the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第11节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ng　her　to　give　an　account　of　things。

His　Romantica　simply　did　not　exist　for　him。　　The　only　notice　that　he　ever　took　of　her　was　to　give　an　ironical　snort　when　he　happened　to　see　her　leaning　at　sunset　against　the　doorway；　looking　at　the　reddening　glowone　elbow　on　the　door　frame　and　her　cheek　in　her　hand；　in　imitation　of　the　posture　of　a　certain　white　lady　that　she　had　seen　in　a　chromo；　awaiting　the　knight　of　her　dreams。

Desnoyers　had　been　five　years　in　the　house　when　one　day　he　entered　his　master's　private　office　with　the　brusque　air　of　a　timid　person　who　has　suddenly　reached　a　decision。

〃Don　Julio；　I　am　going　to　leave　and　I　would　like　our　accounts　settled。〃

Madariaga　looked　at　him　slyly。　　〃Going　to　leave；　eh？　。　。　。　　What　for？〃　　But　in　vain　he　repeated　his　questions。　　The　Frenchman　was　floundering　through　a　series　of　incoherent　explanations〃I'm　going；　I've　got　to　go。〃

〃Ah；　you　thief；　you　false　prophet！〃　shouted　the　ranchman　in　stentorian　tones。

But　Desnoyers　did　not　quail　before　the　insults。　　He　had　often　heard　his　Patron　use　these　same　words　when　holding　somebody　up　to　ridicule；　or　haggling　with　certain　cattle　drovers。

〃Ah；　you　thief；　you　false　prophet！　　Do　you　suppose　that　I　do　not　know　why　you　are　going？　　Do　you　suppose　old　Madariaga　has　not　seen　your　languishing　looks　and　those　of　my　dead　fly　of　a　daughter；　clasping　each　others'　hands　in　the　presence　of　poor　China　who　is　blinded　in　her　judgment？　。　。　。　　It's　not　such　a　bad　stroke；　Frenchy。　By　it；　you　would　be　able　to　get　possession　of　half　of　the　old　Spaniard's　dollars；　and　then　say　that　you　had　made　it　in　America。

And　while　he　was　storming；　or　rather　howling；　all　this；　he　had　grasped　his　lash　and　with　the　butt　end　kept　poking　his　manager　in　the　stomach　with　such　insistence　that　it　might　be　construed　in　an　affectionate　or　hostile　way。

〃For　this　reason　I　have　come　to　bid　you　good…bye；〃　said　Desnoyers　haughtily。　　〃I　know　that　my　love　is　absurd；　and　I　wish　to　leave。〃

〃The　gentleman　would　go　away；〃　the　ranchman　continued　spluttering。　〃The　gentleman　believes　that　here　one　can　do　what　one　pleases！　　No；　siree！　　Here　nobody　commands　but　old　Madariaga；　and　I　order　you　to　stay。　。　。　。　　Ah；　these　women！　　They　only　serve　to　antagonize　men。　And　yet　we　can't　live　without　them！〃　。　。　。

He　took　several　turns　up　and　down　the　room；　as　though　his　last　words　were　making　him　think　of　something　very　different　from　what　he　had　just　been　saying。　　Desnoyers　looked　uneasily　at　the　thong　which　was　still　hanging　from　his　wrist。　　Suppose　he　should　attempt　to　whip　him　as　he　did　the　peons？　。　。　。　　He　was　still　undecided　whether　to　hold　his　own　against　a　man　who　had　always　treated　him　with　benevolence　or；　while　his　back　was　turned；　to　take　refuge　in　discreet　flight；　when　the　ranchman　planted　himself　before　him。

〃You　really　love　her；　really？〃　he　asked。　　〃Are　you　sure　that　she　loves　you？　　Be　careful　what　you　say；　for　love　is　blind　and　deceitful。　　I；　too；　when　I　married　my　China　was　crazy　about　her。　　Do　you　love　her；　honestly　and　truly？　。　。　。　　Well　then；　take　her；　you　devilish　Frenchy。　　Somebody　has　to　take　her；　and　may　she　not　turn　out　a　weak　cow　like　her　mother！　。　。　。　　Let　us　have　the　ranch　full　of　grandchildren！〃

In　voicing　this　stock…raiser's　wish；　again　appeared　the　great　breeder　of　beasts　and　men。　　And　as　though　he　considered　it　necessary　to　explain　his　concession；　he　added〃I　do　all　this　because　I　like　you；　and　I　like　you　because　you　are　serious。〃

Again　the　Frenchman　was　plunged　in　doubt；　not　knowing　in　just　what　this　greatly　appreciated　seriousness　consisted。

At　his　wedding；　Desnoyers　thought　much　of　his　mother。　　If　only　the　poor　old　woman　could　witness　this　extraordinary　stroke　of　good　fortune！　　But　she　had　died　the　year　before；　believing　her　son　enormously　rich　because　he　had　been　sending　her　sixty　dollars　every　month；　taken　from　the　wages　that　he　had　earned　on　the　ranch。

Desnoyers'　entrance　into　the　family　made　his　father…in…law　pay　less　attention　to　business。

City　life；　with　all　its　untried　enchantments　and　snares；　now　attracted　Madariaga；　and　he　began　to　speak　with　contempt　of　country　women；　poorly　groomed　and　inspiring　him　with　disgust。　　He　had　given　up　his　cowboy　attire；　and　was　displaying　with　childish　satisfaction；　the　new　suits　in　which　a　tailor　of　the　Capital　was　trying　to　disguise　him。　　When　Elena　wished　to　accompany　him　to　Buenos　Aires；　he　would　wriggle　out　of　it；　trumping　up　some　absorbing　business。　〃No；　you　go　with　your　mother。〃

The　fate　of　his　fields　and　flocks　gave　him　no　uneasiness。　　His　fortune；　managed　by　Desnoyers；　was　in　good　hands。

〃He　is　very　serious；〃　again　affirmed　the　old　Spaniard　to　his　family　assembled　in　the　dining　roam〃as　serious　as　I　am。　。　。　。　　Nobody　can　make　a　fool　of　him！〃

And　finally　the　Frenchman　concluded　that　when　his　father…in…law　spoke　of　seriousness　he　was　referring　to　his　strength　of　character。　According　to　the　spontaneous　declaration　of　Madariaga；　he　had；　from　the　very　first　day　that　he　had　dealings　with　Desnoyers；　perceived　in　him　a　nature　like　his　own；　more　hard　and　firm　perhaps；　but　without　splurges　of　eccentricities。　　On　this　account　he　had　treated　him　with　such　extraordinary　circumspection；　foreseeing　that　a　clash　between　the　two　could　never　be　adjusted。　　Their　only　disagreements　were　about　the　expenses　established　by　Madariaga　during　his　regime。　Since　the　son…in…law　was　managing　the　ranches；　the　work　was　costing　less；　and　the　people　working　more　diligently；and　that；　too；　without　yells；　and　without　strong　words　and　deeds；　with　only　his　presence　and　brief　orders。

The　old　man　was　the　only　one　defending　the　capricious　system　of　a　blow　followed　by　a　gift。　　He　revolted　against　a　minute　and　mechanical　administration；　always　the　same；　without　any　arbitrary　extravagance　or　good…natured　tyranny。　　Very　frequently　some　of　the　half…breed　peons　whom　a　malicious　public　supposed　to　be　closely　related　to　the　ranchman；　would　present　themselves　before　Desnoyers　with；　〃Senor　Manager；　the　old　Patron　say　that　you　are　to　give　me　five　dollars。〃　　The　Senor　Manager　would　refuse；　and　soon　after　Madariaga　would　rush　in　in　a　furious　temper；　but　measuring　his　words；　nevertheless；　remembering　that　his　son…in…law's　disposition　was　as　serious　as　his　own。

〃I　like　you　very　much；　my　son；　but　here　no　one　overrules　me。　。　。　。　Ah；　Frenchy；　you　are　like　all　the　rest　of　your　countrymen！　　Once　you　get　your　claws　on　a　penny；　it　goes　into　your　stocking；　and　nevermore　sees　the　light　of　day；　even　though　they　crucify　you。　。　。　！　　Did　I　say　five　dollars？　　Give　him　ten。　　I　command　it　and　that　is　enough。〃

The　Frenchman　paid；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　whilst　his　father…in…　law；　satisfied　with　his　triumph；　fled　to　Buenos　Aires。　　It　was　a　good　thing　to　have　it　well　understood　that　the　ranch　still　belonged　to　Madariaga；　the　Spaniard。

From　one　of　these　trips；　he　returned　with　a　companion；　a　young　German　who；　according　to　him；　knew　everything　and　could　do　everything。　　His　son…in…law　was　working　too　hard。　　This　Karl　Hartrott　would　assist　him　in　the　bookkeeping。　　Desnoyers　accepted　the　situation；　and　in　a　few　days　felt　increasing　esteem　for　the　new　incumbent。

Although　they　belonged　to　two　unfriendly　nations；　it　didn't　matter。　There　are　good　people　everywhere；　and　this　Karl　was　a　subordinate　worth　considering。　　He　kept　his　distance　from　his　equals；　and　was　hard　and　inflexible　toward　his　inferiors。　　All　his　faculties　seemed　concentrated　in　service　and　admiration　for　those　above　him。　Scarcely　would　Madariaga　open　his　lips　before　the　German's　head　began　nodding　in　agreement；　anticipating　his　words。　　If　he　said　anything　funny；　his　clerk's　laugh　would　break　forth　in　scandalous　roars。　　With　Desnoyers　he　appeared　more　taciturn；　working　without　stopping　for　hours　at　a　time。　　As　soon　as　he　saw　the　manager　entering　the　office　he　would　leap　from　his　seat；　holding　himself　erect　with　military　precision。　　He　was　always　ready　to　do　anything　whatever。　　Unasked；　he　spied　on　the　workmen；　reporting　their　carelessness　and　mistakes。　　This　last　service　did　not　especially　please　his　superior　officer；　but　he　appreciated　it　as　a　sign　of　interest　in　the　establishment。

The　old　man　bragged　triumphantly　of　the　new　acquisition；　urging　his　son…in…law　also　to　rejoice。

〃A　very　useful　fellow；　isn't　he？　。　。　。　　These　gringoes　from　Germany　work　well；　know　a　good　many　things　and　cost　little。　　Then；　too；　so　disciplined！　so　servile！　。　。　。　　I　am　sorry　to　praise　him　so　to　you　because　you　are　a　Frenchy；　and　your　nation　has　in　them　a　very　powerful　enemy。　　His　people　are　a　hard…shelled　race。〃

Desnoyers　replied　with　a　shrug　of　indifference。　　His　country　was　far　away；　and　so　was　Germany。　　Who　knew　if　they　would　ever　return！　。　。　。　They　were　both　Argentinians　now；　and　ought　to　interest　themselves　in　present　affairs　and　not　bother　about　the　past。

〃And　how　little　pride　they　have！〃　sneered　Madariaga　in　an　ironical　tone。　　〃Every　one　of　these　gringoes　when　he　is　a　clerk　at　the　Capital　sweeps　the　shop；　prepares　the　meals；　keeps　the　books；　sells　to　the　customers；　works　the　typewriter；　translates　four　or　five　languages；　and　dances　attendance　on　the　proprietor's　lady　friend；　as　though　she　were　a　grand　senora　。　。　。　all　for　twenty…five　dollars　a　month。　　Who　can　compete　with　such　people！　　You；　Frenchy；　y