the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第49节

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th　the　marks　of　endless　use；　with　the　wreckage　of　unavoidable　neglect。　　The　wheels　were　deformed　with　mud；　the　metal　darkened　by　the　smoke　of　explosion；　the　gray　paint　spotted　with　mossy　dampness。

In　the　free　spaces　in　this　file；　in　the　parentheses　opened　between　battery　and　regiment；　were　sandwiched　crowds　of　civiliansmiserable　groups　driven　on　by　the　invasion；　populations　of　entire　towns　that　had　disintegrated；　following　the　army　in　its　retreat。　　The　approach　of　a　new　division　would　make　them　leave　the　road　temporarily；　continuing　their　march　in　the　adjoining　fields。　　Then　at　the　slightest　opening　in　the　troops　they　would　again　slip　along　the　white　and　even　surface　of　the　highway。　　They　were　mothers　who　were　pushing　hand…carts　heaped　high　with　pyramids　of　furniture　and　tiny　babies；　the　sick　who　could　hardly　drag　themselves　along；　old　men　carried　on　the　shoulders　of　their　grandsons；　old　women　with　little　children　clinging　to　their　skirtsa　pitiful；　silent　brood。

Nobody　now　opposed　the　liberality　of　the　owner　of　the　castle。　　His　entire　vintage　seemed　to　be　overflowing　on　the　highway。　　Casks　from　the　last　grape…gathering　were　rolled　out　to　the　roadside；　and　the　soldiers　filled　the　metal　ladles　hanging　from　their　belts　with　the　red　stream。　　Then　the　bottled　wine　began　making　its　appearance　by　order　of　date；　and　was　instantly　lost　in　the　river　of　men　continually　flowing　by。　　Desnoyers　observed　with　much　satisfaction　the　effects　of　his　munificence。　　The　smiles　were　reappearing　on　the　despairing　faces；　the　French　jest　was　leaping　from　row　to　row；　and　on　resuming　their　march　the　groups　began　to　sing。

Then　he　went　to　see　the　officers　who　in　the　village　square　were　giving　their　horses　a　brief　rest　before　rejoining　their　columns。　With　perplexed　countenances　and　heavy　eyes　they　were　talking　among　themselves　about　this　retreat；　so　incomprehensible　to　them　all。　Days　before　in　Guise　they　had　routed　their　pursuers；　and　yet　now　they　were　continually　withdrawing　in　obedience　to　a　severe　and　endless　order。　　〃We　do　not　understand　it；〃　they　were　saying。　　〃We　do　not　understand。〃　　An　ordered　and　methodical　tide　was　dragging　back　these　men　who　wanted　to　fight；　yet　had　to　retreat。　　All　were　suffering　the　same　cruel　doubt。　　〃We　do　not　understand。〃

And　doubt　was　making　still　more　distressing　this　day…and…night　march　with　only　the　briefest　restsbecause　the　heads　of　the　divisions　were　in　hourly　fear　of　being　cut　off　from　the　rest　of　the　army。　〃One　effort　more；　boys！　　Courage！　　Soon　we　shall　rest！〃　　The　columns　in　their　retirement　were　extending　hundreds　of　miles。　　Desnoyers　was　seeing　only　one　division。　　Others　and　still　others　were　doing　exactly　this　same　thing　at　that　very　hour；　their　recessional　extending　across　half　of　France。　　All；　with　the　same　disheartened　obedience；　were　falling　back；　the　men　exclaiming　the　same　as　the　officials；　〃We　don't　understand。　　We　don't　understand！〃

Don　Marcelo　soon　felt　the　same　sadness　and　bewilderment　as　these　soldiers。　　He　didn't　understand；　either。　　He　saw　the　obvious　thing；　what　all　were　able　to　seethe　territory　invaded　without　the　Germans　encountering　any　stubborn　resistance；entire　counties；　cities；　villages；　hamlets　remaining　in　the　power　of　the　enemy；　at　the　back　of　an　army　that　was　constantly　withdrawing。　　His　enthusiasm　suddenly　collapsed　like　a　pricked　balloon；　and　all　his　former　pessimism　returned。　　The　troops　were　displaying　energy　and　discipline；　but　what　did　that　amount　to　if　they　had　to　keep　retreating　all　the　time；　unable　on　account　of　strict　orders　to　fight　or　defend　the　land？　〃Just　as　it　was　in　the　'70's；〃　he　sighed。　　〃Outwardly　there　is　more　order；　but　the　result　is　going　to　be　the　same。〃

As　though　a　negative　reply　to　his　faint…heartedness；　he　overheard　the　voice　of　a　soldier　reassuring　a　farmer：　〃We　are　retreating；　yes　only　that　we　may　pounce　upon　the　Boches　with　more　strength。　Grandpa　Joffre　is　going　to　put　them　in　his　pocket　when　and　where　he　will。〃

The　mere　sound　of　the　Marshal's　name　revived　Don　Marcelo's　hope。　Perhaps　this　soldier；　who　was　keeping　his　faith　intact　in　spite　of　the　interminable　and　demoralizing　marches；　was　nearer　the　truth　than　the　reasoning　and　studious　officers。

He　passed　the　rest　of　the　day　making　presents　to　the　last　detachments　of　the　column。　　His　wine　cellars　were　gradually　emptying。　　By　order　of　dates；　he　continued　distributing　thousands　of　bottles　stored　in　the　subterranean　parts　of　the　castle。　　By　evening　he　was　giving　to　those　who　appeared　weakest　bottles　covered　with　the　dust　of　many　years。　　As　the　lines　filed　by　the　men　seemed　weaker　and　more　exhausted。　　Stragglers　were　now　passing；　painfully　drawing　their　raw　and　bleeding　feet　from　their　shoes。　　Some　had　already　freed　themselves　from　these　torture　cases　and　were　marching　barefoot；　with　their　heavy　boots　hanging　from　their　shoulders；　and　staining　the　highway　with　drops　of　blood。　　Although　staggering　with　deadly　fatigue；　they　kept　their　arms　and　outfits；　believing　that　the　enemy　was　near。

Desnoyers'　liberality　stupefied　many　of　them。　　They　were　accustomed　to　crossing　their　native　soil；　having　to　struggle　with　the　selfishness　of　the　producer。　　Nobody　had　been　offering　anything。　Fear　of　danger　had　made　the　country　folk　hide　their　eatables　and　refuse　to　lend　the　slightest　aid　to　their　compatriots　who　were　fighting　for　them。

The　millionaire　slept　badly　this　second　night　in　his　pompous　bed　with　columns　and　plushes　that　had　belonged　to　Henry　IVaccording　to　the　declarations　of　the　salesmen。　　The　troops　no　longer　were　marching　past。　　From　time　to　time　there　straggled　by　a　single　battalion；　a　battery；　a　group　of　horsementhe　last　forces　of　the　rear　guard　that　had　taken　their　position　on　the　outskirts　of　the　village　in　order　to　cover　the　retreat。　　The　profound　silence　that　followed　the　turmoil　of　transportation　awoke　in　his　mind　a　sense　of　doubt　and　disquietude。　　What　was　he　doing　there　when　the　soldiers　had　gone？　　Was　he　not　crazy　to　remain　there？　。　。　。　　But　immediately　there　came　galloping　into　his　mind　the　great　riches　which　the　castle　contained。　　If　he　could　only　take　it　all　away！　。　。　。　　That　was　impossible　now　through　want　of　means　and　time。　　Besides；　his　stubborn　will　looked　upon　such　flight　as　a　shameful　concession。　　〃We　must　finish　what　we　have　begun！〃　he　said　to　himself。　　He　had　made　the　trip　on　purpose　to　guard　his　own；　and　he　must　not　flee　at　the　approach　of　danger。　。　。　。

The　following　morning；　when　he　went　down　into　the　village；　he　saw　hardly　any　soldiers。　　Only　a　single　detachment　of　dragoons　was　still　in　the　neighborhood；　the　horsemen　were　scouring　the　woods　and　pushing　forward　the　stragglers　at　the　same　time　that　they　were　opposing　the　advance　of　the　enemy。　　The　troopers　had　obstructed　the　street　with　a　barricade　of　carts　and　furniture。　　Standing　behind　this　crude　barrier；　they　were　watching　the　white　strip　of　roadway　which　ran　between　the　two　hills　covered　with　trees。　　Occasionally　there　sounded　stray　shots　like　the　snapping　of　cords。　　〃Ours；〃　said　the　troopers。　　These　were　the　last　detachments　of　sharpshooters　firing　at　the　advancing　Uhlans。　　The　cavalry　of　the　rear　guard　had　the　task　of　opposing　a　continual　resistance　to　the　enemy；　repelling　the　squads　of　Germans　who　were　trying　to　work　their　way　along　to　the　retreating　columns。

Desnoyers　saw　approaching　along　the　highroad　the　last　stragglers　from　the　infantry。　　They　were　not　walking；　they　rather　appeared　to　be　dragging　themselves　forward；　with　the　firm　intention　of　advancing；　but　were　betrayed　by　emaciated　legs　and　bleeding　feet。　Some　had　sunk　down　for　a　moment　by　the　roadside；　agonized　with　weariness；　in　order　to　breathe　without　the　weight　of　their　knapsacks；　and　draw　their　swollen　feet　from　their　leather　prisons；　and　wipe　off　the　sweat；　but　upon　trying　to　renew　their　march；　they　found　it　impossible　to　rise。　　Their　bodies　seemed　made　of　stone。　Fatigue　had　brought　them　to　a　condition　bordering　on　catalepsy　so；　unable　to　move；　they　were　seeing　dimly　the　rest　of　the　army　passing　on　as　a　fantastic　filebattalions；　more　battalions；　batteries；　troops　of　horses。　　Then　the　silence；　the　night；　the　sleep　on　the　stones　and　dust；　shaken　by　most　terrible　nightmare。　　At　daybreak　they　were　awakened　by　bodies　of　horsemen　exploring　the　ground；　rounding　up　the　remnants　of　the　retreat。　　Ay；　it　was　impossible　to　move！　　The　dragoons；　revolver　in　hand；　had　to　resort　to　threats　in　order　to　rouse　them！　　Only　the　certainty　that　the　pursuer　was　near　and　might　make　them　prisoners　gave　them　a　momentary　vigor。　　So　they　were　forcing　themselves　up　by　superhuman　effort；　staggering；　dragging　their　legs；　and　supporting　themselves　on　their　guns　as　though　they　were　canes。

Many　of　these　were　young　men　who　had　aged　in　an　hour　and　changed　into　confirmed　invalids。　　Poor　fellows！　　They　would　not　go　very　far！　Their　intention　was　to　follow　on；　to　join　the　column；　but　on　entering　the　village　they　looked　at　the　houses　with　supplicating　eyes；　desiring　to　enter　them；　feeling　such　a　craving　for　immediate　relief　that　they　forgot　even　the　nearness　of　the　enemy。

Villeblanche　was　now　more　military　than　before　the　arrival　of　the　troops。　　The　night　before　a　great　part　of　the　inhabitants　had　fled；　having　become　infected　with　the　same　fear　that　was　driving　on　the　crowds　following　the　ar