penguin island-第36节

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mbled　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　crowded　and　select。　In　the　front　rank　was　to　be　seen　M。　de　la　Bertheoseille；　Chamberlain　to　his　Highness　Prince　Crucho。　Near　the　pulpit；　which　was　to　be　ascended　by　the　Reverend　Father　Douillard；　of　the　Order　of　St。　Francis；　were　gathered；　in　an　attitude　of　attention　with　their　hands　crossed　upon　their　wands　of　office；　the　great　dignitaries　of　the　Anti…Pyrotist　association；　Viscount　Olive；　M。　de　La　Trumelle；　Count　Clena；　the　Duke　d'Ampoule；　and　Prince　des　Boscenos。　Father　Agaric　was　in　the　apse　with　the　teachers　and　pupils　of　St。　Mael　College。　The　right…hand　transept　and　aisle　were　reserved　for　officers　and　soldiers　in　uniform；　this　side　being　thought　the　more　honourable；　since　the　Lord　leaned　his　head　to　the　right　when　he　died　on　the　Cross。　The　ladies　of　the　aristocracy；　and　among　them　Countess　Clena；　Viscountess　Olive；　and　Princess　des　Boscenos；　occupied　reserved　seats。　In　the　immense　building　and　in　the　square　outside　were　gathered　twenty　thousand　clergy　of　all　sorts；　as　well　as　thirty　thousand　of　the　laity。

After　the　expiatory　and　propitiatory　ceremony　the　Reverend　Father　Douillard　ascended　the　pulpit。　The　sermon　had　at　first　been　entrusted　to　the　Reverend　Father　Agaric；　but；　in　spite　of　his　merits；　he　was　thought　unequal　to　the　occasion　in　zeal　and　doctrine；　and　the　eloquent　Capuchin　friar；　who　for　six　months　had　gone　through　the　barracks　preaching　against　the　enemies　of　God　and　authority；　had　been　chosen　in　his　place。

The　Reverend　Father　Douillard；　taking　as　his　text；　〃He　hath　put　down　the　mighty　from　their　seat；〃　established　that　all　temporal　power　has　God　as　its　principle　and　its　end；　and　that　it　is　ruined　and　destroyed　when　it　turns　aside　from　the　path　that　Providence　has　traced　out　for　it　and　from　the　end　to　which　He　has　directed　it。

Applying　these　sacred　rules　to　the　government　of　Penguinia；　he　drew　a　terrible　picture　of　the　evils　that　the　country's　rulers　had　been　unable　either　to　prevent　or　to　foresee。

〃The　first　author　of　all　these　miseries　and　degradations；　my　brethren；〃　said　he；　〃is　only　too　well　known　to　you。　He　is　a　monster　whose　destiny　is　providentially　proclaimed　by　his　name；　for　it　is　derived　from　the　Greek　word；　pyros；　which　means　fire。　Eternal　wisdom　warns　us　by　this　etymology　that　a　Jew　was　to　set　ablaze　the　country　that　had　welcomed　him。〃

He　depicted　the　country；　persecuted　by　the　persecutors　of　the　Church；　and　crying　in　its　agony：

〃O　woe！　O　glory！　Those　who　have　crucified　my　God　are　crucifying　me！〃

At　these　words　a　prolonged　shudder　passed　through　the　assembly。

The　powerful　orator　excited　still　greater　indignation　when　he　described　the　proud　and　crime…stained　Colomban；　plunged　into　the　stream；　all　the　waters　of　which　could　not　cleanse　him。　He　gathered　up　all　the　humiliations　and　all　the　perils　of　the　Penguins　in　order　to　reproach　the　President　of　the　Republic　and　his　Prime　Minister　with　them。

〃That　Minister；〃　said　he；　〃having　been　guilty　of　degrading　cowardice　in　not　exterminating　the　seven　hundred　Pyrotists　with　their　allies　and　defenders；　as　Saul　exterminated　the　Philistines　at　Gibeah；　has　rendered　himself　unworthy　of　exercising　the　power。　that　God　delegated　to　him；　and　every　good　citizen　ought　henceforth　to　insult　his　contemptible　government。　Heaven　will　look　favourably　on　those　who　despise　him。　'He　hath　put　down　the　mighty　from　their　seat。'　God　will　depose　these　pusillanimous　chiefs　and　will　put　in　their　place　strong　men　who　will　call　upon　Him。　I　tell　you；　gentlemen；　I　tell　you　officers；　non…commissioned　officers；　and　soldiers　who　listen　to　me；　I　tell　you　General　of　the　Penguin　armies；　the　hour　has　come！　If　you　do　not　obey　God's　orders；　if　in　His　name　you　do　not　depose　those　now　in　authority；　if　you　do　not　establish　a　religious　and　strong　government　in　Penguinia；　God　will　none　the　less　destroy　what　He　has　condemned；　He　will　none　the　less　save　His　people。　He　will　save　them；　but；　if　you　are　wanting；　He　will　do　so　by　means　of　a　humble　artisan　or　a　simple　corporal。　Hasten！　The　hour　will　soon　be　past。〃

Excited　by　this　ardent　exhortation；　the　sixty　thousand　people　present　rose　up　trembling　and　shouting：　〃To　arms！　To　arms！　Death　to　the　Pyrotists！　Hurrah　for　Crucho！〃　and　all　of　them；　monks；　women；　soldiers；　noblemen；　citizens；　and　loafers；　who　were　gathered　beneath　the　superhuman　arm　uplifted　in　the　pulpit；　struck　up　the　hymn；　〃Let　us　save　Penguinia！　They　rushed　impetuously　from　the　basilica　and　marched　along　the　quays　to　the　Chamber　of　Deputies。

Left　alone　in　the　deserted　nave；　the　wise　Cornemuse；　lifting　his　arms　to　heaven；　murmured　in　broken　accents：

〃Agnosco　fortunam　ecclesiae　penguicanae！　I　see　but　too　well　whither　this　will　lead　us。〃

The　attack　which　the　crowd　made　upon　the　legislative　palace　was　repulsed。　Vigorously　charged　by　the　police　and　Alcan　guards；　the　assailants　were　already　fleeing　in　disorder；　when　the　Socialists；　running　from　the　slums　and　led　by　comrades　Phoenix；　Dagobert；　Lapersonne；　and　Varambille；　threw　themselves　upon　them　and　completed　their　discomfiture。　MM。　de　La　Trumelle　and　d'Ampoule　were　taken　to　the　police　station。　Prince　des　Boscenos