and　an　ardent　and　generous　patriot。　Prince　des　Boscenos　was　one　of　those　antique　souls　who　never　bend。　However；　he　knew　how　to　recognise　his　faults。

〃M。　Bazile；〃　said　he；　raising　his　hat；　〃if　I　have　touched　your　face　with　my　hand　you　will　excuse　me　and　you　will　understand　me；　you　will　approve　of　me；　nay；　you　will　compliment　me；　you　will　congratulate　me　and　felicitate　me；　when　you　know　the　cause　of　that　act。　I　took　you　for　Colomban。〃

M。　Bazile；　wiping　his　bleeding　nostrils　with　his　handkerchief　and　displaying　an　elbow　laid　bare　by　the　absence　of　his　sleeve：

〃No；　sir；〃　answered　he　drily；　〃I　shall　not　felicitate　you；　I　shall　not　congratulate　you；　I　shall　not　compliment　you；　for　your　action　was；　at　the　very　least；　superfluous；　it　was；　I　will　even　say；　supererogatory。　Already　this　evening　I　have　been　three　times　mistaken　for　Colomban　and　received　a　sufficient　amount　of　the　treatment　he　deserves。　The　patriots　have　knocked　in　my　ribs　and　broken　my　back；　and；　sir；　I　was　of　opinion　that　that　was　enough。〃

Scarcely　had　he　finished　this　speech　than　a　band　of　Pyrotists　appeared；　and　misled　in　their　turn　by　that　insidious　resemblance；　they　believed　that　the　patriots　were　killing　Colomban。　They　fell　on　Prince　des　Boscenos　and　his　companions　with　loaded　canes　and　leather　thongs；　and　left　them　for　dead。　Then　seizing　Bazile　they　carried　him　in　triumph；　and　in　spite　of　his　protests；　along　the　boulevards；　amid　cries　of：　〃Hurrah　for　Colomban！　Hurrah　for　Pyrot！〃　At　last　the　police；　who　had　been　sent　after　them；　attacked　and　defeated　them　and　dragged　them　ignominiously　to　the　station；　where　Bazile；　under　the　name　of　Colomban；　was　trampled　on　by　an　innumerable　quantity　of　thick；　hob…nailed　shoes。



VII。　BIDAULT…COQUILLE　AND　MANIFLORE；　THE　SOCIALISTS

Whilst　the　wind　of　anger　and　hatred　blew　in　Alca；　Eugine　Bidault…　Coquille；　poorest　and　happiest　of　astronomers；　installed　in　an　old　steam…engine　of　the　time　of　the　Draconides；　was　observing　the　heavens　through　a　bad　telescope；　and　photographing　the　paths　of　the　meteors　upon　some　damaged　photographic　plates。　His　genius　corrected　the　errors　of　his　instruments　and　his　love　of　science　triumphed　over　the　worthlessness　of　his　apparatus。　With　an　inextinguishable　ardour　he　observed　aerolites；　meteors；　and　fire…balls；　and　all　the　glowing　ruins　and　blazing　sparks　which　pass　through　the　terrestrial　atmosphere　with　prodigious　speed；　and　as　a　reward　for　is　studious　vigils　he　received　the　indifference　of　the　public；　the　ingratitude　of　the　State　and　the　blame　of　the　learned　societies。　Engulfed　in　the　celestial　spaces　he　knew　not　what　occurred　upon　the　surface　of　the　earth。　He　never　read　the　newspapers；　and　when　he　walked　through　the　town　his　mind　was　occupied　with　the　November　asteroids；　and　more　than　once　he　found　himself　at　the　bottom　of　a　pond　in　one　of　the　public　parks　or　beneath　the　wheels　of　a　motor　omnibus。

Elevated　in　stature　as　in　thought　he　respected　himself　and　others。　This　was　shown　by　his　cold　politeness　as　well　as　by　a　very　thin　black　frock　coat　and　a　tall　hat　which　gave　to　his　person　an　appearance　at　once　emaciated　and　sublime。　He　took　his　meals　in　a　little　restaurant　from　which　all　customers　less　intellectual　than　himself　had　fled；　and　thenceforth　his　napkin　bound　by　its　wooden　ring　rested　alone　in　the　abandoned　rack。

In　this　cook…shop　his　eyes　fell　one　evening　upon　Colomban's　memorandum　in　favour　of　Pyrot。　He　read　it　as　he　was　cracking　some　bad　nuts　and　suddenly；　exalted　with　astonishment；　admiration；　horror；　and　pity；　he　forgot　all　about　falling　meteors　and　shooting　stars　and　saw　nothing　but　the　innocent　man　hanging　in　his　cage　exposed　to　the　winds　of　heaven　and　the　ravens　perching　upon　it。

That　image　did　not　leave　him。　For　a　week　he　had　been　obsessed　by　the　innocent　convict；　when；　as　he　was　leaving　his　cook…shop；　he　saw　a　crowd　of　citizens　entering　a　public…house　in　which　a　public　meeting　was　going　on。　He　went　in。　The　meeting　was　disorderly；　they　were　yelling；　abusing　one　another　and　knocking　one　another　down　in　the　smoke…laden　hall。　The　Pyrotists　and　the　Anti…Pyrotists　spoke　in　turn　and　were　alternately　cheered　and　hissed　at。　An　obscure　and　confused　enthusiasm　moved　the　audience。　With　the　audacity　of　a　timid　and　retired　man　Bidault…Coquille　leaped　upon　the　platform　and　spoke　for　three…quarters　of　an　hour。　He　spoke　very　quickly；　without　order；　but　with　vehemence；　and　with　all　the　conviction　of　a　mathematical　mystic。　He　was　cheered。　When　he　got　down　from　the　platform　a　big　woman　of　uncertain　age；　dressed　in　red；　and　wearing　an　immense　hat　trimmed　with　heroic　feathers；　throwing　herself　into　his　arms；　embraced　him；　and　said　to　him：

〃You　are　splendid！〃

He　thought　in　his　simplicity　that　there　was　some　truth　in　the　statement。

She　declared　to　him　that　henceforth　she　would　live　but　for　Pyrot's　defence　and　Colomban's　glory。　He　thought　her　sublime　and　beautiful。　She　was　Maniflore；　a　poor　old　courtesan；　now　forgotten　and　discarded；　who　had　suddenly　become　a　vehement　politician。

She　never　left　him。　They　spent　glorious　hours　together　in　doss…houses　and　in　lodgings　beautified　by　their　love；　in　newspaper　offices；　in　meeting…halls　and　in　lecture…halls。　As　he　was　an　idealist；　he　persisted　in　thinking　her　beautiful；　although　she　gave　hi