the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第18节

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r　animal　was　substituted　for　the　regular　companion。　　Her　husband　certainly　was　quick　tempered；　holding　her　responsible　for　all　the　whims　with　which　he　exasperated　his　children；　yet　he　could　never　bear　to　have　her　out　of　his　sight。　　The　afternoons　at　the　hotel　Drouot　would　be　most　insipid　for　him　unless　she　was　at　his　side；　the　confidante　of　his　plans　and　wrathful　outbursts。

〃To…day　there　is　to　be　a　sale　of　jewels；　shall　we　go？〃

He　would　make　this　proposition　in　such　a　gentle　and　coaxing　voice　the　voice　that　Dona　Luisa　remembered　in　their　first　talks　around　the　old　home。　　And　so　they　would　go　together；　but　by　different　routes；　she　in　one　of　the　monumental　vehicles　because；　accustomed　to　the　leisurely　carriage　rides　of　the　ranch；　she　no　longer　cared　to　walk；　and　Desnoyersalthough　owner　of　the　four　automobiles；　heartily　abominating　them　because　he　was　conservative　and　uneasy　with　the　complications　of　new　machineryon　foot　under　the　pretext　that；　through　lack　of　work；　his　body　needed　the　exercise。　　When　they　met　in　the　crowded　salesrooms；　they　proceeded　to　examine　the　jewels　together；　fixing　beforehand；　the　price　they　would　offer。　　But　he；　quick　to　become　exasperated　by　opposition；　always　went　further；　hurling　numbers　at　his　competitors　as　though　they　were　blows。　　After　such　excursions；　the　senora　would　appear　as　majestic　and　dazzling　as　a　basilica　of　Byzantiumears　and　neck　decorated　with　great　pearls；　her　bosom　a　constellation　of　brilliants；　her　hands　radiating　points　of　light　of　all　colors　of　the　rainbow。

〃Too　much；　mama；〃　Chichi　would　protest。　　〃They　will　take　you　for　a　pawnbroker's　lady！〃　　But　the　Creole；　satisfied　with　her　splendor；　the　crowning　glory　of　a　humble　life；　attributed　her　daughter's　faultfinding　to　envy。　　Chichi　was　only　a　girl　now；　but　later　on　she　would　thank　her　for　having　collected　all　these　gems　for　her。

Already　the　home　was　unable　to　accommodate　so　many　purchases。　　In　the　cellars　were　piled　up　enough　paintings；　furniture；　statues；　and　draperies　to　equip　several　other　dwellings。　　Don　Marcelo　began　to　complain　of　the　cramped　space　in　an　apartment　costing　twenty…eight　thousand　francs　a　yearin　reality　large　enough　for　a　family　four　times　the　size　of　his。　　He　was　beginning　to　deplore　being　obliged　to　renounce　some　very　tempting　furniture　bargains　when　a　real　estate　agent　smelled　out　the　foreigner　and　relieved　him　of　his　embarrassment。　　Why　not　buy　a　castle？　。　。　。

The　entire　family　was　delighted　with　the　idea。　　An　historic　castle；　the　most　historic　that　could　be　found；　would　supplement　their　luxurious　establishment。　　Chichi　paled　with　pride。　　Some　of　her　friends　had　castles。　　Others；　of　old　colonial　family；　who　were　accustomed　to　look　down　upon　her　for　her　country　bringing　up；　would　now　cry　with　envy　upon　learning　of　this　acquisition　which　was　almost　a　patent　of　nobility。　　The　mother　smiled　in　the　hope　of　months　in　the　country　which　would　recall　the　simple　and　happy　life　of　her　youth。　　Julio　was　less　enthusiastic。　　The　〃old　man〃　would　expect　him　to　spend　much　time　away　from　Paris；　but　he　consoled　himself　by　reflecting　that　the　suburban　place　would　provide　excuse　for　frequent　automobile　trips。

Desnoyers　thought　of　the　relatives　in　Berlin。　　Why　should　he　not　have　his　castle　like　the　others？　。　。　。　　The　bargains　were　alluring。　Historic　mansions　by　the　dozen　were　offered　him。　　Their　owners；　exhausted　by　the　expense　of　maintaining　them；　were　more　than　anxious　to　sell。　　So　he　bought　the　castle　of　Villeblanche…sur…Marne；　built　in　the　time　of　the　religious　warsa　mixture　of　palace　and　fortress　with　an　Italian　Renaissance　facade；　gloomy　towers　with　pointed　hoods；　and　moats　in　which　swans　were　swimming。

He　could　now　live　with　some　tracts　of　land　over　which　to　exercise　his　authority；　struggling　again　with　the　resistance　of　men　and　things。　　Besides；　the　vast　proportions　of　the　rooms　of　the　castle　were　very　tempting　and　bare　of　furniture。　　This　opportunity　for　placing　the　overflow　from　his　cellars　plunged　him　again　into　buying。　With　this　atmosphere　of　lordly　gloom；　the　antiques　would　harmonize　beautifully；　without　that　cry　of　protest　which　they　always　seemed　to　make　when　placed　in　contact　with　the　glaring　white　walls　of　modern　habitations。　　The　historic　residence　required　an　endless　outlay；　on　that　account　it　had　changed　owners　so　many　times。

But　he　and　the　land　understood　each　other　beautifully。　。　。　。　　So　at　the　same　time　that　he　was　filling　the　salons；　he　was　going　to　begin　farming　and　stock…raising　in　the　extensive　parksa　reproduction　in　miniature　of　his　enterprises　in　South　America。　　The　property　ought　to　be　made　self…supporting。　　Not　that　he　had　any　fear　of　the　expenses；　but　he　did　not　intend　to　lose　money　on　the　proposition。

The　acquisition　of　the　castle　brought　Desnoyers　a　true　friendship　the　chief　advantage　in　the　transaction。　　He　became　acquainted　with　a　neighbor；　Senator　Lacour；　who　twice　had　been　Minister　of　State；　and　was　now　vegetating　in　the　senate；　silent　during　its　sessions；　but　restless　and　voluble　in　the　corridors　in　order　to　maintain　his　influence。　　He　was　a　prominent　figure　of　the　republican　nobility；　an　aristocrat　of　the　new　regime　that　had　sprung　from　the　agitations　of　the　Revolution；　just　as　the　titled　nobility　had　won　their　spurs　in　the　Crusades。　　His　great…grandfather　had　belonged　to　the　Convention。　His　father　had　figured　in　the　Republic　of　1848。　　He；　as　the　son　of　an　exile　who　had　died　in　banishment；　had　when　very　young　marched　behind　the　grandiloquent　figure　of　Gambetta；　and　always　spoke　in　glowing　terms　of　the　Master；　in　the　hope　that　some　of　his　rays　might　be　reflected　on　his　disciple。　　His　son　Rene；　a　pupil　of　the　Ecole　Centrale　regarded　his　father　as　〃a　rare　old　sport；〃　laughing　a　little　at　his　romantic　and　humanitarian　republicanism。　　He；　nevertheless；　was　counting　much　on　that　same　official　protection　treasured　by　four　generations　of　Lacours　dedicated　to　the　service　of　the　Republic；　to　assist　him　when　he　became　an　engineer。

Don　Marcelo　who　used　to　look　uneasily　upon　any　new　friendship；　fearing　a　demand　for　a　loan；　gave　himself　up　with　enthusiasm　to　intimacy　with　this　〃grand　man。〃　　The　personage　admired　riches　and　recognized；　besides；　a　certain　genius　in　this　millionaire　from　the　other　side　of　the　sea　accustomed　to　speaking　of　limitless　pastures　and　immense　herds。　　Their　intercourse　was　more　than　the　mere　friendliness　of　a　country　neighborhood；　and　continued　on　after　their　return　to　Paris。　　Finally　Rene　visited　the　home　on　the　avenida　Victor　Hugo　as　though　it　were　his　own。

The　only　disappointments　in　Desnoyers'　new　life　came　from　his　children。　　Chichi　irritated　him　because　of　the　independence　of　her　tastes。　　She　did　not　like　antiques；　no　matter　how　substantial　and　magnificent　they　might　be；　much　preferring　the　frivolities　of　the　latest　fashion。　　She　accepted　all　her　father's　gifts　with　great　indifference。　　Before　an　exquisite　blonde　piece　of　lace；　centuries　old；　picked　up　at　auction；　she　made　a　wry　face；　saying；　〃I　would　much　rather　have　had　a　new　dress　costing　three　hundred　francs。〃　　She　and　her　brother　were　solidly　opposed　to　everything　old。

Now　that　his　daughter　was　already　a　woman；　he　had　confided　her　absolutely　to　the　care　of　Dona　Luisa。　　But　the　former　〃Peoncito〃　was　not　showing　much　respect　for　the　advice　and　commands　of　the　good　natured　Creole。　　She　had　taken　up　roller…skating　with　enthusiasm；　regarding　it　as　the　most　elegant　of　diversions。　　She　would　go　every　afternoon　to　the　Ice　Palace；　Dona　Luisa　chaperoning　her；　although　to　do　this　she　was　obliged　to　give　up　accompanying　her　husband　to　his　sales。　　Oh；　the　hours　of　deadly　weariness　before　that　frozen　oval　ring；　watching　the　white　circle　of　balancing　human　monkeys　gliding　by　on　runners　to　the　sound　of　an　organ！　。　。　。　　Her　daughter　would　pass　and　repass　before　her　tired　eyes；　rosy　from　the　exercise；　spirals　of　hair　escaped　from　her　hat；　streaming　out　behind；　the　folds　of　her　skirt　swinging　above　her　skateshandsome；　athletic　and　Amazonian；　with　the　rude　health　of　a　child　who；　according　to　her　father；　〃had　been　weaned　on　beefsteaks。〃

Finally　Dona　Luisa　rebelled　against　this　troublesome　vigilance；　preferring　to　accompany　her　husband　on　his　hunt　for　underpriced　riches。　　Chichi　went　to　the　skating　rink　with　one　of　the　dark…　skinned　maids；　passing　the　afternoons　with　her　sporty　friends　of　the　new　world。　　Together　they　ventilated　their　ideas　under　the　glare　of　the　easy　life　of　Paris；　freed　from　the　scruples　and　conventions　of　their　native　land。　　They　all　thought　themselves　older　than　they　were；　delighting　to　discover　in　each　other　unsuspected　charms。　　The　change　from　the　other　hemisphere　had　altered　their　sense　of　values。　Some　were　even　writing　verses　in　French。　　And　Desnoyers　became　alarmed；　giving　free　rein　to　his　bad　humor；　when　Chichi　of　evenings；　would　bring　forth　as　aphorisms　that　which　she　and　her　friends　had　been　discussing；　as　a　summary　of　their　readings　and　observations。　〃Life　is　life；　and　one　must　live！　。　。　。　I　will　marry　the　man　I　love；　no　matter　who　he　may　be。　。　。　。〃

But　the　daughter's　independence　was　as　nothing　compared　to　the　worry　which　the　other　child　gave　the　Desnoyers。　　Ay；　that　other　one！　。　。　。　Julio；　upon　arriving　in　Paris；　had　changed　the　bent　of　his　aspirations。　　He　no　longer　thought　of　becomi