the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第57节

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An　enormous　automobile；　covered　with　dust　and　filled　with　men；　stopped　at　the　entrance。　　Behind　them　sounded　the　horns　of　other　vehicles　that　were　putting　on　the　brakes。　　Desnoyers　saw　soldiers　leaping　out；　all　wearing　the　greenish…gray　uniform　with　a　sheath　of　the　same　tone　covering　the　pointed　casque。　　The　one　who　marched　at　their　head　put　his　revolver　to　the　millionaire's　forehead。

〃Where　are　the　sharpshooters？〃　he　asked。

He　was　pale　with　the　pallor　of　wrath；　vengeance　and　fear。　　His　face　was　trembling　under　the　influence　of　his　triple　emotion。　　Don　Marcelo　explained　slowly；　contemplating　at　a　short　distance　from　his　eyes　the　black　circle　of　the　threatening　tube。　　He　had　not　seen　any　sharpshooters。　　The　only　inhabitants　of　the　castle　were　the　Warden　with　his　family　and　himself；　the　owner　of　the　castle。

The　officer　surveyed　the　edifice　and　then　examined　Desnoyers　with　evident　astonishment　as　though　he　thought　his　appearance　too　unpretentious　for　a　proprietor。　　He　had　taken　him　for　a　simple　employee；　and　his　respect　for　social　rank　made　him　lower　his　revolver。

He　did　not；　however；　alter　his　haughty　attitude。　　He　pressed　Don　Marcelo　into　the　service　as　a　guide；　making　him　search　ahead　of　him　while　forty　soldiers　grouped　themselves　at　his　back。　　They　advanced　in　two　files　to　the　shelter　of　the　trees　which　bordered　the　central　avenue；　with　their　guns　ready　to　shoot；　and　looking　uneasily　at　the　castle　windows　as　though　expecting　to　receive　from　them　hidden　shots。　　Desnoyers　marched　tranquilly　through　the　centre；　and　the　official；　who　had　been　imitating　the　precautions　of　his　men；　finally　joined　him　when　he　was　crossing　the　drawbridge。

The　armed　men　scattered　through　the　rooms　in　search　of　the　enemy。　They　ran　their　bayonets　through　beds　and　divans。　　Some；　with　automatic　destructiveness；　slit　the　draperies　and　the　rich　bed　coverings。　　The　owner　protested；　what　was　the　sense　in　such　useless　destruction？　。　。　。　　He　was　suffering　unbearable　torture　at　seeing　the　enormous　boots　spotting　the　rugs　with　mud；　on　hearing　the　clash　of　guns　and　knapsacks　against　the　most　fragile；　choicest　pieces　of　furniture。　　Poor　historic　mansion！　。　。　。

The　officer　looked　amazed　that　he　should　protest　for　such　trifling　cause；　but　he　gave　orders　in　German　and　his　men　ceased　their　rude　explorations。　　Then；　in　justification　of　this　extraordinary　respect；　he　added　in　French：

〃I　believe　that　you　are　going　to　have　the　honor　of　entertaining　here　the　general　of　our　division。〃

The　certainty　that　the　castle　did　not　hold　any　hidden　enemies　made　him　more　amiable。　　He；　nevertheless；　persisted　in　his　wrath　against　the　sharpshooters。　　A　group　of　the　villagers　had　opened　fire　upon　the　Uhlans　when　they　were　entering　unsuspiciously　after　the　retreat　of　the　French。

Desnoyers　felt　it　necessary　to　protest。　　They　were　neither　inhabitants　nor　sharpshooters；　they　were　French　soldiers。　　He　took　good　care　to　be　silent　about　their　presence　at　the　barricade；　but　he　insisted　that　he　had　distinguished　their　uniforms　from　a　tower　of　the　castle。

The　official　made　a　threatening　face。

〃You；　too？　。　。　。　　You；　who　appear　a　reasonable　man；　can　repeat　such　yarns　as　these？〃　　And　in　order　to　close　the　conversation；　he　said；　arrogantly：　〃They　were　wearing　uniforms；　then；　if　you　persist　in　saying　so；　but　they　were　sharpshooters　just　the　same。　　The　French　Government　has　distributed　arms　and　uniforms　among　the　farmers　that　they　may　assassinate　us。　。　。　。　　Belgium　did　the　same　thing。　。　。　。　But　we　know　their　tricks；　and　we　know　how　to　punish　them；　too！〃

The　village　was　going　to　be　burned。　　It　was　necessary　to　avenge　the　four　German　dead　lying　on　the　outskirts　of　Villeblanche；　near　the　barricade。　　The　mayor；　the　priest；　the　principal　inhabitants　would　all　be　shot。

By　the　time　they　reached　the　top　floor　Desnoyers　could　see　floating　above　the　boughs　of　his　park　dark　clouds　whose　outlines　were　reddened　by　the　sun。　　The　top　of　the　bell　tower　was　the　only　thing　that　he　could　distinguish　at　that　distance。　　Around　the　iron　weathercock　were　flying　long　thin　fringes　like　black　cobwebs　lifted　by　the　breeze。　　An　odor　of　burning　wood　came　toward　the　castle。

The　German　greeted　this　spectacle　with　a　cruel　smile。　　Then　on　descending　to　the　park；　he　ordered　Desnoyers　to　follow　him。　　His　liberty　and　his　dignity　had　come　to　an　end。　　Henceforth　he　was　going　to　be　an　underling　at　the　beck　and　call　of　these　men　who　would　dispose　of　him　as　their　whims　directed。　　Ay；　why　had　he　remained？　。　。　。　He　obeyed；　climbing　into　an　automobile　beside　the　officer；　who　was　still　carrying　his　revolver　in　his　right　hand。　　His　men　distributed　themselves　through　the　castle　and　outbuildings；　in　order　to　prevent　the　flight　of　an　imaginary　enemy。　　The　Warden　and　his　family　seemed　to　be　saying　good…bye　to　him　with　their　eyes。　　Perhaps　they　were　taking　him　to　his　death。　。　。　。

Beyond　the　castle　woods　a　new　world　was　coming　into　existence。　　The　short　cut　to　Villeblanche　seemed　to　Desnoyers　a　leap　of　millions　of　leagues；　a　fall　into　a　red　planet　where　men　and　things　were　covered　with　the　film　of　smoke　and　the　glare　of　fire。　　He　saw　the　village　under　a　dark　canopy　spotted　with　sparks　and　glowing　embers。　　The　bell　tower　was　burning　like　an　enormous　torch；　the　roof　of　the　church　was　breaking　into　flames　with　a　crashing　fury。　　The　glare　of　the　holocaust　seemed　to　shrivel　and　grow　pale　in　the　impassive　light　of　the　sun。

Running　across　the　fields　with　the　haste　of　desperation　were　shrieking　women　and　children。　　The　animals　had　escaped　from　the　stables；　and　driven　forth　by　the　flames　were　racing　wildly　across　the　country。　　The　cow　and　the　work　horse　were　dragging　their　halters　broken　by　their　flight。　　Their　flanks　were　smoking　and　smelt　of　burnt　hair。　　The　pigs；　the　sheep　and　the　chickens　were　all　tearing　along　mingled　with　the　cats　and　the　dogs。　　All　the　domestic　animals　were　returning　to　a　brute　existence；　fleeing　from　civilized　man。　Shots　were　heard　and　hellish　ha…ha's。　　The　soldiers　outside　of　the　village　were　making　themselves　merry　in　this　hunt　for　fugitives。　Their　guns　were　aimed　at　beasts　and　were　hitting　people。

Desnoyers　saw　men；　many　men；　men　everywhere。　　They　were　like　gray　ants；　marching　in　endless　files　towards　the　South；　coming　out　from　the　woods；　filling　the　roads；　crossing　the　fields。　　The　green　of　vegetation　was　disappearing　under　their　tread；　the　dust　was　rising　in　spirals　behind　the　dull　roll　of　the　cannons　and　the　measured　trot　of　thousands　of　horses。　　On　the　roadside　several　battalions　had　halted；　with　their　accompaniment　of　vehicles　and　draw　horses。　　They　were　resting　before　renewing　their　march。　　He　knew　this　army。　　He　had　seen　it　in　Berlin　on　parade；　and　yet　it　seemed　to　have　changed　its　former　appearance。　　There　now　remained　very　little　of　the　heavy　and　imposing　glitter；　of　the　mute　and　vainglorious　haughtiness　which　had　made　his　relatives…in…law　weep　with　admiration。　　War；　with　its　realism；　had　wiped　out　all　that　was　theatrical　about　this　formidable　organization　of　death。　　The　soldiers　appeared　dirty　and　tired；　out。　The　respiration　of　fat　and　sweaty　bodies；　mixed　with　the　strong　smell　of　leather；　floated　over　the　regiments。　　All　the　men　had　hungry　faces。

For　days　and　nights　they　had　been　following　the　heels　of　an　enemy　which　was　always　just　eluding　their　grasp。　　In　this　forced　advance　the　provisions　of　the　administration　would　often　arrive　so　late　at　the　cantonments　that　they　could　depend　only　on　what　they　happened　to　have　in　their　knapsacks。　　Desnoyers　saw　them　lined　up　near　the　road　devouring　hunks　of　black　bread　and　mouldy　sausages。　　Some　had　scattered　through　the　fields　to　dig　up　beet　roots　and　other　tubers；　chewing　with　loud　crunchings　the　hard　pulp　to　which　the　grit　still　adhered。　　An　ensign　was　shaking　the　fruit　trees　using　as　a　catch…all　the　flag　of　his　regiment。　　That　glorious　standard；　adorned　with　souvenirs　of　1870；　was　serving　as　a　receptacle　for　green　plums。　Those　who　were　seated　on　the　ground　were　improving　this　rest　by　drawing　their　perspiring；　swollen　feet　from　high　boots　which　were　sending　out　an　insufferable　smell。

The　regiments　of　infantry　which　Desnoyers　had　seen　in　Berlin　reflecting　the　light　on　metal　and　leather　straps；　the　magnificent　and　terrifying　Hussars；　the　Cuirassiers　in　pure　white　uniform　like　the　paladins　of　the　Holy　Grail；　the　artillerymen　with　breasts　crossed　with　white　bands；　all　the　military　variations　that　on　parade　had　drawn　forth　the　Hartrotts'　sighs　of　admirationthese　were　now　all　unified　and　mixed　together；　of　uniform　color；　all　in　greenish　mustard　like　the　dusty　lizards　that；　slipping　along；　try　to　be　confounded　with　the　earth。

The　persistency　of　the　iron　discipline　was　easily　discernible。　　A　word　from　the　chiefs；　the　sound　of　a　whistle；　and　they　all　grouped　themselves　together；　the　human　being　disappearing　in　the　throngs　of　automatons；　but　danger；　weariness；　and　the　uncertainty　of　triumph　had　for　the　time　being　brought　officers　and　men　nearer　together；　obliterating　caste　distinction。　　The　officers　were　coming　part　way　out　of　their　overbearing；　haughty　seclusion；　and　were　condescending　to　talk　with　the　lower　orders　so　as　to　revive　their　courage。　　One　effort　more　and　they　would　overwhelm　both　French　and　English；　repeating　the　triumph　of　Sedan；　wh