the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第83节

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llage。　　And　he　beamed　on　the　ruin　with　patriotic　pride；　repeating：

〃There's　a　sample　of　French　marksmanship　for　you！　　How　do　you　like　the　workings　of　the　seventy…fives？　。　。　。　　What　do　you　think　of　that　now？　。　。　。〃

In　spite　of　the　fatigue　of　the　journey；　Don　Marcelo　slept　badly；　excited　by　the　thought　that　his　son　was　not　far　away。

An　hour　before　daybreak；　they　left　the　village；　in　an　automobile；　guided　by　another　official。　　On　both　sides　of　the　road；　they　saw　camps　and　camps。　　They　left　behind　the　parks　of　munitions；　passed　the　third　line　of　troops；　and　then　the　second。　　Thousands　and　thousands　of　men　were　bivouacking　there　in　the　open；　improvising　as　best　they　could　their　habitations。　　These　human　ant…hills　seemed　vaguely　to　recall；　with　the　variety　of　uniforms　and　races；　some　of　the　mighty　invasions　of　history；　but　it　was　not　a　nation　en　marche。　The　exodus　of　people　takes　with　it　the　women　and　children。　　Here　there　were　nothing　but　men；　men　everywhere。

All　kinds　of　housing　ever　used　by　humanity　were　here　utilized；　these　military　assemblages　beginning　with　the　cave。　　Caverns　and　quarries　were　serving　as　barracks。　　Some　low　huts　recalled　the　American　ranch；　others；　high　and　conical；　were　facsimiles　of　the　gurbi　of　Africa。　　Many　of　the　soldiers　had　come　from　the　colonies；　some　had　been　living　as　business　men　in　the　new　world；　and　upon　having　to　provide　a　house　more　stable　than　the　canvas　tent；　had　recalled　the　architecture　of　the　tribes　with　which　they　had　had　dealings。　　In　this　conglomerate　of　combatants；　there　were　also　Moors；　blacks　and　Asiatics　who　were　accustomed　to　live　outside　the　cities　and　had　acquired　in　the　open　a　physical　superiority　which　made　them　more　masterful　than　the　civilized　peoples。

Near　the　river　beds　was　flapping　white　clothing　hung　out　to　dry。　Rows　of　men　with　bared　breasts　were　out　in　the　morning　freshness；　leaning　over　the　streams；　washing　themselves　with　noisy　ablutions　followed　by　vigorous　rubbings。　。　。　。　　On　a　bridge　was　a　soldier　writing；　utilizing　a　parapet　as　a　table。　。　。　。　　The　cooks　were　moving　around　their　savory　kettles；　and　a　warm　exhalation　of　morning　soup　was　mixed　with　the　resinous　perfume　of　the　trees　and　the　smell　of　the　damp　earth。

Long；　low　barracks　of　wood　and　zinc　served　the　cavalry　and　artillery　for　their　animals　and　stores。　　In　the　open　air；　the　soldiers　were　currying　and　shoeing　the　glossy；　plump　horses　which　the　trench…war　was　maintaining　in　placid　obesity。

〃If　they　had　only　been　like　that　at　the　battle　of　the　Marne！〃　sighed　Desnoyers　to　his　friend。

Now　the　cavalry　was　leading　an　existence　of　interminable　rest。　　The　troopers　were　fighting　on　foot；　and　finding　it　necessary　to　exercise　their　steeds　to　keep　them　from　getting　sick　with　their　full　mangers。

There　were　spread　over　the　fields　several　aeroplanes；　like　great；　gray　dragon　flies；　poised　for　the　flight。　　Many　of　the　men　were　grouped　around　them。　　The　farmers；　transformed　into　soldiers；　were　watching　with　great　admiration　their　comrade　charged　with　the　management　of　these　machines。　　They　looked　upon　him　as　one　of　the　wizards　so　venerated　and　feared　in　all　the　countryside。

Don　Marcelo　was　struck　by　the　general　transformation　in　the　French　uniforms。　　All　were　now　clad　in　gray…blue；　from　head　to　foot。　　The　trousers　of　bright　scarlet　cloth；　the　red　kepis　which　he　had　hailed　with　such　joy　in　the　expedition　of　the　Marne；　no　longer　existed。　All　the　men　passing　along　the　roads　were　soldiers。　　All　the　vehicles；　even　the　ox…carts；　were　guided　by　military　men。

Suddenly　the　automobile　stopped　before　some　ruined　houses　blackened　by　fire。

〃Here　we　are；〃　announced　the　official。　　〃Now　we　shall　have　to　walk　a　little。〃

The　senator　and　his　friend　started　along　the　highway。

〃Not　that　way；　no！〃　the　guide　turned　to　say　grimly。　　〃That　road　is　bad　for　the　health。　　We　must　keep　out　of　the　currents　of　air。〃

He　further　explained　that　the　Germans　had　their　cannon　and　intrenchments　at　the　end　of　this　highroad　which　sloped　suddenly　and　again　appeared　as　a　white　ribbon　on　the　horizon　line　between　two　rows　of　trees　and　burned　houses。　　The　pale　morning　light　with　its　hazy　mist　was　sheltering　them　from　the　enemy's　fire。　　On　a　sunny　day；　the　arrival　of　their　automobile　would　have　been　saluted　with　a　shell。　　〃That　is　war；〃　he　concluded。　　〃One　is　always　near　to　death　without　seeing　it。〃

The　two　recalled　the　warning　of　the　general　with　whom　they　had　dined　the　day　before：　〃Be　very　careful！　　The　war　of　the　trenches　is　treacherous。〃

In　the　sweep　of　plains　unrolled　before　them；　not　a　man　was　visible。　It　seemed　like　a　country　Sunday；　when　the　farmers　are　in　their　homes；　and　the　land　scene　lying　in　silent　meditation。　　Some　shapeless　objects　could　be　seen　in　the　fields；　like　agricultural　implements　deserted　for　a　day　of　rest。　　Perhaps　they　were　broken　automobiles；　or　artillery　carriages　destroyed　by　the　force　of　their　volleys。

〃This　way；〃　said　the　officer　who　had　added　four　soldiers　to　the　party　to　carry　the　various　bags　and　packages　which　Desnoyers　had　brought　out　on　the　roof　of　the　automobile。

They　proceeded　in　a　single　file　the　length　of　a　wall　of　blackened　bricks；　down　a　steep　hill。　　After　a　few　steps　the　surface　of　the　ground　was　about　to　their　knees；　further　on；　up　to　their　waists；　and　thus　they　disappeared　within　the　earth；　seeing　above　their　heads；　only　a　narrow　strip　of　sky。　　They　were　now　under　the　open　field；　having　left　behind　them　the　mass　of　ruins　that　hid　the　entrance　of　the　road。　　They　were　advancing　in　an　absurd　way；　as　though　they　scorned　direct　linesin　zig…zags；　in　curves；　in　angles。　　Other　pathways；　no　less　complicated；　branched　off　from　this　ditch　which　was　the　central　avenue　of　an　immense　subterranean　cavity。　　They　walked　。　。　。　and　walked　。　。　。　and　walked。　　A　quarter　of　an　hour　went　by；　a　half；　an　entire　hour。　　Lacour　and　his　friend　thought　longingly　of　the　roadways　flanked　with　trees；　of　their　tramp　in　the　open　air　where　they　could　see　the　sky　and　meadows。　　They　were　not　going　twenty　steps　in　the　same　direction。　　The　official　marching　ahead　was　every　moment　vanishing　around　a　new　bend。　　Those　who　were　coming　behind　were　panting　and　talking　unseen；　having　to　quicken　their　steps　in　order　not　to　lose　sight　of　the　party。　　Every　now　and　then　they　had　to　halt　in　order　to　unite　and　count　the　little　band；　to　make　sure　that　no　one　had　been　lost　in　a　transverse　gallery。　　The　ground　was　exceedingly　slippery；　in　some　places　almost　liquid　mud；　white　and　caustic　like　the　drip　from　the　scaffolding　of　a　house　in　the　course　of　construction。

The　thump　of　their　footsteps；　and　the　friction　of　their　shoulders；　brought　down　chunks　of　earth　and　smooth　stones　from　the　sides。　Little　by　little　they　climbed　through　the　main　artery　of　this　underground　body　and　the　veins　connected　with　it。　　Again　they　were　near　the　surface　where　it　required　but　little　effort　to　see　the　blue　above　the　earth…works。　　But　here　the　fields　were　uncultivated；　surrounded　with　wire　fences；　yet　with　the　same　appearance　of　Sabbath　calm。　　Knowing　by　sad　experience；　what　curiosity　oftentimes　cost；　the　official　would　not　permit　them　to　linger　here。　　〃Keep　right　ahead！　　Forward　march！〃

For　an　hour　and　a　half　the　party　kept　doggedly　on　until　the　senior　members　became　greatly　bewildered　and　fatigued　by　their　serpentine　meanderings。　　They　could　no　longer　tell　whether　they　were　advancing　or　receding；　the　sudden　steeps　and　the　continual　turning　bringing　on　an　attack　of　vertigo。

〃Have　we　much　further　to　go？〃　asked　the　senator。

〃There！〃　responded　the　guide　pointing　to　some　heaps　of　earth　above　them。　　〃There〃　was　a　bell　tower　surrounded　by　a　few　charred　houses　that　could　be　seen　a　long　ways　offthe　remains　of　a　hamlet　which　had　been　taken　and　retaken　by　both　sides。

By　going　in　a　direct　line　on　the　surface　they　would　have　compassed　this　distance　in　half　an　hour。　　To　the　angles　of　the　underground　road；　arranged　to　impede　the　advance　of　an　enemy；　there　had　been　added　the　obstacles　of　campaign　fortification；　tunnels　cut　with　wire　lattice　work；　large　hanging　cages　of　wire　which；　on　falling；　could　block　the　passage　and　enable　the　defenders　to　open　fire　across　their　gratings。

They　began　to　meet　soldiers　with　packs　and　pails　of　water　who　were　soon　lost　in　the　tortuous　cross　roads。　　Some；　seated　on　piles　of　wood；　were　smiling　as　they　read　a　little　periodical　published　in　the　trenches。

The　soldiers　stepped　aside　to　make　way　for　the　visiting　procession；　bearded　and　curious　faces　peeping　out　of　the　alleyways。　　Afar　off　sounded　a　crackling　of　short　snaps　as　though　at　the　end　of　the　winding　lanes　were　a　shooting　lodge　where　a　group　of　sportsmen　were　killing　pigeons。

The　morning　was　still　cloudy　and　cold。　　In　spite　of　the　humid　atmosphere；　a　buzzing　like　that　of　a　horsefly；　hummed　several　times　above　the　two　visitors。

〃Bullets！〃　said　their　conductor　laconically。

Desnoyers　meanwhile　had　lowered　his　head　a　little。　　he　knew　perfectly　well　that　insectivorous　sound。　　The　senator　walked　on　more　briskly；　temporarily　forgetting　his　weariness。

They　came　to　a　halt　before　a　lieutenant…colonel　who　received　them　like　an　engineer　exhibiting　his　workshops；　like　a　naval　officer　showing　off　the　batteries　and　turrets　of　his　battleships。　　He　was　the　Chief　of　the　battalion