penguin island-第40章

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Book　VII。　FUTURE　TIMES

THE　ENDLESS　HISTORY

Alca　is　becoming　Americanised。M。　Daniset。

And　he　overthrew　those　cities；　and　all　the　plain；　and　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　cities；　and　that　which　grew　upon　the　ground。Genesis　xix。　25

｛greek　here＇（Herodotus；　Histories；　VII　cii。）

Poverty　hast　ever　been　familiar　to　Greece；　but　virtue　has　been　acquired；　having　been　accomplished　by　wisdom　and　firm　laws。　Henry　Cary's　Translation。

You　have　not　seen　angels　then。Liber　Terribilis。

Bqfttfusftpvtuse　jufbmmbb　b　up　sjufef　tspjtfucftfnqfsfvstbqsftbnpjsqsp　dmbnfuspjtghjttdmjcfsufnbgsbodftftutpbnjtfbeftdpnqb　　　hojtgjobo　　difsftr　　vjejtqpteoueftsjdifttftevqbzt　fuqbsmfn　Pzfoevofqsf　ttfbdifuffejsjhfboumpqjojno　　　　Voufnpjoxfsiejrvf

We　are　now　beginning　to　study　a　chemistry　which　will　deal　with　effects　produced　by　bodies　containing　a　quantity　of　concentrated　energy　the　like　of　which　we　have　not　yet　had　at　our　disposal。Sir　William　Ramsay。



S。　I

The　houses　were　never　high　enough　to　satisfy　them；　they　kept　on　making　them　still　higher　and　built　them　of　thirty　or　forty　storeys：　with　offices；　shops；　banks；　societies　one　above　another；　they　dug　cellars　and　tunnels　ever　deeper　downwards。

Fifteen　millions　of　men　laboured　in　a　giant　town　by　the　light　of　beacons　which　shed　forth　their　glare　both　day　and　night。　No　light　of　heaven　pierced　through　the　smoke　of　the　factories　with　which　the　town　was　girt；　but　sometimes　the　red　disk　of　a　rayless　sun　might　be　seen　riding　in　the　black　firmament　through　which　iron　bridges　ploughed　their　way；　and　from　which　there　descended　a　continual　shower　of　soot　and　cinders。　It　was　the　most　industrial　of　all　the　cities　in　the　world　and　the　richest。　Its　organisation　seemed　perfect。　None　of　the　ancient　aristocratic　or　democratic　forms　remained；　everything　was　subordinated　to　the　interests　of　the　trusts。　This　environment　gave　rise　to　what　anthropologists　called　the　multi…millionaire　type。　The　men　of　this　type　were　at　once　energetic　and　frail；　capable　of　great　activity　in　forming　mental　combinations　and　of　prolonged　labour　in　offices；　but　men　whose　nervous　irritability　suffered　from　hereditary　troubles　which　increased　as　time　went　on。

Like　all　true　aristocrats；　like　the　patricians　of　republican　Rome　or　the　squires　of　old　England；　these　powerful　men　affected　a　great　severity　in　their　habits　and　customs。　They　were　the　ascetics　of　wealth。　At　the　meetings　of　the　trusts　an　observer　would　have　noticed　their　smooth　and　puffy　faces；　their　lantern　cheeks；　their　sunken　eyes　and　wrinkled　brows。　With　bodies　more　withered；　complexions　yellower；　lips　drier；　and　eyes　filled　with　a　more　burning　fanaticism　than　those　of　the　old　Spanish　monks；　these　multimillionaires　gave　themselves　up　with　inextinguishable　ardour　to　the　austerities　of　banking　and　industry。　Several；　denying　themselves　all　happiness；　all　pleasure；　and　all　rest；　spent　their　miserable　lives　in　rooms　without　light　or　air；　furnished　only　with　electrical　apparatus；　living　on　eggs　and　milk；　and　sleeping　on　camp　beds。　By　doing　nothing　except　pressing　nickel　buttons　with　their　fingers；　these　mystics　heaped　up　riches　of　which　they　never　even　saw　the　signs；　and　acquired　the　vain　possibility　of　gratifying　desires　that　they　never　experienced。

The　worship　of　wealth　had　its　martyrs。　One　of　these　multi…millionaires；　the　famous　Samuel　Box；　preferred　to　die　rather　than　surrender　the　smallest　atom　of　his　property。　One　of　his　workmen；　the　victim　of　an　accident　while　at　work；　being　refused　any　indemnity　by　his　employer；　obtained　a　verdict　in　the　courts；　but　repelled　by　innumerable　obstacles　of　procedure；　he　fell　into　the　direst　poverty。　Being　thus　reduced　to　despair；　he　succeeded　by　dint　of　cunning　and　audacity　in　confronting　his　employer　with　a　loaded　revolver　in　his　hand；　and　threatened　to　blow　out　his　brains　if　he　did　not　give　him　some　assistance。　Samuel　Box　gave　nothing；　and　let　himself　be　killed　for　the　sake　of　principle。

Examples　that　come　from　high　quarters　are　followed。　Those　who　possessed　some　small　capital　（and　they　were　necessarily　the　greater　number）；　affected　the　ideas　and　habits　of　the　multi…millionaires；　in　order　that　they　might　be　classed　among　them。　All　passions　which　injured　the　increase　or　the　preservation　of　wealth；　were　regarded　as　dishonourable；　neither　indolence；　nor　idleness；　nor　the　taste　for　disinterested　study；　nor　love　of　the　arts；　nor；　above　all；　extravagance；　was　ever　forgiven；　pity　was　condemned　as　a　dangerous　weakness。　Whilst　every　inclination　to　licentiousness　excited　public　reprobation；　the　violent　and　brutal　satisfaction　of　an　appetite　was；　on　the　contrary；　excused；　violence；　in　truth；　was　regarded　as　less　injurious　to　morality；　since　it　manifested　a　form　of　social　energy。　The　State　was　firmly　based　on　two　great　public　virtues：　respect　for　the　rich　and　contempt　for　the　poor。　Feeble　spirits　who　were　still　moved　by　human　suffering　had　no　other　resource　than　to　take　refuge　in　a　hypocrisy　which　it　was　impossible　to　blame；　since　it　contributed　to　the　maintenance　of　order　and　the　solidity　of　institutions。

Thus；　among　the　rich；　all　were　devoted　to　their　social　order；　or　seemed　to　be　so；　all　gave　good　examples；　if　all　did　not　follow　them。　Some　felt　the　gravity　of　their　position　cruelly；　but　they　endured　it　either　from　pride　or　from　duty。　Some　attempted；　in　secret　and　by　subterfuge；　to　escape　from　it　for　a　moment。　One　of　these；　Edward　Martin；　the　President；　of　the　Steel　Trust；　sometimes　dressed　himself　as　a　poor　man；　went：　forth　to　beg　his　bread；　and　allowed　himself　to　be　jostled　by　the　passers…by。　One　day；　as　he　asked　alms　on　a　bridge；　he　engaged　in　a　quarrel　with　a　real　beggar；　and　filled　with　a　fury　of　envy；　he　strangled　him。

As　they　devoted　their　whole　intelligence　to　business；　they　sought　no　intellectual　pleasures。　The　theatre；　which　had　formerly　been　very　flourishing　among　them；　was　now　reduced　to　pantomimes　and　comic　dances。　Even　the　pieces　in　which　women　acted　were　given　up；　the　taste　for　pretty　forms　and　brilliant　toilettes　had　been　lost；　the　somersaults　of　clowns　and　the　music　of　negroes　were　preferred　above　them；　and　what　roused　enthusiasm　was　the　sight　of　women　upon　the　stage　whose　necks　were　bedizened　with　diamonds；　or　processions　carrying　golden　bars　in　triumph。　Ladies　of　wealth　were　as　much　compelled　as　the　men　to　lead　a　respectable　life。　According　to　a　tendency　common　to　all　civilizations；　public　feeling　set　them　up　as　symbols；　they　were；　by　their　austere　magnificence；　to　represent　both　the　splendour　of　wealth　and　its　intangible　。　The　old　habits　of　gallantry　had　been　reformed；　Tut　fashionable　lovers　were　now　secretly　replaced　by　muscular　labourers　or　stray　grooms。　Nevertheless；　scandals　were　rare；　a　foreign　journey　concealed　nearly　all　of　them；　and　the　Princesses　of　the　Trusts　remained　objects　of　universal　esteem。

The　rich　formed　only　a　small　minority；　but　their　collaborators；　who　composed　the　entire　people；　had　been　completely　won　over　or　completely　subjugated　by　them。　They　formed　two　classes；　the　agents　of　commerce　or　banking；　and　workers　in　the　factories。　The　former　contributed　an　immense　amount　of　work　and　received　large　salaries。　Some　of　them　succeeded　in　founding　establishments　of　their　own；　for　in　the　constant　increase　of　the　public　wealth　the　more　intelligent　and　audacious　could　hope　for　anything。　Doubtless　it　would　have　been　possible　to　find　a　certain　number　of　discontented　and　rebellious　persons　among　the　immense　crowd　of　engineers　and　accountants；　but　this　powerful　society　had　imprinted　its　firm　discipline　even　on　the　minds　of　its　opponents。　The　very　anarchists　were　laborious　and　regular。

As　for　the　workmen　who　toiled　in　the　factories　that　surrounded　the　town；　their　decadence；　both　physical　and　moral；　was　terrible；　they　were　examples　of　the　type　of　poverty　as　it　is　set　forth　by　anthropology。　Although　the　development　among　them　of　certain　muscles；　due　to　the　particular　nature　of　their　work；　might　give　a　false　idea　of　their　strength；　they　presented　sure　signs　of　morbid　debility。　Of　low　stature；　with　small　heads　and　narrow　chests；　they　were　further　distinguished　from　the　comfortable　classes　by　a　multitude　of　physiological　anomalies；　and；　in　particular；　by　a　common　want　of　symmetry　between　the　head　and　the　limbs。　And　they　were　destined　to　a　gradual　and　continuous　degeneration；　for　the　State　made　soldiers　of　the　more　robust　among　them；　and　the　health　of　these　did　not　long　withstand　the　brothels　and　the　drink…shops　that　sprang　up　around　their　barracks。　The　proletarians　became　more　and　more　feeble　in　mind。　The　continued　weakening　of　their　intellectual　faculties　was　not　entirely　due　to　their　manner　of　life；　it　resulted　also　from　a　methodical　selection　carried　out　by　the　employers。　The　latter；　fearing　that　workmen　of　too　great　ability　might　be　inclined　to　put　forward　legitimate　demands；　took　care　to　eliminate　them　by　every　possible　means；　and　preferred　to　engage　ignorant　and　stupid　labourers；　who　were　incapable　of　defending　their　rights；　but　were　yet　intelligent　enough　to　perform　their　toil；　which　highly　perfected　machines　rendered　extremely　simple。　Thus　the　proletarians　were　unable　to　do　anything　to　improve　their　lot。　With　difficulty　did　they　succeed　by　means　of　strikes　in　maintaining　the　rate　of　their　wages。　Even　this　means　began　to　fail　them。　The　alternations　of　production　inherent　in　the　capitalist　system　caused　such　cessations　of　work　that；　in　several　branches　of　industry；　as　soon　as　a　strike　was　declared；　the　accumulation　of　products　allowed　the　employers　to　dispense　with　the　strikers。　In　a　word；　these　miserable　employees　were　plunged　in　a　gloomy　apathy　that　nothing　enlightened　and　nothing　exasperated。　They　were　necessary　instruments　for　the　social　order　and　well　adapted　to　their　purpose。

Upon　the　whole；　this　social　order　seemed　the　most　firmly　established　that　had　yet　been　seen；　at　least　amon　kind；　for　that　of　bees　and　ants　is　incomparably　more　stable。　Nothing　could　foreshadow　the　ruin　of　a　system　founded　on　what　is　strongest　in　human　nature；　pride　and　cupidity。　However；　keen　observers　discovered　several　grounds　for　uneasiness。　The　most　certain；　although　the　least　apparent；　were　of　an　economic　order；　and　consisted　in　the　continually　increasing　amount　of　over…production；　which　entailed　long　and　cruel　interruptions　of　labour；　though　these　were；　it　is　true；　utilized　by　the　manufacturers　as　a　means　of　breaking　the　power　of　the　workmen；　by　facing　them　with　the　prospect　of　a　lock…out。　A　more　obvious　peril　resulted　from　the　physiological　state　of　almost　the　entire　population。　〃The　health　of　the　poor　is　what　it　must　be；〃　said　the　experts　in　hygiene；　〃but　that　of　the　rich　leaves　much　to　be　desired。〃　It　was　not　difficult　to　find　the　causes　of　this。　The　supply　of　oxygen　necessary　for　life　was　insufficient　in　the　city；　and　men　breathed　in　an　artificial　air。　The　food　trusts；　by　means　of　the　most　daring　chemical　syntheses；　produced　artificial　wines；　meat；　milk；　fruit；　and　vegetables；　and　the　diet　thus　imposed　gave　rise　to　stomach　and　brain　troubles。　The　multi…millionaires　were　bald　at　the　age　of　eighteen；　some　showed　from　time　to　time　a　dangerous　weakness　of　mind。　Over…strung　and　enfeebled；　they　gave　enormous　sums　to　ignorant　charlatans；　and　it　was　a　common　thing　for　some　bath…attendant　or　other　trumpery　who　turned　healer　or　prophet；　t