经典！《喀尔巴阡古堡，牛博士》让无数读者意犹未尽！(25)

Hereupon the burgomaster himself came forward, and in a sublime harangue made short work of those pusillanimous people who disguise their fear under a veil of prudence, which veil he tore off with a patriotic hand.
At this it seemed as if the hall would fall in with the applause.
A vote was eagerly demanded, and was taken amid acclamations.
The cries of "To Virgamen! to Virgamen! redoubled.
The burgomaster then took it upon himself to mobilise the armies and in the name of the town he promised the honours of a triumph, such as was given in the times of the Romans to its victorious generals.
Meanwhile, Josse Iiefrinck, an obstinate fellow who did not regard himself as beaten, though he really had been, insisted on making another comment. He pointed out that at Rome the triumph was only accorded to those victorious generals who had killed five thousand of the enemy.
"Well, what about it?" came the cry.
"And as the population of the town of Virgamen consists of only three thousand five hundred and seventy-five inhabitants, it would be difficult, unless the same person was killed several times—"