the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第61节

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　a　long　visit　to　their　relatives　in　France。　The　officials　now　occupying　the　edifice　had　detained　him　that　he　might　lunch　with　them。　　One　of　them　had　casually　mentioned　that　the　owner　of　the　castle　was　somewhere　about　although　nobody　knew　exactly　where。　　This　had　been　a　great　surprise　to　Captain　von　Hartrott　who　had　tried　to　find　him；　regretting　to　see　him　taking　refuge　in　the　Warden's　quarters。

〃You　must　leave　this　hut；　you　are　my　uncle；〃　he　said　haughtily。　〃Return　to　your　castle　where　you　belong。　　My　comrades　will　be　much　pleased　to　make　your　acquaintance；　they　are　very　distinguished　men。〃

He　very　much　regretted　whatever　the　old　gentleman　might　have　suffered。　。　。　　He　did　not　know　exactly　in　what　that　suffering　had　consisted；　but　surmised　that　the　first　moments　of　the　invasion　had　been　cruel　ones　for　him。

〃But　what　else　can　you　expect？〃　he　repeated　several　times。　　〃That　is　war。〃

At　the　same　time　he　approved　of　his　having　remained　on　his　property。　They　had　special　orders　to　seize　the　goods　of　the　fugitives。　Germany　wished　the　inhabitants　to　remain　in　their　dwellings　as　though　nothing　extraordinary　had　occurred。　。　。　。　　Desnoyers　protested。　。　。　　。　　〃But　if　the　invaders　were　shooting　the　innocent　ones　and　burning　their　homes！〃　。　。　。　　His　nephew　prevented　his　saying　more。　　He　turned　pale；　an　ashy　hue　spreading　over　his　face；　his　eyes　snapped　and　his　face　trembled　like　that　of　the　lieutenant　who　had　taken　possession　of　the　castle。

〃You　refer　to　the　execution　of　the　mayor　and　the　others。　　My　comrades　have　just　been　telling　me　about　it；　yet　that　castigation　was　very　mild；　they　should　have　completely　destroyed　the　entire　village。　　They　should　have　killed　even　the　women　and　children。　We've　got　to　put　an　end　to　these　sharpshooters。〃

His　uncle　looked　at　him　in　amazement。　　His　Moltkecito　was　as　formidable　and　ferocious　as　the　others。　。　。　。　　But　the　captain　brought　the　conversation　to　an　abrupt　close　by　repeating　the　monstrous　and　everlasting　excuse。

〃Very　horrible；　but　what　else　can　you　expect！　。　。　。　　That　is　war。〃

He　then　inquired　after　his　mother；　rejoicing　to　learn　that　she　was　in　the　South。　　He　had　been　uneasy　at　the　idea　of　her　remaining　in　Paris　。　。　。　especially　with　all　those　revolutions　which　had　been　breaking　out　there　lately！　。　。　。　　Desnoyers　looked　doubtful　as　if　he　could　not　have　heard　correctly。　　What　revolutions　were　those？　。　。　。　But　the　officer；　without　further　explanation；　resumed　his　conversation　about　his　family；　taking　it　for　granted　that　his　relative　would　be　impatient　to　learn　the　fate　of　his　German　kin。

They　were　all　in　magnificent　state。　　Their　illustrious　father　was　president　of　various　patriotic　societies　（since　his　years　no　longer　permitted　him　to　go　to　war）　and　was　besides　organizing　future　industrial　enterprises　to　improve　the　conquered　countries。　　His　brother；　〃the　Sage；〃　was　giving　lectures　about　the　nations　that　the　imperial　victory　was　bound　to　annex；　censuring　severely　those　whose　ambitions　were　unpretending　or　weak。　　The　remaining　brothers　were　distinguishing　themselves　in　the　army；　one　of　them　having　been　presented　with　a　medal　at　Lorraine。　　The　two　sisters；　although　somewhat　depressed　by　the　absence　of　their　fiances；　lieutenants　of　the　Hussars；　were　employing　their　time　in　visiting　the　hospitals　and　begging　God　to　chastise　traitorous　England。

Captain　von　Hartrott　was　slowly　conducting　his　uncle　toward　the　castle。　　The　gray　and　unbending　soldiers　who；　until　then；　had　been　ignoring　the　existence　of　Don　Marcelo；　looked　at　him　with　interest；　now　that　he　was　in　intimate　conversation　with　a　member　of　the　General　Staff。　　He　perceived　that　these　men　were　about　to　humanize　themselves　by　casting　aside　temporarily　their　inexorable　and　aggressive　automatonism。

Upon　entering　his　mansion　something　in　his　heart　contracted　with　an　agonizing　shudder。　　Everywhere　he　could　see　dreadful　vacancies；　which　made　him　recall　the　objects　which　had　formerly　been　there。　Rectangular　spots　of　stronger　color　announced　the　theft　of　furniture　and　paintings。　　With　what　despatch　and　system　the　gentleman　of　the　armlet　had　been　doing　his　work！　。　。　。　　To　the　sadness　that　the　cold　and　orderly　spoliation　caused　was　added　his　indignation　as　an　economical　man；　gazing　upon　the　slashed　curtains；　spotted　rugs；　broken　crystal　and　porcelainall　the　debris　from　a　ruthless　and　unscrupulous　occupation。

His　nephew；　divining　his　thoughts；　could　only　offer　the　same　old　excuse〃What　a　mess！　。　。　。　　But　that　is　war！〃

With　Moltkecito；　he　did　not　have　to　subside　into　the　respectful　civilities　of　fear。

〃That　is　NOT　war！〃　he　thundered　bitterly。　　〃It　is　an　expedition　of　bandits。　。　。　。　　Your　comrades　are　nothing　less　than　highwaymen。〃

Captain　von　Hartrott　swelled　up　with　a　jerk。　　Separating　himself　from　the　complainant　and　looking　fixedly　at　him；　he　spoke　in　a　low　voice；　hissing　with　wrath。　　〃Look　here；　uncle！　　It　is　a　lucky　thing　for　you　that　you　have　expressed　yourself　in　Spanish；　and　those　around　you　could　not　understand　you。　　If　you　persist　in　such　comments　you　will　probably　receive　a　bullet　by　way　of　an　answer。　The　Emperor's　officials　permit　no　insults。〃　　And　his　threatening　attitude　demonstrated　the　facility　with　which　he　could　forget　his　relationship　if　he　should　receive　orders　to　proceed　against　Don　Marcelo。

Thus　silenced；　the　vanquished　proprietor　hung　his　head。　　What　was　he　going　to　do？　。　。　。　　The　Captain　now　renewed　his　affability　as　though　he　had　forgotten　what　he　had　just　said。　　He　wished　to　present　him　to　his　companions…at…arms。　　His　Excellency；　Count　Meinbourg；　the　Major　General；　upon　learning　that　he　was　a　relative　of　the　von　Hartrotts；　had　done　him　the　honor　of　inviting　him　to　his　table。

Invited　into　his　own　demesne；　he　finally　reached　the　dining　room；　filled　with　men　in　mustard　color　and　high　boots。　　Instinctively；　he　made　an　inventory　of　the　room。　　All　in　good　order；　nothing　broken　walls；　draperies　and　furniture　still　intact；　but　an　appraising　glance　within　the　sideboard　again　caused　a　clutch　at　his　heart。　　Two　entire　table　services　of　silver；　and　another　of　old　porcelain　had　disappeared　without　leaving　the　most　insignificant　of　their　pieces。　He　was　obliged　to　respond　gravely　to　the　presentations　which　his　nephew　was　making；　and　take　the　hand　which　the　Count　was　extending　with　aristocratic　languor。　　The　adversary　began　considering　him　with　benevolence；　on　learning　that　he　was　a　millionaire　from　a　distant　land　where　riches　were　acquired　very　rapidly。

Soon　he　was　seated　as　a　stranger　at　his　own　table；　eating　from　the　same　dishes　that　his　family　were　accustomed　to　use；　served　by　men　with　shaved　heads；　wearing　coarse；　striped　aprons　over　their　uniforms。　　That　which　he　was　eating　was　his；　the　wine　was　from　his　vaults；　all　that　adorned　the　room　he　had　bought：　the　trees　whose　boughs　were　waving　outside　the　window　also　belonged　to　him。　。　。　。　And　yet　he　felt　as　though　he　were　in　this　place　for　the　first　time；　with　all　the　discomfort　and　diffidence　of　a　total　stranger。　　He　ate　because　he　was　hungry；　but　the　food　and　wines　seemed　to　have　come　from　another　planet。

He　continued　looking　with　consternation　at　those　occupying　the　places　of　his　wife；　children　and　the　Lacours。　。　。　。

They　were　speaking　in　German　among　themselves；　but　those　having　a　limited　knowledge　of　French　frequently　availed　themselves　of　that　language　in　order　that　their　guest　might　understand　them。　　Those　who　could　only　mumble　a　few　words；　repeated　them　to　an　accompaniment　of　amiable　smiles。　　All　were　displaying　an　amicable　desire　to　propitiate　the　owner　of　the　castle。

〃You　are　going　to　lunch　with　the　barbarians；〃　said　the　Count；　offering　him　a　seat　at　his　side。　　〃Aren't　you　afraid　that　we　may　eat　you　alive？〃

The　Germans　burst　into　roars　of　laughter　at　the　wit　of　His　Excellency。　　They　all　took　great　pains　to　demonstrate　by　word　and　manner　that　barbarity　was　wrongly　attributed　to　them　by　their　enemies。

Don　Marcelo　looked　from　one　to　another。　　The　fatigues　of　war；　especially　the　forced　march　of　the　last　days；　were　very　apparent　in　their　persons。　　Some　were　tall　and　slender　with　an　angular　slimness；　others　were　stocky　and　corpulent　with　short　neck　and　head　sunk　between　the　shoulders。　　These　had　lost　much　of　their　fat　in　a　month's　campaign；　the　wrinkled　and　flabby　skin　hanging　in　folds　in　various　parts　of　their　bodies。　　All　had　shaved　heads；　the　same　as　the　soldiers。　　Around　the　table　shone　two　rows　of　cranial　spheres；　reddish　or　dark。　　Their　ears　stood　out　grotesquely；　and　their　jaw　bones　were　in　strong　relief　owing　to　their　thinness。　　Some　had　preserved　the　upright　moustache　in　the　style　of　the　Emperor；　the　most　of　them　were　shaved　or　had　a　stubby　tuft　like　a　brush。

A　golden　bracelet　glistened　on　the　wrist　of　the　Count；　stretched　on　the　table。　　He　was　the　oldest　of　them　all　and　the　only　one　that　kept　his　hair；　of　a　frosty　red；　carefully　combed　and　glistening　with　pomade。　　Although　about　fifty　years　old；　he　still　maintained　a　youthful　vigor　cultivated　by　exercise。　　Wrinkled；　bony　and　strong；　he　tried　to　dissimulate　his　uncouthness　as　a　man　of　battle　under　a　suave　and　indolent　laziness。　　The　officers　treated　him　with　the　greatest　respect。　　Hartrott　told　his　uncle　that　the　Count　was　a　great　artist；　musician　and　poet。　　The　Emperor　was　his　frie