penguin island-第46部分

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f　the　Trusts；　the　houses　of　the　multi…millionaires；　the　public　halls；　the　banks；　and　the　big　shops。　A　fortnight　passed　without　a　single　explosion；　and　it　was　concluded　that　the　dynamitards；　in　all　probability　but　a　handful　of　persons；　perhaps　even　Still　fewer；　had　all　been　killed　or　captured；　or　that　they　were　in　hiding；　or　had　taken　flight。　Confidence　returned；　it　returned　at　first　among　the　poorer　classes。　Two　or　three　hundred　thousand　soldiers；　who　bad　been　lodged　in　the　most　closely　populated　districts；　stimulated　trade；　and　people　began　to　cry　out：　〃Hurrah　for　the　army！〃

The　rich；　who　had　not　been　so　quick　to　take　alarm；　were　reassured　more　slowly。　But　at　the　Stock　Exchange　a　group　of　〃bulls〃　spread　optimistic　rumours　and　by　a　powerful　effort　put　a　brake　upon　the　fall　in　prices。　Business　improved。　Newspapers　with　big　circulations　supported　the　movement。　With　patriotic　eloquence　they　depicted　capital　as　laughing　in　its　impregnable　position　at　the　assaults　of　a　few　dastardly　criminals；　and　public　wealth　maintaining　its　serene　ascendency　in　spite　of　the　vain　threats　made　against　it。　They　were　sincere　in　their　attitude；　though　at　the　same　time　they　found　it　benefited　them。　Outrages　were　forgotten　or　their　occurrence　denied。　On　Sundays；　at　the　race…meetings；　the　stands　were　adorned　by　women　covered　with　pearls　and　diamonds。　It　was　observed　with　joy　that　the　capitalists　had　not　suffered。　Cheers　were　given　for　the　multi…millionaires　in　the　saddling　rooms。

On　the　following　day　the　Southern　Railway　Station；　the　Petroleum　Trust；　and　the　huge　church　built　at　the　expense　of　Thomas　Morcellet　were　all　blown　up。　Thirty　houses　were　in　flames；　and　the　beginning　of　a　fire　was　discovered　at　the　docks。　The　firemen　showed　amazing　intrepidity　and　zeal。　They　managed　their　tall　fire…escapes　with　automatic　precision；　and　climbed　as　high　as　thirty　storeys　to　rescue　the　luckless　inhabitants　from　the　flames。　The　soldiers　performed　their　duties　with　spirit；　and　were　given　a　double　ration　of　coffee。　But　these　fresh　casualties　started　a　panic。　Millions　of　people；　who　wanted　to　take　their　money　with　them　and　leave　the　town　at　once；　crowded　the　great　banking　houses。　These　establishments；　after　paying　out　money　for　three　days；　closed　their　doors　amid　mutterings　of　a　riot。　A　crowd　of　fugitives；　laden　with　their　baggage；　besieged　the　railway　stations　and　took　the　town　by　storm。　Many　who　were　anxious　to　lay　in　a　stock　of　provisions　and　take　refuge　in　the　cellars；　attacked　the　grocery　stores；　although　they　were　guarded　by　soldiers　with　fixed　bayonets。　The　public　authorities　displayed　energy。　Numerous　arrests　were　made　and　thousands　of　warrants　issued　against　suspected　persons。

During　the　three　weeks　that　followed　no　outrage　was　committed。　There　was　a　rumour　that　bombs　had　been　found　in　the　Opera　House；　in　the　cellars　of　the　Town　Hall；　and　beside　one　of　the　Pillars　of　the　Stock　Exchange。　But　it　was　soon　known　that　these　were　boxes　of　sweets　that　had　been　put　in　those　places　by　practical　jokers　or　lunatics。　One　of　the　accused；　when　questioned　by　a　magistrate；　declared　that　he　was　the　chief　author　of　the　explosions；　and　said　that　all　his　accomplices　had　lost　their　lives。　These　confessions　were　published　by　the　newspapers　and　helped　to　reassure　public　opinion。　It　was　only　towards　the　close　of　the　examination　that　the　magistrates　saw　they　had　to　deal　with　a　pretender　who　was　in　no　way　connected　with　any　of　the　crimes。

The　experts　chosen　by　the　courts　discovered　nothing　that　enabled　them　to　determine　the　engine　employed　in　the　work　of　destruction。　According　to　their　conjectures　the　new　explosive　emanated　from　a　gas　which　radium　evolves；　and　it　was　supposed　that　electric　waves；　produced　by　a　special　type　of　oscillator；　were　propagated　through　space　and　thus　caused　the　explosion。　But　even　the　ablest　chemist　could　say　nothing　precise　or　certain。　At　last　two　policemen；　who　were　passing　in　front　of　the　Hotel　Meyer；　found　on　the　pavement；　close　to　a　ventilator；　an　egg　made　of　white　metal　and　provided　with　a　capsule　at　each　end。　They　picked　it　up　carefully；　and；　on　the　orders　of　their　chief；　carried　it　to　the　municipal　laboratory。　Scarcely　had　the　experts　assembled　to　examine　it；　than　the　egg　burst　and　blew　up　the　amphitheatre　and　the　dome。　All　the　experts　perished；　and　with　them　Collin；　the　General　of　Artillery；　and　the　famous　Professor　Tigre。

The　capitalist　society　did　not　allow　itself　to　be　daunted　by　this　fresh　disaster。　The　great　banks　re…opened　their　doors；　declaring　that　they　would　meet　demands　partly　in　bullion　and　partly　in　paper　money　guaranteed　by　the　State：　The　Stock　Exchange　and　the　Trade　Exchange；　in　spite　of　the　complete　cessation　of　business；　decided　not　to　suspend　their　sittings。

In　the　mean　time　the　magisterial　investigation　into　the　case　of　those　who　had　been　first　accused　had　come　to　an　end。　Perhaps　the　evidence　brought　against　them　might　have　appeared　insufficient　under　other　circumstances；　but　the　zeal　both　of　the　magistrates　and　the　public　made　up　for　this　insufficiency。　On　the　eve　of　the　day　fixed　for　the　trial　the　Courts　of　justice　were　blown　up　and　eight　hundred　people　were　killed；　the　greater　number　of　them　being　judges　and　lawyers。　A　furious　crowd　broke　into　the　prison　and　lynched　the　prisoners。　The　troops　sent　to　restore　order　were　received　with　showers　of　stones　and　revolver　shots；　several　soldiers　being　dragged　from　their　horses　and　trampled　underfoot。　The　soldiers　fired　on　the　mob　and　many　persons　were　killed。　At　last　the　public　authorities　succeeded　in　establishing　tranquillity。　Next　day　the　Bank　was　blown　up。

From　that　time　onwards　unheard…of　things　took　place。　The　factory　workers；　who　had　refused　to　strike；　rushed　in　crowds　into　the　town　and　set　fire　to　the　houses。　Entire　regiments；　led　by　their　officers；　joined　the　workmen；　went　with　them　through　the　town　singing　revolutionary　hymns；　and　took　barrels　of　petroleum　from　the　docks　with　which　to　feed　the　fires。　Explosions　were　continual。　One　morning　a　monstrous　tree　of　smoke；　like　the　ghost　of　a　huge　palm　tree　half　a　mile　in　height；　rose　above　the　giant　Telegraph　Hall　which　suddenly　fell　into　a　complete　ruin。

Whilst　half　the　town　was　in　flames；　the　other　half　pursued　its　accustomed　life。　In　the　mornings；　milk　pails　could　be　heard　jingling　in　the　dairy　carts。　In　a　deserted　avenue　some　old　navvy　might　be　seen　seated　against　a　wall　slowly　eating　hunks　of　bread　with　perhaps　a　little　meat。　Almost　all　the　presidents　of　the　trusts　remained　at　their　posts。　Some　of　them　performed　their　duty　with　heroic　simplicity。　Raphael　Box；　the　son　of　a　martyred　multi…millionaire；　was　blown　up　as　he　was　presiding　at　the　general　meeting　of　the　Sugar　Trust。　He　was　given　a　magnificent　funeral　and　the　procession　on　its　way　to　the　cemetery　had　to　climb　six　times　over　piles　of　ruins　or　cross　upon　planks　over　the　uprooted　roads。

The　ordinary　helpers　of　the　rich；　the　clerks；　employees；　brokers；　and　agents；　preserved　an　unshaken　fidelity。　The　surviving　clerks　of　the　Bank　that　had　been　blown　up；　made　their　way　along　the　ruined　streets　through　the　midst　of　smoking　houses　to　hand　in　their　bills　of　exchange；　and　several　were　swallowed　up　in　the　flames　while　endeavouring　to　present　their　receipts。

Nevertheless；　any　illusion　concerning　the　state　of　affairs　was　impossible。　The　enemy　was　master　of　the　town。　Instead　of　silence　the　noise　of　explosions　was　now　continuous　and　produced　an　insurmountable　feeling　of　horror。　The　lighting　apparatus　having　been　destroyed；　the　city　was　plunged　in　darkness　all　through　the　night；　and　appalling　crimes　were　committed。　The　populous　districts　alone；　having　suffered　the　least；　still　preserved　measures　of　protection。　The　were　paraded　by　patrols　of　volunteers　who　shot　the　robbers；　and　at　every　street　corner　one　stumbled　over　a　body　lying　in　a　pool　of　blood；　the　hands　bound　behind　the　back；　a　handkerchief　over　the　face；　and　a　placard　pinned　upon　the　breast。

It　became　impossible　to　clear　away　the　ruins　or　to　bury　the　dead。　Soon　the　stench　from　the　corpses　became　intolerable。　Epidemics　raged　and　caused　innumerable　deaths；　while　they　also　rendered　the　survivors　feeble　and　listless。　Famine　carried　off　almost　all　who　were　left。　A　hundred　and　one　days　after　the　first　outrage；　whilst　six　army　corps　with　field　artillery　and　siege　artillery　were　marching；　at　night；　into　the　poorest　quarter　of　the　city；　Caroline　and　Clair；　holding　each　other's　hands；　were　watching　from　the　roof　a　lofty　house；　the　only　one　still　left　standing；　but　now　surrounded　by　smoke　and　flame。　joyous　songs　ascended　from　the　street；　where　the　crowd　was　dancing　in　delirium。

〃To…morrow　it　will　be　ended；〃　said　the　man；　〃and　it　will　be　better。〃

The　young　woman；　her　hair　loosened　and　her　face　shining　with　the　reflection　of　the　flames；　gazed　with　a　pious　joy　at　the　circle　of　fire　that　was　growing　closer　around　them。

〃It　will　be　better；〃　said　she　also。

And　throwing　herself　into　the　destroyer's　arms　she　pressed　a　passionate　kiss　upon　his　lips。

S。　4

The　other　towns　of　the　federation　also　suffered　from　disturbances　and　outbreaks；　and　then　order　was　restored。　Reforms　were　introduced　into　institutions　and　great　changes　took　place　in　habits　and　customs；　but　the　country　never　recovered　the　loss　of　its　capital；　and　never　regained　its　former　prosperity。　Commerce　and　industry　dwindled　away；　and　civilization　abandoned　those　countries　which　for　so　long　it　bad　preferred　to　all　others。　They　became　insalubrious　and　sterile；　the　territory　that　had　supported　so　many　millions　of　men　became　nothing　more　than　a　desert。　On　the　hill　of　Fort　St。　Michel　wild　horses　cropped　the　coarse　grass。

Days　flowed　by　like　water　from　the　fountains；　and　the　centuries　passed　like　drops　falling　from　the　ends　of　stalactites。　Hunters　came　to　chase　the　bears　upon　the　hills　that　covered　the　forgotten　city；　shepherds　led　their　flocks　upon　them；　labourers　turned　up　the　soil　with　their　ploughs；　gardeners　cultivated　their　lettuces　and　grafted　their　pear　trees。　They　were　not　rich；　and　they　had　no　arts。　The　walls　of　their　cabins　were　covered　with　old　vines　and　roses；　A　goat…skin　clothed　their　tanned　limbs；　while　their　wives　dressed　themselves　with　the　wool　that　they　themselves　had　spun。　The　goat…herds　moulded　little　figures　of　men　and　animals　out　of　clay；　or