penguin island-第37节
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discomfiture。 MM。 de La Trumelle and d'Ampoule were taken to the police station。 Prince des Boscenos； after a valiant struggle； fell upon the bloody pavement with a fractured skull。
In the enthusiasm of victory； the comrades； mingled with an innumerable crowd of paper…sellers and gutter…merchants； ran through the boulevards all night； carrying； Maniflore in triumph； and breaking the mirrors of the cafes and the glasses of the street lamps amid cries of 〃Down with Crucho！ Hurrah for the Social Revolution！〃 The Anti…Pyrotists in their turn upset the newspaper kiosks and tore down the hoardings。
These were spectacles of which cool reason cannot approve and they were fit causes for grief to the municipal authorities； who desired to preserve the good order of the roads and streets。 But； what was sadder for a man of heart was the sight or the canting humbugs； who； from fear of blows； kept at an equal distance from the two camps； and who； although they allowed their selfishness and cowardice to be visible； claimed admiration for the generosity of their sentiments and the nobility of their souls。 They rubbed their eyes with onions； gaped like whitings； blew violently into their handkerchiefs； and； bringing their voices out of the depths of their stomachs； groaned forth： 〃O Penguins； cease these fratricidal struggles； cease to rend your mother's bosom！〃 As if men could live in society without disputes and without quarrels； and as if civil discords were not the necessary conditions of national life and progress。 They showed themselves hypocritical cowards by proposing a compromise between the just and the unjust； offending the just in his rectitude and the unjust in his courage。 One of these creatures； the rich and powerful Machimel； a champion coward； rose upon the town like a colossus of grief； his tears formed poisonous lakes at his feet and his sighs capsized the boats of the fishermen。
During these stormy nights Bidault…Coquille at the top of his old steam…engine； under the serene sky； boasted in his heart； while the shooting stars registered themselves upon his photographic plates。 He was fighting for justice。 He loved and was loved with a sublime passion。 Insult and calumny raised him to the clouds。 A caricature of him in company with those of Colomban； Kerdanic； and Colonel Hastaing was to be seen in the newspaper kiosks。 The Anti…Pyrotists proclaimed that he had received fifty thousand francs from the big Jewish financiers。 The reporters of the militarist sheets held interviews regarding his scientific knowledge with official scholars； who declared he had no knowledge of the stars； disputed his most solid observations； denied his most certain discoveries； and condemned his most ingenious and most fruitful hypotheses。 He exulted under these flattering blows of hatred and envy。
He contemplated the black immensity pierced by a multitude of lights； without giving a thought to all the heavy slumbers； cruel insomnias； vain dreams； spoilt pleasures； and infinitely diverse miseries that a great city contains。
〃It is in this enormous city；〃 said he to himself； 〃that the just and the unjust are joining battle。〃
And substituting a simple and magnificent poetry for the multiple and vulgar reality； he represented to himself the Pyrot affair as a struggle between good and bad angels。 He awaited the eternal triumph of the Sons of Light and congratulated himself on being a Child of the Day confounding the Children of Night。
X。 MR。 JUSTICE CHAUSSEPIED
Hitherto blinded by fear； incautious and stupid before the bands of Friar Douillard and the partisans of Prince Crucho； the Republicans at last opened their eyes and grasped the real meaning of the Pyrot affair。 The deputies who had for two years turned pale at the shouts of the patriotic crowds became； not indeed more courageous； but altered their cowardice and blamed Robin Mielleux for disorders which their own compliance had encouraged； and the instigators of which they had several times slavishly congratulated。 They reproached him for having imperilled the Republic by a weakness which was really theirs and a timidity which they themselves had imposed upon him。 Some of them began to doubt whether it was not to their interest to believe in Pyrot's innocence rather than in his guilt； and thenceforward they felt a bitter anguish at the thought that the unhappy man might have been wrongly convicted and that in his aerial cage he might be expiating another man's crimes。 〃I cannot sleep on account of it！〃 was what several members of Minister Guillaumette's majority used to say。 But these were ambitious to replace their chief。
These generous legislators overthrew the cabinet； and the President of the Republic put in Robin Mielleux's place； a patriarchal Republican with a flowing beard； La Trinite by name； who； like most of the Penguins； understood nothing about the affair； but thought that too many monks were mixed up in it。
General Greatauk before leaving the Ministry of War； gave his final advice to Pariler； the Chief of the Staff。
〃I go and you remain；〃 said he； as he shook hands with him。 〃The Pyrot affair is my daughter； I confide her to you； she is worthy of your love and your care； she is beautiful。 Do not forget that her beauty loves the shade； is leased with mystery； and likes to remain veiled。 Great her modesty with gentleness。 Too many indiscreet looks have already profaned her charms。 。 。 。 Panther； you desired proofs and you obtained them。 You have many； perhaps too many； in your possession。 I see that there will be many tiresome interventions and much dangerous curiosity。 If I were in your place I would tear up all those documents。 Believe me； the best of proofs is none at all。 That is the only one which nobody discusses。〃
Alas！ General Panther did not realise the wisdom of this advice。 The future was only too thoroughly to justify Greatauk's perspicacity。 La Trinite demanded the documents belonging； to the Pyrot affair。 Peniche； his Minister of War； refused them in the superior interests of the national defence； telling him that the documents under General Panther's care formed the hugest mass of archives in the world。 La Trinite studied the case as well as he could； and； without penetrating to the bottom of the matter； suspected it of irregularity。 Conformably to his rights and prerogatives he then ordered a fresh trial to be held。 Immediately； Peniche； his Minister of War； accused him of insulting the army and betraying the country and flung his portfolio at his head。 He was replaced by a second； who did the same。 To him succeeded a third； who imitated these examples； and those after him to the number of seventy acted like their predecessors； until the venerable La Trinite groaned beneathe the weight of bellicose portfolios。 The seventy…first Minister of War； van Julep； retained office。 Not that he was in disagreement with so many and such noble colleagues； but he had been commissioned by them generously to betray his Prime Minister； to cover him with shame and opprobrium； and to convert the new trial to the glory of Greatauk； the satisfaction of the Anti…Pyrotists； the profit of the monks； and the restoration of Prince Crucho。
General van Julep； though endowed with high military virtues； was not intelligent enough to employ the subtle conduct and exquisite methods of Greatauk。 He thought； like General Panther； that tangible proofs against Pyrot were necessary； that they could never ave too many of them； that they could never have even enough。 He expressed these' sentiments to his Chief of Staff； who was only too inclined to agree with them。
〃Panther；〃 said he； 〃we are at the moment when we need abundant and superabundant proofs。〃
〃You have said enough； General；〃 answered Panther； 〃I will complete my piles of documents。〃
Six months later the proofs against Pyrot filled two storeys of the Ministry of War。 The ceiling fell in beneath the weight of the bundles； and the avalanche of falling documents crushed two head clerks； fourteen second clerks； and sixty copying clerks； who were at work upon the ground floor arranging a change in the fashion of the cavalry gaiters。 The walls of the huge edifice had to be propped。 Passers…by saw with amazement enormous beams and monstrous stanchions which reared themselves obliquely against the noble front of the building； now tottering and disjointed； and blocked up the streets； stopped the carriages； and presented to the motor…omnibuses an obstacle against which they dashed with their loads of passengers。
The judges who had condemned Pyrot were not； properly speaking； judges but soldiers。 The judges who had condemned Colomban were real judges； but of inferior rank； wearing seedy black clothes like church vergers； unlucky wretches of judges； miserable judgelings。 Above them were the superior judges who wore ermine robes over their black gowns。 These； renowned for their knowledge and doctrine； formed a court whose terrible name expressed power。 It was called the Court of Appeal （Cassation） so as to make it clear that it was the hammer suspended over the judgments and decrees of all other jurisdictions。
One of these superior red Judges of the Supreme Court； called Chaussepied； led a modest and tranquil life
