penguin island-第32节

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ngs　grew　warm　and　the　ferment　lasted　the　whole　day。　In　the　evening　bands　of　wild　and　ragged　men　went　about　the　streets　yelling：　〃Death　to　Colomban！〃　The　patriots　snatched　whole　bundles　of　the　memorandum　from　the　newsboys　and　burned　them　in　the　public　squares；　dancing　wildly　round　these　bon…fires　with　girls　whose　petticoats　were　tied　up　to　their　waists。

Some　of　the　more　enthusiastic　among　them　went　and　broke　the　windows　of　the　house　in　which　Colomban　had　lived　in　perfect　tranquillity　during　his　forty　years　of　work。

Parliament　was　roused　and　asked　the　Chief　of　the　Government　what　measures　he　proposed　to　take　in　order　to　repel　the　odious　attacks　made　by　Colomban　upon　the　honour　of　the　National　Arm　and　the　safety　of　Penguinia。　Robin　Mielleux　denounced　Colomban's　impious　audacity　and　proclaimed　amid　the　cheers　of　the　legislators　that　the　man　would　be　summoned　before　the　Courts　to　answer　for　his　infamous　libel。

The　Minister　of　War　was　called　to　the　tribune　and　appeared　in　it　transfigured。　He　had　no　longer　the　air；　as　in　former　days；　of　one　of　the　sacred　geese　of　the　Penguin　citadels。　Now；　bristling；　with　outstretched　neck　and　hooked　beak；　he　seemed　the　symbolical　vulture　fastened　to　the　livers　of　his　country's　enemies。

In　the　august　silence　of　the　assembly　he　pronounced　these　words　only：

〃I　swear　that　Pyrot　is　a　rascal。〃

This　speech　of　Greatauk　was　reported　all　over　Penguinia　and　satisfied　the　public　conscience。



V。　THE　REVEREND　FATHERS　AGARIC　AND　CORNEMUSE

Colomban　bore　with　meekness　and　surprise　the　weight　of　the　general　reprobation。　He　could　not　go　out　without　being　stoned；　so　he　did　not　go　out。　He　remained　in　his　study　with　a　superb　obstinacy；　writing　new　memoranda　in　favour　of　the　encaged　innocent。　In　the　mean　time　among　the　few　readers　that　he　found；　some；　about　a　dozen；　were　struck　by　his　reasons　and　began　to　doubt　Pyrot's　guilt。　They　broached　the　subject　to　their　friends　and　endeavoured　to　spread　the　light　that　had　arisen　in　their　minds。　One　of　them　was　a　friend　of　Robin　Mielleux　and　confided　to　him　his　perplexities；　with　the　result　that　he　was　no　longer　received　by　that　Minister。　Another　demanded　explanations　in　an　open　letter　to　the　Minister　of　War。　A　third　published　a　terrible　pamphlet。　The　latter；　whose　name　was　Kerdanic；　was　a　formidable　controversialist。　The　public　was　unmoved。　It　was　said　that　these　defenders　of　the　traitor　had　been　bribed　by　the　rich　Jews；　they　were　stigmatized　by　the　name　of　Pyrotists　and　the　patriots　swore　to　exterminate　them。　There　were　only　a　thousand　or　twelve　hundred　Pyrotists　in　the　whole　vast　Republic；　but　it　was　believed　that　they　were　everywhere。　People　were　afraid　of　finding　them　in　the　promenades；　at　meetings；　at　receptions；　in　fashionable　drawing…rooms；　at　the　dinner…table；　even　in　the　conjugal　couch。　One　half　of　the　population　was　suspected　by　the　other　half。　The　discord　set　all　Alca　on　fire。

In　the　mean　time　Father　Agaric；　who　managed　his　big　school　for　young　nobles；　followed　events　with　anxious　attention。　The　misfortunes　of　the　Penguin　Church　had　not　disheartened　him。　He　remained　faithful　to　Prince　Crucho　and　preserved　the　hope　of　restoring　the　heir　of　the　Draconides　to　the　Penguin　throne。　It　appeared　to　him　that　the　events　that　were　happening　or　about　to　happen　in　the　country；　the　state　of　mind　of　which　they　were　at　once　the　effect　and　the　cause；　and　the　troubles　that　necessarily　resulted　from　them　mightif　they　were　directed；　guided；　and　led　by　the　profound　wisdom　of　a　monkoverthrow　the　Republic　and　incline　the　Penguins　to　restore　Prince　Crucho；　from　whose　piety　the　faithful　hoped　for　so　much　solace。　Wearing　his　huge　black　hat；　the　brims　of　which　looked　like　the　wings　of　Night；　he　walked　through　the　Wood　of　Conils　towards　the　factory　where　his　venerable　friend；　Father　Cornemuse；　distilled　the　hygienic　St。　Orberosian　liqueur；　The　good　monk's　industry；　so　cruelly　affected　in　the　time　of　Emiral　Chatillon；　was　being　restored　from　its　ruins。　One　heard　goods　trains　rumbling　through　the　Wood　and　one　saw　in　the　sheds　hundreds　of　orphans　clothed　in　blue；　packing　bottles　and　nailing　up　cases。

Agaric　found　the　venerable　Cornemuse　standing　before　his　stoves　and　surrounded　by　his　retorts。　The　shining　pupils　of　the　old　man's　eyes　had　again　become　as　rubies；　his　skull　shone　with　its　former　elaborate　and　careful　polish。

Agaric　first　congratulated　the　pious　distiller　on　the　restored　activity　of　his　laboratories　and　workshops。

〃Business　is　recovering。　I　thank　God　for　it；〃　answered　the　old　man　of　Conils。　〃Alas！　it　had　fallen　into　a　bad　state；　Brother　Agaric。　You　raw　the　desolation　of　this　establishment。　I　need　say　no　more。〃

Agaric　turned　away　his　head。

〃The　St。　Orberosian　liqueur；〃　continued　Cornemuse；　〃is　making　fresh　conquests。　But　none　the　less　my　industry　remains　uncertain　and　precarious。　The　laws　of　ruin　and　desolation　that　struck　it　have　not　been　abrogated；　they　have　only　been　suspended。〃

And　the　monk　of　Conils　lifted　his　ruby　eyes　to　heaven。

Agaric　put　his　hand　on　his　shoulder。

〃What　a　sight；　Cornemuse；　does　unhappy　Penguinia　present　to　us！　Everywhere　disobedience；　independence；　liberty！　We　seethe　proud；　the　haughty；　the　men　of　revolt　rising　up。　After　having　braved　the　Divine　laws　they　now　rear　themselves　against　human　laws；　so　true　is　it　that　in　order　to　be　a　good　citizen　a　man　must　be　a　good　Christian。　Colomban　is　trying　to　imitate　Satan。　Numerous　criminals　are　following　his　fatal　example。　They　want；　in　their　rage；　to　put　aside　all　checks；　to　throw　off　all　yokes；　to　free　themselves　from　the　most　sacred　bonds；　to　escape　from　the　most　salutary　restraints。　They　strike　their　country　to　make　it　obey　them。　But　they　will　be　overcome　by　the　weight　of　public　animadversion；　vituperation；　indignation；　fury；　execration；　and　abomination。　That　is　the　abyss　to　which　they　have　been　led　by　atheism；　free　thought；　and　the　monstrous　claim　to　judge　for　themselves　and　to　form　their　own　opinions。〃

〃Doubtless；　doubtless；〃　replied　Father　Cornemuse；　shaking　his　head；　〃but　I　confess　that　the　care　of　distilling　these　simples　has　prevented　me　from　following　public　affairs。　I　only　know　that　people　are　talking　a　great　deal　about　a　man　called　Pyrot。　Some　maintain　that　he　is　guilty；　others　affirm　that　he　is　innocent；　but　I　do　not　clearly　understand　the　motives　that　drive　both　parties　to　mix　themselves　up　in　a　business　that　concerns　neither　of　them。〃

The　pious　Agaric　asked　eagerly：

〃You　do　not　doubt　Pyrot's　guilt？〃

〃I　cannot　doubt　it；　dear　Agaric；〃　answered　the　monk　of　Conils。　〃That　would　be　contrary　to　the　laws　of　my　country　which　we　ought　to　respect　as　long　as　they　are　not　opposed　to　the　Divine　laws。　Pyrot　is　guilty；　for　he　has　been　convicted。　As　to　saying　more　for　or　against　his　guilt；　that　would　be　to　erect　my　own　authority　against　that　of　the　judges；　a　thing　which　I　will　take　good　care　not　to　do。　Besides；　it　is　useless；　for　Pyrot　has　been　convicted。　If　he　has　not　been　convicted　because　he　is　guilty；　he　is　guilty　because　he　has　been　convicted；　it　comes　to　the　same　thing。　I　believe　in　his　guilt　as　every　good　citizen　ought　to　believe　in　it；　and　I　will　believe　in　it　as　long　as　the　established　jurisdiction　will　order　me　to　believe　in　it；　for　it　is　not　for　a　private　person　but　for　a　judge　to　proclaim　the　innocence　of　a　convicted　person。　Human　justice　is　venerable　even　in　the　errors　inherent　in　its　fallible　and　limited　nature。　These　errors　are　never　irreparable；　if　the　judges　do　not　repair　them　on　earth；　God　will　repair　them　in　Heaven。　Besides　I　have　great　confidence　in　general　Greatauk；　who；　though　he　certainly　does　not　look　it；　seems　to　me　to　be　an　abler　man　than　all　those　who　are　attacking　him。〃

〃Dearest　Cornemuse；〃　cried　the　pious　Agaric；　〃the　Pyrot　affair；　if　pushed　to　the　point　whither　we　can　lead　it　by　the　help　of　God　and　the　necessary　funds；　will　produce　the　greatest　benefits。　It　will　lay　bare　the　vices　of　this　Anti…Christian　Republic　and　will　incline　the　Penguins　to　restore　the　throne　of　the　Draconides　and　the　prerogatives　of　the　Church。　But　to　do　that　it　is　necessary　for　the　people　to　see　the　clergy　in　the　front　rank　of　its　defenders。　Let　us　march　against　the　enemies　of　the　army；　against　those　who　insult　our　heroes；　and　everybody　will　follow　us。〃

〃Everybody　will　be　too　many；〃　murmured　the　monk　of　Conils；　shaking　his　head。　〃I　see　that　the　Penguins　want　to　quarrel。　If　we　mix　ourselves　up　in　their　quarrel　they　will　become　reconciled　at　our　expense　and　we　shall　have　to　pay　the　cost　of　the　war。　That　is　why；　if　you　are　guided　by　me；　dear　Agaric；　you　will　not　engage　the　Church　in　this　adventure。〃

〃You　know　my　energy；　you　know　my　prudence。　I　will　compromise　nothing。　。　。　。　Dear　Cornemuse；　I　only　want　from　you　the　funds　necessary　for　us　to　begin　the　campaign。〃

For　a　long　time　Cornemuse　refused　to　bear　the　expenses　of　what　he　thought　was　a　fatal　enterprise。　Agaric　was　in　turn　pathetic　and　terrible。　At　last；　yielding　to　his　prayers　and　threats；　Cornemuse；　with　banging　head　and　swinging　arms；　went　to　the　austere　cell　that　concealed　his　evangelical　poverty。　In　the　whitewashed　wall　under　a　branch　of　blessed　box；　there　was　fixed　a　safe。　He　opened　it；　and　with　a　sigh　took　out　a　bundle　of　bills　which；　with　hesitating　hands；　he　gave　to　the　pious　Agaric。

〃Do　not　doubt　it