penguin island-第23章
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t rigid article of faith。 Their intellectual successors； being taught by them how to make use of science and reason； employed them against whatever beliefs remained。 Thus rational theology engendered natural philosophy。
That is why （if I may turn from the Penguins of former days to the Sovereign Pontiff； who； to…day governs the universal Church） we cannot admire too greatly the wisdom of Pope Pius X。 in condemning the study of exegesis as contrary to revealed truth； fatal to sound theological doctrine； and deadly to the faith。 Those clerics who maintain the rights of science in opposition to him are pernicious doctors and pestilent teachers； and the faithful who approve of them are lacking in either mental or moral ballast。
At the end of the age of philosophers； the ancient kingdom of Penguinia was utterly destroyed； the king put to death； the privileges of the nobles abolished； and a Republic proclaimed in the midst of public misfortunes and while a terrible war was raging。 The assembly which then governed Penguinia ordered all the metal articles contained in the churches to be melted down。 The patriots even desecrated the tombs of the kings。 It is said that when the tomb of Draco the Great was opened； that king presented an appearance as black as ebony and so majestic that those who profaned his corpse fled in terror。 According to other accounts； these churlish men insulted him by putting a pipe in his mouth and derisively offering him a glass of wine。
On the seventeenth day of the month of Mayflowers； the shrine of St。 Orberosia； which had for five hundred years been exposed to the veneration of the faithful in the Church of St。 Mael； was transported into the town…hall and submitted to the examination of a jury of experts appointed by the municipality。 It was made of gilded copper in shape like the nave of a church； entirely covered with enamels and decorated with precious stones； which latter were perceived to be false。 The chapter in its foresight had removed the rubies； sapphires； emeralds； and great balls of rock…crystal； and had substituted pieces of glass in their place。 It contained only a little dust and a piece of old linen； which were thrown into a great fire that had been lighted on the Place de Greve to burn the relics of the saints。 The people danced around it singing patriotic songs。
From the threshold of their booth； which leant against the town…hall； a man called Rouquin and his wife were watching this group of madmen。 Rouquin clipped dogs and gelded cats； he also frequented the inns。 His wife was a ragpicker and a bawd； but she had plenty of shrewdness。
〃You see； Rouquin；〃 said she to her man； 〃they are committing a sacrilege。 They will repent of it。〃
〃You know nothing about it； wife；〃 answered Rouquin； 〃they； have become philosophers； and when one is once a philosopher he is a philosopher for ever。〃
〃I tell you； Rouquin； that sooner or later they will regret what they are doing to…day。 They ill…treat the saints because they have not helped them enough； but for all that the quails won't fall ready cooked into their mouths。 They will soon find themselves as badly off as before； and when they have put out their tongues for enough they will become pious again。 Sooner than people think the day will come when Penguinia will again begin to honour her blessed patron。 Rouquin； it would be a good thing； in readiness for that day； if we kept a handful of ashes and some rags and bones in an old pot in our lodgings。 We will say that they are the relics of St。 Orberosia and that we have saved them from the flames at the peril of our lives。 I am greatly mistaken if we don't get honour and profit out of them。 That good action might be worth a place from the Cure to sell tapers and hire chairs in the chapel of St。 Orberosia。〃
On that same day Mother Rouquin took home with her a little ashes and some bones； and put them in an old jam…pot in her cupboard。
II。 TRINCO
The sovereign Nation had taken possession of the lands of the nobility and clergy to sell them at a low price to the middle classes and the peasants。 The middle classes and the peasants thought that the revolution was a good thing for acquiring lands and a bad one for retaining them。
The legislators of the Republic made terrible laws for the defence of property； and decreed death to anyone who should propose a division of wealth。 But that did not avail the Republic。 The peasants who had become proprietors bethought themselves that though it had made them rich； the Republic had nevertheless caused a disturbance to wealth； and they desired a system more respectful of private property and more capable of assuring the permanence of the new institutions。
They had not long to wait。 The Republic； like Agrippina； bore her destroyer in her bosom。
Having great wars to carry on； it created military forces； and these were destined both to save it and to destroy it。 Its legislators thought they could restrain their generals by the fear of punishment； but if they sometimes cut off the heads of unlucky soldiers they could not do the same to the fortunate soldiers who obtained over it the advantages of having saved its existence。
In the enthusiasm of victory the renovated Penguins delivered themselves up to a dragon； more terrible than that of their fables； who； like a stork amongst frogs； devoured them for fourteen years with his insatiable beak。
Half a century after the reign of the new dragon a young Maharajah of Malay； called Djambi； desirous； like the Scythian Anacharsis； of instructing himself by travel； visited Penguinia and wrote an interesting account of his travels。 I transcribe the first page of his account：
ACCOUNT OF THE TRAVELS OF YOUNG DJAMBI IN PENGUINIA
After a voyage of ninety days I landed at the vast and deserted port of the Penguins and travelled over untilled fields to their ruined capital。 Surrounded by ramparts and full of barracks and arsenals it had a martial though desolate appearance。 Feeble and crippled men wandered proudly through the streets； wearing old uniforms and carrying rusty weapons。
〃What do you want？〃 I was rudely asked at the gate of the city by a soldier whose moustaches pointed to the skies。
〃Sir；〃 I answered； 〃I come as an inquirer to visit this island。〃
〃It is not an island；〃 replied the soldier。
〃What！〃 I exclaimed； 〃Penguin Island is not an island？〃
〃No； sir； it is an insula。 It was formerly called an island； but for a century it has been decreed that it shall bear the name of insula。 It is the only insula in the whole universe。 Have you a passport？〃
〃Here it is。〃
〃Go and get it signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs。〃
A lame guide who conducted me came to a pause in a vast square。
〃The insula；〃 said he； 〃has given birth； as you know； to Trinco； the greatest genius of the universe； whose statue you see before you。 That obelisk standing to your right commemorates Trinco's birth； the column that rises to your left has Trinco crowned with a diadem upon its summit。 You see here the triumphal arch dedicated to the glory of Trinco and his family。〃
〃What extraordinary feat has Trinco performed？〃 I asked。
〃War。〃
〃That is nothing extraordinary。 We Malayans make war constantly。〃
〃That may be； but Trinco is the greatest warrior of all countries and all times。 There never existed a greater conqueror than he。 As you anchored in our port you saw to the east a volcanic island called Ampelophoria； shaped like a cone； and of small size； but renowned for its wines。 And to the west a larger island which raises to the sky a long range of sharp teeth； for this reason it is called the Dog's Jaws。 It is rich in copper mines。 We possessed both before Trinco's reign and they were the boundaries of our empire。 Trinco extended the Penguin dominion over the Archipelago of the Turquoises and the Green Continent； subdued the gloomy Porpoises； and planted his flag amid the icebergs of the Pole and on the burning sands of the African deserts。 He raised troops in all the countries he conquered； and when his armies marched past in the wake of our own light infantry； our island grenadiers； our hussars； our dragoons； our artillery； and our engineers there were to be seen yellow so
