town he promised the honours of a
triumph, such as was given in the times of the Romans to that one
of its generals who should return victorious.

Meanwhile, Josse Liefrinck, who was an obstinate fellow, and did
not regard himself as beaten, though he really had been, insisted
on making another observation. He wished to remark that the
triumph was only accorded at Rome to those victorious generals
who had killed five thousand of the enemy.

"Well, well!" cried the meeting deliriously.

"And as the population of the town of Virgamen consists of but
three thousand five hundred and seventy-five inhabitants, it
would be difficult, unless the same person was killed several
times--"

But they did not let the luckless logician finish, and he was
turned out, hustled and bruised.

"Citizens," said Pulmacher the grocer, who usually sold groceries
by retail, "whatever this cowardly apothecary may have said, I
engage by myself to kill five thousand Virgamenians, if you will
accept my services!"

"Five thousand five hundred!" cried a yet more resolute patriot.

"Six thousand six hundred!" retorted the grocer.

"Seven thousand!" cried Jean Orbideck, the confectioner of the
Rue Hemling, who was on the road to a fortune by making whipped
creams.

"Adjudged!" exclaimed the burgomaster Van Tricasse, on finding
that no one else rose on the bid.

And this was how Jean Orbideck the confectioner became
general-in-chief of the forces of Quiquendone.

CHAPTER XII.

IN WHICH YGENE, THE ASSISTANT, GIVES A REASONABLE PIECE OF ADVICE,
WHICH IS EAGERLY REJECTED BY DOCTOR OX.

"Well, master," said Ygene next day, as he poured the pails of
sulphuric acid into the troughs of the great battery.

"Well," resumed Doctor Ox, "was I not right? See to what not only
the physical developments of a whole nation, but its morality,
its dignity, its talents, its political sense, have come! It is
only a question of molecules."

"No doubt; but--"

"But--"

"Do you not think that matters have gone far enough, and that
these poor devils should not be excited beyond measure?"

"No, no!" cried the doctor; "no! I will go on to the end!"

"As you will, master; the experiment, however, seems to me
conclusive, and I think it time to--"

"To--"

"To close the valve."

"You'd better!" cried Doctor Ox. "If you attempt it, I'll
throttle you!"

CHAPTER XIII.

IN WHICH IT IS ONCE MORE PROVED THAT BY TAKING HIGH GROUND ALL HUMAN