the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第80节

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　spite　of　his　gasps　and　puffs　of　fatigue。　　He　also　was　wearing　high　boots　and　a　soft　hat；　but　he　had　kept　to　his　solemn　frock…coat　in　order　not　to　abandon　entirely　his　parliamentary　uniform。　　Before　them　marched　two　captains　as　guides。

They　were　on　a　mountain　occupied　by　the　French　artillery；　and　were　climbing　to　the　top　where　were　hidden　cannons　and　cannons；　forming　a　line　some　miles　in　length。　　The　German　artillery　had　caused　the　woodland　ruin　around　the　visitors；　in　their　return　of　the　French　fire。　　The　circular　pools　were　the　hollows　dug　by　the　German　shells　in　the　limy；　non…porous　soil　which　preserved　all　the　runnels　of　rain。

The　visiting　party　had　left　their　automobile　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain。　　One　of　the　officers；　a　former　artilleryman；　explained　this　precaution　to　them。　　It　was　necessary　to　climb　this　roadway　very　cautiously。　　They　were　within　reach　of　the　enemy；　and　an　automobile　might　attract　the　attention　of　their　gunners。

〃A　little　fatiguing；　this　climb；〃　he　continued。　　〃Courage；　Senator　Lacour！　。　。　。　　We　are　almost　there。〃

They　began　to　meet　artillerymen；　many　of　them　not　in　uniform　but　wearing　the　military　kepis。　　They　looked　like　workmen　from　a　metal　factory；　foundrymen　with　jackets　and　pantaloons　of　corduroy。　　Their　arms　were　bare；　and　some　had　put　on　wooden　shoes　in　order　to　get　over　the　mud　with　greater　security。　　They　were　former　iron　laborers；　mobilized　into　the　artillery　reserves。　　Their　sergeants　had　been　factory　overseers；　and　many　of　them　officials；　engineers　and　proprietors　of　big　workshops。

Suddenly　the　excursionists　stumbled　upon　the　iron　inmates　of　the　woods。　　When　these　spoke；　the　earth　trembled；　the　air　shuddered；　and　the　native　inhabitants　of　the　forest；　the　crows；　rabbits；　butterflies　and　ants；　fled　in　terrified　flight；　trying　to　hide　themselves　from　the　fearful　convulsion　which　seemed　to　be　bringing　the　world　to　an　end。　　Just　at　present；　the　bellowing　monsters　were　silent；　so　that　they　came　upon　them　unexpectedly。　　Something　was　sticking　up　out　of　the　greenery　like　a　gray　beam；　at　other　times；　this　apparition　would　emerge　from　a　conglomeration　of　dry　trunks。　Around　this　obstacle　was　cleared　ground　occupied　by　men　who　lived；　slept　and　worked　about　this　huge　manufactory　on　wheels。

The　senator；　who　had　written　verse　in　his　youth　and　composed　oratorical　poetry　when　dedicating　various　monuments　in　his　district；　saw　in　these　solitary　men　on　the　mountain　side；　blackened　by　the　sun　and　smoke；　with　naked　breasts　and　bare　arms；　a　species　of　priests　dedicated　to　the　service　of　a　fatal　divinity　that　was　receiving　from　their　hands　offerings　of　enormous　explosive　capsules；　hurling　them　forth　in　thunderclaps。

Hidden　under　the　branches；　in　order　to　escape　the　observation　of　the　enemy's　birdmen；　the　French　cannon　were　scattered　among　the　hills　and　hollows　of　the　highland　range。　　In　this　herd　of　steel；　there　were　enormous　pieces　with　wheels　reinforced　by　metal　plates；　somewhat　like　the　farming　engines　which　Desnoyers　had　used　on　his　ranch　for　plowing。　　Like　smaller　beasts；　more　agile　and　playful　in　their　incessant　yelping；　the　groups　of　'75　were　mingled　with　the　terrific　monsters。

The　two　captains　had　received　from　the　general　of　their　division　orders　to　show　Senator　Lacour　minutely　the　workings　of　the　artillery；　and　Lacour　was　accepting　their　observations　with　corresponding　gravity　while　his　eyes　roved　from　side　to　side　in　the　hope　of　recognizing　his　son。　　The　interesting　thing　for　him　was　to　see　Rene　。　。　。　but　recollecting　the　official　pretext　of　his　journey；　he　followed　submissively　from　cannon　to　cannon；　listening　patiently　to　all　explanations。

The　operators　next　showed　him　the　servants　of　these　pieces；　great　oval　cylinders　extracted　from　subterranean　storehouses　called　shelters。　　These　storage　places　were　deep　burrows；　oblique　wells　reinforced　with　sacks　of　stones　and　wood。　　They　served　as　a　refuge　to　those　off　duty；　and　kept　the　munitions　away　from　the　enemy's　shell。　　An　artilleryman　exhibited　two　pouches　of　white　cloth；　joined　together　and　very　full。　　They　looked　like　a　double　sausage　and　were　the　charge　for　one　of　the　large　cannons。　　The　open　packet　showed　some　rose…colored　leaves；　and　the　senator　greatly　admired　this　dainty　paste　which　looked　like　an　article　for　the　dressing　table　instead　of　one　of　the　most　terrible　explosives　of　modern　warfare。

〃I　am　sure；〃　said　Lacour；　〃that　if　I　had　found　one　of　these　delicate　packets　on　the　street；　I　should　have　thought　that　it　had　been　dropped　from　some　lady's　vanity　bag；　or　by　some　careless　clerk　from　a　perfumery　shop　。　。　。　anything　but　an　explosive！　　And　with　this　trifle　that　looks　as　if　it　were　made　for　the　lips；　it　is　possible　to　blow　up　an　edifice！〃　。　。　。

As　they　continued　their　visit　of　investigation；　they　came　upon　a　partially　destroyed　round　tower　in　the　highest　part　of　the　mountain。　This　was　the　most　dangerous　post。　　From　it；　an　officer　was　examining　the　enemy's　line　in　order　to　gauge　the　correctness　of　the　aim　of　the　gunners。　　While　his　comrades　were　under　the　ground　or　hidden　by　the　branches；　he　was　fulfilling　his　mission　from　this　visible　point。

A　short　distance　from　the　tower　a　subterranean　passageway　opened　before　their　eyes。　　They　descended　through　its　murky　recesses　until　they　found　the　various　rooms　excavated　in　the　ground。　　One　side　of　the　mountain　cut　in　points　formed　its　exterior　facade。　　Narrow　little　windows；　cut　in　the　stone；　gave　light　and　air　to　these　quarters。

An　old　commandant　in　charge　of　the　section　came　out　to　meet　them。　Desnoyers　thought　that　he　must　be　the　floorwalker　of　some　big　department　store　in　Paris。　　His　manners　were　so　exquisite　and　his　voice　so　suave　that　he　seemed　to　be　imploring　pardon　at　every　word；　or　addressing　a　group　of　ladies；　offering　them　goods　of　the　latest　novelty。　　But　this　impression　only　lasted　a　moment。　　This　soldier　with　gray　hair　and　near…sighted　glasses　who；　in　the　midst　of　war；　was　retaining　his　customary　manner　of　a　building　director　receiving　his　clients；　showed　on　moving　his　arms；　some　bandages　and　surgical　dressings　within　his　sleeves；　He　was　wounded　in　both　wrists　by　the　explosion　of　a　shell；　but　he　was；　nevertheless；　sticking　to　his　post。

〃A　devil　of　a　honey…tongued；　syrupy　gentleman！〃　mused　Don　Marcelo。　〃Yet　he　is　undoubtedly　an　exceptional　person！〃

By　this　time；　they　had　entered　into　the　main　office；　a　vast　room　which　received　its　light　through　a　horizontal　window　about　ten　feet　wide　and　only　a　palm　and　a　half　high；　reminding　one　of　the　open　space　between　the　slats　of　a　Venetian　blind。　　Below　it　was　a　pine　table　filled　with　papers　and　surrounded　by　stools。　　When　occupying　one　of　these　seats；　one's　eyes　could　sweep　the　entire　plain。　　On　the　walls　were　electric　apparatus；　acoustic　tubes　and　telephonesmany　telephones。

The　Commandant　sorted　and　piled　up　the　papers；　offering　the　stools　with　drawing…room　punctilio。

〃Here；　Senator　Lacour。〃

Desnoyers；　humble　attendant；　took　a　seat　at　his　side。　　The　Commandant　now　appeared　to　be　the　manager　of　a　theatre；　preparing　to　exhibit　an　extraordinary　show。　　He　spread　upon　the　table　an　enormous　paper　which　reproduced　all　the　features　of　the　plain　extended　before　themroads；　towns；　fields；　heights　and　valleys。　　Upon　this　map　was　a　triangular　group　of　red　lines　in　the　form　of　an　open　fan；　the　vertex　represented　the　place　where　they　were；　and　the　broad　part　of　the　triangle　was　the　limit　of　the　horizon　which　they　were　sweeping　with　their　eyes。

〃We　are　going　to　fire　at　that　grove；〃　said　the　artilleryman；　pointing　to　one　end　of　the　map。　　〃There　it　is；〃　he　continued；　designating　a　little　dark　line。　　〃Take　your　glasses。〃

But　before　they　could　adjust　the　binoculars；　the　Commandant　placed　a　new　paper　on　top　of　the　map。　　It　was　an　enormous　and　somewhat　hazy　photograph　upon　whose　plan　appeared　a　fan　of　red　lines　like　the　other　one。

〃Our　aviators；〃　explained　the　gunner　courteously；　〃have　taken　this　morning　some　views　of　the　enemy's　positions。　　This　is　an　enlargement　from　our　photographic　laboratory。　。　。　。　　According　to　this　information；　there　are　two　German　regiments　encamped　in　that　wood。〃

Don　Marcelo　saw　on　the　print　the　spot　of　woods；　and　within　it　white　lines　which　represented　roads；　and　groups　of　little　squares　which　were　blocks　of　houses　in　a　village。　　He　believed　he　must　be　in　an　aeroplane　contemplating　the　earth　from　a　height　of　three　thousand　feet。　　Then　he　raised　the　glasses　to　his　eyes；　following　the　direction　of　one　of　the　red　lines；　and　saw　enlarged　in　the　circle　of　the　glass　a　black　bar；　somewhat　like　a　heavy　line　of　inkthe　grove；　the　refuge　of　the　foe。

〃Whenever　you　say；　Senator　Lacour；　we　will　begin；〃　said　the　Commandant；　reaching　the　topmost　notch　of　his　courtesy。　　〃Are　you　ready？〃

Desnoyers　smiled　slightly。　　For　what　was　his　illustrious　friend　to　make　himself　ready？　　What　difference　could　it　possibly　make　to　a　mere　spectator；　much　interested　in　the　novelty　of　the　show？　。　。　。

There　sounded　behind　them　numberless　bells；　gongs　that　called　and　gongs　that　answered。　　The　acoustic　tubes　seemed　to　swell　out　with　the　gallop　of　words。　　The　electric　wire　filled　the　silence　of　the　room　with　the　palpitations　of　its　mysterious　life。　　The　bland　Chief　was　no　longer　occupied　with　his　guests。　　They　conjectured　tha