the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第51节

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The　great　insect　was　trying　to　reach　the　Eiffel　Tower；　and　from　its　base　would　come　sharp　reports；　at　the　same　time　that　the　different　platforms　spit　out　a　fierce　stream　of　shrapnel。　　As　it　zigzagged　over　the　city；　the　discharge　of　rifles　would　crackle　from　roof　and　street。　　Everyone　that　had　arms　in　his　house　was　firingthe　soldiers　of　the　guard；　and　the　English　and　Belgians　on　their　way　through　Paris。　　They　knew　that　their　shots　were　perfectly　useless；　but　they　were　firing　for　the　fun　of　retorting；　hoping　at　the　same　time　that　one　of　their　chance　shots　might　achieve　a　miracle；　but　the　only　miracle　was　that　the　shooters　did　not　kill　each　other　with　their　precipitate　and　ineffectual　fire。　　As　it　was；　a　few　passers…by　did　fall；　wounded　by　balls　from　unknown　sources。

Argensola　would　tear　from　street　to　street　following　the　evolutions　of　the　inimical　bird；　trying　to　guess　where　its　projectiles　would　fall；　anxious　to　be　the　first　to　reach　the　bombarded　house；　excited　by　the　shots　that　were　answering　from　below。　　And　to　think　that　he　had　no　gun　like　those　khaki…clad　Englishmen　or　those　Belgians　in　barrick　cap；　with　tassel　over　the　front！　。　。　。　　Finally　the　taube　tired　of　manoeuvering；　would　disappear。　　〃Until　to…morrow！〃　ejaculated　the　Spaniard。　　〃Perhaps　to…morrow's　show　may　be　even　more　interesting！〃

He　employed　his　free　hours　between　his　geographical　observations　and　his　aerial　contemplations　in　making　the　rounds　of　the　stations；　watching　the　crowds　of　travellers　making　their　escape　from　Paris。　The　sudden　vision　of　the　truthafter　the　illusion　which　the　Government　had　been　creating　with　its　optimistic　dispatches；　the　certainty　that　the　Germans　were　actually　near　when　a　week　before　they　had　imagined　them　completely　routed；　the　taubes　flying　over　Paris；　the　mysterious　threat　of　the　Zeppelinsall　these　dangerous　signs　were　filling　a　part　of　the　community　with　frenzied　desperation。　　The　railroad　stations；　guarded　by　the　soldiery；　were　only　admitting　those　who　had　secured　tickets　in　advance。　　Some　had　been　waiting　entire　days　for　their　turn　to　depart。　　The　most　impatient　were　starting　to　walk；　eager　to　get　outside　of　the　city　as　soon　as　possible。　　The　roads　were　black　with　the　crowds　all　going　in　the　same　directions。　　Toward　the　South　they　were　fleeing　by　automobile；　in　carriages；　in　gardeners'　carts；　on　foot。

Argensola　surveyed　this　hegira　with　serenity。　　He　would　remain　because　he　had　always　admired　those　men　who　witnessed　the　Siege　of　Paris　in　1870。　　Now　it　was　going　to　be　his　good　fortune　to　observe　an　historical　drama；　perhaps　even　more　interesting。　　The　wonders　that　he　would　be　able　to　relate　in　the　future！　。　。　。　　But　the　distraction　and　indifference　of　his　present　audience　were　annoying　him　greatly。　　He　would　hasten　back　to　the　studio；　in　feverish　excitement；　to　communicate　the　latest　gratifying　news　to　Desnoyers　who　would　listen　as　though　he　did　not　hear　him。　　The　night　that　he　informed　him　that　the　Government；　the　Chambers；　the　Diplomatic　Corps；　and　even　the　actors　of　the　Comedie　Francaise　were　going　that　very　hour　on　special　trains　for　Bordeaux；　his　companion　merely　replied　with　a　shrug　of　indifference。

Desnoyers　was　worrying　about　other　things。　　That　morning　he　had　received　a　note　from　Margueriteonly　two　lines　scrawled　in　great　haste。　　She　was　leaving；　starting　immediately；　accompanied　by　her　mother。　　Adieu！　。　。　。　and　nothing　more。　　The　panic　had　caused　many　love…affairs　to　be　forgotten；　had　broken　off　long　intimacies；　but　Marguerite's　temperament　was　above　such　incoherencies　from　mere　flight。　　Julio　felt　that　her　terseness　was　very　ominous。　　Why　not　mention　the　place　to　which　she　was　going？　。　。　。

In　the　afternoon；　he　took　a　bold　step　which　she　had　always　forbidden。　　He　went　to　her　home　and　talked　a　long　time　with　the　concierge　in　order　to　get　some　news。　　The　good　woman　was　delighted　to　work　off　on　him　the　loquacity　so　brusquely　cut　short　by　the　flight　of　tenants　and　servants。　　The　lady　on　the　first　floor　（Marguerite's　mother）　had　been　the　last　to　abandon　the　house　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　she　was　really　sick　over　her　son's　departure。　They　had　left　the　day　before　without　saying　where　they　were　going。　The　only　thing　that　she　knew　was　that　they　took　the　train　in　the　Gare　d'Orsay。　　They　were　going　toward　the　South　like　all　the　rest　of　the　rich。

And　she　supplemented　her　revelations　with　the　vague　news　that　the　daughter　had　seemed　very　much　upset　by　the　information　that　she　had　received　from　the　front。　　Someone　in　the　family　was　wounded。　Perhaps　it　was　the　brother；　but　she　really　didn't　know。　　With　so　many　surprises　and　strange　things　happening；　it　was　difficult　to　keep　track　of　everything。　　Her　husband；　too；　was　in　the　army　and　she　had　her　own　affairs　to　worry　about。

〃Where　can　she　have　gone？〃　Julio　asked　himself　all　day　long。　　〃Why　does　she　wish　to　keep　me　in　ignorance　of　her　whereabouts？〃

When　his　comrade　told　him　that　night　about　the　transfer　of　the　seat　of　government；　with　all　the　mystery　of　news　not　yet　made　public；　Desnoyers　merely　replied：

〃They　are　doing　the　best　thing。　。　。　。　　I；　too；　will　go　tomorrow　if　I　can。〃

Why　remain　longer　in　Paris？　　His　family　was　away。　　His　father；　according　to　Argensola's　investigations；　also　had　gone　off　without　saying　whither。　　Now　Marguerite's　mysterious　flight　was　leaving　him　entirely　alone；　in　a　solitude　that　was　filling　him　with　remorse。

That　afternoon；　when　strolling　through　the　boulevards；　he　had　stumbled　across　a　friend　considerably　older　than　himself；　an　acquaintance　in　the　fencing　club　which　he　used　to　frequent。　　This　was　the　first　time　they　had　met　since　the　beginning　of　the　war；　and　they　ran　over　the　list　of　their　companions　in　the　army。　　Desnoyers'　inquiries　were　answered　by　the　older　man。　　So…and…so？　。　。　。　　He　had　been　wounded　in　Lorraine　and　was　now　in　a　hospital　in　the　South。　Another　friend？　。　。　。　　Dead　in　the　Vosges。　　Another？　。　。　。　Disappeared　at　Charleroi。　　And　thus　had　continued　the　heroic　and　mournful　roll…call。　　The　others　were　still　living；　doing　brave　things。　　The　members　of　foreign　birth；　young　Poles；　English　residents　in　Paris　and　South　Americans；　had　finally　enlisted　as　volunteers。　　The　club　might　well　be　proud　of　its　young　men　who　had　practised　arms　in　times　of　peace；　for　now　they　were　all　jeopardizing　their　existence　at　the　front。　　Desnoyers　turned　his　face　away　as　though　he　feared　to　meet　in　the　eyes　of　his　friend；　an　ironical　and　questioning　expression。　　Why　had　he　not　gone　with　the　others　to　defend　the　land　in　which　he　was　living？　。　。　。

〃To…morrow　I　will　go；〃　repeated　Julio；　depressed　by　this　recollection。

But　he　went　toward　the　South　like　all　those　who　were　fleeing　from　the　war。　　The　following　morning　Argensola　was　charged　to　get　him　a　railroad　ticket　for　Bordeaux。　　The　value　of　money　had　greatly　increased；　but　fifty　francs；　opportunely　bestowed；　wrought　the　miracle　and　procured　a　bit　of　numbered　cardboard　whose　conquest　represented　many　days　of　waiting。

〃It　is　good　only　for　to…day；〃　said　the　Spaniard；　〃you　will　have　to　take　the　night　train。〃

Packing　was　not　a　very　serious　matter；　as　the　trains　were　refusing　to　admit　anything　more　than　hand…luggage。　　Argensola　did　not　wish　to　accept　the　liberality　of　Julio　who　tried　to　leave　all　his　money　with　him。　　Heroes　need　very　little　and　the　painter　of　souls　was　inspired　with　heroic　resolution；　The　brief　harangue　of　Gallieni　in　taking　charge　of　the　defense　of　Paris；　he　had　adopted　as　his　own。　　He　intended　to　keep　up　his　courage　to　the　last；　just　like　the　hardy　general。

〃Let　them　come；〃　he　exclaimed　with　a　tragic　expression。　　〃They　will　find　me　at　my　post！〃　。　。　。

His　post　was　the　studio　from　which　he　could　witness　the　happenings　which　he　proposed　relating　to　coming　generations。　　He　would　entrench　himself　there　with　the　eatables　and　wines。　　Besides　he　had　the　plan　just　as　soon　as　his　partner　should　disappearof　bringing　to　live　there　with　him　certain　lady…friends　who　were　wandering　around　in　search　of　a　problematical　dinner；　and　feeling　timid　in　the　solitude　of　their　own　quarters。　　Danger　often　gathers　congenial　folk　together　and　adds　a　new　attractiveness　to　the　pleasures　of　a　community。　　The　tender　affections　of　the　prisoners　of　the　Terror；　when　they　were　expecting　momentarily　to　be　conducted　to　the　guillotine；　flashed　through　his　mind。　　Let　us　drain　Life's　goblet　at　one　draught　since　we　have　to　die！　。　。　。　　The　studio　of　the　rue　de　la　Pompe　was　about　to　witness　the　mad　and　desperate　revels　of　a　castaway　bark　well…　stocked　with　provisions。

Desnoyers　left　the　Gare　d'Orsay　in　a　first…class　compartment；　mentally　praising　the　good　order　with　which　the　authorities　had　arranged　everything；　so　that　every　traveller　could　have　his　own　seat。　　At　the　Austerlitz　station；　however；　a　human　avalanche　assaulted　the　train。　　The　doors　were　broken　open；　packages　and　children　came　in　through　the　windows　like　projectiles。　　The　people　pushed　with　the　unreason　of　a　crowd　fleeing　before　a　fire。　　In　the　space　reserved　for　eight　persons；　fourteen　installed　themselves；　the　passageways　were　heaped　with　mountains　of　bags　and　valises　that　served　later　travellers　for　seats。　　All　class　distinctions　had　disappeared。　　The　villagers　invaded　by　preference　the　best　coaches；　believing　that　they　would　there　find　more　ro