the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第31节

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they　were　their　own　。　。　。　that　was　all！　　And　side　by　side　with　such　patient　laboriosity；　really　worthy　of　respectwhat　charlatanism！　　What　great　names　exploited　as　a　shop　sample！　　How　many　sages　turned　into　proprietors　of　sanatoriums！　。　。　。　　A　Herr　Professor　discovers　the　cure　of　tuberculosis；　and　the　tubercular　keep　on　dying　as　before。　　Another　labels　with　a　number　the　invincible　remedy　for　the　most　unconfessable　of　diseases；　and　the　genital　scourge　continues　afflicting　the　world。　　And　all　these　errors　were　representing　great　fortunes；　each　saving　panacea　bringing　into　existence　an　industrial　corporation　selling　its　products　at　high　pricesas　though　suffering　were　a　privilege　of　the　rich。　　How　different　from　the　bluff　Pasteur　and　other　clever　men　of　the　inferior　races　who　have　given　their　discoveries　to　the　world　without　stooping　to　form　monopolies！

〃German　science；〃　continued　Tchernoff；　〃has　given　much　to　humanity；　I　admit　that；　but　the　science　of　other　nations　has　done　as　much。　Only　a　nation　puffed　up　with　conceit　could　imagine　that　it　has　done　everything　for　civilization；　and　the　others　nothing。　。　。　。　　Apart　from　their　learned　specialists；　what　genius　has　been　produced　in　our　day　by　this　Germany　which　believes　itself　so　transcendent？　　Wagner；　the　last　of　the　romanticists；　closes　an　epoch　and　belongs　to　the　past。　　Nietzsche　took　pains　to　proclaim　his　Polish　origin　and　abominated　Germany；　a　country；　according　to　him；　of　middle…class　pedants。　　His　Slavism　was　so　pronounced　that　he　even　prophesied　the　overthrow　of　the　Prussians　by　the　Slavs。　。　。　。　　And　there　are　others。　　We；　although　a　savage　people；　have　given　the　world　of　modern　times　an　admirable　moral　grandeur。　　Tolstoi　and　Dostoievsky　are　world…geniuses。　　What　names　can　the　Germany　of　William　II　put　ahead　of　these？　。　。　。　　His　country　was　the　country　of　music；　but　the　Russian　musicians　of　to…day　are　more　original　than　the　mere　followers　of　Wagner；　the　copyists　who　take　refuge　in　orchestral　exasperations　in　order　to　hide　their　mediocrity。　。　。　。　　In　its　time　of　stress　the　German　nation　had　men　of　genius；　before　Pan…Germanism　had　been　born；　when　the　Empire　did　not　exist。　　Goethe；　Schiller；　Beethoven　were　subjects　of　little　principalities。　　They　received　influence　from　other　countries　and　contributed　their　share　to　the　universal　civilization　like　citizens　of　the　world；　without　insisting　that　the　world　should；　therefore；　become　Germanized。〃

Czarism　had　committed　atrocities。　　Tchernoff　knew　that　by　experience；　and　did　not　need　the　Germans　to　assure　him　of　it。　　But　all　the　illustrious　classes　of　Russia　were　enemies　of　that　tyranny　and　were　protesting　against　it。　　Where　in　Germany　were　the　intellectual　enemies　of　Prussian　Czarism？　　They　were　either　holding　their　peace；　or　breaking　forth　into　adulation　of　the　anointed　of　the　Lorda　musician　and　comedian　like　Nero；　of　a　sharp　and　superficial　intelligence；　who　believed　that　by　merely　skimming　through　anything　he　knew　it　all。　　Eager　to　strike　a　spectacular　pose　in　history；　he　had　finally　afflicted　the　world　with　the　greatest　of　calamities。

〃Why　must　the　tyranny　that　weighs　upon　my　country　necessarily　be　Russian？　　The　worst　Czars　were　imitators　of　Prussia。　　Every　time　that　the　Russian　people　of　our　day　have　attempted　to　revindicate　their　rights；　the　reactionaries　have　used　the　Kaiser　as　a　threat；　proclaiming　that　he　would　come　to　their　aid。　　One…half　of　the　Russian　aristocracy　is　German；　the　functionaries　who　advise　and　support　despotism　are　Germans；　German；　too；　are　the　generals　who　have　distinguished　themselves　by　massacring　the　people；　German　are　the　officials　who　undertake　to　punish　the　laborers'　strikes　and　the　rebellion　of　their　allies。　　The　reactionary　Slav　is　brutal；　but　he　has　the　fine　sensibility　of　a　race　in　which　many　princes　have　become　Nihilists。　　He　raises　the　lash　with　facility；　but　then　he　repents　and　oftentimes　weeps。　　I　have　seen　Russian　officials　kill　themselves　rather　than　march　against　the　people；　or　through　remorse　for　slaughter　committed。　　The　German　in　the　service　of　the　Czar　feels　no　scruples；　nor　laments　his　conduct。　　He　kills　coldly；　with　the　minuteness　and　exactitude　with　which　he　does　everything。　　The　Russian　is　a　barbarian　who　strikes　and　regrets；　German　civilization　shoots　without　hesitation。　　Our　Slav　Czar；　in　a　humanitarian　dream；　favored　the　Utopian　idea　of　universal　peace；　organizing　the　Conference　of　The　Hague。　　The　Kaiser　of　culture；　meanwhile；　has　been　working　years　and　years　in　the　erection　and　establishment　of　a　destructive　organ　of　an　immensity　heretofore　unknown；　in　order　to　crush　all　Europe。　　The　Russian　is　a　humble　Christian；　socialistic；　democratic；　thirsting　for　justice；　the　German　prides　himself　upon　his　Christianity；　but　is　an　idolator　like　the　German　of　other　centuries。　　His　religion　loves　blood　and　maintains　castes；　his　true　worship　is　that　of　Odin；only　that　nowadays；　the　god　of　slaughter　has　changed　his　name　and　calls　himself；　'The　State'！〃

Tchernoff　paused　an　instantperhaps　in　order　to　increase　the　wonder　of　his　companionsand　then　said　with　simplicity：

〃I　am　a　Christian。〃

Argensola；　who　already　knew　the　ideas　and　history　of　the　Russian；　started　with　astonishment；　and　Julio　persisted　in　his　suspicion；　〃Surely　Tchernoff　is　drunk。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　declared　the　Russian　earnestly；　〃that　I　do　not　worry　about　God；　nor　do　I　believe　in　dogmas；　but　my　soul　is　Christian　as　is　that　of　all　revolutionists。　　The　philosophy　of　modern　democracy　is　lay　Christianity。　　We　Socialists　love　the　humble；　the　needy；　the　weak。　　We　defend　their　right　to　life　and　well…being；　as　did　the　greatest　lights　of　the　religious　world　who　saw　a　brother　in　every

unfortunate。　　We　exact　respect　for　the　poor　in　the　name　of　justice；　the　others　ask　for　it　in　the　name　of　charity。　　That　only　separates　us。　　But　we　strive　that　mankind　may；　by　common　consent；　lead　a　better　life；　that　the　strong　may　sacrifice　for　the　weak；　the　lofty　for　the　lowly；　and　the　world　be　ruled　by　brotherliness；　seeking　the　greatest　equality　possible。〃

The　Slav　reviewed　the　history　of　human　aspirations。　　Greek　thought　had　brought　comfort；　a　sense　of　well…being　on　the　earthbut　only　for　the　few；　for　the　citizens　of　the　little　democracies；　for　the　free　men；　leaving　the　slaves　and　barbarians　who　constituted　the　majority；　in　their　misery。　　Christianity；　the　religion　of　the　lowly；　had　recognized　the　right　of　happiness　for　all　mankind；　but　this　happiness　was　placed　in　heaven；　far　from　this　world；　this　〃vale　of　tears。〃　　The　Revolution　and　its　heirs；　the　Socialists；　were　trying　to　place　happiness　in　the　immediate　realities　of　earth；　like　the　ancients；　but　making　all　humanity　participants　in　it　like　the　Christians。

〃Where　is　the　'Christianity　of　modern　Germany？　。　。　。　　There　is　far　more　genuine　Christian　spirit　in　the　fraternal　laity　of　the　French　Republic；　defender　of　the　weak；　than　in　the　religiosity　of　the　conservative　Junkers。　　Germany　has　made　a　god　in　her　own　image；　believing　that　she　adores　it；　but　in　reality　adoring　her　own　image。　The　German　God　is　a　reflex　of　the　German　State　which　considers　war　as　the　first　activity　of　a　nation　and　the　noblest　of　occupations。　Other　Christian　peoples；　when　they　have　to　go　to　war；　feel　the　contradiction　that　exists　between　their　conduct　and　the　teachings　of　the　Gospel；　and　excuse　themselves　by　showing　the　cruel　necessity　which　impels　them。　　Germany　declares　that　war　is　acceptable　to　God。　I　have　heard　German　sermons　proving　that　Jesus　was　in　favor　of　Militarism。

〃Teutonic　pride；　the　conviction　that　its　race　is　providentially　destined　to　dominate　the　world；　brings　into　working　unity　their　Protestants；　Catholics　and　Jews。

〃Far　above　their　differences　of　dogma　is　that　God　of　the　State　which　is　Germanthe　Warrior　God　to　whom　William　is　probably　referring　as　'my　worthy　Ally。'　　Religions　always　tend　toward　universality。　　Their　aim　is　to　place　humanity　in　relationship　with　God；　and　to　sustain　these　relations　among　mankind。　　Prussia　has　retrograded　to　barbarism；　creating　for　its　personal　use　a　second　Jehovah；　a　divinity　hostile　to　the　greater　part　of　the　human　race　who　makes　his　own　the　grudges　and　ambitions　of　the　German　people。〃

Tchernoff　then　explained　in　his　own　way　the　creation　of　this　Teutonic　God；　ambitious；　cruel　and　vengeful。　　The　Germans　were　comparatively　recent　Christians。　　Their　Christianity　was　not　more　than　six　centuries　old。　　When　the　Crusades　were　drawing　to　a　close；　the　Prussians　were　still　living　in　paganism。　　Pride　of　race；　impelling　them　to　war；　had　revived　these　dead　divinities。　　The　God　of　the　Gospel　was　now　adorned　by　the　Germans　with　lance　and　shield　like　the　old　Teutonic　god　who　was　a　military　chief。

〃Christianity　in　Berlin　wears　helmet　and　riding　boots。　　God　at　this　moment　is　seeing　Himself　mobilized　the　same　as　Otto；　Fritz　and　Franz；　in　order　to　punish　the　enemies　of　His　chosen　people。　　That　the　Lord　has　commanded；　'Thou　shalt　not　kill；'　and　His　Son　has　said　to　the　world；　'Blessed　are　the　peacemakers；'　no　longer　matters。　Christianity；　according　to　its　German　priests　of　all　creeds；　can　only　influence　the　individual　betterment　of　mankind；　and　should　not　mix　itself　in　affairs　of　state。　　The　Prussian　God　of　the　State　is　'the　old　German　God；'　the　lineal　descendant　of　the　ferocious　Germanic　m