The new state received the name of Public Thing or Republic. Its partisans6 were called republicanists or republicans. They were also named Thing-mongers and sometimes Scamps, but this latter name was taken in ill part.
The Penguin2 democracy did not itself govern. It obeyed a financial oligarchy7 which formed opinion by means of the newspapers, and held in its hands the representatives, the ministers, and the president. It controlled the finances of the republic, and directed the foreign affairs of the country as if it were possessed8 of sovereign power.
Empires and kingdoms in those days kept up enormous fleets. Penguinia, compelled to do as they did, sank under the pressure of her armaments. Everybody deplored9 or pretended to deplore10 so grievous a necessity. However, the rich, and those engaged in business or all airs, submitted to it with a good heart through a spirit of patriotism11, and because they counted on the soldiers and sailors to defend their goods at home and to acquire markets and territories abroad. The great manufacturers encouraged the making of cannons12 and ships through a zeal13 for the national defence and in order to obtain orders. Among the citizens of middle rank and of the liberal professions some resigned themselves to this state of affairs without complaining, believing that it would last for ever; others waited impatiently for its end and thought they might be able to lead the powers to a simultaneous disarmament.
The illustrious Professor Obnubile belonged to this latter class.
“War,” said he, “is a barbarity to which the progress of civilization will put an end. The great democracies are pacific and will soon impose their will upon the aristocrats14.”
Professor Obnubile, who had for sixty years led a solitary15 and retired16 life in his laboratory, whither external noises did not penetrate17, resolved to observe the spirit of the peoples for himself. He began his studies with the greatest of all democracies and set sail for New Atlantis.
After a voyage of fifteen days his steamer entered, during the night, the harbour of Titanport, where thousands of ships were anchored. An iron bridge thrown across the water and shining with lights, stretched between two piers18 so far apart that Professor Obnubile imagined he was sailing on the seas of Saturn19 and that he saw the marvellous ring which girds the planet of the Old Man. And this immense conduit bore upon it more than a quarter of the wealth of the world. The learned Penguin, having disembarked, was waited on by automatons20 in a hotel forty-eight stories high. Then he took the great railway that led to Gigantopolis, the capital of New Atlantis. In the train there were restaurants, gaming-rooms, athletic21 arenas22, telegraphic, commercial, and financial offices, a Protestant Church, and the printing-office of a great newspaper, which latter the doctor was unable to read, as he did not know the language of the New Atlantans. The train passed along the banks of great rivers, through manufacturing cities which concealed23 the sky with the smoke from their chimneys, towns black in the day, towns red at night, full of noise by day and full of noise also by night.
“Here,” thought the doctor, “is a people far too much engaged in industry and trade to make war. I am already certain that the New Atlantans pursue a policy of peace. For it is an axiom admitted by all economists24 that peace without and peace within are necessary for the progress of commerce and industry.”
As he surveyed Gigantopolis, he was confirmed in this opinion. People went through the streets so swiftly propelled by hurry that they knocked down all who were in their way. Obnubile was thrown down several times, but soon succeeded in learning how to demean himself better; after an hour’s walking he himself knocked down an Atlantan.
Having reached a great square he saw the portico25 of a palace in the classic style, whose Corinthian columns reared their capitals of arborescent acanthus seventy metres above the stylobate.
As he stood with his head thrown back admiring the building, a man of modest appearance approached him and said in Penguin:
“I see by your dress that you are from Penguinia. I know your language; I am a sworn interpreter. This is the Parliament palace. At the present moment the representatives of the States are in deliberation. Would you like to be present at the sitting?”
The doctor was brought into the hall and cast his looks upon the crowd of legislators who were sitting on cane26 chairs with their feet upon their desks.
The president arose and, in the midst of general inattention, muttered rather than spoke27 the following formulas which the interpreter immediately translated to the doctor.
“The war for the opening of the Mongol markets being ended to the satisfaction of the States, I propose that the accounts be laid before the finance committee. . . . ”
“Is there any opposition28? . . . ”
“The proposal is carried.”
“The war for the opening of the markets of Third–Zealand being ended to the satisfaction of the States, I propose that the accounts be laid before the finance committee. . . . ”
“Is there any opposition? . . . ”
“The proposal is carried.”
“Have I heard aright?” asked Professor Obnubile. “What? you an industrial people and engaged in all these wars!”
“Certainly,” answered the interpreter, “these are industrial wars. Peoples who have neither commerce nor industry are not obliged to make war, but a business people is forced to adopt a policy of conquest. The number of wars necessarily increases with our productive activity. As soon as one of our industries fails to find a market for its products a war is necessary to open new outlets29. It is in this way we have had a coal war, a copper30 war, and a cotton war. In Third–Zealand we have killed two-thirds of the inhabitants in order to compel the remainder to buy our umbrellas and braces31.”
At that moment a fat man who was sitting in the middle of the assembly ascended32 the tribune.
“I claim,” said he, “a war against the Emerald Republic, which insolently33 contends with our pigs for the hegemony of hams and sauces in all the markets of the universe.”
“Who is that legislator?” asked Doctor Obnubile.
“He is a pig merchant.”
“Is there any opposition?” said the President. “I put the proposition to the vote.”
The war against the Emerald Republic was voted with uplifted hands by a very large majority.
“What?” said Obnubile to the interpreter; “you have voted a war with that rapidity and that indifference34!”
“Oh! it is an unimportant war which will hardly cost eight million dollars.”
“And men . . . ”
“The men are included in the eight million dollars.”
Then Doctor Obnubile bent35 his head in bitter reflection.
“Since wealth and civilization admit of as many causes of wars as poverty and barbarism, since the folly36 and wickedness of men are incurable37, there remains38 but one good action to be done. The wise man will collect enough dynamite39 to blow up this planet. When its fragments fly through space an imperceptible amelioration will be accomplished40 in the universe and a satisfaction will be given to the universal conscience. Moreover, this universal conscience does not exist.”
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1
vicissitudes
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| n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废 | |
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2
penguin
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| n.企鹅 | |
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penguins
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| n.企鹅( penguin的名词复数 ) | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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magistrates
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| 地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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partisans
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| 游击队员( partisan的名词复数 )； 党人； 党羽； 帮伙 | |
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7
oligarchy
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| n.寡头政治 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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deplored
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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deplore
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| vt.哀叹，对...深感遗憾 | |
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11
patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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cannons
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| n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 ) | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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aristocrats
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| n.贵族( aristocrat的名词复数 ) | |
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15
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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16
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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17
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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18
piers
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| n.水上平台( pier的名词复数 )；（常设有娱乐场所的）突堤；柱子；墙墩 | |
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19
Saturn
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| n.农神，土星 | |
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20
automatons
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| n.自动机，机器人( automaton的名词复数 ) | |
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21
athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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22
arenas
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| 表演场地( arena的名词复数 )； 竞技场； 活动或斗争的场所或场面； 圆形运动场 | |
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23
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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24
economists
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| n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 ) | |
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25
portico
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| n.柱廊，门廊 | |
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cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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27
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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28
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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29
outlets
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| n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店 | |
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30
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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31
braces
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| n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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32
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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insolently
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| adv.自豪地，自傲地 | |
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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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35
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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36
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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37
incurable
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| adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人 | |
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38
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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39
dynamite
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| n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破) | |
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40
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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