the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第7节

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ad　and　adorable　who　had　led　decent　women　from　the　paths　of　virtue；　and　committed　all　kinds　of　follies。　　Then　Desnoyers　had　been　greatly　surprised　to　see　entering　the　kitchen　with　the　air　of　a　tragedy　queen；　a　noble　mother　of　the　drama；　his　Aunt　Elena；　the　one　who　had　married　a　German　and　was　living　in　Berlin　surrounded　with　innumerable　children。

〃She　has　been　in　Paris　a　month。　　She　is　going　to　make　a　little　visit　to　our　castle。　　And　it　appears　that　her　eldest　sonmy　cousin；　'The　Sage；'　whom　I　have　not　seen　for　yearsis　also　coming　here。〃

The　home　interview　had　several　times　been　interrupted　by　fear。　〃Your　father　is　at　home；　be　careful；〃　his　mother　had　said　to　him　each　time　that　he　had　spoken　above　a　whisper。　　And　his　Aunt　Elena　had　stationed　herself　at　the　door　with　a　dramatic　air；　like　a　stage　heroine　resolved　to　plunge　a　dagger　into　the　tyrant　who　should　dare　to　cross　the　threshold。　　The　entire　family　was　accustomed　to　submit　to　the　rigid　authority　of　Don　Marcelo　Desnoyers。　　〃Oh；　that　old　man！〃　exclaimed　Julio；　referring　to　his　father。　　〃He　may　live　many　years　yet；　but　how　he　weighs　upon　us　all！〃

His　mother；　who　had　never　wearied　of　looking　at　him；　finally　had　to　bring　the　interview　to　an　end；　frightened　by　certain　approaching　sounds。　　〃Go；　he　might　surprise　us；　and　he　would　be　furious。〃　　So　Julio　had　fled　the　paternal　home；　caressed　by　the　tears　of　the　two　ladies　and　the　admiring　glances　of　Chichi；　by　turns　ashamed　and　proud　of　a　brother　who　had　caused　such　enthusiasm　and　scandal　among　her　friends。

Marguerite　also　spoke　of　Senor　Desnoyers。　　A　terrible　tyrant　of　the　old　school　with　whom　they　could　never　come　to　an　understanding。

The　two　remained　silent；　looking　fixedly　at　each　other。　　Now　that　they　had　said　the　things　of　greatest　urgency；　present　interests　became　more　absorbing。　　More　immediate　things；　unspoken；　seemed　to　well　up　in　their　timid　and　vacillating　eyes；　before　escaping　in　the　form　of　words。　　They　did　not　dare　to　talk　like　lovers　here。　　Every　minute　the　cloud　of　witnesses　seemed　increasing　around　them。　　The　woman　with　the　dogs　and　the　red　wig　was　passing　with　greater　frequency；　shortening　her　turns　through　the　square　in　order　to　greet　them　with　a　smile　of　complicity。　　The　reader　of　the　daily　paper　was　now　exchanging　views　with　a　friend　on　a　neighboring　bench　regarding　the　possibilities　of　war。　　The　garden　had　become　a　thoroughfare。　The　modistes　upon　going　out　from　their　establishments；　and　the　ladies　returning　from　shopping；　were　crossing　through　the　square　in　order　to　shorten　their　walk。　　The　little　avenue　was　a　popular　short…　cut。　　All　the　pedestrians　were　casting　curious　glances　at　the　elegant　lady　and　her　companion　seated　in　the　shadow　of　the　shrubbery　with　the　timid　yet　would…be　natural　look　of　those　who　desire　to　hide　themselves；　yet　at　the　same　time　feign　a　casual　air。

〃How　exasperating！〃　sighed　Marguerite。　　〃They　are　going　to　find　us　out！〃

A　girl　looked　at　her　so　searchingly　that　she　thought　she　recognized　in　her　an　employee　of　a　celebrated　modiste。　　Besides；　some　of　her　personal　friends　who　had　met　her　in　the　crowded　shops　but　an　hour　ago　might　be　returning　home　by　way　of　the　garden。

〃Let　us　go；〃　she　said　rising　hurriedly。　　〃If　they　should　spy　us　here　together；　just　think　what　they　might　say！　。　。　。　and　just　when　they　are　becoming　a　little　forgetful！〃

Desnoyers　protested　crossly。　　Go　away？　。　。　。　　Paris　had　become　a　shrunken　place　for　them　nowadays　because　Marguerite　refused　to　go　to　a　single　place　where　there　was　a　possibility　of　their　being　surprised。　　In　another　square；　in　a　restaurant；　wherever　they　might　gothey　would　run　the　same　risk　of　being　recognized。　　She　would　only　consider　meetings　in　public　places；　and　yet　at　the　same　time；　dreaded　the　curiosity　of　the　people。　　If　Marguerite　would　like　to　go　to　his　studio　of　such　sweet　memories！　。　。　。

〃To　your　home？　　No！　no　indeed！〃　she　replied　emphatically　〃I　cannot　forget　the　last　time　I　was　there。〃

But　Julio　insisted；　foreseeing　a　break　in　that　firm　negative。　　Where　could　they　be　more　comfortable？　　Besides；　weren't　they　going　to　marry　as　soon　as　possible？　。　。　。

〃I　tell　you　no；〃　she　repeated。　　〃Who　knows　but　my　husband　may　be　watching　me！　　What　a　complication　for　my　divorce　if　he　should　surprise　us　in　your　house！〃

Now　it　was　he　who　eulogized　the　husband；　insisting　that　such　watchfulness　was　incompatible　with　his　character。　　The　engineer　had　accepted　the　facts；　considering　them　irreparable　and　was　now　thinking　only　of　reconstructing　his　life。

〃No；　it　is　better　for　us　to　separate；〃　she　continued。　　〃Tomorrow　we　shall　see　each　other　again。　　You　will　hunt　a　more　favorable　place。　Think　it　over；　and　you　will　find　a　solution　for　it　all。〃

But　he　wished　an　immediate　solution。　　They　had　abandoned　their　seats；　going　slowly　toward　the　rue　des　Mathurins。　　Julio　was　speaking　with　a　trembling　and　persuasive　eloquence。　　To…morrow？　　No；　now。　　They　had　only　to　call　a　taxicab。　　It　would　be　only　a　matter　of　a　few　minutes；　and　then　the　isolation；　the　mystery；　the　return　to　a　sweet　pastto　that　intimacy　in　the　studio　where　they　had　passed　their　happiest　hours。　　They　would　believe　that　no　time　had　elapsed　since　their　first　meetings。

〃No；〃　she　faltered　with　a　weakening　accent；　seeking　a　last　resistance。　　〃Besides；　your　secretary　might　be　there；　that　Spaniard　who　lives　with　you。　　How　ashamed　I　would　be　to　meet　him　again！〃

Julio　laughed。　。　。　。　　Argensola！　　How　could　that　comrade　who　knew　all　about　their　past　be　an　obstacle？　　If　they　should　happen　to　meet　him　in　the　house；　he　would　be　sure　to　leave　immediately。　　More　than　once；　he　had　had　to　go　out　so　as　not　to　be　in　the　way。　　His　discretion　was　such　that　he　had　foreseen　events。　　Probably　he　had　already　left；　conjecturing　that　a　near　visit　would　be　the　most　logical　thing。　　His　chum　would　simply　go　wandering　through　the　streets　in　search　of　news。

Marguerite　was　silent；　as　though　yielding　on　seeing　her　pretexts　exhausted。　　Desnoyers　was　silent；　too；　construing　her　stillness　as　assent。　　They　had　left　the　garden　and　she　was　looking　around　uneasily；　terrified　to　find　herself　in　the　open　street　beside　her　lover；　and　seeking　a　hiding…place。　　Suddenly　she　saw　before　her　the　little　red　door　of　an　automobile；　opened　by　the　hand　of　her　adorer。

〃Get　in；〃　ordered　Julio。

And　she　climbed　in　hastily；　anxious　to　hide　herself　as　soon　as　possible。　　The　vehicle　started　at　great　speed。　　Marguerite　immediately　pulled　down　the　shade　of　the　window　on　her　side；　but；　before　she　had　finished　and　could　turn　her　head；　she　felt　a　hungry　mouth　kissing　the　nape　of　her　neck。

〃No；　not　here；〃　she　said　in　a　pleading　tone。　　〃Let　us　be　sensible！〃

And　while　he；　rebellious　at　these　exhortations；　persisted　in　his　advances；　the　voice　of　Marguerite　again　sounded　above　the　noise　of　the　rattling　machinery　of　the　automobile　as　it　bounded　over　the　pavement。

〃Do　you　really　believe　that　there　will　be　no　war？　　Do　you　believe　that　we　will　be　able　to　marry？　。　。　。　　Tell　me　again。　　I　want　you　to　encourage　me　。　。　。　I　need　to　hear　it　from　your　lips。〃



CHAPTER　II

MADARIAGA；　THE　CENTAUR


In　1870　Marcelo　Desnoyers　was　nineteen　years　old。　　He　was　born　in　the　suburbs　of　Paris；　an　only　child；　his　father；　interested　in　little　building　speculations；　maintained　his　family　in　modest　comfort。　　The　mason　wished　to　make　an　architect　of　his　son；　and　Marcelo　was　in　the　midst　of　his　preparatory　studies　when　his　father　suddenly　died；　leaving　his　affairs　greatly　involved。　　In　a　few　months；　he　and　his　mother　descended　the　slopes　of　ruin；　and　were　obliged　to　give　up　their　snug；　middle…class　quarters　and　live　like　laborers。

When　the　fourteen…year…old　boy　had　to　choose　a　trade；　he　learned　wood　carving。　　This　craft　was　an　art　related　to　the　tastes　awakened　in　Marcelo　by　his　abandoned　studies。　　His　mother　retired　to　the　country；　living　with　some　relatives　while　the　lad　advanced　rapidly　in　the　shops；　aiding　his　master　in　all　the　important　orders　which　he　received　from　the　provinces。　　The　first　news　of　the　war　with　Prussia　surprised　him　in　Marseilles；　working　on　the　decorations　of　a　theatre。

Marcelo　was　opposed　to　the　Empire　like　all　the　youths　of　his　generation。　　He　was　also　much　influenced　by　the　older　workmen　who　had　taken　part　in　the　Republic　of　'48；　and　who　still　retained　vivid　recollections　of　the　Coup　d'Etat　of　the　second　of　December。

One　day　he　saw　in　the　streets　of　Marseilles　a　popular　manifestation　in　favor　of　peace　which　was　practically　a　protest　against　the　government。　　The　old　republicans　in　their　implacable　struggle　with　the　Emperor；　the　companies　of　the　International　which　had　just　been　organized；　and　a　great　number　of　Italians　and　Spaniards　who　had　fled　their　countries　on　account　of　recent　insurrections；　composed　the　procession。　　A　long…haired；　consumptive　student　was　carrying　the　flag。　　〃It　is　peace　that　we　wanta　peace　which　may　unite　all　mankind；〃　chanted　the　paraders。　　But　on　this　earth；　the　noblest　propositions　are　seldom　heard；　since　Destiny　amuses　herself　in　perverting　them　and　turning　them　aside。

Scarcely　had　the　friends　of　peace　entered　the　rue　Cannebiere　with　their　hymn　and　standard；　when　war　came　to　meet　them；　obliging　them　to　resort　to　fist　and　club。　　The　day　before；　some　battalions　of　Zouaves　from　Algiers　had　d