"I ask that this speech be graven on bronze," cried the monk, Bulloch.
"It is spoken for the future; in fifteen hundred years the best of the
Penguins will not speak otherwise."

The Elders were still applauding when Greatauk, his hand on the pommel
of his sword, made this brief declaration:

"Being noble, I shall not contribute; for to contribute is ignoble. It
is for the rabble to pay."

After this warning the Elders separated in silence.

As in Rome, a new census was taken every five years; and by this means
it was observed that the population increased rapidly. Although children
died in marvellous abundance and plagues and famines came with perfect
regularity to devastate entire villages, new Penguins, in continually
greater numbers, contributed by their private misery to the public
prosperity.




V. THE MARRIAGE OF KRAKEN AND ORBEROSIA

During these times there lived in the island of Alca a Penguin whose arm
was strong and whose mind was subtle. He was called Kraken, and had his
dwelling on the Beach of Shadows whither the inhabitants never ventured
for fear of serpents that lodged in the hollows of the rocks and
lest they might encounter the souls of Penguins that had died without
baptism. These, in appearance like livid flames, and uttering doleful