penguin island-第8节

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l　built　a　wooden　church　and　a　monastery。　To　the　west；　two　streams；　the　Clange　and　the　Surelle；　watered　the　fertile　valleys　of　Dalles　and　Dombes。

Now　one　autumn　morning；　as　the　blessed　Mael　was　walking　in　the　valley　of　Clange　in　company　with　a　monk　of　Yvern　called　Bulloch；　he　saw　bands　of　fierce…looking　men　loaded　with　stones　passing　along　the　roads。　At　the　same　time　he　heard　in　all　directions　cries　and　complaints　mounting　up　from　the　valley　towards　the　tranquil　sky。

And　he　said　to　Bulloch：

〃I　notice　with　sadness；　my　son；　that　since　they　became　men　the　inhabitants　of　this　island　act　with　less　wisdom　than　formerly。　When　they　were　birds　they　only　quarrelled　during　the　season　of　their　love　affairs。　But　now　they　dispute　all　the　time；　they　pick　quarrels　with　each　other　in　summer　as　well　as　in　winter。　How　greatly　have　they　fallen　from　that　peaceful　majesty　which　made　the　assembly　of　the　penguins　look　like　the　Senate　of　a　wise　republic！

〃Look　towards　Surelle；　Bulloch；　my　son。　In　yonder　pleasant　valley　a　dozen　men　penguins　are　busy　knocking　each　other　down　with　the　spades　and　picks　that　they　might　employ　better　in　tilling　the　ground。　The　women；　still　more　cruel　than　the　men；　are　tearing　their　opponents'　faces　with　their　nails。　Alas！　Bulloch；　my　son；　why　are　they　murdering　each　other　in　this　way？〃

〃From　a　spirit　of　fellowship；　father；　and　through　forethought　for　the　future；〃　answered　Bulloch。　〃For　man　is　essentially　provident　and　sociable。　Such　is　his　character　and　it　is　impossible　to　imagine　it　apart　from　a　certain　appropriation　of　things。　Those　penguins　whom　you　see　are　dividing　the　ground　among　themselves。〃

〃Could　they　not　divide　it　with　less　violence？〃　asked　the　aged　man。　〃As　they　fight　they　exchange　invectives　and　threats。　I　do　not　distinguish　their　words；　but　they　are　angry　ones；　judging　from　the　tone。〃

〃They　are　accusing　one　another　of　theft　and　encroachment；〃　answered　Bulloch。　〃That　is　the　general　sense　of　their　speech。〃

At　that　moment　the　holy　Mael　clasped　his　hands　and　sighed　deeply。

〃Do　you　see；　my　son；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃that　madman　who　with　his　teeth　is　biting　the　nose　of　the　adversary　he　has　overthrown　and　that　other　one　who　is　pounding　a　woman's　head　with　a　huge　stone？〃

〃I　see　them；〃　said　Bulloch。　〃They　are　creating　law；　they　are　founding　property；　they　are　establishing　the　principles　of　civilization；　the　basis　of　society；　and　the　foundations　of　the　State。〃

〃How　is　that？〃　asked　old　Mael。

〃By　setting　bounds　to　their　fields。　That　is　the　origin　of　all　government。　Your　penguins；　O　Master；　are　performing　the　most　august　of　functions。　Throughout　the　ages　their　work　will　be　consecrated　by　lawyers；　and　magistrates　will　confirm　it。〃

Whilst　the　monk；　Bulloch；　was　pronouncing　these　words　a　big　penguin　with　a　fair　skin　and　red　hair　went　down　into　the　valley　carrying　a　trunk　of　a　tree　upon　his　shoulder。　He　went　up　to　a　little　penguin　who　was　watering　his　vegetables　in　the　heat　of　the　sun；　and　shouted　to　him：

〃Your　field　is　mine！〃

And　having　delivered　himself　of　this　stout　utterance　he　brought　down　his　club　on　the　head　of　the　little　penguin；　who　fell　dead　upon　the　field　that　his　own　hands　had　tilled。

At　this　sight　the　holy　Mael　shuddered　through　his　whole　body　and　poured　forth　a　flood　of　tears。

And　in　a　voice　stifled　by　horror　and　fear　he　addressed　this　prayer　to　heaven：

〃O　Lord；　my　God；　O　thou　who　didst　receive　young　Abel's　sacrifices；　thou　who　didst　curse　Cain；　avenge；　O　Lord；　this　innocent　penguin　sacrificed　upon　his　own　field　and　make　the　murderer　feel　the　weight　of　thy　arm。　Is　there　a　more　odious　crime；　is　there　a　graver　offence　against　thy　justice；　O　Lord；　than　this　murder　and　this　robbery？〃

〃Take　care；　father；〃　said　Bulloch　gently；　〃that　what　you　call　murder　and　robbery　may　not　really　be　war　and　conquest；　those　sacred　foundations　of　empires；　those　sources　of　all　human　virtues　and　all　human　greatness。　Reflect；　above　all；　that　in　blaming　the　big　penguin　you　are　attacking　property　in　its　origin　and　in　its　source。　I　shall　have　no　trouble　in　showing　you　how。　To　till　the　land　is　one　thing；　to　possess　it　is　another；　and　these　two　things　must　not　be　confused；　as　regards　ownership　the　right　of　the　first　occupier　is　uncertain　and　badly　founded。　The　right　of　conquest；　on　the　other　hand；　rests　on　more　solid　foundations。　It　is　the　only　right　that　receives　respect　since　it　is　the　only　one　that　makes　itself　respected。　The　sole　and　proud　origin　of　property　is　force。　It　is　born　and　preserved　by　force。　In　that　it　is　august　and　yields　only　to　a　greater　force。　This　is　why　it　is　correct　to　say　that　he　who　possesses　is　noble。　And　that　big　red　man；　when　he　knocked　down　a　labourer　to　get　possession　of　his　field；　founded　at　that　moment　a　very　noble　house　upon　this　earth。　I　congratulate　him　upon　it。〃

Having　thus　spoken；　Bulloch　approached　the　big　penguin；　who　was　leaning　upon　his　club　as　he　stood　in　the　blood…stained　furrow：

〃Lord　Greatauk；　dreaded　Prince；〃　said　he；　bowing　to　the　ground；　〃I　come　to　pay　you　the　homage　due　to　the　founder　of　legitimate　power　and　hereditary　wealth。　The　skull　of　the　vile　Penguin　you　have　overthrown　will；　buried　in　your　field；　attest　for　ever　the　sacred　rights　of　your　posterity　over　this　soil　that　you　have　ennobled。　Blessed　be　your　suns　and　your　sons'　sons！　They　shall　be　Greatauks；　Dukes　of　Skull；　and　they　shall　rule　over　this　island　of　Alca。〃

Then　raising　his　voice　and　turning　towards　the　holy　Mael：

〃Bless　Greatauk；　father；　for　all　power　comes　from　God。〃

Mael　remained　silent　and　motionless；　with　his　eyes　raised　towards　heaven；　he　felt　a　painful　uncertainty　in　judging　the　monk　Bulloch's　doctrine。　It　was；　however；　the　doctrine　destined　to　prevail　in　epochs　of　advanced　civilization。　Bulloch　can　be　considered　as　the　creator　of　civil　law　in　Penguinia。



IV。　THE　FIRST　ASSEMBLY　OF　THE　ESTATES　OF　PENGUINIA

〃Bulloch；　my　son；〃　said　old　Mael；　〃we　ought　to　make　a　census　of　the　Penguins　and　inscribe　each　of　their　names　in　a　book。〃

〃It　is　a　most　urgent　matter；〃　answered　Bulloch；　〃there　can　be　no　good　government　without　it。〃

Forthwith；　the　apostle；　with　the　help　of　twelve　monks；　proceeded　to　make　a　census　of　the　people。

And　old　Mael　then　said：

〃Now　that　we　keep　a　register　of　all　the　inhabitants；　we　ought；　Bulloch；　my　son；　to　levy　a　just　tax　so　as　to　provide　for　public　expenses　and　the　maintenance　of　the　Abbey。　Each　ought　to　contribute　according　to　his　means。　For　this　reason；　my　son；　call　together　the　Elders　of　Alca；　and　in　agreement　with　them　we　shall　establish　the　tax。〃

The　Elders；　being　called　together；　assembled　to　the　number　of　thirty　under　the　great　sycamore　in　the　courtyard　of　the　wooden　monastery。　They　were　the　first　Estates　of　Penguinia。　Three…fourths　of　them　were　substantial　peasants　of　Surelle　and　Clange。　Greatauk；　as　the　noblest　of　the　Penguins；　sat　upon　the　highest　stone。

The　venerable　Mael　took　his　place　in　the　midst　of　his　monks　and　uttered　these　words：

〃Children；　the　Lord　when　he　pleases　grants　riches　to　men　and　he　takes　them　away　from　them。　Now　I　have　called　you　together　to　levy　contributions　from　the　people　so　as　to　provide　for　public　expenses　and　the　maintenance　of　the　monks。　I　consider　that　these　contributions　ought　to　be　in　proportion　to　the　wealth　of　each。　Therefore　he　who　has　a　hundred　oxen　will　give　ten；　he　who　has　ten　will　give　one。〃

When　the　holy　man　had　spoken；　Morio；　a；　labourer　at　Anis…on…the…Clange；　one　of　the　richest　of　the　Penguins；　rose　up　and　said：

〃O　Father　Mael；　I　think　it　right　that　each　should　contribute　to　the　public　expenses　and　to　the　support　of　the　Church。　or　my　part　I　am　ready　to　give　up　all　that　I　possess　in　the　interest　of　my　brother　Penguins；　and　if　it　were　necessary　I　would　even　cheerfully　part　with　my　shirt。　All　the　elders　of　the　people　are　ready；　like　me；　to　sacrifice　their　goods；　and　no　one　can　doubt　their　absolute　devotion　to　their　country　and　their　creed。　We　have；　then；　only　to　consider　the　public　interest　and　to　do　what　it　requires。　Now；　Father；　what　it　requires；　what　it　demands；　is　not　to　ask　much　from　those　who　possess　much；　for　then　the　rich　would　be　less　rich　and　the　poor　still　poorer。　The　poor　live　on　the　wealth　of　the　rich　and　that　is　the　reason　why　that　wealth　is　sacred。　Do　not　touch　it；　to　do　so　would　be　an　uncalled　for　evil。　You　will　get　no　great　profit　by　taking　from　the　rich；　for　they　are　very　few　in　number；　on　the　contrary　you　will　strip　yourself　of　all　your　resources　and　plunge　the　country　into　misery。　Whereas　if　you　ask　a　little　from　each　inhabitant　without　regard　to　his　wealth；　you　will　collect　enough　for　the　public　necessities　and　you　will　have　no　need　to　enquire　into　each　citizen's　resources；　a　thing　that　would　be　regarded　by　all　as　a　most　vexatious　measure。　By　taxing　all　equally　and　easily　you　will　spare　the　poor；　for　you　Will　leave　them　the　wealth　of　the　rich。　And　how　could　you　possibly　proportion　taxes　to　wealth？　Yesterday　I　had　two　hundred　oxen；　to…day　I　have　sixty；　to…morrow　I　shall　have　a　hundred。　Clunic　has　three　cows；　but　they　are　thin；　Nicclu　has　only　two；　but　they　are　fat。　Which　is　the　richer；　Clunic　or　Nicclu？　The　signs　of　opulence　are　deceitful。　What　is　certain　is　that　everyone　eats　and　drinks。　Tax　people　according　to　what　they　consume。　That　would　be　wisdom　and　it　would