the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第33节

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replying；　after　many　centuries；　to　the　invasion　which　had　destroyed　the　Roman　jurisdictionthe　Mediterranean　peoples　spreading　themselves　as　conquerors　through　the　lands　of　the　ancient　barbarians。　　Retreating　immediately；　they　had　swept　away　the　past　like　a　tidal　wavethe　great　surf　depositing　all　that　it　contained。　Like　the　waters　of　certain　rivers　which　fructify　by　overflowing；　this　recession　of　the　human　tide　had　left　the　soil　enriched　with　new　and　generous　ideas。

〃If　THEY　should　return！〃　added　Tchernoff　with　a　look　of　uneasiness。　〃If　they　again　should　tread　these　stones！　。　。　。　　Before；　they　were　simple…minded　folk；　stunned　by　their　rapid　good…fortune；　who　passed　through　here　like　a　farmer　through　a　salon。　　They　were　content　with　money　for　the　pocket　and　two　provinces　which　should　perpetuate　the　memory　of　their　victory。　。　。　。　　But　now　they　will　not　be　the　soldiers　only　who　march　against　Paris。　　At　the　tail　of　the　armies　come　the　maddened　canteen…keepers；　the　Herr　Professors；　carrying　at　the　side　the　little　keg　of　wine　with　the　powder　which　crazes　the　barbarian；　the　wine　of　Kultur。　　And　in　the　vans　come　also　an　enormous　load　of　scientific　savagery；　a　new　philosophy　which　glorifies　Force　as　a　principle　and　sanctifier　of　everything；　denies　liberty；　suppresses　the　weak　and　places　the　entire　world　under　the　charge　of　a　minority　chosen　by　God；　just　because　it　possesses　the　surest　and　most　rapid　methods　of　slaughter。　　Humanity　may　well　tremble　for　the　future　if　again　resounds　under　this　archway　the　tramp　of　boots　following　a　march　of　Wagner　or　any　other　Kapellmeister。〃

They　left　the　Arch；　following　the　avenue　Victor　Hugo。　　Tchernoff　walking　along　in　dogged　silence　as　though　the　vision　of　this　imaginary　procession　had　overwhelmed　him。　　Suddenly　he　continued　aloud　the　course　of　his　reflections。

〃And　if　they　should　enter；　what　does　it　matter？　。　。　。　　On　that　account；　the　cause　of　Right　will　not　die。　　It　suffers　eclipses；　but　is　born　again；　it　may　be　ignored　and　trampled　under　foot；　but　it　does　not；　therefore；　cease　to　exist；　and　all　good　souls　recognize　it　as　the　only　rule　of　life。　　A　nation　of　madmen　wishes　to　place　might　upon　the　pedestal　that　others　have　raised　to　Right。　　Useless　endeavor！　　The　eternal　hope　of　mankind　will　ever　be　the　increasing　power　of　more　liberty；　more　brotherliness；　more　justice。〃

The　Russian　appeared　to　calm　himself　with　this　statement。　　He　and　his　friends　spoke　of　the　spectacle　which　Paris　was　presenting　in　its　preparation　for　war。　　Tchernoff　bemoaned　the　great　suffering　produced　by　the　catastrophe；　the　thousands　and　thousands　of　domestic　tragedies　that　were　unrolling　at　that　moment。　　Apparently　nothing　had　changed。　　In　the　centre　of　the　city　and　around　the　stations；　there　was　unusual　agitation；　but　the　rest　of　the　immense　city　did　not　appear　affected　by　the　great　overthrow　of　its　existence。　　The　solitary　street　was　presenting　its　usual　aspect；　the　breeze　was　gently　moving　the　leaves。　　A　solemn　peace　seemed　to　be　spreading　itself　through　space。　　The　houses　appeared　wrapped　in　slumber；　but　behind　the　closed　windows　might　be　surmised　the　insomnia　of　the　reddened　eyes；　the　sighs　from　hearts　anguished　by　the　threatened　danger；　the　tremulous　agility　of　the　hands　preparing　the　war　outfit；　perhaps　the　last　loving　greetings　exchanged　without　pleasure；　with　kisses　ending　in　sobs。

Tchernoff　thought　of　his　neighbors；　the　husband　and　wife　who　occupied　the　other　interior　apartment　behind　the　studio。　　She　was　no　longer　playing　the　piano。　　The　Russian　had　overheard　disputes；　the　banging　of　doors　locked　with　violence；　and　the　footsteps　of　a　man　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　fleeing　from　a　woman's　cries。　　There　had　begun　to　develop　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall　a　regulation　dramaa　repetition　of　hundreds　of　others；　all　taking　place　at　the　same　time。

〃She　is　a　German；〃　volunteered　the　Russian。　　〃Our　concierge　has　ferreted　out　her　nationality。　　He　must　have　gone　by　this　time　to　join　his　regiment。　　Last　night　I　could　hardly　sleep。　　I　heard　the　lamentations　through　the　thin　wall　partition；　the　steady；　desperate　weeping　of　an　abandoned　child；　and　the　voice　of　a　man　who　was　vainly　trying　to　quiet　her！　。　。　。　　Ah；　what　a　rain　of　sorrows　is　now　falling　upon　the　world！〃

That　same　evening；　on　leaving　the　house；　he　had　met　her　by　her　door。　She　appeared　like　another　woman；　with　an　old　look　as　though　in　these　agonizing　hours　she　had　been　suffering　for　fifteen　years。　　In　vain　the　kindly　Tchernoff　had　tried　to　cheer　her　up；　urging　her　to　accept　quietly　her　husband's　absence　so　as　not　to　harm　the　little　one　who　was　coming。

〃For　the　unhappy　creature　is　going　to　be　a　mother；〃　he　said　sadly。　〃She　hides　her　condition　with　a　certain　modesty；　but　from　my　window；　I　have　often　seen　her　making　the　dainty　layette。〃

The　woman　had　listened　to　him　as　though　she　did　not　understand。　Words　were　useless　before　her　desperation。　　She　could　only　sob　as　though　talking　to　herself；　〃I　am　a　German。　。　。　。　　He　has　gone；　he　has　to　go　away。　。　。　。　　Alone！　。　。　。　　Alone　forever！〃　。　。　。

〃She　is　thinking　all　the　time　of　her　nationality　which　is　separating　her　from　her　husband；　she　is　thinking　of　the　concentration　camp　to　which　they　will　take　her　with　her　compatriots。　　She　is　fearful　of　being　abandoned　in　the　enemy's　country　obliged　to　defend　itself　against　the　attack　of　her　own　country。　。　。　。　　And　all　this　when　she　is　about　to　become　a　mother。　　What　miseries！　　What　agonies！〃

The　three　reached　the　rue　de　la　Pompe　and　on　entering　the　house；　Tchernoff　began　to　take　leave　of　his　companions　in　order　to　climb　the　service　stairs；　but　Desnoyers　wished　to　prolong　the　conversation。　　He　dreaded　being　alone　with　his　friend；　still　chagrined　over　the　evening's　events。　　The　conversation　with　the　Russian　interested　him；　so　they　all　went　up　in　the　elevator　together。　　Argensola　suggested　that　this　would　be　a　good　opportunity　to　uncork　one　of　the　many　bottles　which　he　was　keeping　in　the　kitchen。　　Tchernoff　could　go　home　through　the　studio　door　that　opened　on　the　stairway。

The　great　window　had　its　glass　doors　wide　open；　the　transoms　on　the　patio　side　were　also　open；　a　breeze　kept　the　curtains　swaying；　moving；　too；　the　old　lanterns；　moth…eaten　flags　and　other　adornments　of　the　romantic　studio。　　They　seated　themselves　around　the　table；　near　a　window　some　distance　from　the　light　which　was　illuminating　the　other　end　of　the　big　room。　　They　were　in　the　shadow；　with　their　backs　to　the　interior　court。　　Opposite　them　were　tiled　roofs　and　an　enormous　rectangle　of　blue　shadow；　perforated　by　the　sharp…pointed　stars。　　The　city　lights　were　coloring　the　shadowy　space　with　a　bloody　reflection。

Tchernoff　drank　two　glasses；　testifying　to　the　excellence　of　the　liquid　by　smacking　his　lips。　　The　three　were　silent　with　the　wondering　and　thoughtful　silence　which　the　grandeur　of　the　night　imposes。　　Their　eyes　were　glancing　from　star　to　star；　grouping　them　in　fanciful　lines；　forming　them　into　triangles　or　squares　of　varying　irregularity。　　At　times；　the　twinkling　radiance　of　a　heavenly　body　appeared　to　broaden　the　rays　of　light；　almost　hypnotizing　them。

The　Russian；　without　coming　out　of　his　revery；　availed　himself　of　another　glass。　　Then　he　smiled　with　cruel　irony；　his　bearded　face　taking　on　the　semblance　of　a　tragic　mask　peeping　between　the　curtains　of　the　night。

〃I　wonder　what　those　men　up　there　are　thinking！〃　he　muttered。　　〃I　wonder　if　any　star　knows　that　Bismarck　ever　existed！　。　。　。　　I　wonder　if　the　planets　are　aware　of　the　divine　mission　of　the　German　nation！〃

And　he　continued　laughing。

Some　far…away　and　uncertain　noise　disturbed　the　stillness　of　the　night；　slipping　through　some　of　the　chinks　that　cut　the　immense　plain　of　roofs。　　The　three　turned　their　heads　so　as　to　hear　better。　。　。　。　　The　sound　of　voices　cut　through　the　thick　silence　of　nighta　masculine　chorus　chanting　a　hymn；　simple；　monotonous　and　solemn。　　They　guessed　at　what　it　must　be；　although　they　could　not　hear　very　well。　　Various　single　notes　floating　with　greater　intensity　on　the　night　wind；　enabled　Argensola　to　piece　together　the　short　song；　ending　in　a　melodious；　triumphant　yella　true　war　song：


　　　　　C'est　l'Alsace　et　la　Lorraine；　　　　　　C'est　l'Alsace　qu'il　nous　faut；　　　　　　Oh；　oh；　oh；　oh。


A　new　band　of　men　was　going　away　through　the　streets　below；　toward　the　railway　station；　the　gateway　of　the　war。　　They　must　be　from　the　outlying　districts；　perhaps　from　the　country；　and　passing　through　silence…wrapped　Paris；　they　felt　like　singing　of　the　great　national　hope；　that　those　who　were　watching　behind　the　dark　facades　might　feel　comforted；　knowing　that　they　were　not　alone。

〃Just　as　it　is　in　the　opera；〃　said　Julio　listening　to　the　last　notes　of　the　invisible　chorus　dying　away　into　the　night。

Tchernoff　continued　drinking；　but　with　a　distracted　air；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　red　cloud　that　floated　over　the　roofs。

The　two　friends　conjectured　his　mental　labor　from　his　concentrated　look；　and　the　low　exclamations　which　were　escaping　him　like　the　echoes　of　an　interior　monologue。　　Suddenly　he　leaped　from　thought　to　word　without　any　forewarning；　continuing　aloud　the　course　of　his　reasoning。

〃And　when　the　sun　arises　in　a　few　hours；　the　world　will　see　coursing　through　its　fields　the　four　horsemen；　enemies　of　mankind。　。