the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第47节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


eeping；　accustomed　to　the　monotony　of　acting　as　guard。　　Those　in　charge　of　the　horses　had　opened　the　sliding　doors；　seating　themselves　on　the　floor　with　their　legs　hanging　over　the　edge。　　The　train　went　very　slowly　during　the　night；　across　shadowy　fields；　stopping　here　and　there　before　red　lanterns　and　announcing　its　presence　by　prolonged　whistling。

In　some　stations　appeared　young　girls　clad　in　white　with　cockades　and　pennants　on　their　breasts。　　Day　and　night　they　were　there；　in　relays；　so　that　no　train　should　pass　through　without　a　visit。　　They　offered；　in　baskets　and　trays；　their　gifts　to　the　soldiersbread；　chocolate；　fruit。　　Many；　already　surfeited；　tried　to　resist；　but　had　to　yield　eventually　before　the　pleading　countenance　of　the　maidens。　Even　Desnoyers　was　laden　down　with　these　gifts　of　patriotic　enthusiasm。

He　passed　a　great　part　of　the　night　talking　with　his　travelling　companions。　　Only　the　officers　had　vague　directions　as　to　where　they　were　to　meet　their　regiments；　for　the　operations　of　war　were　daily　changing　the　situation。　　Faithful　to　duty；　they　were　passing　on；　hoping　to　arrive　in　time　for　the　decisive　combat。　　The　Chief　of　the　Guard　had　been　over　the　ground；　and　was　the　only　one　able　to　give　any　account　of　the　retreat。　　After　each　stop　the　train　made　less　progress。　　Everybody　appeared　confused。　　Why　the　retreat？　。　。　。　　The　army　had　undoubtedly　suffered　reverses；　but　it　was　still　united　and；　in　his　opinion；　ought　to　seek　an　engagement　where　it　was。　　The　retreat　was　leaving　the　advance　of　the　enemy　unopposed。　　To　what　point　were　they　going　to　retreat？　。　。　。　　They　who　two　weeks　before　were　discussing　in　their　garrisons　the　place　in　Belgium　where　their　adversaries　were　going　to　receive　their　death　blow　and　through　what　places　their　victorious　troops　would　invade　Germany！　。　。　。

Their　admission　of　the　change　of　tactics　did　not　reveal　the　slightest　discouragement。　　An　indefinite　but　firm　hope　was　hovering　triumphantly　above　their　vacillations。　　The　Generalissimo　was　the　only　one　who　possessed　the　secret　of　events。　　And　Desnoyers　approved　with　the　blind　enthusiasm　inspired　by　those　in　whom　we　have　confidence。　　Joffre！　。　。　。　　That　serious　and　calm　leader　would　finally　bring　things　out　all　right。　　Nobody　ought　to　doubt　his　ability；　he　was　the　kind　of　man　who　always　says　the　decisive　word。

At　daybreak　Don　Marcelo　left　the　train。　　〃Good　luck　to　you！〃　　And　he　clasped　the　hands　of　the　brave　young　fellows　who　were　going　to　die；　perhaps　in　a　very　short　time。　　Finding　the　road　unexpectedly　open；　the　train　started　immediately　and　Desnoyers　found　himself　alone　in　the　station。　　In　normal　times　a　branch　road　would　have　taken　him　on　to　Villeblanche；　but　the　service　was　now　suspended　for　lack　of　a　train　crew。　　The　employees　had　been　transferred　to　the　lines　crowded　with　the　war　transportation。

In　vain　he　sought；　with　most　generous　offers；　a　horse；　a　simple　cart　drawn　by　any　kind　of　old　beast；　in　order　to　continue　his　trip。　　The　mobilization　had　appropriated　the　best；　and　all　other　means　of　transportation　had　disappeared　with　the　flight　of　the　terrified。　　He　would　have　to　walk　the　eight　miles。　　The　old　man　did　not　hesitate。　Forward　March！　　And　he　began　his　course　along　the　dusty；　straight；　white　highway　running　between　an　endless　succession　of　plains。　　Some　groups　of　trees；　some　green　hedges　and　the　roofs　of　various　farms　broke　the　monotony　of　the　countryside。　　The　fields　were　covered　with　stubble　from　the　recent　harvest。　　The　haycocks　dotted　the　ground　with　their　yellowish　cones；　now　beginning　to　darken　and　take　on　a　tone　of　oxidized　gold。　　In　the　valleys　the　birds　were　flitting　about；　shaking　off　the　dew　of　dawn。

The　first　rays　of　the　sun　announced　a　very　hot　day。　　Around　the　hay　stacks　Desnoyers　saw　knots　of　people　who　were　getting　up；　shaking　out　their　clothes；　and　awaking　those　who　were　still　sleeping。　　They　were　fugitives　camping　near　the　station　in　the　hope　that　some　train　would　carry　them　further　on；　they　knew　not　where。　　Some　had　come　from　far…away　districts；　they　had　heard　the　cannon；　had　seen　war　approaching；　and　for　several　days　had　been　going　forward；　directed　by　chance。　　Others；　infected　with　the　contagion　of　panic；　had　fled；　fearing　to　know　the　same　horrors。　。　。　。　　Among　them　he　saw　mothers　with　their　little　ones　in　their　arms；　and　old　men　who　could　only　walk　with　a　cane　in　one　hand　and　the　other　arm　in　that　of　some　member　of　the　family；　and　a　few　old　women；　withered　and　motionless　as　mummies；　who　were　sleeping　as　they　were　trundled　along　in　wheelbarrows。　　When　the　sun　awoke　this　miserable　band　they　gathered　themselves　together　with　heavy　step；　still　stiffened　by　the　night。　Many　were　going　toward　the　station　in　the　hope　of　a　train　which　never　came；　thinking　that；　perhaps；　they　might　have　better　luck　during　the　day　that　was　just　dawning。　　Some　were　continuing　their　way　down　the　track；　hoping　that　fate　might　be　more　propitious　in　some　other　place。

Don　Marcelo　walked　all　the　morning　long。　　The　white；　rectilinear　ribbon　of　roadway　was　spotted　with　approaching　groups　that　on　the　horizon　line　looked　like　a　file　of　ants。　　He　did　not　see　a　single　person　going　in　his　direction。　　All　were　fleeing　toward　the　South；　and　on　meeting　this　city　gentleman；　well…shod；　with　walking　stick　and　straw　hat；　going　on　alone　toward　the　country　which　they　were　abandoning　in　terror；　they　showed　the　greatest　astonishment。　　They　concluded　that　he　must　be　some　functionary；　some　celebrity　from　the　Government。

At　midday　he　was　able　to　get　a　bit　of　bread；　a　little　cheese　and　a　bottle　of　white　wine　from　a　tavern　near　the　road。　　The　proprietor　was　at　the　front；　his　wife　sick　and　moaning　in　her　bed。　　The　mother；　a　rather　deaf　old　woman　surrounded　by　her　grandchildren；　was　watching　from　the　doorway　the　procession　of　fugitives　which　had　been　filing　by　for　the　last　three　days。　　〃Monsieur；　why　do　they　flee？〃　she　said　to　Desnoyers。　　〃War　only　concerns　the　soldiers。　　We　countryfolk　have　done　no　wrong　to　anybody；　and　we　ought　not　to　be　afraid。〃

Four　hours　later；　on　descending　one　of　the　hills　that　bounded　the　valley　of　the　Marne；　he　saw　afar　the　roofs　of　Villeblanche　clustered　around　the　church；　and　further　on；　beyond　a　little　grove；　the　slatey　points　of　the　round　towers　of　his　castle。

The　streets　of　the　village　were　deserted。　　Only　on　the　outer　edges　of　the　square　did　he　see　some　old　women　sitting　as　in　the　placid　evenings　of　bygone　summers。　　Half　of　the　neighborhood　had　fled；　the　others　were　staying　by　their　firesides　through　sedentary　routine；　or　deceiving　themselves　with　a　blind　optimism。　　If　the　Prussians　should　approach；　what　could　they　do　to　them？　。　。　。　　They　would　obey　their　orders　without　attempting　any　resistance；　and　it　is　impossible　to　punish　people　who　obey。　。　。　。　　Anything　would　be　preferable　to　losing　the　homes　built　by　their　forefathers　which　they　had　never　left。

In　the　square　he　saw　the　mayor　and　the　principal　inhabitants　grouped　together。　　Like　the　women；　they　all　stared　in　astonishment　at　the　owner　of　the　castle。　　He　was　the　most　unexpected　of　apparitions。　While　so　many　were　fleeing　toward　Paris；　this　Parisian　had　come　to　join　them　and　share　in　their　fate。　　A　smile　of　affection；　a　look　of　sympathy　began　to　appear　on　the　rough；　bark…like　countenances　of　the　suspicious　rustics。　　For　a　long　time　Desnoyers　had　been　on　bad　terms　with　the　entire　village。　　He　had　harshly　insisted　on　his　rights；　showing　no　tolerance　in　matters　touching　his　property。　　He　had　spoken　many　times　of　bringing　suit　against　the　mayor　and　sending　half　of　the　neighborhood　to　prison；　so　his　enemies　had　retaliated　by　treacherously　invading　his　lands；　poaching　in　his　hunting　preserves；　and　causing　him　great　trouble　with　counter…suits　and　involved　claims。　　His　hatred　of　the　community　had　even　united　him　with　the　priest　because　he　was　on　terms　of　permanent　hostility　with　the　mayor。　　But　his　relations　with　the　Church　turned　out　as　fruitless　as　his　struggles　with　the　State。　　The　priest　was　a　kindly　old　soul　who　bore　a　certain　resemblance　to　Renan；　and　seemed　interested　only　in　getting　alms　for　his　poor　out　of　Don　Marcelo；　even　carrying　his　good…natured　boldness　so　far　as　to　try　to　excuse　the　marauders　on　his　property。

How　remote　these　struggles　of　a　few　months　ago　now　seemed　to　him！　。　。　。　　The　millionaire　was　greatly　surprised　to　see　the　priest；　on　leaving　his　house　to　enter　the　church；　greet　the　mayor　as　he　passed；　with　a　friendly　smile。

After　long　years　of　hostile　silence　they　had　met　on　the　evening　of　August　first　at　the　foot　of　the　church　tower。　　The　bell　was　ringing　the　alarm；　announcing　the　mobilization　to　the　men　who　were　in　the　fieldand　the　two　enemies　had　instinctively　clasped　hands。　　All　French！　　This　affectionate　unanimity　also　came　to　meet　the　detested　owner　of　the　castle。　　He　had　to　exchange　greetings　first　on　one　side；　then　on　the　other；　grasping　many　a　horny　hand。　　Behind　his　back　the　people　broke　out　into　kindly　excuses〃A　good　man；　with　no　fault　except　a　little　bad　temper。　。　。　。〃　　And　in　a　few　minutes　Monsieur　Desnoyers　was　basking　in　the　delightful　atmosphere　of　popularity。

As　the　iron…willed　old　gentleman　approached　his　castle　he　concluded　that；　although　the　fatigue　of　the　long　walk　was　making　his　knees　tremble；　the　trip　had　been　well　worth