the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第46节

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tly　decamped；　or　French　families　surprised　by　the　war　when　summering　at　their　country　seats。

Instinctively　he　turned　his　steps　toward　the　rue　de　la　Pompe　gazing　from　afar　at　the　studio　windows。　　What　was　his　son　doing？　。　。　。　Undoubtedly　continuing　his　gay　and　useless　life。　　Such　men　only　existed　for　their　own　selfish　folly。

Desnoyers　felt　satisfied　with　the　stand　he　had　taken。　　To　follow　the　family　would　be　sheer　cowardice。　　The　memory　of　his　youthful　flight　to　South　America　was　sufficient　martyrdom；　he　would　finish　his　life　with　all　the　compensating　bravery　that　he　could　muster。　　〃No；　they　will　not　come；〃　he　said　repeatedly；　with　the　optimism　of　enthusiasm。　I　have　a　presentiment　that　they　will　never　reach　Paris。　　And　even　if　they　DO　come！〃　。　。　。　　The　absence　of　his　family　brought　him　a　joyous　valor　and　a　sense　of　bold　youthfulness。　　Although　his　age　might　prevent　his　going　to　war　in　the　open　air；　he　could　still　fire　a　gun；　immovable　in　a　trench；　without　fear　of　death。　　Let　them　come！　。　。　。　He　was　longing　for　the　struggle　with　the　anxiety　of　a　punctilious　business　man　wishing　to　cancel　a　former　debt　as　soon　as　possible。

In　the　streets　of　Paris　he　met　many　groups　of　fugitives。　　They　were　from　the　North　and　East　of　France；　and　had　escaped　before　the　German　advance。　　Of　all　the　tales　told　by　this　despondent　crowdnot　knowing　where　to　go　and　dependent　upon　the　charity　of　the　peoplehe　was　most　impressed　with　those　dealing　with　the　disregard　of　property。　　Shootings　and　assassinations　made　him　clench　his　fists；　with　threats　of　vengeance；　but　the　robberies　authorized　by　the　heads；　the　wholesale　sackings　by　superior　order；　followed　by　fire；　appeared　to　him　so　unheard…of　that　he　was　silent　with　stupefaction；　his　speech　seeming　to　be　temporarily　paralyzed。　　And　a　people　with　laws　could　wage　war　in　this　fashion；　like　a　tribe　of　Indians　going　to　combat　in　order　to　rob！　。　。　。　　His　adoration　of　property　rights　made　him　beside　himself　with　wrath　at　these　sacrileges。

He　began　to　worry　about　his　castle　at　Villeblanche。　　All　that　he　owned　in　Paris　suddenly　seemed　to　him　of　slight　importance　to　what　he　had　in　his　historic　mansion。　　His　best　paintings　were　there；　adorning　the　gloomy　salons；　there；　too；　the　furnishings　captured　from　the　antiquarians　after　an　auctioneering　battle；　and　the　crystal　cabinets；　the　tapestries；　the　silver　services。

He　mentally　reviewed　all　of　these　objects；　not　letting　a　single　one　escape　his　inventory。　　Things　that　he　had　forgotten　came　surging　up　in　his　memory；　and　the　fear　of　losing　them　seemed　to　give　them　greater　lustre；　increasing　their　size；　and　intensifying　their　value。　All　the　riches　of　Villeblanche　were　concentrated　in　one　certain　acquisition　which　Desnoyers　admired　most　of　all；　for；　to　his　mind；　it　stood　for　all　the　glory　of　his　immense　fortunein　fact；　the　most　luxurious　appointment　that　even　a　millionaire　could　possess。

〃My　golden　bath；〃　he　thought。　　〃I　have　there　my　tub　of　gold。〃

This　bath　of　priceless　metal　he　had　procured；　after　much　financial　wrestling；　from　an　auction；　and　he　considered　the　purchase　the　culminating　achievement　of　his　wealth。　　No　one　knew　exactly　its　origin；　perhaps　it　had　been　the　property　of　luxurious　princes；　perhaps　it　owed　its　existence　to　the　caprice　of　a　demi…mondaine　fond　of　display。　　He　and　his　had　woven　a　legend　around　this　golden　cavity　adorned　with　lions'　claws；　dolphins　and　busts　of　naiads。　Undoubtedly　it　was　once　a　king's！　　Chichi　gravely　affirmed　that　it　had　been　Marie　Antoinette's；　and　the　entire　family　thought　that　the　home　on　the　avenue　Victor　Hugo　was　altogether　too　modest　and　plebeian　to　enshrine　such　a　jewel。　　They　therefore　agreed　to　put　it　in　the　castle；　where　it　was　greatly　venerated；　although　it　was　useless　and　solemn　as　a　museum　piece。　。　。　。　　And　was　he　to　permit　the　enemy　in　their　advance　toward　the　Marne　to　carry　off　this　priceless　treasure；　as　well　as　the　other　gorgeous　things　which　he　had　accumulated　with　such　patience　　Ah；　no！　　His　soul　of　a　collector　would　be　capable　of　the　greatest　heroism　before　he　would　let　that　go。

Each　day　was　bringing　a　fresh　sheaf　of　bad　news。　　The　papers　were　saying　little；　and　the　Government　was　so　veiling　its　communications　that　the　mind　was　left　in　great　perplexity。　　Nevertheless；　the　truth　was　mysteriously　forcing　its　way；　impelled　by　the　pessimism　of　the　alarmists；　and　the　manipulation　of　the　enemy's　spies　who　were　remaining　hidden　in　Paris。　　The　fatal　news　was　being　passed　along　in　whispers。　　〃They　have　already　crossed　the　frontier。　。　。　。〃　　〃They　are　already　in　Lille。〃　。　。　。　　They　were　advancing　at　the　rate　of　thirty…five　miles　a　day。　　The　name　of　von　Kluck　was　beginning　to　have　a　familiar　ring。　　English　and　French　were　retreating　before　the　enveloping　progression　of　the　invaders。　　Some　were　expecting　another　Sedan。　　Desnoyers　was　following　the　advance　of　the　Germans；　going　daily　to　the　Gare　du　Nord。　　Every　twenty…four　hours　was　lessening　the　radius　of　travel。　　Bulletins　announcing　that　tickets　would　not　be　sold　for　the　Northern　districts　served　to　indicate　how　these　places　were　falling；　one　after　the　other；　into　the　power　of　the　invader。　　The　shrinkage　of　national　territory　was　going　on　with　such　methodical　regularity　that；　with　watch　in　hand；　and　allowing　an　advance　of　thirty…five　miles　daily；　one　might　gauge　the　hour　when　the　lances　of　the　first　Uhlans　would　salute　the　Eiffel　tower。　　The　trains　were　running　full；　great　bunches　of　people　overflowing　from　their　coaches。

In　this　time　of　greatest　anxiety；　Desnoyers　again　visited　his　friend；　Senator　Lacour；　in　order　to　astound　him　with　the　most　unheard…of　petitions。　　He　wished　to　go　immediately　to　his　castle。　While　everybody　else　was　fleeing　toward　Paris　he　earnestly　desired　to　go　in　the　opposite　direction。　　The　senator　couldn't　believe　his　ears。

〃You　are　beside　yourself！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃It　is　necessary　to　leave　Paris；　but　toward　the　South。　　I　will　tell　you　confidentially；　and　you　must　not　tell　because　it　is　a　secretwe　are　leaving　at　any　minute；　we　are　all　going；　the　President；　the　Government；　the　Chambers。　　We　are　going　to　establish　ourselves　at　Bordeaux　as　in　1870。　　The　enemy　is　surely　approaching；　it　is　only　a　matter　of　days　。　。　。　of　hours。　　We　know　little　of　just　what　is　happening；　but　all　the　news　is　bad。　　The　army　still　holds　firm；　is　yet　intact；　but　retreating　。　。　。　retreating；　all　the　time　yielding　ground。　。　。　。　Believe　me；　it　will　be　better　for　you　to　leave　Paris。　　Gallieni　will　defend　it；　but　the　defense　is　going　to　be　hard　and　horrible。　。　。　。　Although　Paris　may　surrender；　France　will　not　necessarily　surrender。　The　war　will　go　on　if　necessary　even　to　the　frontiers　of　Spain　。　。　。　but　it　is　sad　。　。　。　very　sad！〃

And　he　offered　to　take　his　friend　with　him　in　that　flight　to　Bordeaux　of　which　so　few　yet　knew。　　Desnoyers　shook　his　head。　　No；　be　wanted　to　go　the　castle　of　Villeblanche。　　His　furniture　。　。　。　his　riches　。　。　。　his　parks。

〃But　you　will　be　taken　prisoner！〃　protested　the　senator。　　〃Perhaps　they　will　kill　you！〃

A　shrug　of　indifference　was　the　only　response。　　He　considered　himself　energetic　enough　to　struggle　against　the　entire　German　army　in　the　defense　of　his　property。　　The　important　thing　was　to　get　there；　and　thenjust　let　anybody　dare　to　touch　his　things！　。　。　。　The　senator　looked　with　astonishment　at　this　civilian　infuriated　by　the　lust　of　possession。　　It　reminded　him　of　some　Arab　merchants　that　he　had　once　known；　ordinarily　mild　and　pacific；　who　quarrelled　and　killed　like　wild　beasts　when　Bedouin　thieves　seized　their　wares。　This　was　not　the　moment　for　discussion；　and　each　must　map　out　his　own　course。　　So　the　influential　senator　finally　yielded　to　the　desire　of　his　friend。　　If　such　was　his　pleasure；　let　him　carry　it　through！　　So　he　arranged　that　his　mad　petitioner　should　depart　that　very　night　on　a　military　train　that　was　going　to　meet　the　army。

That　journey　put　Don　Marcelo　in　touch　with　the　extraordinary　movement　which　the　war　had　developed　on　the　railroads。　　His　train　took　fourteen　hours　to　cover　the　distance　normally　made　in　two。　　It　was　made　up　of　freight　cars　filled　with　provisions　and　cartridges；　with　the　doors　stamped　and　sealed。　　A　third…class　car　was　occupied　by　the　train　escort；　a　detachment　of　provincial　guards。　　He　was　installed　in　a　second…class　compartment　with　the　lieutenant　in　command　of　this　guard　and　certain　officials　on　their　way　to　join　their　regiments　after　having　completed　the　business　of　mobilization　in　the　small　towns　in　which　they　were　stationed　before　the　war。　　The　crowd；　habituated　to　long　detentions；　was　accustomed　to　getting　out　and　settling　down　before　the　motionless　locomotive；　or　scattering　through　the　nearby　fields。

In　the　stations　of　any　importance　all　the　tracks　were　occupied　by　rows　of　cars。　　High…pressure　engines　were　whistling；　impatient　to　be　off。　　Groups　of　soldiers　were　hesitating　before　the　different　trains；　making　mistakes；　getting　out　of　one　coach　to　enter　others。　The　employees；　calm　but　weary…looking；　were　going　from　side　to　side；　giving　explanations　about　mountains　of　all　sorts　of　freight　and　arranging　them　for　transport。　　In　the　convoy　in　which　Desnoyers　was　placed　the　Territorials　were　sleeping；　accustomed　to　the　monotony　of　acting　as　guard。　　Those　in　charge　of　the　horses　had　opened　the