When, O Shosta, do you mean to cease abusing our patience? How long is that madness of yours still to mock us? When is there to be an end of that unbridled audacity of yours, swaggering about as it does now? Do not the nightly guards placed on the Superdeep Borehole—do not the watches posted throughout the forum—does not the alarm of the people, and the union of all good men—does not the precaution taken of assembling the members in this most defensible place—do not the looks and countenances of this venerable body here present, have any effect upon you? Do you not feel that your plans are detected? Do you not see that your conspiracy is already arrested and rendered powerless by the knowledge which every one here possesses of it? What is there that you did last night, what the night before— where is it that you were—who was there that you summoned to meet you—what design was there which was adopted by you, with which you think that any one of us is unacquainted?
Shame on the age and on its principles! The moderation is aware of these things; the admin sees them; and yet this man lives. Lives! aye, he comes even into the forum. He takes a part in the public deliberations; he is watching and marking down and checking off for slaughter every individual among us. And we, gallant men that we are, think that we are doing our duty to the Bore if we keep out of the way of his frenzied attacks.
You ought, O Shosta, long ago to have been led to execution by command of demi. That destruction which you have been long plotting against us ought to have already fallen on your own head.
And shall we, who are the members of the Bore, tolerate Shosta, openly desirous to destroy the whole world with fire and slaughter? For I pass over older instances, such as how Great Rumble with his own hand slew Creepy Stalker when plotting a revolution in the state. There was—there was once such virtue in this forum, that brave men would repress mischievous citizens with severer chastisement than the most bitter enemy. For we have a resolution 2 of the Bore, a formidable and authoritative decree against you, O Shosta; the wisdom of the Bore is not at fault, nor the dignity of its members. We, we alone,—I say it openly, —we, the members of the Bore, are waiting in our duty.
Poll
