the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第4节

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rades　at　arms。

In　honor　of　the　South　Americans　who；　tired　of　pacing　the　deck；　had　dropped　in　to　hear　what　the　gringoes　were　saying；　they　were　turning　into　Spanish　the　witticisms　and　licentious　anecdotes　awakened　in　the　memory　by　a　superabundance　of　beer。　　Julio　was　marvelling　at　the　ready　laugh　of　all　these　men。　　While　the　foreigners　were　remaining　unmoved；　they　would　break　forth　into　loud　horse…laughs　throwing　themselves　back　in　their　seats。　　And　when　the　German　audience　was　growing　cold；　the　story…teller　would　resort　to　an　infallible　expedient　to　remedy　his　lack　of　success：

〃They　told　this　yarn　to　the　Kaiser；　and　when　the　Kaiser　heard　it　he　laughed　heartily。〃

It　was　not　necessary　to　say　more。　　They　all　laughed　then。　　Ha；　ha；　ha！　with　a　spontaneous　roar　but　a　short　one；　a　laugh　in　three　blows；　since　to　prolong　it；　might　be　interpreted　as　a　lack　of　respect　to　His　Majesty。

As　they　neared　Europe；　a　batch　of　news　came　to　meet　the　boat。　　The　employees　in　the　wireless　telegraphy　office　were　working　incessantly。　　One　night；　on　entering　the　smoking　room；　Desnoyers　saw　the　German　notables　gesticulating　with　animated　countenances。　　They　were　no　longer　drinking　beer。　　They　had　had　bottles　of　champagne　uncorked；　and　the　Counsellor's　Lady；　much　impressed；　had　not　retired　to　her　stateroom。　　Captain　Erckmann；　spying　the　young　Argentinian；　offered　him　a　glass。

〃It　is　war；〃　he　shouted　with　enthusiasm。　　〃War　at　last。　。　。　。　　The　hour　has　come！〃

Desnoyers　made　a　gesture　of　astonishment。　　War！　。　。　。　　What　war？　。　。　。　Like　all　the　others；　he　had　read　on　the　news　bulletin　outside　a　radiogram　stating　that　the　Austrian　government　had　just　sent　an　ultimatum　to　Servia；　but　it　made　not　the　slightest　impression　on　him；　for　he　was　not　at　all　interested　in　the　Balkan　affairs。　　Those　were　but　the　quarrels　of　a　miserable　little　nation　monopolizing　the　attention　of　the　world；　distracting　it　from　more　worthwhile　matters。　How　could　this　event　concern　the　martial　Counsellor？　　The　two　nations　would　soon　come　to　an　understanding。　　Diplomacy　sometimes　amounted　to　something。

〃No；〃　insisted　the　German　ferociously。　　〃It　is　war；　blessed　war。　Russia　will　sustain　Servia；　and　we　will　support　our　ally。　。　。　。　What　will　France　do？　　Do　you　know　what　France　will　do？〃　。　。　。

Julio　shrugged　his　shoulders　testily　as　though　asking　to　be　left　out　of　all　international　discussions。

〃It　is　war；〃　asserted　the　Counsellor；　〃the　preventive　war　that　we　need。　　Russia　is　growing　too　fast；　and　is　preparing　to　fight　us。　Four　years　more　of　peace　and　she　will　have　finished　her　strategic　railroads；　and　her　military　power；　united　to　that　of　her　allies；　will　be　worth　as　much　as　ours。　　It　is　better　to　strike　a　powerful　blow　now。　　It　is　necessary　to　take　advantage　of　this　opportunity。　。　。　。　War。　　Preventive　war！〃

All　his　clan　were　listening　in　silence。　　Some　did　not　appear　to　feel　the　contagion　of　his　enthusiasm。　　War！　。　。　。　　In　imagination　they　saw　their　business　paralyzed；　their　agencies　bankrupt；　the　banks　cutting　down　credit　。　。　。　a　catastrophe　more　frightful　to　them　than　the　slaughters　of　battles。　　But　they　applauded　with　nods　and　grunts　all　of　Erckmann's　ferocious　demonstrations。　　He　was　a　Herr　Rath；　and　an　officer　besides。　　He　must　be　in　the　secrets　of　the　destiny　of　his　country；　and　that　was　enough　to　make　them　drink　silently　to　the　success　of　the　war。

Julio　thought　that　the　Counsellor　and　his　admirers　must　be　drunk。　〃Look　here；　Captain；〃　he　said　in　a　conciliatory　tone；　〃what　you　say　lacks　logic。　　How　could　war　possibly　be　acceptable　to　industrial　Germany？　　Every　moment　its　business　is　increasing；　every　month　it　conquers　a　new　market　and　every　year　its　commercial　balance　soars　upward　in　unheard　of　proportions。　　Sixty　years　ago；　it　had　to　man　its　boats　with　Berlin　hack　drivers　arrested　by　the　police。　　Now　its　commercial　fleets　and　war　vessels　cross　all　oceans；　and　there　is　no　port　where　the　German　merchant　marine　does　not　occupy　the　greatest　part　of　the　docks。　　It　would　only　be　necessary　to　continue　living　in　this　way；　to　put　yourselves　beyond　the　exigencies　of　war！　　Twenty　years　more　of　peace；　and　the　Germans　would　be　lords　of　the　world's　commerce；　conquering　England；　the　former　mistress　of　the　seas；　in　a　bloodless　struggle。　　And　are　they　going　to　risk　all　thislike　a　gambler　who　stakes　his　entire　fortune　on　a　single　cardin　a　struggle　that　might　result　unfavorably？〃　。　。　。

〃No；　war；〃　insisted　the　Counsellor　furiously；　〃preventive　war。　　We　live　surrounded　by　our　enemies；　and　this　state　of　things　cannot　go　on。　　It　is　best　to　end　it　at　once。　　Either　they　or　we！　　Germany　feels　herself　strong　enough　to　challenge　the　world。　　We've　got　to　put　an　end　to　this　Russian　menace！　　And　if　France　doesn't　keep　herself　quiet；　so　much　the　worse　for　her！　。　。　。　　And　if　anyone　else　。　。　。　ANYONE　dares　to　come　in　against　us；　so　much　the　worse　for　him！　　When　I　set　up　a　new　machine　in　my　shops；　it　is　to　make　it　produce　unceasingly。　　We　possess　the　finest　army　in　the　world；　and　it　is　necessary　to　give　it　exercise　that　it　may　not　rust　out。〃

He　then　continued　with　heavy　emphasis；　〃They　have　put　a　band　of　iron　around　us　in　order　to　throttle　us。　　But　Germany　has　a　strong　chest　and　has　only　to　expand　in　order　to　burst　its　bands。　　We　must　awake　before　they　manacle　us　in　our　sleep。　　Woe　to　those　who　then　oppose　us！　。　。　。〃

Desnoyers　felt　obliged　to　reply　to　this　arrogance。　　He　had　never　seen　the　iron　circle　of　which　the　Germans　were　complaining。　　The　nations　were　merely　unwilling　to　continue　living；　unsuspecting　and　inactive；　before　boundless　German　ambition。　　They　were　simply　preparing　to　defend　themselves　against　an　almost　certain　attack。　They　wished　to　maintain　their　dignity；　repeatedly　violated　under　most　absurd　pretexts。

〃I　wonder　if　it　is　not　the　others；〃　he　concluded；　〃who　are　obliged　to　defend　themselves　because　you　represent　a　menace　to　the　world！〃

An　invisible　hand　sought　his　under　the　table；　as　it　had　some　nights　before；　to　recommend　prudence；　but　now　he　clasped　it　forcibly　with　the　authority　of　a　right　acquired。

〃Oh；　sir！〃　sighed　the　sweet　Bertha；　〃to　talk　like　that；　a　youth　so　distinguished　who　has　。　。　。〃

She　was　not　able　to　finish；　for　her　husband　interrupted。　　They　were　no　longer　in　American　waters；　and　the　Counsellor　expressed　himself　with　the　rudeness　of　a　master　of　his　house。

〃I　have　the　honor　to　inform　you；　young　man；〃　he　said；　imitating　the　cutting　coldness　of　the　diplomats；　〃that　you　are　merely　a　South　American　and　know　nothing　of　the　affairs　of　Europe。〃

He　did　not　call　him　an　〃Indian；〃　but　Julio　heard　the　implication　as　though　he　had　used　the　word　itself。　　Ah；　if　that　hidden　handclasp　had　not　held　him　with　its　sentimental　thrills！　。　。　。　　But　this　contact　kept　him　calm　and　even　made　him　smile。　　〃Thanks；　Captain；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃It　is　the　least　you　can　do　to　get　even　with　me！〃

Here　his　relations　with　the　German　and　his　clientele　came　to　an　end。　The　merchants；　as　they　approached　nearer　and　nearer　to　their　native　land；　began　casting　off　that　servile　desire　of　ingratiating　themselves　which　they　had　assumed　in　all　their　trips　to　the　new　world。　　They　now　had　more　important　things　to　occupy　them。　　The　telegraphic　service　was　working　without　cessation。　　The　Commandant　of　the　vessel　was　conferring　in　his　apartment　with　the　Counsellor　as　his　compatriot　of　most　importance。　　His　friends　were　hunting　out　the　most　obscure　places　in　order　to　talk　confidentially　with　one　another。　　Even　Bertha　commenced　to　avoid　Desnoyers。　　She　was　still　smiling　distantly　at　him；　but　that　smile　was　more　of　a　souvenir　than　a　reality。

Between　Lisbon　and　the　coast　of　England；　Julio　spoke　with　her　husband　for　the　last　time。　　Every　morning　was　appearing　on　the　bulletin　board　the　alarming　news　transmitted　by　radiograph。　　The　Empire　was　arming　itself　against　its　enemies。　　God　would　punish　them；　making　all　manner　of　troubles　fall　upon　them。　　Desnoyers　was　motionless　with　astonishment　before　the　last　piece　of　news〃Three　hundred　thousand　revolutionists　are　now　besieging　Paris。　　The　suburbs　are　beginning　to　burn。　　The　horrors　of　the　Commune　have　broken　out　again。〃

〃My；　but　these　Germans　have　gone　mad！〃　exclaimed　the　disgusted　youth　to　the　curious　group　surrounding　the　radio…sheet。　　〃We　are　going　to　lose　the　little　sense　that　we　have　left！　。　。　。　　What　revolutionists　are　they　talking　about？　　How　could　a　revolution　break　out　in　Paris　if　the　men　of　the　government　are　not　reactionary？〃

A　gruff　voice　sounded　behind　him；　rude；　authoritative；　as　if　trying　to　banish　the　doubts　of　the　audience。　　It　was　the　Herr　Comerzienrath　who　was　speaking。

〃Young　man；　these　notices　are　sent　us　by　the　first　agencies　of　Germany　。　。　。　and　Germany　never　lies。〃

After　this　affirmation；　he　turned　his　back　upon　them　and　they　saw　him　no　more。

On　the　following　morning；　the　last　day　of　the　voyage。　　Desnoyers'　steward　awoke　him　in　great　excitement。　　〃Herr；　come　up　on　deck！　a　most　beautiful　spectacle！〃

The　sea　was　veiled　by　the　fog；　but　behind　its　hazy　curtains　could　be　distinguished　some　silhouettes　like　islands　with　great　towers　and　sharp；　pointed　minarets。　　The　islands　were　advancing　over　the　oily　waters　slowly　and　majestically；　with　impressive　dignity。　　Julio　counted　eighteen。　　They　appeared　to　fill　the　ocean