penguin island-第24章

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　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　would　not　do　it。　I　have　asked　you　to　dismiss　General　Tandem；　the　commander　of　Port　Alca；　who　robbed　me　of　fifty　louis　at　cards；　and　who　had　me　handcuffed　when　I　was　brought　before　the　High　Court　as　Emiral　Chatillon's　accomplice。　You　would　not　do　it。　I　asked　you　for　the　hay　and　bran　stores。　You　would　not　give　them。　I　asked　you　to　send　me　on　a　secret　mission　to　Porpoisia。　You　refused。　And　not　satisfied　with　these　repeated　refusals　you　have　designated　me　to　your　Government　colleagues　as　a　dangerous　person；　who　ought　to　be　watched；　and　it　is　owing　to　you　that　I　have　been　shadowed　by　the　police。　You　old　traitor！　I　ask　nothing　more　from　you　and　I　have　but　one　word　to　say　to　you：　Clear　out；　you　have　bothered　us　too　long。　Besides；　we　will　force　the　vile　Republic　to　replace　you　by　one　of　our　own　party。　You　know　that　I　am　a　man　of　my　word。　If　in　twenty…four　hours　you　have　not　handed　in　your　resignation　I　will　publish　the　Maloury　dossier　in　the　newspapers。〃

But　Greatauk　calmly　and　serenely　replied：

〃Be　quiet；　you　fool。　I　am　just　having　a　Jew　transported。　I　am　handing　over　Pyrot　to　justice　as　guilty　of　having　stolen　eighty　thousand　trusses　of　hay。〃

Prince　Boscenos；　whose　anger　vanished　like　a　dream；　smiled。

〃Is　that　true？〃

〃You　will　see。〃

〃My　congratulations；　Greatauk。　But　as　one　always　needs　to　take　precautions　with　you　I　shall　immediately　publish　the　good　news。　People　will　read　this　evening　about　Pyrot's　arrest　in　every　newspaper　in　Alca　。　。　。　。〃

And　he　went　away　muttering：

〃That　Pyrot！　I　suspected　he　would　come　to　a　bad　end。〃

A　moment　later　General　Panther　appeared　before　Greatauk。

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　just　examined　the　business　of　the　eighty　thousand　trusses　of　hay。　There　is　no　evidence　against　Pyrot。〃

〃Let　it　be　found；〃　answered　Greatauk。　〃Justice　requires　it。　Have　Pyrot　arrested　at　once。〃



I。　PYROT

All　Penguinia　heard　with　horror　of　Pyrot's　crime；　at　the　same　time　there　was　a　sort　of　satisfaction　that　this　embezzlement　combined　with　treachery　and　even　bordering　on　sacrilege；　had　been　committed　by　a　Jew。　In　order　to　understand　this　feeling　it　is　necessary　to　be　acquainted　with　the　state　of　public　opinion　regarding　the　Jews　both　great　and　small。　As　we　have　had　occasion　to　say　in　this　history；　the　universally　detested　and　all　powerful　financial　caste　was　composed　of　Christians　and　of　Jews。　The　Jews　who　formed　part　of　it　and　on　whom　the　people　poured　all　their　hatred　were　the　upper…class　Jews。　They　possessed　immense　riches　and；　it　was　said；　held　more　than　a　fifth　part　of　the　total　property　of　Penguinia。　Outside　this　formidable　caste　there　was　a　multitude　of　Jews　of　a　mediocre　condition；　who　were　not　more　loved　than　the　others　and　who　were　feared　much　less。　In　every　ordered　State；　wealth　is　a　sacred　thing：　in　democracies　it　is　the　only　sacred　thing。　Now　the　Penguin　State　was　democratic。　Three　or　four　financial　companies　exercised　a　more　extensive；　and　above　all；　more　effective　and　continuous　power；　than　that　of　the　Ministers　of　the　Republic。　The　latter　were　puppets　whom　the　companies　ruled　in　secret；　whom　they　compelled　by　intimidation　or　corruption　to　favour　themselves　at　the　expense　of　the　State；　and　whom　they　ruined　by　calumnies　in　the　press　if　they　remained　honest。　In　spite　of　the　secrecy　of　the　Exchequer；　enough　appeared　to　make　the　country　indignant；　but　the　middle…class　Penguins　had；　from　the　greatest　to　the　least　of　them；　been　brought　up　to　hold　money　in　great　reverence；　and　as　they　all　had　property；　either　much　or　little；　they　were　strongly　impressed　with　the　solidarity　of　capital　and　understood　that　a　small　fortune　is　not　safe　unless　a　big　one　is　protected。　For　these　reasons　they　conceived　a　religious　respect　for　the　Jews'　millions；　and　self…interest　being　stronger　with　them　than　aversion；　they　were　as　much　afraid　as　they　were　of　death　to　touch　a　single　hair　of　one　of　the　rich　Jews　whom　they　detested。　Towards　the　poorer　Jews　they　felt　less　ceremonious　and　when　they　saw　any　of　them　down　they　trampled　on　them。　That　is　why　the　entire　nation　learnt　with　thorough　satisfaction　that　the　traitor　was　a　Jew。　They　could　take　vengeance　on