penguin island-第29章

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rary　for　them；　it　was　in　too　classical　a　style；　and　had　an　upper…middle…class　and　high…finance　tone　about　it　that　did　not　please　them　much。



VIII。　THE　COLOMBAN　TRIAL

When　the　Colomban　trial　began；　the　Pyrotists　were　not　many　more　than　thirty　thousand；　but　they　were　every　where　and　might　be　found　even　among　the　priests　and　millionaires。　What　injured　them　most　was　the　sympathy　of　the　rich　Jews。　On　the　other　hand　they　derived　valuable　advantages　from　their　feeble　number。　In　the　first　place　there　were　among　them　fewer　fools　than　among　their　opponents；　who　were　over…burdened　with　them。　Comprising　but　a　feeble　minority；　they　co…operated　easily；　acted　with　harmony；　and　had　no　temptation　to　divide　and　thus　counteract　one　another's　efforts。　Each　of　them　felt　the　necessity　of　doing　the　best　possible　and　was　the　more　careful　of　his　conduct　as　he　found　himself　more　in　the　public　eye。　Finally；　they　had　every　reason　to　hope　that　they　would　gain　fresh　adherents；　while　their　opponents；　having　had　everybody　with　them　at　the　beginning；　could　only　decrease。

Summoned　before　the　judges　at　a　public　sitting；　Colomban　immediately　perceived　that　his　judges　were　not　anxious　to　discover　the　truth。　As　soon　as　he　opened　his　mouth　the　President　ordered　him　to　be　silent　in　the　superior　interests　of　the　State。　For　the　same　reason；　which　is　the　supreme　reason；　the　witnesses　for　the　defence　were　not　heard。　General　Panther；　the　Chief　of　the　Staff；　appeared　in　the　witness…box；　in　full　uniform　and　decorated　with　all　his　orders。　He　deposed　as　follows：

〃The　infamous　Colomban　states　that　we　have　no　proofs　against　Pyrot。　He　lies；　we　have　them。　I　have　in　my　archives　seven　hundred　and　thirty…two　square　yards　of　them　which　at　five　hundred　pounds　each　make　three　hundred　and　sixty…six　thousand　pounds。〃

That　superior　officer　afterwards　gave；　with　elegance　and　ease；　a　summary　of　those　proofs。

〃They　are　of　all　colours　and　all　shades；〃　said　he　in　substance；　〃they　are　of　every　formpot；　crown；　sovereign；　grape；　dove…cot；　grand　eagle；　etc。　The　smallest　is　less　than　the　hundredth　part　of　a　square　inch；　the　largest　measures　seventy　yards　long　by　ninety　yards　broad。〃

At　this　revelation　the　audience　shuddered　with　horror。

Greatauk　came　to　give　evidence　in　his　turn。　Simpler；　and　perhaps　greater；　he　wore　a　grey　tunic　and　held　his　hands　joined　behind　his　back。

〃I　leave；〃　said　he　calmly　and　in　a　slightly　raised　voice；　〃I　leave　to　M。　Colomban　the　responsibility　for　an　act　that　has　brought　our　country　to　the　brink　of　ruin。　The　Pyrot　affair　is　secret；　it　ought　to　remain　secret。　If　it　were　divulged　the　cruelest　ills；　wars；　pillages；　depredations；　fires；　massacres；　and　epidemics　would　immediately　burst　upon　Penguinia。　I　should　consider　myself　guilty　of　high　treason　if　I　uttered　another　word。〃

Some　persons　known　for　their　political　experience；　among　others　M。　Bigourd；　considered　the　evidence　of　the　Minister　of　War　as　abler　and　of　greater　weight　than　that　of　his　Chief　of　Staff。

The　evidence　of　Colonel　de　Boisjoli　made　a　great　impression。

〃One　evening　at　the　Ministry　of　War；〃　said　that　officer；　〃the　attache　of　a　neighbouring　Power　told　me　that　while　visiting　his　sovereign's　stables　he　had　once　admired　some　soft　and　fragrant　hay；　of　a　pretty　green　colour；　the　finest　hay　he　had　ever　seen！　'Where　did　it　come　from？'　I　asked　him。　He　did　not　answer；　but　there　seemed　to　me　no　doubt　about　its　origin。　It　was　the　hay　Pyrot　had　stolen。　Those　qualities　of　verdure；　softness；　and　aroma；　are　those　of　our　national　hay。　The　forage　of　the　neighbouring　Power　is　grey　and　brittle；　it　sounds　under　the　fork　and　smells　of　dust。　One　can　draw　one　own　conclusions。〃

Lieutenant…Colonel　Hastaing　said　in　the　witness…box；　amid　hisses；　that　he　did　not　believe　Pyrot　guilty。　He　was　immediately　seized　by　the　police　and　thrown　into　the　bottom　of　a　dungeon　where；　amid　vipers；　toads；　and　broken　glass；　he　remained　insensible　both　to　promises　and　threats。

The　usher　called：

〃Count　Pierre　Maubec　de　la　Dentdulynx。〃

There　was　deep　silence；　and　a　stately　but　ill…dressed　nobleman；　whose　moustaches　pointed　to　the　skies　and　whose　dark　eyes　shot　forth　flashing　glances；　was　seen　advancing　toward　the　witness…box。

He　approached　Colomban　and　casting　upon　him　a　look　of　ineffable　disdain：

〃My　evidence；〃　said　he；　〃here　it　is：　you　excrement！〃

At　these　words　the　entire　hall　burst　into　enthusiastic　applause　and　jumped　up；　moved　by　one　of　those　transports　that　stir　men's　hearts　and　rouse　them　to　extraordinary　actions。　Without　another　word　Count　Maubec　de　la　Dentdulynx　withdrew。

All　those　present　left　the　Court　and　formed　a　procession　behind　him。　Prostrate　at　his　feet；　Princess　des　Boscenos　held　his　legs　in　a　close　embrace；　but　he　went　on；　stern　and　impassive；　beneath　a　shower　of　handkerchiefs　and　flowers。　Viscountess　Olive；　clinging　to　his　neck；　could　not　be　removed；　and　the　calm　hero　bore　her　along　with　him；　floating　on　his　breast　like　a　light　scarf。

When　the　court　resumed　its　sitting；　which　it　had　been　compelled　to　suspend；　the　President　called　the　experts。

Vermillard；　the　famous　expert　in　handwriting；　gave　the　results　of　his　researches。

〃Having　carefully　studied；〃　said　he；　〃the　papers　found　in　Pyrot's　house；　in　particular　his　account　book　and　his　laundry　books；　I　noticed　that；　though　apparently　not　out　of　the　common；　they　formed　an　impenetrable　cryptogram；　the　key　to　which；　however；　I　discovered。　The　traitor's　infamy　is　to　be　seen　in　every　line。　In　this　system　of　writing　the　words　'Three　glasses　of　beer　and　twenty　francs　for　Adele'　mean　'I　have　delivered　thirty　thousand　trusses　of　hay　to　a　neighbouring　Power！　From　these　documents　I　have　even　been　able　to　establish　the　composition　of　the　hay　delivered　by　this　officer。　The　words　waistcoat；　drawers；　pocket　handkerchief；　collars；　drink；　tobacco；　cigars；　mean　clover；　meadowgrass；　lucern；　burnet；　oats；　rye…grass；　vernal…grass；　and　common　cat's　tail　grass。　And　these　are　precisely　the　constituents　of　the　hay　furnished　by　Count　Maubec　to　the　Penguin　cavalry。　In　this　way　Pyrot　mentioned　his　crimes　in　a　language　that　he　believed　would　always　remain　indecipherable。　One　is　confounded　by　so　much　astuteness　and　so　great　a　want　of　conscience。〃

Colomban；　pronounced　guilty　without　any　extenuating　circumstances；　was　condemned　to　the　severest　penalty。　The　judges　immediately　signed　a　warrant　consuming　him　to　solitary　confinement。

In　the　Place　du　Palais　on　the　sides　of　a　river　whose　banks　had　during　the　course　of　twelve　centuries　seen　so　great　a　history；　fifty　thousand　persons　were　tumultuously　awaiting　the　result　of　the　trial。　Here　were　the　heads　of　the　Anti…Pyrotist　Association；　among　whom　might　be　seen　Prince　des　Boscenos；　Count　Clena；　Viscount　Olive；　and　M。　de　La　Trumelle；　here　crowded　the　Reverend　Father　Agaric　and　the　teachers　of　St。　Mael　College　with　their　pupils；　here　the　monk　Douillard　and　General　Caraguel；　embracing　each　other；　formed　a　sublime　group。　The　market　women　and　laundry　women　with　spits；　shovels；　tongs；　beetles；　and　kettles　full　of　water　might　be　seen　running　across　the　Pont…Vieux。　On　the　steps　in　front　of　the　bronze　gates　were　assembled　all　the　defenders　of　Pyrot　in　Alca；　professors；　publicists；　workmen；　some　conservatives；　others　Radicals　or　Revolutionaries；　and　by　their　negligent　dress　and　fierce　aspect　could　be　recognised　comrades　Phoenix；　Larrivee；　Lapersonne；　Dagobert；　and　Varambille。　Squeezed　in　his　funereal　frock…coat　and　wearing　his　hat　of　ceremony；　Bidault…Coquille　invoked　the　sentimental　mathematics　on　behalf　of　Colomban　and　Colonel　Hastaing。　Maniflore　shone　smiling　and　resplendent　on　the　topmost　step；　anxious；　like　Leaena；　to　deserve　a　glorious　monument；　or　to　be　given；　like　Epicharis；　the　praises　of　history。

The　seven　hundred　Pyrotists　disguised　as　lemonade　sellers；　utter…merchants；　collectors　of　odds　and　ends；　or　anti…Pyrotists；　wandered　round　the　vast　building。

When　Colomban　appeared；　so　great　an　uproar　burst　forth　that；　struck　by　the　commotion　of　air　and　water；　birds　fell　from　the　trees　and　fishes　floated　on　the　surface　of　the　stream。

On　all　sides　there　were　yells：

〃Duck　Colomban；　duck　him；　duck　him！〃

There　were　some　cries　of　〃Justice　and　truth！〃　and　a　voice　was　even　heard　shouting：

〃Down　with　the　Army！〃

This　was　the　signal　for　a　terrible　struggle。　The　combatants　fell　in　thousands；　and　their　bodies　formed　howling　and　moving　mounds　on　top　of　which　fresh　champions　gripped　each　other　by　the　throats。　Women；　eager；　pale；　and　dishevelled；　with　clenched　teeth　and　frantic　nails；　rushed　on　the　man；　in　transports　that；　in　the　brilliant　light　of　the　public　square；　gave　to　their　faces　expressions　unsurpassed　even　in　the　shade　of　curtains　and　in　the　hollows　of　pillows。　They　were　going　to　seize　Colomban；　to　bite　him；　to　strangle；　dismember　and　rend　him；　when　Maniflore；　tall　and　dignified　in　her　red　tunic；　stood　forth；　serene　and　terrible；　confronting　these　furies　who　recoiled　from　before　her　in　terror。　Colomban　seemed　to　be　saved；　his　partisans　succeeded　in　clearing　a　passage　for　him　through　the　Place　du　Palais　and　in　putting　him　into　a　cab　stationed　at　the　comer　of　the　Pont…Vieux。　The　horse　was　already　in　full　trot　when　Prince　des　Boscenos；　Count　Clena；　and　M。　de　La　Trumelle　knocked　the　driver　off　his　seat。　Then；　making　the　animal　back　and　pushing　the　spokes　of　the　wheels；　they　ran　the　vehicle　on　to　the　parapet　of　the　bridge；　whence　they　overturned　it　into　the　river　amid　the　cheers　of　the　delirious　crowd。　With　a　resounding　splash　a　jet　of　water　rose　upwards；　and　then　nothing　but　a　slight　eddy　was　to　be　seen　on　the　surface　of　the　stream。

Almost　immediately　comrades　Dagobert　and　Varambille；　with　the　help　of　the　seven　hundred　disguised　Pyrotists；　sent　Prince　des　Boscenos　head　foremost　into　a　river…laundry　in　which　he　was　lamentably　swallowed　up。

Serene　night　descended　over　the　Place　du　Palais　and　shed　silence　and　peace　upon　the　frightful　ruins　with　which　it　was　strewed。　In　the　mean　time；　Colomban；　three　thousand　yards　down　the　stream；　cowering　beside　a　lame　old　horse　on　a　bridge；　was　meditating　on　the　ignorance　and　injustice　of　crowds。

〃The　business；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃is　even　more　troublesome　than　I　believed。　I　foresee　fresh　difficulties。〃

He　got　up　and　approached　the　unhappy　animal。

〃What　have　you；　poor　friend；　done　to　them？〃　said　he。　〃It　is　on　my　account　they　have　used　you　so　cruelly。〃

He　embraced　the　unfortunate　beast　and　kissed　the　white　star　on　his　forehead。　Then　he　took　him　by　the　bridle　and　led　him；　both　of　them　limping；　trough　the　sleeping　city　to　his　house；　where　sleep　soon　allowed　them　to　forget　mankind。



X。　FATHER　DOUILLARD

In　their　infinite　gentleness　and　at　the　suggestion　of　the　common　father　of　the　faithful；　the　bishops；　canons；　vicars；　curates；　abbots；　and　friars　of　Penguinia　resolved　to　hold　a　solemn　service　in　the　cathedral　of　Alca；　and　to　pray　that　Divine　mercy　would　deign　to　put　an　end　to　the　troubles　that　distracted　one　of　the　noblest　countries　in　Christendom；　and　grant　to　repentant　Penguinia　pardon　for　its　crimes　against　God　and　the　ministers　of　religion。

The　ceremony　took　place　on　the　fifteenth　of　June。　General　Caraguel；　surrounded　by　his　staff；　occupied　the　churchwarden's　pew。　The　congregation　was　numerous　and　brilliant。　According　to　M。　Bigourd's　expression　it　was　both