Every evening Chatillon rode upon his white horse round the Queen’s Meadow, a place frequented by the people of fashion. The Dracophils posted along the Emiral’s route a crowd of needy4 Penguins5 who kept shouting: “It is Chatillon we want.” The middle classes of Alca conceived a profound admiration7 for the Emiral. Shopwomen murmured: “He is good-looking.” Women of fashion slackened the speed of their motor-cars and kissed hands to him as they passed, amidst the hurrahs of an enthusiastic populace.
One day, as he went into a tobacco shop, two Penguins who were putting letters in the box recognized Chatillon and cried at the top of their voices: “Hurrah for the Emiral! Down with the Republicans.” All those who were passing stopped in front of the shop. Chatillon lighted his cigar before the eyes of a dense8 crowd of frenzied9 citizens who waved their hats and cheered. The crowd kept increasing, and the whole town, singing and marching behind its hero, went back with him to the Admiralty.
The Emiral had an old comrade in arms, Under–Emiral Vulcanmould, who had served with great distinction, a man as true as gold and as loyal as his sword. Vulcanmould plumed10 himself on his thoroughgoing independence and he went among the partisans11 of Crucho and the Minister of the Republic telling both parties what he thought of them. M. Bigourd maliciously12 declared that he told each party what the other party thought of it. In truth he had on several occasions been guilty of regrettable indiscretions, which were overlooked as being the freedoms of a soldier who knew nothing of intrigue13. Every morning he went to see Chatillon, whom he treated with the cordial roughness of a brother in arms.
“Well, old buffer14, so you are popular,” said he to him. “Your phiz is sold on the heads of pipes and on liqueur bottles and every drunkard in Alca spits out your name as he rolls in the gutter15. . . . Chatillon, the hero of the Penguins! Chatillon, defender16 of the Penguin6 glory! . . . Who would have said it? Who would have thought it?”
And he laughed with his harsh laugh. Then changing his tone:
“But, joking aside, are you not a bit surprised at what is happening to you?”
“No, indeed,” answered Chatillon.
And out went the honest Vulcanmould, banging the door behind him.
In the mean time Chatillon had taken a little flat at number 18 Johannes–Talpa Street, so that he might receive Viscountess Olive. They met there every day. He was desperately17 in love with her. During his martial18 and neptunian life he had loved crowds of women, red, black, yellow, and white, and some of them had been very beautiful. But before he met the Viscountess he did not know what a woman really was. When the Viscountess Olive called him her darling, her dear darling, he felt in heaven and it seemed to him that the stars shone in her hair.
She would come a little late, and, as she put her bag on the table, she would ask pensively19:
“Let me sit on your knee.”
And then she would talk of subjects suggested by the pious20 Agaric, interrupting the conversation with sighs and kisses. She would ask him to dismiss such and such an officer, to give a command to another, to send the squadron here or there. And at the right moment she would exclaim:
“How young you are, my dear!”
And he did whatever she wished, for he was simple, he was anxious to wear the Constable’s sword, and to receive a large grant; he did not dislike playing a double part, he had a vague idea of saving Penguinia, and he was in love.
This delightful21 woman induced him to remove the troops that were at La Cirque, the port where Crucho was to land. By this means it was made certain that there would be no obstacle to prevent the prince from entering Penguinia.
The pious Agaric organised public meetings so as to keep up the agitation22. The Dracophils held one or two every day in some of the thirty-six districts of Alca, and preferably in the poorer quarters. They desired to win over the poor, for they are the most numerous. On the fourth of May a particularly fine meeting was held in an old cattle-market, situated23 in the centre of a populous24 suburb filled with housewives sitting on the doorsteps and children playing in the gutters25. There were present about two thousand people, in the opinion of the Republicans, and six thousand according to the reckoning of the Dracophils. In the audience was to be seen the flower of Penguin society, including Prince and Princess des Boscenos, Count Clena, M. de La Trumelle, M. Bigourd, and several rich Jewish ladies.
The Generalissimo of the national army had come in uniform. He was cheered.
The committee had been carefully formed. A man of the people, a workman, but a man of sound principles, M. Rauchin, the secretary of the yellow syndicate, was asked to preside, supported by Count Clena and M. Michaud, a butcher.
The government which Penguinia had freely given itself was called by such names as cesspool and drain in several eloquent26 speeches. But President Formose was spared and no mention was made of Crucho or the priests.
The meeting was not unanimous. A defender of the modern State and of the Republic, a manual labourer, stood up.
“Gentlemen,” said M. Rauchin, the chairman, “we have told you that this meeting would not be unanimous. We are not like our opponents, we are honest men. I allow our opponent to speak. Heaven knows what you are going to hear. Gentlemen, I beg of you to restrain as long as you call the expression of your contempt, your disgust, and your indignation.”
“Gentlemen,” said the opponent. . . .
Immediately he was knocked down, trampled27 beneath the feet of the indignant crowd, and his unrecognisable remains28 thrown out of the hall.
The tumult29 was still resounding30 when Count Clena ascended31 the tribune. Cheers took the place of groans32 and when silence was restored the orator33 uttered these words:
“Comrades, we are going to see whether you have blood in your veins34. What we have got to do is to slaughter35, disembowel, and brain all the Republicans.”
This speech let loose such a thunder of applause that the old shed rocked with it, and a cloud of acrid36 and thick dust fell from its filthy37 walls and worm-eaten beams and enveloped38 the audience.
A resolution was carried vilifying39 the government and acclaiming40 Chatillon. And the audience departed singing the hymn41 of the liberator42: “It is Chatillon we want.”
The only way out of the old market was through a muddy alley43 shut in by omnibus stables and coal sheds. There was no moon and a cold drizzle44 was coming down. The police, who were assembled in great numbers, blocked the alley and compelled the Dracophils to disperse45 in little groups. These were the instructions they had received from their chief, who was anxious to check the enthusiasm of the excited crowd.
The Dracophils who were detained in the alley kept marking time and singing, “It is Chatillon we want.” Soon, becoming impatient of the delay, the cause of which they did not know, they began to push those in front of them. This movement, propagated along the alley, threw those in front against the broad chests of the police. The latter had no hatred46 for the Dracophils. In the bottom of their hearts they liked Chatillon. But it is natural to resist aggression47 and strong men are inclined to make use of their strength. For these reasons the police kicked the Dracophils with their hob-nailed boots. As a result there were sudden rushes backwards48 and forwards. Threats and cries mingled49 with the songs.
“Murder! Murder! . . . It is Chatillon we want! Murder! Murder!”
And in the gloomy alley the more prudent50 kept saying, “Don’t push.” Among these latter, in the darkness, his lofty figure rising above the moving crowd, his broad shoulders and robust51 body noticeable among the trampled limbs and crushed sides of the rest, stood the Prince des Boscenos, calm, immovable and placid52. Serenely53 and indulgently he waited. In the meantime, as the exit was opened at regular intervals54 between the ranks of the police, the pressure of elbows against the chests of those around the prince diminished and people began to breathe again.
“You see we shall soon be able to go out,” said that kindly55 giant, with a pleasant smile. “Time and patience . . . ”
He took a cigar from his case, raised it to his lips and struck a match. Suddenly, in the light of the match, he saw Princess Anne, his wife, clasped in Count Clena’s arms. At this sight he rushed towards them, striking both them and those around with his cane56. He was disarmed57, though not without difficulty, but he could not be separated from his opponent. And whilst the fainting princess was lifted from arm to arm to her carriage over the excited and curious crowd, the two men still fought furiously. Prince des Boscenos lost his hat, his eye-glass, his cigar, his necktie, and his portfolio58 full of private letters and political correspondence; he even lost the miraculous59 medals that he had received from the good Father Cornemuse. But he gave his opponent so terrible a kick in the stomach that the unfortunate Count was knocked through an iron grating and went, head foremost, through a glass door and into a coal shed.
Attracted by the struggle and the cries of those around, the police rushed towards the prince, who furiously resisted them. He stretched three of them gasping60 at his feet and put seven others to flight, with, respectively, a broken jaw61, a split lip, a nose pouring blood, a fractured skull62, a torn ear, a dislocated collar-bone, and broken ribs63. He fell, however, and was dragged bleeding and disfigured, with his clothes in rags, to the nearest police-station, where, jumping about and bellowing64, he spent the night.
Until daybreak groups of demonstrators went about the town singing, “It is Chatillon we want,” and breaking the windows of the houses in which the Ministers of the Republic lived.
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1
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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2
opprobrium
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| n.耻辱，责难 | |
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busts
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| 半身雕塑像( bust的名词复数 )； 妇女的胸部； 胸围； 突击搜捕 | |
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needy
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| adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的 | |
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penguins
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| n.企鹅( penguin的名词复数 ) | |
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6
penguin
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| n.企鹅 | |
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7
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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8
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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plumed
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| 饰有羽毛的 | |
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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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12
maliciously
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| adv.有敌意地 | |
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intrigue
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| vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋 | |
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14
buffer
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| n.起缓冲作用的人(或物)，缓冲器；vt.缓冲 | |
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15
gutter
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| n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟 | |
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16
defender
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| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
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17
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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18
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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pensively
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| adv.沉思地，焦虑地 | |
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20
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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21
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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22
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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23
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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24
populous
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| adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的 | |
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25
gutters
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| （路边）排水沟( gutter的名词复数 )； 阴沟； （屋顶的）天沟； 贫贱的境地 | |
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26
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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27
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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28
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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29
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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30
resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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31
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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33
orator
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| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
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34
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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35
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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36
acrid
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| adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的 | |
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37
filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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38
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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39
vilifying
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| v.中伤，诽谤( vilify的现在分词 ) | |
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40
acclaiming
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| 向…欢呼( acclaim的现在分词 )； 向…喝彩； 称赞…； 欢呼或拥戴（某人）为… | |
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41
hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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42
liberator
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| 解放者 | |
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43
alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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44
drizzle
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| v.下毛毛雨；n.毛毛雨，蒙蒙细雨 | |
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45
disperse
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| vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散 | |
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46
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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47
aggression
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| n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害 | |
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48
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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49
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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50
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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51
robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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52
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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53
serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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54
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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55
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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56
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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57
disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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58
portfolio
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| n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位 | |
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59
miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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60
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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61
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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62
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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63
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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64
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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