the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第3部分

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as　though　it　were　a　crime　of　high　treason。　　Germany　was　magnificent　because　of　the　fertility　of　its　women。　　The　Kaiser；　with　his　artistic　hyperbole；　had　proclaimed　that　the　true　German　beauty　should　have　a　waist　measure　of　at　least　a　yard　and　a　half。

When　Desnoyers　entered　into　the　smoking　room　in　order　to　take　the　seat　which　Bertha　had　reserved　for　him；　her　husband　and　his　wealthy　hangers…on　had　their　pack　of　cards　lying　idle　upon　the　green　felt。　Herr　Rath　was　continuing　his　discourse　and　his　listeners；　taking　their　cigars　from　their　mouths；　were　emitting　grunts　of　approbation。　The　arrival　of　Julio　provoked　a　general　smile　of　amiability。　　Here　was　France　coming　to　fraternize　with　them。　　They　knew　that　his　father　was　French；　and　that　fact　made　him　as　welcome　as　though　he　came　in　direct　line　from　the　palace　of　the　Quai　d'Orsay；　representing　the　highest　diplomacy　of　the　Republic。　　The　craze　for　proselyting　made　them　all　promptly　concede　to　him　unlimited　importance。

〃We；〃　continued　the　Counsellor　looking　fixedly　at　Desnoyers　as　if　he　were　expecting　a　solemn　declaration　from　him；　〃we　wish　to　live　on　good　terms　with　France。〃

The　youth　nodded　his　head　so　as　not　to　appear　inattentive。　　It　appeared　to　him　a　very　good　thing　that　these　peoples　should　not　be　enemies；　and　as　far　as　he　was　concerned；　they　might　affirm　this　relationship　as　often　as　they　wished：　the　only　thing　that　was　interesting　him　just　at　that　time　was　a　certain　knee　that　was　seeking　his　under　the　table；　transmitting　its　gentle　warmth　through　a　double　curtain　of　silk。

〃But　France；〃　complained　the　manufacturer；　〃is　most　unresponsive　towards　us。　　For　many　years　past；　our　Emperor　has　been　holding　out　his　hand　with　noble　loyalty；　but　she　pretends　not　to　see　it。　。　。　。　That；　you　must　admit；　is　not　as　it　should　be。〃

Just　here　Desnoyers　believed　that　he　ought　to　say　something　in　order　that　the　spokesman　might　not　divine　his　more　engrossing　occupation。

〃Perhaps　you　are　not　doing　enough。　　If；　first　of　all；　you　would　return　that　which　you　took　away　from　France！〃　。　。　。

Stupefied　silence　followed　this　remark；　as　if　the　alarm　signal　had　sounded　through　the　boat。　　Some　of　those　who　were　about　putting　their　cigars　in　their　mouths；　remained　with　hands　immovable　within　two　inches　of　their　lips；　their　eyes　almost　popping　out　of　their　heads。　　But　the　Captain　of　the　Landsturm　was　there　to　formulate　their　mute　protest。

〃Return！〃　he　said　in　a　voice　almost　extinguished　by　the　sudden　swelling　of　his　neck。　　〃We　have　nothing　to　return；　for　we　have　taken　nothing。　　That　which　we　possess；　we　acquire　by　our　heroism。〃

The　hidden　knee　with　its　agreeable　friction　made　itself　more　insinuating；　as　though　counselling　the　youth　to　greater　prudence。

〃Do　not　say　such　things；〃　breathed　Bertha；　〃thus　only　the　republicans；　corrupted　by　Paris；　talk。　　A　youth　so　distinguished　who　has　been　in　Berlin；　and　has　relatives　in　Germany！〃　。　。　。

But　Desnoyers　felt　a　hereditary　impulse　of　aggressiveness　before　each　of　her　husband's　statements；　enunciated　in　haughty　tones；　and　responded　coldly：

〃It　is　as　if　I　should　take　your　watch　and　then　propose　that　we　should　be　friends；　forgetting　the　occurrence。　　Although　you　might　forget；　the　first　thing　for　me　to　do　would　be　to　return　the　watch。〃

Counsellor　Erckmann　wished　to　retort　with　so　many　things　at　once　that　he　stuttered　horribly；　leaping　from　one　idea　to　the　other。　　To　compare　the　reconquest　of　Alsace　to　a　robbery。　　A　German　country！　The　race　。　。　。　the　language　。　。　。　the　history！　。　。　。

〃But　when　did　they　announce　their　wish　to　be　German？〃　asked　the　youth　without　losing　his　calmness。　　〃When　have　you　consulted　their　opinion？〃

The　Counsellor　hesitated；　not　knowing　whether　to　argue　with　this　insolent　fellow　or　crush　him　with　his　scorn。

〃Young　man；　you　do　not　know　what　you　are　talking　about；〃　he　finally　blustered　with　withering　contempt。　　〃You　are　an　Argentinian　and　do　not　understand　the　affairs　of　Europe。〃

And　the　others　agreed；　suddenly　repudiating　the　citizenship　which　they　had　attributed　to　him　a　little　while　before。　　The　Counsellor；　with　military　rudeness；　brusquely　turned　his　back　upon　him；　and　taking　up　the　pack；　distributed　the　cards。　　The　game　was　renewed。　Desnoyers；　seeing　himself　isolated　by　the　scornful　silence；　felt　greatly　tempted　to　break　up　the　playing　by　violence；　but　the　hidden　knee　continued　counselling　self…control；　and　an　invisible　hand　had　sought　his　right；　pressing　it　sweetly。　　That　was　enough　to　make　him　recover　his　serenity。　　The　Counsellor's　Lady　seemed　to　be　absorbed　in　the　progress　of　the　game。　　He　also　looked　on；　a　malignant　smile　contracting　slightly　the　lines　of　his　mouth　as　he　was　mentally　ejaculating　by　way　of　consolation；　〃Captain；　Captain！　。　。　。　　You　little　know　what　is　awaiting　you！〃

On　terra　firma；　he　would　never　again　have　approached　these　men；　but　life　on　a　transatlantic　liner；　with　its　inevitable　promiscuousness；　obliges　forgetfulness。　　The　following　day　the　Counsellor　and　his　friends　came　in　search　of　him；　flattering　his　sensibilities　by　erasing　every　irritating　memory。　　He　was　a　distinguished　youth　belonging　to　a　wealthy　family；　and　all　of　them　had　shops　and　business　in　his　country。　　The　only　thing　was　that　he　should　be　careful　not　to　mention　his　French　origin。　　He　was　an　Argentinian；　and　thereupon；　the　entire　chorus　interested　itself　in　the　grandeur　of　his　country　and　all　the　nations　of　South　America　where　they　had　agencies　or　investmentsexaggerating　its　importance　as　though　its　petty　republics　were　great　powers；　commenting　with　gravity　upon　the　deeds　and　words　of　its　political　leaders　and　giving　him　to　understand　that　in　Germany　there　was　no　one　who　was　not　concerned　about　the　future　of　South　America；　predicting　for　all　its　divisions　most　glorious　prosperitya　reflex　of　the　Empire；　always；　provided；　of　course；　that　they　kept　under　Germanic　influence。

In　spite　of　these　flatteries；　Desnoyers　was　no　longer　presenting　himself　with　his　former　assiduity　at　the　hour　of　poker。　　The　Counsellor's　wife　was　retiring　to　her　stateroom　earlier　than　usual　their　approach　to　the　Equator　inducing　such　an　irresistible　desire　for　sleep；　that　she　had　to　abandon　her　husband　to　his　card　playing。　Julio　also　had　mysterious　occupations　which　prevented　his　appearance　on　deck　until　after　midnight。　　With　the　precipitation　of　a　man　who　desires　to　be　seen　in　order　to　avoid　suspicion；　he　was　accustomed　to　enter　the　smoking　room　talking　loudly　as　he　seated　himself　near　the　husband　and　his　boon　companions。

The　game　had　ended；　and　an　orgy　of　beer　and　fat　cigars　from　Hamburg　was　celebrating　the　success　of　the　winners。　　It　was　the　hour　of　Teutonic　expansion；　of　intimacy　among　men；　of　heavy；　sluggish　jokes；　of　off…color　stories。　　The　Counsellor　was　presiding　with　much　majesty　over　the　diableries　of　his　chums；　prudent　business　men　from　the　Hanseatic　ports　who　had　big　accounts　in　the　Deutsche　Bank　or　were　shopkeepers　installed　in　the　republic　of　the　La　Plata；　with　an　innumerable　family。　　He　was　a　warrior；　a　captain；　and　on　applauding　every　heavy　jest　with　a　laugh　that　distended　his　fat　neck；　he　fancied　that　he　was　among　his　comrades　at　arms。

In　honor　of　the　South　Americans　who；　tired　of　pacing　the　deck；　had　dropped　in　to　hear　what　the　gringoes　were　saying；　they　were　turning　into　Spanish　the　witticisms　and　licentious　anecdotes　awakened　in　the　memory　by　a　superabundance　of　beer。　　Julio　was　marvelling　at　the　ready　laugh　of　all　these　men。　　While　the　foreigners　were　remaining　unmoved；　they　would　break　forth　into　loud　horse…laughs　throwing　themselves　back　in　their　seats。　　And　when　the　German　audience　was　growing　cold；　the　story…teller　would　resort　to　an　infallible　expedient　to　remedy　his　lack　of　success：

〃They　told　this　yarn　to　the　Kaiser；　and　when　the　Kaiser　heard　it　he　laughed　heartily。〃

It　was　not　necessary　to　say　more。　　They　all　laughed　then。　　Ha；　ha；　ha！　with　a　spontaneous　roar　but　a　short　one；　a　laugh　in　three　blows；　since　to　prolong　it；　might　be　interpreted　as　a　lack　of　respect　to　His　Majesty。

As　they　neared　Europe；　a　batch　of　news　came　to　meet　the　boat。　　The　employees　in　the　wireless　telegraphy　office　were　working　incessantly。　　One　night；　on　entering　the　smoking　room；　Desnoyers　saw　the　German　notables　gesticulating　with　animated　countenances。　　They　were　no　longer　drinking　beer。　　They　had　had　bottles　of　champagne　uncorked；　and　the　Counsellor's　Lady；　much　impressed；　had　not　retired　to　her　stateroom。　　Captain　Erckmann；　spying　the　young　Argentinian；　offered　him　a　glass。

〃It　is　war；〃　he　shouted　with　enthusiasm。　　〃War　at　last。　。　。　。　　The　hour　has　come！〃

Desnoyers　made　a　gesture　of　astonishment。　　War！　。　。　。　　What　war？　。　。　。　Like　all　the　others；　he　had　read　on　the　news　bulletin　outside　a　radiogram　stating　that　the　Austrian　government　had　just　sent　an　ultimatum　to　Servia；　but　it　made　not　the　slightest　impression　on　him；　for　he　was　not　at　all　interested　in　the　Balkan　affairs。　　Those　were　but　the　quarrels　of　a　miserable　little　nation　monopolizing　the　attention　of　the　world；　distracting　it　from　more　worthwhile　matters。　How　could　this　event　concern　the　martial　Counsellor？　　The　two　nations　would　soon　come　to　an　understanding。　　Diplomacy　sometimes　amounted　to　something。

〃No；〃　insisted　the　German　ferociously。　　〃It　is　war；　blessed　war。　Russia　will　sustain　Servia；　and　we　will　support　our　ally。　。　。　。　What　will　France　do？　　Do　you　know　what　France　will　do？〃　。　。　。

Julio　shrugged　his　shoulders　testily　as　though　asking　to　be　left　out　of　all　international　discussions。

〃It　is　war；〃　asserted　the　Counsellor；　〃the　preventive　war　that　we　need。　　Russia　is　growing　too　fast；　and　is　preparing　to　fight　us。　Four　years　more　of　peace　and　she　will　have　finished　her　strategic　railroads；　and　her　military　power；　united　to　that　of　her　allies；　will　be　worth　as　much　as　ours。　　It　is　better　to　strike　a　powerful　blow　now。　　It　is　necessary　to　take　advantage　of　this　opportunity。　。　。　。　War。　　Preventive　war！〃

All　his　clan　were　listening　in　silence。　　Some　did　not　appear　to　feel　the　contagion　of　his　enthusiasm。　　War！　。　。　。　　In　imagination　they　saw　their　business　paralyzed；　their　agencies　bankrupt；　the　banks　cutting　down　credit　。　。　。　a　catastrophe　more　frightful　to　them　than　the　slaughters　of　battles。　　But　they　applauded　with　nods　and　grunts　all　of　Erckmann's