penguin island-第41章

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o　turned　healer　or　prophet；　to　make　a　rapid　fortune　by　the　practice　of　medicine　or　theology。　The　number　of　lunatics　increased　continually；　suicides　multiplied　in　the　world　of　wealth；　and　many　of　them　were　accompanied　by　atrocious　and　extraordinary　circumstances；　which　bore　witness　to　an　unheard　o　perversion　of　intelligence　and　sensibility。

Another　fatal　symptom　created　a　strong　impression　upon　average　minds。　Terrible　accidents；　henceforth　periodical　and　regular；　entered　into　people's　calculations；　and　kept　mounting　higher　and　higher　in　statistical　tables。　Every　day；　machines　burst　into　fragments；　houses　fell　down；　trains　laden　with　merchandise　fell　on　to　the　streets；　demolishing　entire　buildings　and　crushing　hundreds　of　passers…by。　Through　the　ground；　honey…combed　with　tunnels；　two　or　three　storeys　of　work…shops　would　often　crash；　engulfing　all　those　who　worked　in　them。

S。　2

In　the　southwestern　district　of　the　city；　on　an　eminence　which　had　preserved　its　ancient　name　of　Fort　Saint…Michel；　there　stretched　a　square　where　some　old　trees　still　spread　their　exhausted　arms　above　the　greensward。　Landscape　gardeners　had　constructed　a　cascade；　grottos；　a　torrent；　a　lake；　and　an　island；　on　its　northern　slope。　From　this　side　one　could　see　the　whole　town　with　its　streets；　its　boulevards；　its　squares；　the　multitude　of　its　roofs　and　domes；　its　air…passages；　and　its　crowds　of　men；　covered　with　a　veil　of　silence；　and　seemingly　enchanted　by　the　distance。　This　square　was　the　healthiest　place　in　the　capital；　here　no　smoke　obscured　the　sky；　and　children　were　brought　here　to　play。　In　summer　some　employees　from　the　neighbouring　offices　and　laboratories　used　to　resort　to　it　for　a　moment　after　their　luncheons；　but　they　did　not　disturb　its　solitude　and　peace。

It　was　owing　to　this　custom　that；　one　day　in　June；　about　mid…day；　a　telegraph　clerk；　Caroline　Meslier；　came　and　sat　down　on　a　bench　at　the　end　of　a　terrace。　In　order　to　refresh　her　eyes　by　the　sight　of　a　little　green；　she　turned　her　back　to　the　town。　Dark；　with　brown　eyes；　robust　and　placid；　Caroline　appeared　to　be　from　twenty…five　to　twenty…eight　years　of　age。　Almost　immediately；　a　clerk　in　the　Electricity　Trust；　George　Clair；　took　his　place　beside　her。　Fair；　thin；　and　supple；　he　had　features　of　a　feminine　delicacy；　he　was　scarcely　older　than　she；　and　looked　still　younger。　As　they　met　almost　every　day　in　this　place；　a　comradeship　had　sprung　up　between　them；　and　they　enjoyed　chatting　together。　But　their　conversation　had　never　been　tender；　affectionate；　or　even　intimate。　Caroline；　although　it　had　happened　to　her　in　the　past　to　repent　of　her　confidence；　might　perhaps　have　been　less　reserved　had　not　George　Clair　always　shown　himself　extremely　restrained　in　his　expressions　and　behaviour。　He　always　gave　a　purely　intellectual　character　to　the　conversation；　keeping　it　within　the　realm　of　general　ideas；　and；　moreover；　expressing　himself　on　all　subjects　with　the　greatest　freedom。　He　spoke　frequently　of　the　organization　of　society；　and　the　conditions　of　labour。

〃Wealth；〃　said　he；　〃is　one　of　the　means　of　living　happily；　but　people　have　made　it　the　sole　end　of　existence。〃

And　this　state　of　things　seemed　monstrous　to　both　of　them。

They　returned　continually　to　various　scientific　subjects　with　which　they　were　both　familiar。

On　that　day　they　discussed　the　evolution　of　chemistry。

〃From　the　moment；〃　said　Clair；　〃that　radium　was　seen　to　be　transformed　into　helium；　people　ceased　to　affirm　the　immutability　of　simple　bodies；　in　this　way　all　those　old　laws　about　simple　relations　and　about　the　indestructibility　of　matter　were　abolished。〃

〃However；〃　said　she；　〃chemical　laws　exist。〃

For；　being　a　woman；　she　had　need　of　belief。

He　resumed　carelessly：

〃Now　that　we　can　procure　radium　in　sufficient　quantities；　science　possesses　incomparable　means　of　analysis；　even　at　present　we　get　glimpses；　within　what　are　called　simple　bodies；　of　extremely　diversified　complex　ones；　and　we　discover　energies　in　matter　which　seem　to　increase　even　by　reason　of　its　tenuity。〃

As　they　talked；　they　threw　bits　of　bread　to　the　birds；　and　some　children　played　around　them。

Passing　from　one　subject　to　another：

〃This　hill；　in　the　quaternary　epoch；〃　said　Clair；　〃was　inhabited　by　wild　horses。　Last　year；　as　they　were　tunnelling　for　the　water　mains；　they　found　a　layer　of　the　bones　of　primeval　horses。〃

She　was　anxious　to　know　whether；　at　that　distant　epoch；　man　had　yet　appeared。

He　told　her　that　man　used　to　hunt　the　primeval　horse　long　before　he　tried　to　domesticate　him。

〃Man；〃　he　added；　〃was　at　first　a　hunter；　then　he　became　a　shepherd；　a　cultivator；　a　manufacturer　。　。　。　and　these　diverse　civilizations　succeeded　each　other　at　intervals　of　time　that　the　mind　cannot　conceive。〃

He　took　out　his　watch。

Caroline　asked　if　it　was　already　time　to　go　back　to　the　office。

He　said　it　was　not；　that　it　was　scarcely　half…past　twelve。

A　little　girl　was　making　mud　pies　at　the　foot　of　their　bench；　a　little　boy　of　seven　or　eight　years　was　playing　in　front　of　them。　Whilst　his　mother　was　sewing　on　an　adjoining　bench；　he　played　all　alone　at　being　a　run…away　horse；　and　with　that　power　of　illusion；　of　which　children　are　capable；　he　imagined　that　he　was　at　the　same　time　the　horse；　and　those　who　ran　after　him；　and　those　who　fled　in　terror　before　him。　He　kept　struggling　with　himself　and　shouting：　〃Stop　him；　Hi！　Hi！　This　is　an　awful　horse；　he　has　got　the　bit　between　his　teeth。〃

Caroline　asked　the　question：

〃Do　you　think　that　men　were　happy　formerly？〃

Her　companion　answered：

〃They　suffered　less　when　they　were　younger。　They　acted　like　that　little　boy：　they　played；　they　played　at　arts；　at　virtues；　at　vices；　at　heroism；　at　beliefs；　at　pleasures；　they　had　illusions　which　entertained　them；　they　made　a　noise；　they　amused　themselves。　But　now。　。　。　。〃

He　interrupted　himself；　and　looked　again　at　his　watch。

The　child；　who　was　running；　struck　his　foot　against　the　little　girl's　pail；　and　fell　his　full　length　on　the　gravel。　He　remained　a　moment　stretched　out　motionless；　then　raised　himself　up　on　the　palms　of　his　hands。　His　forehead　puckered；　his　mouth　opened；　and　he　burst　into　tears。　His　mother　ran　up；　but　Caroline　had　lifted　him　from　the　ground　and　was　wiping　his　eyes　and　mouth　with　her　handkerchief。

The　child　kept　on　sobbing　and　Clair　took　him　in　his　arms。

〃Come；　don't　cry；　my　little　man！　I　am　going　to　tell　you　a　story。

〃A　fisherman　once　threw　his　net　into　the　sea　and　drew　out　a　little；　sealed；　copper　pot；　which　he　opened　with　his　knife。　Smoke　came　out　of　it；　and　as　it　mounted　up　to　the　clouds　the　smoke　grew　thicker　and　thicker　and　became　a　giant　who　gave　such　a　terrible　yawn　that　the　whole　world　was　blown　to　dust。

Clair　stopped　himself；　gave　a　dry　laugh；　and　handed　the　child　back　to　his　mother。　Then　he　took　out　his　watch　again；　and　kneeling　on　the　bench　with　his　elbows　resting　on　its　back　he　gazed　at　the　town。　As　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　the　multitude　of　houses　stood　out　in　their　tiny　immensity。

Caroline　turned　her　eyes　in　the　same　direction。

〃What　splendid　weather　it　is！〃　said　she。　〃The　sun's　rays　change　the　smoke　on　the　horizon　into　gold。　The　worst　thing　about　civilization　is　that　it　deprives　one　of　the　light　of　day。〃

We　did　not　answer；　his　looks　remained　fixed　on　a　place　in　the　town。

After　some　seconds　of　silence　they　saw　about　half　a　mile　away；　in　the　richer　district　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；　a　sort　of　tragic　fog　rearing　itself　upwards。　A　moment　afterwards　an　explosion　was　heard　even　where　they　were　sitting；　and　an　immense　tree　of　smoke　mounted　towards　the　pure　sky。　Little　by　little　the　air　was　filled　with　an　imperceptible　murmur　caused　by　the　shouts　of　thousands　of　men。　Cries　burst　forth　quite　close　to　the　square。

〃What　has　been　blown　up？〃

The　bewilderment　was　great；　for　although　accidents　were　common；　such　a　violent　explosion　as　this　one　had　never　been　seen；　and　everybody　perceived　that　something　terribly　strange　had　happened。

Attempts　were　made　to　locate　the　place　of　the　accident；　districts；　streets；　different　buildings；　clubs；　theatres；　and　shops　were　mentioned。　Information　gradually　became　more　precise　and　at　last　the　truth　was　known。

〃The　Steel　Trust　has　just　been　blown　up。〃

Clair　put　his　watch　back　into　his　pocket。

Caroline　looked　at　him　closely　and　her　eyes　filled　with　astonishment。

At　last　she　whispered　in　his　ear：

〃Did　you　know　it？　Were　you　expecting　it？　Was　it　you　。　。　。？〃

He　answered　very　calmly：

〃That　town　ought　to　be　destroyed。〃

She　replied　in　a　gentle　and　thoughtful　tone：

〃I　think　so　too。〃

And　both　of　them　returned　quietly　to　their　work。


S。　3

From　that　day　onward；　anarchist　attempts　followed　one　another　every　week　without　interruption。　The　victims　were　numerous；　and　almost　all　of　them　belonged　to　the　poorer　classes。　These　crimes　roused　public　resentment。　It　was　among　domestic　servants；　hotel…keepers；　and　the　employees　of　such　small　shops　as　the　Trusts　still　allowed　to　exist；　that　indignation　burst　forth　most　vehemently。　In　popular　districts　women　might　be　heard　demanding　unusual　punishments　for　the　dynamitards。　（They　were　called　by　this　old　name；　although　it　was　hardly　appropriate　to　them；　since；　to　these　unknown　chemists；　dynamite　was　an　innocent　material　only　fit　to　destroy　ant…hills；　and　they　considered　it　mere　child's　play　to　explode　nitro…glycerine　with　a　cartridge　made　of　fulminate　of　mercury。）　Business　ceased　suddenly；　and　those　who　were　least　rich　were　the　first　to　feel　the　effects。　They　spoke　of　doing　justice　themselves　to　the　anarchists。　In　the　mean　time　the　factory　workers　remained　hostile　or　indifferent　to　violent　action。　They　were　threatened；　as　a　result　of　the　decline　of　business；　with　a　likelihood　of　losing　their　work；　or　even　a　lock…out　in　all　the　factories。　The　Federation　of　Trade　Unions　proposed　a　general　strike　as　the　most　powerful　means　of　influencing　the　employers；　and　the　best　aid　that　could　be　given　to　the　revolutionists；　but　all　the　trades　with　the　exception　of　the　gliders　refused　to　cease　work。

The　police　made　numerous　arrests。　Troops　summoned　from　all　parts　of　the　National　Federation　protected　the　offices　of　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　i