oreign policy of his government,
Paul Visire made a re-assuring statement, and promised to maintain a
face compatible with the dignity of a great nation. His Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Crombile, read a declaration which was absolutely
unintelligible, for the reason that it was couched in diplomatic
language. The Minister obtained a large majority.

But the rumours of war did not cease, and in order to avoid a new and
dangerous motion, the Prime Minister distributed eighty thousand acres
of forests in Nigritia among the Deputies, and had fourteen Socialists
arrested. Hippolyte Ceres went gloomily about the lobbies, confiding to
the Deputies of his group that he was endeavouring to induce the Cabinet
to adopt a pacific policy, and that he still hoped to succeed. Day by
day the sinister rumours grew in volume, and penetrating amongst the
public, spread uneasiness and disquiet. Paul Visire himself began to
take alarm. What disturbed him most were the silence and absence of the
Minister of Foreign Affairs. Crombile no longer came to the meetings of
the Cabinet. Rising at five o'clock in the morning, he worked eighteen
hours at his desk, and at last fell exhausted into his waste-paper
basket, from whence the registrars removed him, together with the
papers which they were going to sell to the military attaches of the
neighbouring Empire.

General Debonnaire believed that a campaign was imminent, and prepared
for it. Far from fearing war, he prayed for it, and confided his
generous hopes to Baroness Bildermann, who informed the neighbouring
nation, which, acting on her information, proceeded to a rapid
mobilization.

The Minister of Finance unintentionally precipitated events. At the
moment, he was speculating for a fall, and in order to bring about
a panic on the Stock Exchange, he spread the rumour that war was now
inevitable. The neighbouring Empire, deceived by this action, and
expecting to see its territory invaded, mobilized its troops in all
haste. The terrified Chamber overthrew the Visire ministry by an
enormous majority (814 votes to 7, with 28 abstentions). It was too
late. The very day of this fall the neighbouring and hostile nation
recalled its ambassador and flung eight millions of men into Madame
Ceres' country. War became universal, and the whole world was drowned in
a torrent of blood.

THE ZENITH OF PENGUIN CIVILIZATION

Half a century after the events we have just related, Madame Ceres died
surro