the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第9节

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laim　myself　king　some　day？　　Just　imagine　it；　Frenchy；Don　Madariaga；　the　First。　。　。　。　　The　worst　of　it　all　is　that　I　would　also　be　the　last；　for　the　China　will　not　give　me　a　son。　。　。　。　　She　is　a　weak　cow！〃

The　fame　of　his　vast　territories　and　his　wealth　in　stock　reached　even　to　Buenos　Aires。　　Every　one　knew　of　Madariaga　by　name；　although　very　few　had　seen　him。　　When　he　went　to　the　Capital；　he　passed　unnoticed　because　of　his　country　aspectthe　same　leggings　that　he　was　used　to　wearing　in　the　fields；　his　poncho　wrapped　around　him　like　a　muffler　above　which　rose　the　aggressive　points　of　a　necktie；　a　tormenting　ornament　imposed　by　his　daughters；　who　in　vain　arranged　it　with　loving　hands　that　he　might　look　a　little　more　respectable。

One　day　he　entered　the　office　of　the　richest　merchant　of　the　capital。

〃Sir；　I　know　that　you　need　some　young　bulls　for　the　European　market；　and　I　have　come　to　sell　you　a　few。〃

The　man　of　affairs　looked　haughtily　at　the　poor　cowboy。　　He　might　explain　his　errand　to　one　of　the　employees；　he　could　not　waste　his　time　on　such　small　matters。　　But　the　malicious　grin　on　the　rustic's　face　awoke　his　curiosity。

〃And　how　many　are　you　able　to　sell；　my　good　man？〃

〃About　thirty　thousand；　sir。〃

It　was　not　necessary　to　hear　more。　　The　supercilious　merchant　sprang　from　his　desk；　and　obsequiously　offered　him　a　seat。

〃You　can　be　no　other　than　Don　Madariaga。〃

〃At　the　service　of　God　and　yourself；　sir；〃　he　responded　in　the　manner　of　a　Spanish　countryman。

That　was　the　most　glorious　moment　of　his　existence。

In　the　outer　office　of　the　Directors　of　the　Bank；　the　clerks　offered　him　a　seat　until　the　personage　the　other　side　of　the　door　should　deign　to　receive　him。　　But　scarcely　was　his　name　announced　than　that　same　director　ran　to　admit　him；　and　the　employee　was　stupefied　to　hear　the　ranchman　say；　by　way　of　greeting；　〃I　have　come　to　draw　out　three　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　I　have　abundant　pasturage；　and　I　wish　to　buy　a　ranch　or　two　in　order　to　stock　them。〃

His　arbitrary　and　contradictory　character　weighed　upon　the　inhabitants　of　his　lands　with　both　cruel　and　good…natured　tyranny。　No　vagabond　ever　passed　by　the　ranch　without　being　rudely　assailed　by　its　owner　from　the　outset。

〃Don't　tell　me　any　of　your　hard…luck　stories；　friend；〃　he　would　yell　as　if　he　were　going　to　beat　him。　　〃Under　the　shed　is　a　skinned　beast；　cut　and　eat　as　much　as　you　wish　and　so　help　yourself　to　continue　your　journey。　。　。　。　　But　no　more　of　your　yarns！〃

And　he　would　turn　his　back　upon　the　tramp；　after　giving　him　a　few　dollars。

One　day　he　became　infuriated　because　a　peon　was　nailing　the　wire　fencing　too　deliberately　on　the　posts。　　Everybody　was　robbing　him！　The　following　day　he　spoke　of　a　large　sum　of　money　that　he　would　have　to　pay　for　having　endorsed　the　note　of　an　acquaintance；　completely　bankrupt。　　〃Poor　fellow！　　His　luck　is　worse　than　mine！〃

Upon　finding　in　the　road　the　skeleton　of　a　recently　killed　sheep；　he　was　beside　himself　with　indignation。　　It　was　not　because　of　the　loss　of　the　meat。　　〃Hunger　knows　no　law；　and　God　has　made　meat　for　mankind　to　eat。　　But　they　might　at　least　have　left　the　skin！〃　。　。　。　And　he　would　rage　against　such　wickedness；　always　repeating；　〃Lack　of　religion　and　good　habits！〃　　The　next　time；　the　bandits　stripped　the　flesh　off　of　three　cows；　leaving　the　skins　in　full　view；　and　the　ranchman　said；　smiling；　〃That　is　the　way　I　like　people；　honorable　and　doing　no　wrong。〃

His　vigor　as　a　tireless　centaur　had　helped　him　powerfully　in　his　task　of　populating　his　lands。　　He　was　capricious；　despotic　and　with　the　same　paternal　instincts　as　his　compatriots　who；　centuries　before　when　conquering　the　new　world；　had　clarified　its　native　blood。　　Like　the　Castilian　conquistadors；　he　had　a　fancy　for　copper…colored　beauty　with　oblique　eyes　and　straight　hair。　　When　Desnoyers　saw　him　going　off　on　some　sudden　pretext；　putting　his　horse　at　full　gallop　toward　a　neighboring　ranch；　he　would　say　to　himself；　smilingly；　〃He　is　going　in　search　of　a　new　peon　who　will　help　work　his　land　fifteen　years　from　now。〃

The　personnel　of　the　ranch　often　used　to　comment　on　the　resemblance　of　certain　youths　laboring　here　the　same　as　the　others；　galloping　from　the　first　streak　of　dawn　over　the　fields；　attending　to　the　various　duties　of　pasturing。　　The　overseer；　Celedonio；　a　half…breed　thirty　years　old；　generally　detested　for　his　hard　and　avaricious　character；　also　bore　a　distant　resemblance　to　the　patron。

Almost　every　year；　some　woman　from　a　great　distance；　dirty　and　bad…　faced；　presented　herself　at　the　ranch；　leading　by　the　hand　a　little　mongrel　with　eyes　like　live　coals。　　She　would　ask　to　speak　with　the　proprietor　alone；　and　upon　being　confronted　with　her；　he　usually　recalled　a　trip　made　ten　or　twelve　years　before　in　order　to　buy　a　herd　of　cattle。

〃You　remember；　Patron；　that　you　passed　the　night　on　my　ranch　because　the　river　had　risen？〃

The　Patron　did　not　remember　anything　about　it。　　But　a　vague　instinct　warned　him　that　the　woman　was　probably　telling　the　truth。　　〃Well；　what　of　it？〃

〃Patron；　here　he　is。　。　。　。　　It　is　better　for　him　to　grow　to　manhood　by　your　side　than　in　any　other　place。〃

And　she　presented　him　with　the　little　hybrid。　　One　more；　and　offered　with　such　simplicity！　。　。　。　　〃Lack　of　religion　and　good　habits！〃　Then　with　sudden　modesty；　he　doubted　the　woman's　veracity。　　Why　must　it　necessarily　be　his？　。　。　。　　But　his　wavering　was　generally　short…　lived。

〃If　it's　mine；　put　it　with　the　others。〃

The　mother　went　away　tranquilly；　seeing　the　youngster's　future　assured；　because　this　man　so　lavish　in　violence　was　equally　so　in　generosity。　　In　time　there　would　be　a　bit　of　land　and　a　good　flock　of　sheep　for　the　urchin。

These　adoptions　at　first　aroused　in　Misia　Petrona　a　little　rebellionthe　only　ones　of　her　life；　but　the　centaur　soon　reduced　her　to　terrified　silence。

〃And　you　dare　to　complain　of　me；　you　weak　cow！　。　。　。　　A　woman　who　has　only　given　me　daughters。　　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself。〃

The　same　hand　that　negligently　extracted　from　his　pocket　a　wad　of　bills　rolled　into　a　ball；　giving　them　away　capriciously　without　knowing　just　how　much；　also　wore　a　lash　hanging　from　the　wrist。　　It　was　supposed　to　be　for　his　horse；　but　it　was　used　with　equal　facility　when　any　of　his　peons　incurred　his　wrath。

〃I　strike　because　I　can；〃　he　would　say　to　pacify　himself。

One　day；　the　man　receiving　the　blow；　took　a　step　backward；　hunting　for　the　knife　in　his　belt。

〃You　are　not　going　to　beat　me；　Patron。　　I　was　not　born　in　these　parts。　。　。　。　　I　come　from　Corrientes。〃

The　Patron　remained　with　upraised　thong。　　〃Is　it　true　that　you　were　not　born　here？　。　。　。　　Then　you　are　right；　I　cannot　beat　you。　　Here　are　five　dollars　for　you。〃

When　Desnoyers　came　on　the　place；　Madariaga　was　beginning　to　lose　count　of　those　who　were　under　his　dominion　in　the　old　Latin　sense；　and　could　take　his　blows。　　There　were　so　many　that　confusion　often　reigned。

The　Frenchman　admired　the　Patron's　expert　eye　for　his　business。　　It　was　enough　for　him　to　contemplate　for　a　few　moments　a　herd　of　cattle；　to　know　its　exact　number。　　He　would　go　galloping　along　with　an　indifferent　air；　around　an　immense　group　of　horned　and　stamping　beasts；　and　then　would　suddenly　begin　to　separate　the　different　animals。　　He　had　discovered　that　they　were　sick。　　With　a　buyer　like　Madariaga；　all　the　tricks　and　sharp　practice　of　the　drovers　came　to　naught。

His　serenity　before　trouble　was　also　admirable。　　A　drought　suddenly　strewed　his　plains　with　dead　cattle；　making　the　land　seem　like　an　abandoned　battlefield。　　Everywhere　great　black　hulks。　　In　the　air；　great　spirals　of　crows　coming　from　leagues　away。　　At　other　times；　it　was　the　cold；　an　unexpected　drop　in　the　thermometer　would　cover　the　ground　with　dead　bodies。　　Ten　thousand　animals；　fifteen　thousand；　perhaps　more；　all　perished！

〃WHAT　a　knock…out！〃　Madariaga　would　exclaim　with　resignation。　〃Without　such　troubles；　this　earth　would　be　a　paradise。　。　。　。　　Now；　the　thing　to　do　is　to　save　the　skins！〃

And　he　would　rail　against　the　false　pride　of　the　emigrants；　against　the　new　customs　among　the　poor　which　prevented　his　securing　enough　hands　to　strip　the　victims　quickly；　so　that　thousands　of　hides　had　to　be　lost。　　Their　bones　whitened　the　earth　like　heaps　of　snow。　　The　peoncitos　（little　peons）　went　around　putting　the　skulls　of　cows　with　crumpled　horns　on　the　posts　of　the　wire　fencesa　rustic　decoration　which　suggested　a　procession　of　Grecian　lyres。

〃It　is　lucky　that　the　land　is　left；　anyway！〃　added　the　ranchman。

He　loved　to　race　around　his　immense　fields　when　they　were　beginning　to　turn　green　in　the　late　rains。　　He　had　been　among　the　first　to　convert　these　virgin　wastes　into　rich　meadow…lands；　supplementing　the　natural　pasturage　with　alfalfa。　　Where　one　beast　had　found　sustenance　before；　he　now　had　three。　　〃The　table　is　set；〃　he　would　chuckle；　〃we　must　now　go　in　search　of　the　guests。〃　　And　he　kept　on　buying；　at　ridiculous　prices；　herds　dying　of　hunger　in　others'　uncultivated　fields；　constantly　increasing　his　opulent　lands　and　stock。

One　morning　Desnoyers　saved　his　life。　　The　old　ranchman　had　raised　his　lash　against　a　recently　arrived　peon　who　returned　the　attack；　knife　in　hand。　　Madariaga　was　defending　himself　as　best