the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第50节

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　had　fled；　having　become　infected　with　the　same　fear　that　was　driving　on　the　crowds　following　the　army。　　The　mayor　and　the　priest　remained。　Reconciled　with　the　owner　of　the　castle　through　his　unexpected　presence　in　their　midst；　and　admiring　his　liberality；　the　municipal　official　approached　to　give　him　some　news。　　The　engineers　were　mining　the　bridge　over　the　Marne。　　They　were　only　waiting　for　the　dragoons　to　cross　before　blowing　it　up。　　If　he　wished　to　go；　there　was　still　time。

Again　Desnoyers　hesitated。　　Certainly　it　was　foolhardy　to　remain　there。　　But　a　glance　at　the　woods　over　whose　branches　rose　the　towers　of　his　castle；　settled　his　doubts。　　No；　no。　。　。　。　　〃We　must　finish　what　we　have　begun！〃

The　very　last　band　of　troopers　now　made　their　appearance；　coming　out　of　the　woods　by　different　paths。　　They　were　riding　their　horses　slowly；　as　though　they　deplored　this　retreat。　　They　kept　looking　behind；　carbine　in　hand；　ready　to　halt　and　shoot。　　The　others　who　had　been　occupying　the　barricade　were　already　on　their　mounts。　　The　division　reformed；　the　commands　of　the　officers　were　heard　and　a　quick　trot；　accompanied　by　the　clanking　of　metal；　told　Don　Marcelo　that　the　last　of　the　army　had　left。

He　remained　near　the　barricade　in　a　solitude　of　intense　silence；　as　though　the　world　were　suddenly　depopulated。　　Two　dogs；　abandoned　by　the　flight　of　their　masters；　leaped　and　sniffed　around　him；　coaxing　him　for　protection。　　They　were　unable　to　get　the　desired　scent　in　that　land　trodden　down　and　disfigured　by　the　transit　of　thousands　of　men。　　A　family　cat　was　watching　the　birds　that　were　beginning　to　return　to　their　haunts。　　With　timid　flutterings　they　were　picking　at　what　the　horses　had　left；　and　an　ownerless　hen　was　disputing　the　banquet　with　the　winged　band；　until　then　hidden　in　the　trees　and　roofs。　　The　silence　intensified　the　rustling　of　the　leaves；　the　hum　of　the　insects；　the　summer　respiration　of　the　sunburnt　soil　which　appeared　to　have　contracted　timorously　under　the　weight　of　the　men　in　arms。

Desnoyers　was　losing　exact　track　of　the　passing　of　time。　　He　was　beginning　to　believe　that　all　which　had　gone　before　must　have　been　a　bad　dream。　　The　calm　surrounding　him　made　what　had　been　happening　here　seem　most　improbable。

Suddenly　he　saw　something　moving　at　the　far　end　of　the　road；　at　the　very　highest　point　where　the　white　ribbon　of　the　highway　touched　the　blue　of　the　horizon。　　There　were　two　men　on　horseback；　two　little　tin　soldiers　who　appeared　to　have　escaped　from　a　box　of　toys。　　He　had　brought　with　him　a　pair　of　field　glasses　that　had　often　surprised　marauders　on　his　property；　and　by　their　aid　he　saw　more　clearly　the　two　riders　clad　in　greenish　gray！　　They　were　carrying　lances　and　wearing　helmets　ending　in　a　horizontal　plate　。　。　。　　They！　He　could　not　doubt　it：　before　his　eyes　were　the　first　Uhlans！

For　some　time　they　remained　motionless；　as　though　exploring　the　horizon。　　Then；　from　the　obscure　masses　of　vegetation　that　bordered　the　roadside；　others　and　still　others　came　sallying　forth　in　groups。　The　little　tin　soldiers　no　longer　were　showing　their　silhouettes　against　the　horizon's　blue；　the　whiteness　of　the　highway　was　now　making　their　background；　ascending　behind　their　heads。　　They　came　slowly　down；　like　a　band　that　fears　ambush；　examining　carefully　everything　around。

The　advisability　of　prompt　retirement　made　Don　Marcelo　bring　his　investigations　to　a　close。　　It　would　be　most　disastrous　for　him　if　they　surprised　him　here。　　But　on　lowering　his　glasses　something　extraordinary　passed　across　his　field　of　vision。　　A　short　distance　away；　so　that　he　could　almost　touch　them　with　his　hand；　he　saw　many　men　skulking　along　in　the　shadow　of　the　trees　on　both　sides　of　the　road。　　His　surprise　increased　as　he　became　convinced　that　they　were　Frenchmen；　wearing　kepis。　　Where　were　they　coming　from？　。　。　。　　He　examined　more　closely　with　his　spy　glass。　　They　were　stragglers　in　a　lamentable　state　of　body　and　a　picturesque　variety　of　uniforms　infantry；　Zouaves；　dragoons　without　their　horses。　　And　with　them　were　forest　guards　and　officers　from　the　villages　that　had　received　too　late　the　news　of　the　retreataltogether　about　fifty。　　A　few　were　fresh　and　vigorous；　others　were　keeping　themselves　up　by　supernatural　effort。　　All　were　carrying　arms。

They　finally　made　the　barricade；　looking　continually　behind　them；　in　order　to　watch；　in　the　shelter　of　the　trees；　the　slow　advance　of　the　Uhlans。　　At　the　head　of　this　heterogeneous　troop　was　an　official　of　the　police；　old　and　fat；　with　a　revolver　in　his　right　hand；　his　moustache　bristling　with　excitement；　and　a　murderous　glitter　in　his　heavy…lidded　blue　eyes。　　The　band　was　continuing　its　advance　through　the　village；　slipping　over　to　the　other　side　of　the　barricade　of　carts　without　paying　much　attention　to　their　curious　countryman；　when　suddenly　sounded　a　loud　detonation；　making　the　horizon　vibrate　and　the　houses　tremble。

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　the　officer；　looking　at　Desnoyers　for　the　first　time。　　He　explained　that　it　was　the　bridge　which　had　just　been　blown　up。　　The　leader　received　the　news　with　an　oath；　but　his　confused　followers；　brought　together　by　chance；　remained　as　indifferent　as　though　they　had　lost　all　contact　with　reality。

〃Might　as　well　die　here　as　anywhere；〃　continued　the　official。　　Many　of　the　fugitives　acknowledged　this　decision　with　prompt　obedience；　since　it　saved　them　the　torture　of　continuing　their　march。　　They　were　almost　rejoicing　at　the　explosion　which　had　cut　off　their　progress。　　Instinctively　they　were　gathering　in　the　places　most　sheltered　by　the　barricade。　　Some　entered　the　abandoned　houses　whose　doors　the　dragoons　had　forced　in　order　to　utilize　the　upper　floors。　All　seemed　satisfied　to　be　able　to　rest；　even　though　they　might　soon　have　to　fight。　　The　officer　went　from　group　to　group　giving　his　orders。　　They　must　not　fire　till　he　gave　the　word。

Don　Marcelo　watched　these　preparations　with　the　immovability　of　surprise。　　So　rapid　and　noiseless　had　been　the　apparition　of　the　stragglers　that　he　imagined　he　must　still　be　dreaming。　　There　could　be　no　danger　in　this　unreal　situation；　it　was　all　a　lie。　　And　he　remained　in　his　place　without　understanding　the　deputy　who　was　ordering　his　departure　with　roughest　words。　　Obstinate　civilian！　。　。　。

The　reverberation　of　the　explosion　had　filled　the　highway　with　horsemen。　　They　were　coming　from　all　directions；　forming　themselves　into　the　advance　group。　　The　Uhlans　were　galloping　around　under　the　impression　that　the　village　was　abandoned。

〃Fire！〃

Desnoyers　was　enveloped　in　a　rain　of　crackling　noises；　as　though　the　trunks　of　all　the　trees　had　split　before　his　eyes。

The　impetuous　band　halted　suddenly。　　Some　of　their　men　were　rolling　on　the　ground。　　Some　were　bending　themselves　double；　trying　to　get　across　the　road　without　being　seen。　　Others　remained　stretched　out　on　their　backs　or　face　downward　with　their　arms　in　front。　　The　riderless　horses　were　racing　wildly　across　the　fields　with　reins　dragging；　urged　on　by　the　loose　stirrups。

And　after　this　rude　shock　which　had　brought　them　surprise　and　death；　the　band　disappeared；　instantly　swallowed　up　by　the　trees。



CHAPTER　IV

NEAR　THE　SACRED　GROTTO


Argensola　had　found　a　new　occupation　even　more　exciting　than　marking　out　on　the　map　the　manoeuvres　of　the　armies。

〃I　am　now　devoting　myself　to　the　taube；〃　he　announced。　　〃It　appears　from　four　to　five　with　the　precision　a　punctilious　guest　coming　to　take　tea。〃

Every　afternoon　at　the　appointed　hour；　a　German　aeroplane　was　flying　over　Paris　dropping　bombs。　　This　would…be　intimidation　was　producing　no　terror；　the　people　accepting　the　visit　as　an　interesting　and　extraordinary　spectacle。　　In　vain　the　aviators　were　flinging　in　the　city　streets　German　flags　bearing　ironic　messages；　giving　accounts　of　the　defeat　of　the　retreating　army　and　the　failures　of　the　Russian　offensive。　　Lies；　all　lies！　　In　vain　they　were　dropping　bombs；　destroying　garrets；　killing　or　wounding　old　men；　women　and　babes。　〃Ah；　the　bandits！〃　　The　crowds　would　threaten　with　their　fists　the　malign　mosquito；　scarcely　visible　6；000　feet　above　them；　and　after　this　outburst；　they　would　follow　it　with　straining　eyes　from　street　to　street；　or　stand　motionless　in　the　square　in　order　to　study　its　evolutions。

The　most　punctual　of　all　the　spectators　was　Argensola。　　At　four　o'clock　he　was　in　the　place　de　la　Concorde　with　upturned　face　and　wide…open　eyes；　in　most　cordial　good…fellowship　with　all　the　bystanders。　　It　was　as　though　they　were　holding　season　tickets　at　the　same　theatre；　becoming　acquainted　through　seeing　each　other　so　often。　　〃Will　it　come？　。　。　。　　Will　it　not　come　to…day？〃　　The　women　appeared　to　be　the　most　vehement；　some　of　them　rushing　up；　flushed　and　breathless；　fearing　that　they　might　have　arrived　too　late　for　the　show。　。　。　。　　A　great　cry〃There　it　comes！　。　。　。　　There　it　is！〃　And　thousands　of　hands　were　pointing　to　a　vague　spot　on　the　horizon。　With　field　glasses　and　telescopes　they　were　aiding　their　vision；　the　popular　venders　offering　every　kind　of　optical　instruments　and　for　an　hour　the　thrilling　spectacle　of　an　aerial　hunt　was　played　out；　noisy　and　useless。

The　great　insect　was　trying　to　reach　the　Eiffel　Tower；　and　from　its　base　would　come　sharp　reports；　at　the