the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第29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！


　city；　as　in　the　remote　revolutionary　days；　banding　together　in　groups；　forming　an　endless　multitude　from　which　came　shouts　and　songs。　　These　manifestations　were　passing　through　the　centre　under　the　electric　lights　that　were　just　being　turned　on；　the　processions　generally　lasting　until　midnight；　with　the　national　banner　floating　above　the　walking　crowds；　escorted　by　the　flags　of　other　nations。

It　was　on　one　of　these　nights　of　sincere　enthusiasm　that　the　two　friends　heard　an　unexpected；　astonishing　piece　of　news。　　〃They　have　killed　Jaures！〃　　The　groups　were　repeating　it　from　one　to　another　with　an　amazement　which　seemed　to　overpower　their　grief。　　〃Jaures　assassinated！　　And　what　for？〃　　The　best　popular　element；　which　instinctively　seeks　an　explanation　of　every　proceeding；　remained　in　suspense；　not　knowing　which　way　to　turn。　　The　tribune　dead；　at　the　very　moment　that　his　word　as　welder　of　the　people　was　most　needed！　。　。　。

Argensola　thought　immediately　of　Tchernoff。　　〃What　will　our　neighbors　say？〃　。　。　。　　The　quiet；　orderly　people　of　Paris　were　fearing　a　revolution；　and　for　a　few　moments　Desnoyers　believed　that　his　cousin's　auguries　were　about　to　be　fulfilled。　　This　assassination；　with　its　retaliations；　might　be　the　signal　for　civil　war。　　But　the　masses　of　the　people；　worn　out　with　grief　at　the　death　of　their　hero；　were　waiting　in　tragic　silence。　　All　were　seeing；　beyond　his　dead　body；　the　image　of　the　country。

By　the　following　morning；　the　danger　had　vanished。　　The　laboring　classes　were　talking　of　generals　and　war；　showing　each　other　their　little　military　memorandums；　announcing　the　date　of　their　departure　as　soon　as　the　order　of　mobilization　should　be　published。　　〃I　go　the　second　day。〃　　〃I　the　first。〃　　Those　of　the　standing　army　who　were　on　leave　were　recalled　individually　to　the　barracks。　　All　these　events　were　tending　in　the　same　directionwar。

The　Germans　were　invading　Luxembourg；　the　Germans　were　ordering　their　armies　to　invade　the　French　frontier　when　their　ambassador　was　still　in　Paris　making　promises　of　peace。　　On　the　day　after　the　death　of　Jaures；　the　first　of　August；　the　people　were　crowding　around　some　pieces　of　paper；　written　by　hand　and　in　evident　haste。　　These　papers　were　copies　of　other　larger　printed　sheets；　headed　by　two　crossed　flags。　　〃It　has　come；　it　is　now　a　fact！〃。　。　。　　It　was　the　order　for　general　mobilization。　　All　France　was　about　to　take　up　arms；　and　chests　seemed　to　expand　with　a　sigh　of　relief。　　Eyes　were　sparkling　with　excitement。　　The　nightmare　was　at　last　over！　。　。　。　　Cruel　reality　was　preferable　to　the　uncertainty　of　days　and　days；　each　as　long　as　a　week。

In　vain　President　Poincare；　animated　by　a　last　hope；　was　explaining　to　the　French　that　〃mobilization　is　not　necessarily　war；　that　a　call　to　arms　may　be　simply　a　preventive　measure。〃　　〃It　is　war；　inevitable　war；〃　said　the　populace　with　a　fatalistic　expression。　　And　those　who　were　going　to　start　that　very　night　or　the　following　day　were　the　most　eager　and　enthusiastic。〃Now　those　who　seek　us　are　going　to　find　us！　　Vive　la　France！〃　　The　Chant　du　Depart；　the　martial　hymn　of　the　volunteers　of　the　first　Republic；　had　been　exhumed　by　the　instinct　of　a　people　which　seek　the　voice　of　Art　in　its　most　critical　moments。　　The　stanzas　of　the　conservative　Chenier；　adapted　to　a　music　of　warlike　solemnity；　were　resounding　through　the　streets；　at　the　same　time　as　the　Marseillaise：


　　　　　La　Republique　nous　appelle。　　　　　　Sachons　vaincre　ou　sachons　perir；　　　　　　Un　francais　doit　vivre　pour　elle。　　　　　　Pour　elle　un　francais　doit　mourir。


The　mobilization　began　at　midnight　to　the　minute。　　At　dusk；　groups　of　men　began　moving　through　the　streets　towards　the　stations。　　Their　families　were　walking　beside　them；　carrying　the　valise　or　bundle　of　clothes。　　They　were　escorted　by　the　friends　of　their　district；　the　tricolored　flag　borne　aloft　at　the　head　of　these　platoons。　　The　Reserves　were　donning　their　old　uniforms　which　presented　all　the　difficulties　of　suits　long　ago　forgotten。　　With　new　leather　belts　and　their　revolvers　at　their　sides；　they　were　betaking　themselves　to　the　railway　which　was　to　carry　them　to　the　point　of　concentration。　One　of　their　children　was　carrying　the　old　sword　in　its　cloth　sheath。　　The　wife　was　hanging　on　his　arm；　sad　and　proud　at　the　same　time；　giving　her　last　counsels　in　a　loving　whisper。

Street　cars；　automobiles　and　cabs　rolled　by　with　crazy　velocity。　Nobody　had　ever　seen　so　many　vehicles　in　the　Paris　streets；　yet　if　anybody　needed　one；　he　called　in　vain　to　the　conductors；　for　none　wished　to　serve　mere　civilians。　　All　means　of　transportation　were　for　military　men；　all　roads　ended　at　the　railroad　stations。　　The　heavy　trucks　of　the　administration；　filled　with　sacks；　were　saluted　with　general　enthusiasm。　　〃Hurrah　for　the　army！〃　　The　soldiers　in　mechanic's　garb；　on　top　of　the　swaying　pyramid；　replied　to　the　cheers；　waving　their　arms　and　uttering　shouts　that　nobody　pretended　to　understand。

Fraternity　had　created　a　tolerance　hitherto　unknown。　　The　crowds　were　pressing　forward；　but　in　their　encounters；　invariably　preserved　good　order。　　Vehicles　were　running　into　each　other；　and　when　the　conductors　resorted　to　the　customary　threats；　the　crowds　would　intervene　and　make　them　shake　hands。　　〃Three　cheers　for　France！〃　The　pedestrians；　escaping　between　the　wheels　of　the　automobiles　were　laughing　and　good…naturedly　reproaching　the　chauffeur　with；　〃Would　you　kill　a　Frenchman　on　his　way　to　his　regiment？〃　and　the　conductor　would　reply；　〃I；　too；　am　going　in　a　few　hours。　　This　is　my　last　trip。〃　　As　night　approached；　cars　and　cabs　were　running　with　increasing　irregularity；　many　of　the　employees　having　abandoned　their　posts　to　take　leave　of　their　families　and　make　the　train。　　All　the　life　of　Paris　was　concentrating　itself　in　a　half…dozen　human　rivers　emptying　in　the　stations。

Desnoyers　and　Argensola　met　in　a　boulevard　cafe　toward　midnight。　Both　were　exhausted　by　the　day's　emotions　and　under　that　nervous　depression　which　follows　noisy　and　violent　spectacles。　　They　needed　to　rest。　　War　was　a　fact；　and　now　that　it　was　a　certainty；　they　felt　no　anxiety　to　get　further　news。　　Remaining　in　the　cafe　proved　impossible。　　In　the　hot　and　smoky　atmosphere；　the　occupants　were　singing　and　shouting　and　waving　tiny　flags。　　All　the　battle　hymns　of　the　past　and　present　were　here　intoned　in　chorus；　to　an　accompaniment　of　glasses　and　plates。　　The　rather　cosmopolitan　clientele　was　reviewing　the　European　nations。　　All；　absolutely　all；　were　going　to　enroll　themselves　on　the　side　of　France。　　〃Hurrah！　。　。　。　Hurrah！〃　。　。　。　　An　old　man　and　his　wife　were　seated　at　a　table　near　the　two　friends。　　They　were　tenants；　of　an　orderly；　humdrum　walk　in　life；　who　perhaps　in　all　their　existence　had　never　been　awake　at　such　an　hour。　　In　the　general　enthusiasm　they　had　come　to　the　boulevards　〃in　order　to　see　war　a　little　closer。〃　　The　foreign　tongue　used　by　his　neighbors　gave　the　husband　a　lofty　idea　of　their　importance。

〃Do　you　believe　that　England　is　going　to　join　us？〃　。　。　。

Argensola　knew　as　much　about　it　as　he；　but　he　replied　authoritatively；　〃Of　course　she　will。　　That's　a　sure　thing！〃　　The　old　man　rose　to　his　feet：　〃Hurrah　for　England！〃　and　he　began　chanting　a　forgotten　patriotic　song；　marking　time　with　his　arms　in　a　spirited　way；　to　the　great　admiration　of　his　old　wife；　and　urging　all　to　join　in　the　chorus　that　very　few　were　able　to　follow。

The　two　friends　had　to　take　themselves　home　on　foot。　　They　could　not　find　a　vehicle　that　would　stop　for　them；　all　were　hurrying　in　the　opposite　direction　toward　the　stations。　　They　were　both　in　a　bad　humor；　but　Argensola　couldn't　keep　his　to　himself。

〃Ah；　these　women！〃　　Desnoyers　knew　all　about　his　relations　（so　far　honorable）　with　a　midinette　from　the　rue　Taitbout。　　Sunday　strolls　in　the　suburbs　of　Paris；　various　trips　to　the　moving　picture　shows；　comments　upon　the　fine　points　of　the　latest　novel　published　in　the　sheets　of　a　popular　paper；　kisses　of　farewell　when　she　took　the　night　train　from　Bois　Colombes　in　order　to　sleep　at　homethat　was　all。　　But　Argensola　was　wickedly　counting　on　Father　Time　to　mellow　the　sharpest　virtues。　　That　evening　they　had　taken　some　refreshment　with　a　French　friend　who　was　going　the　next　morning　to　join　his　regiment。　　The　girl　had　sometimes　seen　him　with　Argensola　without　noticing　him　particularly；　but　now　she　suddenly　began　admiring　him　as　though　he　were　another　person。　　She　had　given　up　the　idea　of　returning　home　that　night；　she　wanted　to　see　how　a　war　begins。　　The　three　had　dined　together；　and　all　her　interest　had　centred　upon　the　one　who　was　going　away。　　She　even　took　offense；　with　sudden　modesty；　when　Argensola　tried　as　he　had　often　done　before；　to　squeeze　her　hand　under　the　table。　　Meanwhile　she　was　almost　leaning　her　head　on　the　shoulder　of　the　future　hero；　enveloping　him　with　admiring　gaze。

〃And　they　have　gone。　。　。　。　　They　have　gone　away　together！〃　said　the　Spaniard　bitterly。　　〃I　had　to　leave　them　in　order　not　to　make　my　hard　luck　any　worse。　　To　have　worked　so　long　。　。　。　for　another！〃

He　was　silent　for　a　few　minutes；　then　changing　the　trend　of　his　ideas；　he　added：　〃I　recognize；　nevertheless；　that　her　behavior　is　beautiful。　　The　generosity　of　these　women　when　they　believe　that　the　moment　for　sacrifice　ha