the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第35节

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he　saddle！　　Already　they　were　beginning　their　merciless　gallop　of　destruction！

The　blind　forces　of　evil　were　about　to　be　let　loose　throughout　the　world。

The　agony　of　humanity；　under　the　brutal　sweep　of　the　four　horsemen；　was　already　begun！



PART　II


CHAPTER　I

WHAT　DON　MARCELO　ENVIED


Upon　being　convinced　that　war　really　was　inevitable；　the　elder　Desnoyers　was　filled　with　amazement。　　Humanity　had　gone　crazy。　　Was　it　possible　that　war　could　happen　in　these　days　of　so　many　railroads；　so　many　merchant　marines；　so　many　inventions；　so　much　activity　developed　above　and　below　the　earth？　。　。　。　　The　nations　would　ruin　themselves　forever。　　They　were　now　accustomed　to　luxuries　and　necessities　unknown　a　century　ago。　　Capital　was　master　of　the　world；　and　war　was　going　to　wipe　it　out。　　In　its　turn；　war　would　be　wiped　out　in　a　few　months'　time　through　lack　of　funds　to　sustain　it。　His　soul　of　a　business　man　revolted　before　the　hundreds　of　thousands　of　millions　that　this　foolhardy　event　was　going　to　convert　into　smoke　and　slaughter。

As　his　indignation　had　to　fix　upon　something　close　at　hand；　he　made　his　own　countrymen　responsible　for　this　insanity。　　Too　much　talk　about　la　revanche！　　The　very　idea　of　worrying　for　forty…four　years　over　the　two　lost　provinces　when　the　nation　was　mistress　of　enormous　and　undeveloped　lands　in　other　countries！　。　。　。　　Now　they　were　going　to　pay　the　penalty　for　such　exasperating　and　clamorous　foolishness。

For　him　war　meant　disaster　writ　large。　　He　had　no　faith　in　his　country。　　France's　day　had　passed。　　Now　the　victors　were　of　the　Northern　peoples；　and　especially　that　Germany　which　he　had　seen　so　close；　admiring　with　a　certain　terror　its　discipline　and　its　rigorous　organization。　　The　former　working…man　felt　the　conservative　and　selfish　instinct　of　all　those　who　have　amassed　millions。　　He　scorned　political　ideals；　but　through　class　interest　he　had　of　late　years　accepted　the　declarations　against　the　scandals　of　the　government。　　What　could　a　corrupt　and　disorganized　Republic　do　against　the　solidest　and　strongest　empire　in　the　world？　。　。　。

〃We　are　going　to　our　deaths；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃Worse　than　'70！　。　。　。　　We　are　going　to　see　horrible　things！〃

The　good　order　and　enthusiasm　with　which　the　French　responded　to　their　country's　call　and　transformed　themselves　into　soldiers　were　most　astonishing　to　him。　　This　moral　shock　made　his　national　faith　begin　to　revive。　　The　great　majority　of　Frenchmen　were　good　after　all；　the　nation　was　as　valiant　as　in　former　times。　　Forty…four　years　of　suffering　and　alarm　had　developed　their　old　bravery。　　But　the　leaders？　　Where　were　they　going　to　get　leaders　to　march　to　victory？　。　。　。

Many　others　were　asking　themselves　the　same　question。　　The　silence　of　the　democratic　government　was　keeping　the　country　in　complete　ignorance　of　their　future　commanders。　　Everybody　saw　the　army　increasing　from　hour　to　hour：　very　few　knew　the　generals。　　One　name　was　beginning　to　be　repeated　from　mouth　to　mouth；　〃Joffre　。　。　。　Joffre。〃　　His　first　pictures　made　the　curious　crowds　struggle　to　get　a　glimpse　of　them。　　Desnoyers　studied　them　very　carefully。　　〃He　looks　like　a　very　capable　person。〃　　His　methodical　instincts　were　gratified　by　the　grave　and　confident　look　of　the　general　of　the　Republic。　　Suddenly　he　felt　the　great　confidence　that　efficient…　looking　bank　directors　always　inspired　in　him。　　He　could　entrust　his　interests　to　this　gentleman；　sure　that　he　would　not　act　impulsively。

Finally；　against　his　will；　Desnoyers　was　drawn　into　the　whirlpool　of　enthusiasm　and　emotion。　　Like　everyone　around　him；　he　lived　minutes　that　were　hours；　and　hours　that　were　years。　　Events　kept　on　overlapping　each　other；　within　a　week　the　world　seemed　to　have　made　up　for　its　long　period　of　peace。

The　old　man　fairly　lived　in　the　street；　attracted　by　the　spectacle　of　the　multitude　of　civilians　saluting　the　multitude　of　uniformed　men　departing　for　the　seat　of　war。

At　night　he　saw　the　processions　passing　through　the　boulevards。　　The　tricolored　flag　was　fluttering　its　colors　under　the　electric　lights。　The　cafes　were　overflowing　with　people；　sending　forth　from　doors　and　windows　the　excited；　musical　notes　of　patriotic　songs。　　Suddenly；　amidst　applause　and　cheers；　the　crowd　would　make　an　opening　in　the　street。　　All　Europe　was　passing　here；　all　Europeless　the　arrogant　enemyand　was　saluting　France　in　her　hour　of　danger　with　hearty　spontaneity。　　Flags　of　different　nations　were　filing　by；　of　all　tints　of　the　rainbow；　and　behind　them　were　the　Russians　with　bright　and　mystical　eyes；　the　English；　with　heads　uncovered；　intoning　songs　of　religious　gravity；　the　Greeks　and　Roumanians　of　aquiline　profile；　the　Scandinavians；　white　and　red；　the　North　Americans；　with　the　noisiness　of　a　somewhat　puerile　enthusiasm；　the　Hebrews　without　a　country；　friends　of　the　nation　of　socialistic　revolutions；　the　Italians；　as　spirited　as　a　choir　of　heroic　tenors；　the　Spanish　and　South　Americans；　tireless　in　their　huzzas。　　They　were　students　and　apprentices　who　were　completing　their　courses　in　the　schools　and　workshops；　and　refugees　who；　like　shipwrecked　mariners；　had　sought　shelter　on　the　hospitable　strand　of　Paris。　　Their　cheers　had　no　special　significance；　but　they　were　all　moved　by　their　desire　to　show　their　love　for　the　Republic。　　And　Desnoyers；　touched　by　the　sight；　felt　that　France　was　still　of　some　account　in　the　world；　that　she　yet　exercised　a　moral　force　among　the　nations；　and　that　her　joys　and　sorrows　were　still　of　interest　to　humanity。

〃In　Berlin　and　Vienna；　too；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃they　must　also　be　cheering　enthusiastically　at　this　moment　。　。　。　but　Germans　only；　no　others。　　Assuredly　no　foreigner　is　joining　in　their　demonstrations。〃

The　nation　of　the　Revolution；　legislator　of　the　rights　of　mankind；　was　harvesting　the　gratitude　of　the　throngs；　but　was　beginning　to　feel　a　certain　remorse　before　the　enthusiasm　of　the　foreigners　who　were　offering　their　blood　for　France。　　Many　were　lamenting　that　the　government　should　delay　twenty　days；　until　after　they　had　finished　the　operations　of　mobilization；　in　admitting　the　volunteers。　　And　he；　a　Frenchman　born；　a　few　hours　before；　had　been　mistrusting　his　country！　。　。　。

In　the　daytime　the　popular　current　was　running　toward　the　Gare　de　l'Est。　　Crowded　against　the　gratings　was　a　surging　mass　of　humanity　stretching　its　tentacles　through　the　nearby　streets。　　The　station　that　was　acquiring　the　importance　of　a　historic　spot　appeared　like　a　narrow　tunnel　through　which　a　great　human　river　was　trying　to　flow　with　many　rippling　encounters　and　much　heavy　pressure　against　its　banks。　　A　large　part　of　France　in　arms　was　coursing　through　this　exit　from　Paris　toward　the　battlefields　at　the　frontier。

Desnoyers　had　been　in　the　station　only　twice；　when　going　and　coming　from　Germany。　　Others　were　now　taking　the　same　road。　　The　crowds　were　swarming　in　from　the　environs　of　the　city　in　order　to　see　the　masses　of　human　beings　in　geometric　bodies；　uniformly　clad；　disappearing　within　the　entrance　with　flash　of　steel　and　the　rhythm　of　clanking　metal。　　The　crystal　archways　that　were　glistening　in　the　sun　like　fiery　mouths　were　swallowing　and　swallowing　people。　　When　night　fell　the　processions　were　still　coming　on；　by　light　of　the　electric　lamps。　　Through　the　iron　grills　were　passing　thousands　and　thousands　of　draught　horses；　men　with　their　breasts　crossed　with　metal　and　bunches　of　horsehair　hanging　from　their　helmets；　like　paladins　of　bygone　centuries；　enormous　cases　that　were　serving　as　cages　for　the　aeronautic　condors；　strings　of　cannon；　long　and　narrow；　painted　grey　and　protected；　by　metal　screens；　more　like　astronomical　instruments　than　mouths　of　death；　masses　and　masses　of　red　kepis　（military　caps）　moving　in　marching　rhythm；　rows　and　rows　of　muskets；　some　black　and　stark　like　reed　plantations；　others　ending　in　bayonets　like　shining　spikes。　　And　over　all　these　restless　fields　of　seething　throngs；　the　flags　of　the　regiments　were　fluttering　in　the　air　like　colored　birds；　a　white　body；　a　blue　wing；　or　a　red　one；　a　cravat　of　gold　on　the　neck；　and　above；　the　metal　tip　pointing　toward　the　clouds。

Don　Marcelo　would　return　home　from　these　send…offs　vibrating　with　nervous　fatigue；　as　one　who　had　just　participated　in　a　scene　of　racking　emotion。　　In　spite　of　his　tenacious　character　which　always　stood　out　against　admitting　a　mistake；　the　old　man　began　to　feel　ashamed　of　his　former　doubts。　　The　nation　was　quivering　with　life；　France　was　a　grand　nation；　appearances　had　deceived　him　as　well　as　many　others。　　Perhaps　the　most　of　his　countrymen　were　of　a　light　and　flippant　character；　given　to　excessive　interest　in　the　sensuous　side　of　life；　but　when　danger　came　they　were　fulfilling　their　duty　simply；　without　the　necessity　of　the　harsh　force　to　which　the　iron…　clad　organizations　were　submitting　their　people。

On　leaving　home　on　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day　of　the　mobilization　Desnoyers；　instead　of　betaking　himself　to　the　centre　of　the　city；　went　in　the　opposite　direction　toward　the　rue　de　la　Pompe。　　Some　imprudent　words　dropped　by　Chichi；　and　the　uneasy　looks　of　his　wife　and　sister…in…law　made　him　suspect　that　Julio　had　returned　from　his　trip。　　He　felt　the　necessity　of　seeing　at　least　the　outside　of　the　studio　wind