penguin island-第18章

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end　their　goods　at　home　and　to　acquire　markets　and　territories　abroad。　The　great　manufacturers　encouraged　the　making　of　cannons　and　ships　through　a　zeal　for　the　national　defence　and　in　order　to　obtain　orders。　Among　the　citizens　of　middle　rank　and　of　the　liberal　professions　some　resigned　themselves　to　this　state　of　affairs　without　complaining；　believing　that　it　would　last　for　ever；　others　waited　impatiently　for　its　end　and　thought　they　might　be　able　to　lead　the　powers　to　a　simultaneous　disarmament。

The　illustrious　Professor　Obnubile　belonged　to　this　latter　class。

〃War；〃　said　he；　〃is　a　barbarity　to　which　the　progress　of　civilization　will　put　an　end。　The　great　democracies　are　pacific　and　will　soon　impose　their　will　upon　the　aristocrats。〃

Professor　Obnubile；　who　had　for　sixty　years　led　a　solitary　and　retired　life　in　his　laboratory；　whither　external　noises　did　not　penetrate；　resolved　to　observe　the　spirit　of　the　peoples　for　himself。　He　began　his　studies　with　the　greatest　of　all　democracies　and　set　sail　for　New　Atlantis。

After　a　voyage　of　fifteen　days　his　steamer　entered；　during　the　night；　the　harbour　of　Titanport；　where　thousands　of　ships　were　anchored。　An　iron　bridge　thrown　across　the　water　and　shining　with　lights；　stretched　between　two　piers　so　far　apart　that　Professor　Obnubile　imagined　he　was　sailing　on　the　seas　of　Saturn　and　that　he　saw　the　marvellous　ring　which　girds　the　planet　of　the　Old　Man。　And　this　immense　conduit　bore　upon　it　more　than　a　quarter　of　the　wealth　of　the　world。　The　learned　Penguin；　having　disembarked；　was　waited　on　by　automatons　in　a　hotel　forty…eight　stories　high。　Then　he　took　the　great　railway　that　led　to　Gigantopolis；　the　capital　of　New　Atlantis。　In　the　train　there　were　restaurants；　gaming…rooms；　athletic　arenas；　telegraphic；　commercial；　and　financial　offices；　a　Protestant　Church；　and　the　printing…office　of　a　great　newspaper；　which　latter　the　doctor　was　unable　to　read；　as　he　did　not　know　the　language　of　the　New　Atlantans。　The　train　passed　along　the　banks　of　great　rivers；　through　manufacturing　cities　which　concealed　the　sky　with　the　smoke　from　their　chimneys；　towns　black　in　the　day；　towns　red　at　night；　full　of　noise　by　day　and　full　of　noise　also　by　night。

〃Here；〃　thought　the　doctor；　〃is　a　people　far　too　much　engaged　in　industry　and　trade　to　make　war。　I　am　already　certain　that　the　New　Atlantans　pursue　a　policy　of　peace。　For　it　is　an　axiom　admitted　by　all　economists　that　peace　without　and　peace　within　are　necessary　for　the　progress　of　commerce　and　industry。〃

As　he　surveyed　Gigantopolis；　he　was　confirmed　in　this　opinion。　People　went　through　the　streets　so　swiftly　propelled　by　hurry　that　they　knocked　down　all　who　were　in　their　way。　Obnubile　was　thrown　down　several　times；　but　soon　succeeded　in　learning　how　to　demean　himself　better；　after　an　hour's　walking　he　himself　knocked　down　an　Atlantan。

Having　reached　a　great　square　he　saw　the　portico　of　a　palace　in　the　Classic　style；　whose　Corinthian　columns　reared　their　capitals　of　arborescent　acanthus　seventy　metres　above　the　stylobate。

As　he　stood　with　his　head　thrown　back　admiring　the　building；　a　man　of　modest　appearance　approached　him　and　said　in　Penguin：

〃I　see　by　your　dress　that　you　are　from　Penguinia。　I　know　your　language；　I　am　a　sworn　interpreter。　This　is　the　Parliament　palace。　At　the　present　moment　the　representatives　of　the　States　are　in　deliberation。　Would　you　like　to　be　present　at　the　sitting？〃

The　doctor　was　brought　into　the　hall　and　cast　his　looks　upon　the　crowd　of　legislators　who　were　sitting　on　cane　chairs　with　their　feet　upon　their　desks。

The　president　arose　and；　in　the　midst　of　general　inattention；　muttered　rather　than　spoke　the　following　formulas　which　the　interpreter　immediately　translated　to　the　doctor。

〃The　war　for　the　opening　of　the　Mongol　markets　being　ended　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　States；　I　propose　that　the　accounts　be　laid　before　the　finance　committee　。　。　。　。〃

〃Is　there　any　opposition？　。　。　。〃

〃The　proposal　is　carried。〃

〃The　war　for　the　opening　of　the　markets　of　Third…Zealand　being　ended　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　States；　I　propose　that　the　accounts　be　laid　before　the　finance　committee。　。　。　。〃

〃Is　there　any　opposition？　。　。　。〃

〃The　proposal　is　carried。〃

〃Have　I　heard　aright？〃　asked　Professor　Obnubile。　〃What？　you　an　industrial　people　and　engaged　in　all　these　wars！〃

〃Certainly；〃　answered　the　interpreter；　〃these　are　industrial　wars。　Peoples　who　have　neither　commerce　nor　industry　are　not　obliged　to　make　war；　but　a　business　people　is　forced　to　adopt　a　policy　of　conquest。　The　number　of　wars　necessarily　increases　with　our　productive　activity。　As　soon　as　one　of　our　industries　fails　to　find　a　market　for　its　products　a　war　is　necessary　to　open　new　outlets。　It　is　in　this　way　we　have　had　a　coal　war；　a　copper　war；　and　a　cotton　war。　In　Third…Zealand　we　have　killed　two…thirds　of　the　inhabitants　in　order　to　compel　the　remainder　to　buy　our　umbrellas　and　braces。〃

At　that　moment　a　fat　man　who　was　sitting　in　the　middle　of　the　assembly　ascended　the　tribune。

〃I　claim；〃　said　he；　〃a　war　against　the　Emerald　Republic；　which　insolently　contends　with　our　pigs　for　the　hegemony　of　hams　and　sauces　in　all　the　markets　of　the　universe。〃

〃Who　is　that　legislator？〃　asked　Doctor　Obnubile。

〃He　is　a　pig　merchant。〃

〃Is　there　any　opposition？〃　said　the　President。　〃I　put　the　proposition　to　the　vote。〃

The　war　against　the　Emerald　Republic　was　voted　with　uplifted　hands　by　a　very　large　majority。

〃What？〃　said　Obnubile　to　the　interpreter；　〃you　have　voted　a　war　with　that　rapidity　and　that　indifference！〃

〃Oh！　it　is　an　unimportant　war　which　will　hardly　cost　eight　million　dollars。〃

〃And　men　。　。　。〃

〃The　men　are　included　in　the　eight　million　dollars。〃

Then　Doctor　Obnubile　bent　his　head　in　bitter　reflection。

〃Since　wealth　and　civilization　admit　of　as　many　causes　of　wars　as　poverty　and　barbarism；　since　the　folly　and　wickedness　of　men　are　incurable；　there　remains　but　one　good　action　to　be　done。　The　wise　man　will　collect　enough　dynamite　to　blow　up　this　planet。　When　its　fragments　fly　through　space　an　imperceptible　amelioration　will　be　accomplished　in　the　universe　and　a　satisfaction　will　be　given　to　the　universal　conscience。　Moreover；　this　universal　conscience　does　not　exist。〃



BOOK　V。　MODERN　TIMES：　CHATILLON

I。　THE　REVEREND　FATHERS　AGARIC　AND　CORNEMUSE

Every　system　of　government　produces　people　who　are　dissatisfied。　The　Republic　or　Public　Thing　produced　them　at　first　from　among　the　nobles　who　had　been　despoiled　of　their　ancient　privileges。　These　looked　with　regret　and　hope　to　Prince　Crucho；　the　last　of　the　Draconides；　a　prince　adorned　both　with　the　grace　of　youth　and　the　melancholy　of　exile。　It　also　produced　them　from　among　the　smaller　traders；　who；　owing　to　profound　economic　causes；　no　longer　gained　a　livelihood。　They　believed　that　this　was　the　fault　of　the　republic　which　they　had　at　first　adored　and　from　which　each　day　they　were　now　becoming　more　detached。　The　financiers；　both　Christians　and　Jews；　became　by　their　insolence　and　their　cupidity　the　scourge　of　the　country；　which　they　plundered　and　degraded；　as　well　as　the　scandal　of　a　government　which　they　never　troubled　either　to　destroy　or　preserve；　so　confident　were　they　that　they　could　operate　without　hindrance　under　all　governments。　Nevertheless；　their　sympathies　inclined　to　absolute　power　as　the　best　protection　against　the　socialists；　their　puny　but　ardent　adversaries。　And　just　as　they　imitated　the　habits　of　the　aristocrats；　so　they　imitated　their　political　and　religious　sentiments。　Their　women；　in　particular；　loved　the　Prince　and　had　dreams　of　appearing　one　day　at　his　Court。

However；　the　Republic　retained　some　partisans　and　defenders。　If　it　was　not　in　a　position　to　believe　in　the　fidelity　of　its　own　officials　it　could　at　least　still　count　on　the　devotion　of　the　manual　labourers；　although　it　had　never　relieved　their　misery。　These　came　forth　in　crowds　from　their　quarries　and　their　factories　to　defend　it；　and　marched　in　long　processions；　gloomy；　emaciated；　and　sinister。　They　would　have　died　for　it　because　it　had　given　them　hope。

Now；　under　the　Presidency　of　Theodore　Formose；　there　lived　in　a　peaceable　suburb　of　Alca　a　monk　called　Agaric；　who　kept　a　school　and　assisted　in　arranging　marriages。　In　his　school　he　taught　fencing　and　riding　to　the　sons　of　old　families；　illustrious　by　their　birth；　but　now　as　destitute　of　wealth　as　of　privilege。　And　as　soon　as　they　were　old　enough　he　married　them　to　the　daughters　of　the　opulent　and　despised　caste　of　financiers。

Tall；　thin；　and　dark；　Agaric　used　to　walk　in　deep　thought；　with　his　breviary　in　his　hand　and　his　brow　loaded　with　care；　through　the　corridors　of　the　school　and　the　alleys　of　the　garden。　His　care　was　not　limited　to　inculcating　in　his　pupils　abstruse　doctrines　and　mechanical　precepts　and　to　endowing　them　afterwards　with　legitimate　and　rich　wives。　He　entertained　political　designs　and　pursued　the　realisation　of　a　gigantic　plan。　His　thought　of　thoughts　and　labour　of　labours　was　to　overthrow　the　Republic。　He　was　not　moved　to　this　by　any　personal　interest。　He　believed　that　a　democratic　state　was　opposed　to　the　holy　society　to　which　body　and　soul　he　belonged。　And　all　the　other　monks；　his　brethren；　thought　the　same。　The　Republic　was　perpetually　at　strife　with　the　congregation　of　monks　and　the　assembly　of　the　faithful。　True；　to　plot　the　death　of　the　new　government　was　a　difficult　and　perilous　enterprise。　Still；　Agaric　was　in　a　position　to　carry　on　a　formidable　conspiracy。　At　that　epoch；　when　the　clergy　guided　the　superior　classes　of　the　Penguins；　this　monk　exercised　a　tremendous　influence　over　the　aristocracy　of　Alca。

All　the　young　men　whom　he　had　brought　up　waited　only　for　a　favourable　moment　to　march　against　the　popular　power。　The　sons　of　the　ancient　families　did　not　practise　the　arts　or　engage　in　business。　They　were　almost　all　soldiers　and　served　the　Republic。　They　served　it；　but　they　did　not　love　it；　they　regretted　the　dragon's　crest。　And　the　fair　Jewesses　shared　in　these　regrets　in　order　that　they　might　be　taken　for　Christians。

One　July　as　he　was　walking　in　a　suburban　street　which　ended　in　some　dusty　fields；　Agaric　heard　groans　coming　from　a　moss…grown　well　that　had　been　abandoned　by　the　gardeners。　And　almost　immediately　he　was　told　by　a　cobbler　of　the　neighbourhood　that　a　ragged　man　who　had　shouted　out　〃Hurrah　for　the　Republic！〃　had　been　thrown　into　the　well　by　some　cavalry　officers　who　were　passing；　and　had　sunk　up　to　his　ears　in　the　mud。　Agaric　was　quite　ready　to　see　a　general　significance　in　this　particular　fact。　He　inferred　a　great　fermentation　in　the　whole　aristocratic　and　military　caste；　and　concluded　that　it　was　the　moment　to　act。

The　next　day　he　went　to　the　end　of　the　Wood　of　Conils　to　visit　the　good　Father　Cornemuse。　He　found　the　monk　in　his　laboratory　pouring　a　golden…coloured　liquor　into　a　still。　He　was　a　short；　fat；　little　man；　with　vermilion…tinted　cheeks　and　an　elaborately　polished　bald　head。　His　eyes　had　ruby…coloured　pupils　like　a　guinea…pig's。　He　graciously　saluted　his　visitor　and　offered　him　a　glass　of　the　St。　Orberosian　liqueur；　which　he　manufactured；　and　from　the　sale　of　which　he　gained　immense　wealth。

Agaric　made　a　gesture　of　refusal。　Then；　standing　on　his　long　feet　and　pressing　his　me