HE city was asleep. Their footsteps rang loudly on the deserted2 pavement. Having reached the corner of the Rue3 Feutrier, half-way up Montmartre, the little company halted before the dwelling4 of the beautiful angel. Arcade5 was talking about the Thrones and Dominations with Zita, who, her finger on the bell, could not make up her mind to ring. Prince Istar was tracing the mechanism6 of a new sort of bomb on the pavement with the end of his stick, and bellowed7 so loudly that he woke the sleeping citizens and stirred into activity the amatory passions of the neighbouring Pasipha?s. Théophile was singing the barcarole from the second act of Aline, Queen of Golconda at the top of his voice. Maurice, his arm in a sling8, was fencing left-handed with the Japanese, striking sparks from the pavement, and crying "A hit! a hit!" in a piercing voice.
Meanwhile Inspector9 Grolle at the corner of the next street was dreaming. He had the bearing[315] of a Roman legionary and displayed all the characteristics of that proudly servile race, who, ever since men first took to building cities, have been the mainstay of Empires and the support of ruling houses. Inspector Grolle was very strong, but very tired. He suffered from an arduous11 profession and from lack of food. He was a man devoted12 to duty, but still a man, and he was unable to resist the wiles13, the charms, and the blandishments of the gay ladies whom he met in swarms14 in the shadows along the empty streets and round about pieces of waste ground; he loved them. He loved like a soldier under arms. It tired him, but courage conquered fatigue15. Though he had not yet reached the middle of Life's way, he longed for sweet repose16 and peaceful country pursuits. At the corner of the Rue Muller, on this mild night, he stood lost in thought. He was dreaming of the house where he was born, of the little olive wood, of his father's bit of ground, of his old mother, bent17 with long and heavy labour, whom he would never see again. Roused from his reverie by the nocturnal tumult18, Inspector Grolle turned the corner of the street, and looked rather unfavourably at the band of loiterers, wherein his social instinct suspected enemies of law and order. He was patient and resolute19. After a lengthy20 silence, he said, with awe-inspiring calm:[316]
"Move on, there!"
But Maurice and the Japanese angel were fencing and heard nothing. The musician heard nothing but his own melodies. Prince Istar was absorbed in the explanation of explosive formul?. Zita was discussing with Arcade the greatest enterprise that had ever been conceived since the solar system issued from its original nebula,—and thus they all remained unconscious of their surroundings.
"Move on, I tell you!" repeated Inspector Grolle.
This time the angels heard the solemn word of warning, but either through indifference21 or contempt, they neglected to obey, and continued their talk, their songs, and their cries.
"So you want to be taken up, do you?" shouted Inspector Grolle, clapping his great hand on Prince Istar's shoulder.
The Ker?b was indignant at this vile10 contact, and with one blow from his formidable fist sent the Inspector flying into the gutter22. But Constable23 Fesandet was already running to his comrade's aid, and they both fell upon the Prince, whom they belaboured with mechanic fury, and whom, notwithstanding his strength and weight, they would perchance have dragged all bleeding to the police station, had not the Japanese angel overset them one after the other without effort, and reduced them to writhing25 and shrieking26 in the[317] mud, before Maurice, Arcade, and Zita had time to intervene. As to the angelic musician, he stood apart trembling, and invoked27 the heavens.
At this moment two bakers28 who were kneading their dough30 in a neighbouring cellar ran out at the noise, in their white aprons31, stripped to the waist. With an instinctive32 feeling for social solidarity33 they took the side of the downfallen police. Théophile conceived a just fear at the sight of them, and fled away; they caught him and were about to hand him over to the guardians34 of the peace, when Arcade and Zita tore him from their hands. The fight continued, unequal and terrible, between the two angels and the two bakers. Like an athlete of Lysippus in strength and beauty, Arcade smothered35 his heavy adversary36 in his arms. The beautiful archangel drove her dagger37 into the baker29 who had attacked her. A dark stream of blood flowed down over his hairy chest, and the two white-capped supporters of the law sank to the ground.
Constable Fesandet had fainted face downwards38 in the gutter. But Inspector Grolle, who had got up, blew a blast on his whistle loud enough to be heard at the neighbouring police-station, and sprang upon young Maurice, who, having but one arm with which to defend himself, fired his revolver with his left hand at the inspector, who put his hand to his heart, staggered, and dropped[318] down. He gave a long sigh, and the shadows of eternity39 darkened his eyes.
Meanwhile, windows opened one by one, and heads looked out on the street. A sound of heavy steps approached. Two policemen on bicycles debouched upon the street. Thereupon Prince Istar flung a bomb which shook the ground, put out the gas, shattered some of the houses, and enveloped40 the flight of young Maurice and the angels in a dense41 smoke.
Arcade and Maurice came to the conclusion that the safest thing to do after this adventure was to return to the little flat in the Rue de Rome. They would certainly not be sought for immediately and probably not at all, the bomb thrown by the Ker?b having fortunately wiped out all witnesses of the affair. They fell asleep towards dawn, and they had not yet awoke at ten o'clock in the morning when the concierge43 brought their tea. While eating his toast and butter and slice of ham, young d'Esparvieu remarked to the angel:
"I used to think that a murder was something very extraordinary. Well, I was mistaken. It is the simplest, the most natural action in the world."
"And of most ancient tradition," replied the angel. "For long centuries it was both usual and necessary for man to kill and despoil44 his fellows. It is still recommended in warfare45. It is also honourable46 to attempt human life in certain[319] definite circumstances, and people approved when you wanted to assassinate47 me, Maurice, because it appeared to you that I had been intimate with your mistress. But killing48 a police-inspector is not the action of a man of fashion."
"Be silent," exclaimed Maurice, "be silent, scoundrel! I killed the poor Inspector instinctively49, not knowing what I was doing. I am grieved to my heart about it. But it is not I, it is you who are the guilty one; you who are the murderer. It was you who lured50 me along this path of revolt and violence which leads to the pit. You have been my undoing51. You have sacrificed my peace of mind, my happiness, to your pride and your wickedness, and all in vain; for I warn you, Arcade, you will not succeed in what you are undertaking52."
The concierge brought in the newspapers. On seeing them Maurice grew pale. They announced the outrage53 in the Rue de Ramey in huge headlines:
"An Inspector killed—Two cyclist policemen and two bakers seriously wounded—Three houses blown up, numerous victims."
"Arcade, why did you not slay55 me in the little garden at Versailles amidst the roses, to the song of the blackbirds?"[320]
Meanwhile terror reigned56 in Paris. In the public squares, and in the crowded streets, house-wives, string-bag in hand, grew pale as they listened to the story of the crime, and consigned57 the perpetrators to the most dreadful punishment. Shop-keepers, standing24 at the doors of their shops, put it all down to the anarchists58, syndicalists, socialists59, and radicals60, and demanded that special measures should be taken against them.
The more thoughtful people recognized the handiwork of the Jew and the German, and demanded the expulsion of all aliens. Many vaunted the ways of America and advocated lynching. In addition to the printed news sinister61 rumours62 became current. Explosions had been heard at various places; everywhere bombs had been discovered; everywhere individuals, taken for malefactors, had been struck down by the popular arm and given up to justice, torn to ribbons. On the Place de la République a drunkard who was crying "Down with the police" was torn to pieces by the crowd.
The President of the Council and Minister of Justice held long conferences with the Prefect of Police, and they agreed to take immediate42 action. In order to allay63 the excitement of the Parisians, they arrested five or six hooligans out of the thirty thousand which the Capital contains. The chief of the Russian police, believing he[321] recognised in this attack the methods of the Nihilists, demanded, on behalf of his Government, that a dozen refugees should be given up. The demand was immediately granted. Proceedings64 were also taken for certain individuals to be extradited to ensure the safety of the King of Spain.
On learning of these energetic measures, Paris breathed once more, and the evening papers congratulated the Government. There was excellent news of the wounded. They were out of danger and identified as their assailants all who were brought before them.
True, Inspector Grolle was dead; but two Sisters of Mercy kept vigil at his side, and the President of the Council came and laid the Cross of Honour on the breast of this victim of duty.
At night there were panics. In the Avenue de la Révolte the police, noticing a travelling acrobat's caravan65 on a piece of waste ground, took it for the retreat of a band of robbers. They whistled for help, and when they were a goodly number, attacked the caravan. Some worthy66 citizens joined them; fifteen thousand revolver-shots were fired, the caravan was blown up with dynamite67, and among the débris they found the corpse68 of a monkey.
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1
plunges
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| n.跳进，投入vt.使投入，使插入，使陷入vi.投入，跳进，陷入v.颠簸( plunge的第三人称单数 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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2
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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arcade
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| n.拱廊；(一侧或两侧有商店的)通道 | |
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mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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sling
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| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
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inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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arduous
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| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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wiles
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| n.（旨在欺骗或吸引人的）诡计，花招；欺骗，欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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swarms
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| 蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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lengthy
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| adj.漫长的，冗长的 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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gutter
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| n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟 | |
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constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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24
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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27
invoked
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| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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28
bakers
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| n.面包师( baker的名词复数 )；面包店；面包店店主；十三 | |
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baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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30
dough
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| n.生面团；钱，现款 | |
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31
aprons
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| 围裙( apron的名词复数 )； 停机坪，台口（舞台幕前的部份） | |
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32
instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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solidarity
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| n.团结；休戚相关 | |
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guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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38
downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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39
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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40
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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42
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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concierge
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| n.管理员；门房 | |
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44
despoil
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| v.夺取，抢夺 | |
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45
warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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46
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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47
assassinate
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| vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤 | |
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48
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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49
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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50
lured
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| 吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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51
undoing
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| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
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52
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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53
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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54
plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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55
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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56
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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57
consigned
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| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
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58
anarchists
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| 无政府主义者( anarchist的名词复数 ) | |
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59
socialists
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| 社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 ) | |
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60
radicals
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| n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数 | |
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61
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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63
allay
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| v.消除，减轻(恐惧、怀疑等) | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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65
caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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66
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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67
dynamite
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| n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破) | |
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68
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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