the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第62节

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trott　told　his　uncle　that　the　Count　was　a　great　artist；　musician　and　poet。　　The　Emperor　was　his　friend；　they　had　known　each　other　from　boyhood。　　Before　the　war；　certain　scandals　concerning　his　private　life　had　exiled　him　from　Courtmere　lampoons　of　the　socialists　and　scandal…mongers。　　The　Kaiser　had　always　kept　a　secret　affection　for　his　former　chum。　　Everybody　remembered　his　dance；　〃The　Caprices　of　Scheherazade；〃　represented　with　the　greatest　luxury　in　Berlin　through　the　endorsement　of　his　powerful　friend；　William　II。　　The　Count　had　lived　many　years　in　the　Orient。　　In　fact；　he　was　a　great　gentleman　and　an　artist　of　exquisite　sensibility　as　well　as　a　soldier。

Since　Desnoyers　was　now　his　guest；　the　Count　could　not　permit　him　to　remain　silent；　so　he　made　an　opportunity　of　bringing　him　into　the　conversation。

〃Did　you　see　any　of　the　insurrections？　。　。　。　　Did　the　troops　have　to　kill　many　people？　　How　about　the　assassination　of　Poincare？　。　。　。

He　asked　these　questions　in　quick　succession　and　Don　Marcelo；　bewildered　by　their　absurdity；　did　not　know　how　to　reply。　　He　believed　that　he　must　have　fallen　in　with　a　feast　of　fools。　　Then　he　suspected　that　they　were　making　fun　of　him。　　Uprisings？　Assassinations　of　the　President？　。　。　。

Some　gazed　at　him　with　pity　because　of　his　ignorance；　others　with　suspicion；　believing　that　he　was　merely　pretending　not　to　know　of　these　events　which　had　happened　so　near　him。

His　nephew　insisted。　　〃The　daily　papers　in　Germany　have　been　full　of　accounts　of　these　matters。　　Fifteen　days　ago；　the　people　of　Paris　revolted　against　the　Government；　bombarding　the　Palais　de　l'Elysee；　and　assassinating　the　President。　　The　army　had　to　resort　to　the　machine　guns　before　order　could　be　restored。　。　。　。　　Everybody　knows　that。〃

But　Desnoyers　insisted　that　he　did　not　know　it；　that　nobody　had　seen　such　things。　　And　as　his　words　were　received　in　an　atmosphere　of　malicious　doubt；　he　preferred　to　be　silent。　　His　Excellency；　superior　spirit；　incapable　of　being　associated　with　the　popular　credulity；　here　intervened　to　set　matters　straight。　　The　report　of　the　assassination　was；　perhaps；　not　certain；　the　German　periodicals　might　have　unconsciously　exaggerated　it。　　Just　a　few　hours　ago；　the　General　of　the　Staff　had　told　him　of　the　flight　of　the　French　Government　to　Bordeaux；　and　the　statement　about　the　revolution　in　Paris　and　the　firing　of　the　French　troops　was　indisputable。　　〃The　gentleman　has　seen　it　all　without　doubt；　but　does　not　wish　to　admit　it。〃　　Desnoyers　felt　obliged　to　contradict　this　lordling；　but　his　negative　was　not　even　listened　to。

Paris！　　This　name　made　all　eyes　glisten　and　everybody　talkative。　　As　soon　as　possible　they　wished　to　reach　the　Eiffel　Tower；　to　enter　victorious　into　the　city；　to　receive　their　recompense　for　the　privations　and　fatigues　of　a　month's　campaign。　　They　were　devotees　of　military　glory；　they　considered　war　necessary　to　existence；　and　yet　they　were　bewailing　the　hardship　that　it　was　imposing　upon　them。　The　Count　exhaled　the　plaint　of　the　craftsmaster。

〃Oh；　the　havoc　that　this　war　has　brought　in　my　plans！〃　he　sighed。　〃This　winter　they　were　going　to　bring　out　my　dance　in　Paris！〃

They　all　protested　at　his　sadness；　his　work　would　surely　be　presented　after　the　triumph；　and　the　French　would　have　to　recognize　it。

〃It　will　not　be　the　same　thing；〃　complained　the　Count。　　〃I　confess　that　I　adore　Paris。　。　。　。　　What　a　pity　that　these　people　have　never　wished　to　be　on　familiar　terms　with　us！〃　。　。　。　　And　he　relapsed　into　the　silence　of　the　unappreciated　man。

Desnoyers　suddenly　recognized　in　one　of　the　officers　who　was　talking；　with　eyes　bulging　with　covetousness；　of　the　riches　of　Paris；　the　Chief　Thief　with　the　band　on　his　arm。　　He　it　was　who　so　methodically　had　sacked　the　castle。　　As　though　divining　the　old　Frenchman's　thought；　the　commissary　began　excusing　himself。

〃It　is　war；　monsieur。　。　。　。〃

The　same　as　the　others！　。　。　。　　War　had　to　be　paid　with　the　treasures　of　the　conquered。　　That　was　the　new　German　system；　the　healthy　return　to　the　wars　of　ancient　days；　tributes　imposed　on　the　cities；　and　each　house　sacked　separately。　　In　this　way；　the　enemy's　resistance　would　be　more　effectually　overcome　and　the　war　soon　brought　to　a　close。　　He　ought　not　to　be　downcast　over　the　appropriations；　for　his　furnishings　and　ornaments　would　all　be　sold　in　Germany。　　After　the　French　defeat；　he　could　place　a　remonstrance　claim　with　his　government；　petitioning　it　to　indemnify　his　loss；　his　relatives　in　Berlin　would　support　his　demand。

Desnoyers　listened　in　consternation　to　his　counsels。　　What　kind　of　mentality　had　these　men；　anyway？　　Were　they　insane；　or　were　they　trying　to　have　some　fun　at　his　expense？　。　。　。

When　the　lunch　was　at　last　ended；　the　officers　arose　and　adjusted　their　swords　for　service。　　Captain　von　Hartrott　rose；　too；　it　was　necessary　for　him　to　return　to　his　general；　he　had　already　dedicated　too　much　time　to　family　expansion。　　His　uncle　accompanied　him　to　the　automobile　where　Moltkecito　once　more　justified　the　ruin　and　plunder　of　the　castle。

〃It　is　war。　。　。　。　　We　have　to　be　very　ruthless　that　it　may　not　last　long。　　True　kindness　consists　in　being　cruel；　because　then　the　terror…stricken　enemy　gives　in　sooner；　and　so　the　world　suffers　less。〃

Don　Marcelo　shrugged　his　shoulders　before　this　sophistry。　　In　the　doorway；　the　captain　gave　some　orders　to　a　soldier　who　soon　returned　with　a　bit　of　chalk　which　had　been　used　to　number　the　lodging　places。　　Von　Hartrott　wished　to　protect　his　uncle　and　began　tracing　on　the　wall　near　the　door：〃Bitte；　nicht　plundern。　　Es　sind　freundliche　Leute。〃

In　response　to　the　old　man's　repeated　questions；　he　then　translated　the　inscription。　　〃It　means；　'Please　do　not　sack　this　house。　　Its　occupants　are　kind　people　。　。　。　friendly　people。'〃

Ah；　no！　。　。　。　　Desnoyers　repelled　this　protection　vehemently。　　He　did　not　wish　to　be　kind。　　He　was　silent　because　he　could　not　be　anything　else。　。　。　。　　But　a　friend　of　the　invaders　of　his　country！　。　。　。　　No；　NO；　NO！

His　nephew　rubbed　out　part　of　the　lettering；　leaving　the　first　words；　〃Bitte；　nicht　plundern。〃　　Then　he　repeated　the　scrawled　request　at　the　entrance　of　the　park。　　He　thought　this　notice　advisable　because　His　Excellency　might　go　away　and　other　officials　might　be　installed　in　the　castle。　　Von　Hartrott　had　seen　much　and　his　smile　seemed　to　imply　that　nothing　could　surprise　him；　no　matter　how　outrageous　it　might　be。　　But　his　relative　continued　scorning　his　protection；　and　laughing　bitterly　at　the　impromptu　signboard。　　What　more　could　they　carry　off？　。　。　。　　Had　they　not　already　stolen　the　best？

〃Good…bye；　uncle！　　Soon　we　shall　meet　in　Paris。〃

And　the　captain　climbed　into　his　automobile；　extending　a　soft；　cold　hand　that　seemed　to　repel　the　old　man　with　its　flabbiness。

Upon　returning　to　his　castle；　he　saw　a　table　and　some　chairs　in　the　shadow　of　a　group　of　trees。　　His　Excellency　was　taking　his　coffee　in　the　open　air；　and　obliged　him　to　take　a　seat　beside　him。　　Only　three　officers　were　keeping　him　company。　。　。　。　　There　was　here　a　grand　consumption　of　liquors　from　his　wine　cellars。　　They　were　talking　together　in　German；　and　for　an　hour　Don　Marcelo　remained　there；　anxious　to　go　but　never　finding　the　opportune　moment　to　leave　his　seat　and　disappear。

He　employed　his　time　in　imagining　the　great　stir　among　the　troops　hidden　by　the　trees。　　Another　division　of　the　army　was　passing　by　with　the　incessant；　deafening　roar　of　the　sea。　　An　inexplicable　phenomenon　kept　the　luminous　calm　of　the　afternoon　in　a　continuous　state　of　vibration。　　A　constant　thundering　sounded　afar　off　as　though　an　invisible　storm　were　always　approaching　from　beyond　the　blue　horizon　line。

The　Count；　noticing　his　evident　interest　in　the　noise；　interrupted　his　German　chat　to　explain。

〃It　is　the　cannon。　　A　battle　is　going　on。　　Soon　we　shall　join　in　the　dance。〃

The　possibility　of　having　to　give　up　his　quarters　here；　the　most　comfortable　that　he　had　found　in　all　the　campaign；　put　His　Excellency　in　a　bad　humor。

〃War；〃　he　sighed；　〃a　glorious　life；　but　dirty　and　deadening！　　In　an　entire　monthto…day　is　the　first　that　I　have　lived　as　a　gentleman。〃

And　as　though　attracted　by　the　luxuries　that　he　might　shortly　have　to　abandon；　he　rose　and　went　toward　the　castle。　　Two　of　the　Germans　betook　themselves　toward　the　village；　and　Desnoyers　remained　with　the　other　officer　who　was　delightfully　sampling　his　liquors。　　He　was　the　chief　of　the　battalion　encamped　in　the　village。

〃This　is　a　sad　war；　Monsieur！〃　he　said　in　French。

Of　all　the　inimical　group；　this　man　was　the　only　one　for　whom　Don　Marcelo　felt　a　vague　attraction。　　〃Although　a　German；　he　appears　a　good　sort；〃　meditated　the　old　man；　eyeing　him　carefully。　　In　times　of　peace；　he　must　have　been　stout；　but　now　he　showed　the　loose　and　flaccid　exterior　of　one　who　has　just　lost　much　in　weight。　　Desnoyers　surmised　that　the　man　had　formerly　lived　in　tranquil　and　vulgar　sensuousness；　in　a　middle…class　happiness　suddenly　cut　short　by　war。

〃What　a　life；　Monsieur！〃　the　officer　rambled　on。　　〃May　God　punish　well　those　who　have　provoked　this　catastrophe！〃

The　Frenchman　was　almost　affected。　　This　man　represented　the　Germany　that　he　had　many　times　imagined；　a　sweet　and　tranquil　Germany　composed　of　b