the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第30部分

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e　to　exist；　and　all　good　souls　recognize　it　as　the　only　rule　of　life。　　A　nation　of　madmen　wishes　to　place　might　upon　the　pedestal　that　others　have　raised　to　Right。　　Useless　endeavor！　　The　eternal　hope　of　mankind　will　ever　be　the　increasing　power　of　more　liberty；　more　brotherliness；　more　justice。〃

The　Russian　appeared　to　calm　himself　with　this　statement。　　He　and　his　friends　spoke　of　the　spectacle　which　Paris　was　presenting　in　its　preparation　for　war。　　Tchernoff　bemoaned　the　great　suffering　produced　by　the　catastrophe；　the　thousands　and　thousands　of　domestic　tragedies　that　were　unrolling　at　that　moment。　　Apparently　nothing　had　changed。　　In　the　centre　of　the　city　and　around　the　stations；　there　was　unusual　agitation；　but　the　rest　of　the　immense　city　did　not　appear　affected　by　the　great　overthrow　of　its　existence。　　The　solitary　street　was　presenting　its　usual　aspect；　the　breeze　was　gently　moving　the　leaves。　　A　solemn　peace　seemed　to　be　spreading　itself　through　space。　　The　houses　appeared　wrapped　in　slumber；　but　behind　the　closed　windows　might　be　surmised　the　insomnia　of　the　reddened　eyes；　the　sighs　from　hearts　anguished　by　the　threatened　danger；　the　tremulous　agility　of　the　hands　preparing　the　war　outfit；　perhaps　the　last　loving　greetings　exchanged　without　pleasure；　with　kisses　ending　in　sobs。

Tchernoff　thought　of　his　neighbors；　the　husband　and　wife　who　occupied　the　other　interior　apartment　behind　the　studio。　　She　was　no　longer　playing　the　piano。　　The　Russian　had　overheard　disputes；　the　banging　of　doors　locked　with　violence；　and　the　footsteps　of　a　man　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　fleeing　from　a　woman's　cries。　　There　had　begun　to　develop　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall　a　regulation　dramaa　repetition　of　hundreds　of　others；　all　taking　place　at　the　same　time。

〃She　is　a　German；〃　volunteered　the　Russian。　　〃Our　concierge　has　ferreted　out　her　nationality。　　He　must　have　gone　by　this　time　to　join　his　regiment。　　Last　night　I　could　hardly　sleep。　　I　heard　the　lamentations　through　the　thin　wall　partition；　the　steady；　desperate　weeping　of　an　abandoned　child；　and　the　voice　of　a　man　who　was　vainly　trying　to　quiet　her！　。　。　。　　Ah；　what　a　rain　of　sorrows　is　now　falling　upon　the　world！〃

That　same　evening；　on　leaving　the　house；　he　had　met　her　by　her　door。　She　appeared　like　another　woman；　with　an　old　look　as　though　in　these　agonizing　hours　she　had　been　suffering　for　fifteen　years。　　In　vain　the　kindly　Tchernoff　had　tried　to　cheer　her　up；　urging　her　to　accept　quietly　her　husband's　absence　so　as　not　to　harm　the　little　one　who　was　coming。

〃For　the　unhappy　creature　is　going　to　be　a　mother；〃　he　said　sadly。　〃She　hides　her　condition　with　a　certain　modesty；　but　from　my　window；　I　have　often　seen　her　making　the　dainty　layette。〃

The　woman　had　listened　to　him　as　though　she　did　not　understand。　Words　were　useless　before　her　desperation。　　She　could　only　sob　as　though　talking　to　herself；　〃I　am　a　German。　。　。　。　　He　has　gone；　he　has　to　go　away。　。　。　。　　Alone！　。　。　。　　Alone　forever！〃　。　。　。

〃She　is　thinking　all　the　time　of　her　nationality　which　is　separating　her　from　her　husband；　she　is　thinking　of　the　concentration　camp　to　which　they　will　take　her　with　her　compatriots。　　She　is　fearful　of　being　abandoned　in　the　enemy's　country　obliged　to　defend　itself　against　the　attack　of　her　own　country。　。　。　。　　And　all　this　when　she　is　about　to　become　a　mother。　　What　miseries！　　What　agonies！〃

The　three　reached　the　rue　de　la　Pompe　and　on　entering　the　house；　Tchernoff　began　to　take　leave　of　his　companions　in　order　to　climb　the　service　stairs；　but　Desnoyers　wished　to　prolong　the　conversation。　　He　dreaded　being　alone　with　his　friend；　still　chagrined　over　the　evening's　events。　　The　conversation　with　the　Russian　interested　him；　so　they　all　went　up　in　the　elevator　together。　　Argensola　suggested　that　this　would　be　a　good　opportunity　to　uncork　one　of　the　many　bottles　which　he　was　keeping　in　the　kitchen。　　Tchernoff　could　go　home　through　the　studio　door　that　opened　on　the　stairway。

The　great　window　had　its　glass　doors　wide　open；　the　transoms　on　the　patio　side　were　also　open；　a　breeze　kept　the　curtains　swaying；　moving；　too；　the　old　lanterns；　moth…eaten　flags　and　other　adornments　of　the　romantic　studio。　　They　seated　themselves　around　the　table；　near　a　window　some　distance　from　the　light　which　was　illuminating　the　other　end　of　the　big　room。　　They　were　in　the　shadow；　with　their　backs　to　the　interior　court。　　Opposite　them　were　tiled　roofs　and　an　enormous　rectangle　of　blue　shadow；　perforated　by　the　sharp…pointed　stars。　　The　city　lights　were　coloring　the　shadowy　space　with　a　bloody　reflection。

Tchernoff　drank　two　glasses；　testifying　to　the　excellence　of　the　liquid　by　smacking　his　lips。　　The　three　were　silent　with　the　wondering　and　thoughtful　silence　which　the　grandeur　of　the　night　imposes。　　Their　eyes　were　glancing　from　star　to　star；　grouping　them　in　fanciful　lines；　forming　them　into　triangles　or　squares　of　varying　irregularity。　　At　times；　the　twinkling　radiance　of　a　heavenly　body　appeared　to　broaden　the　rays　of　light；　almost　hypnotizing　them。

The　Russian；　without　coming　out　of　his　revery；　availed　himself　of　another　glass。　　Then　he　smiled　with　cruel　irony；　his　bearded　face　taking　on　the　semblance　of　a　tragic　mask　peeping　between　the　curtains　of　the　night。

〃I　wonder　what　those　men　up　there　are　thinking！〃　he　muttered。　　〃I　wonder　if　any　star　knows　that　Bismarck　ever　existed！　。　。　。　　I　wonder　if　the　planets　are　aware　of　the　divine　mission　of　the　German　nation！〃

And　he　continued　laughing。

Some　far…away　and　uncertain　noise　disturbed　the　stillness　of　the　night；　slipping　through　some　of　the　chinks　that　cut　the　immense　plain　of　roofs。　　The　three　turned　their　heads　so　as　to　hear　better。　。　。　。　　The　sound　of　voices　cut　through　the　thick　silence　of　nighta　masculine　chorus　chanting　a　hymn；　simple；　monotonous　and　solemn。　　They　guessed　at　what　it　must　be；　although　they　could　not　hear　very　well。　　Various　single　notes　floating　with　greater　intensity　on　the　night　wind；　enabled　Argensola　to　piece　together　the　short　song；　ending　in　a　melodious；　triumphant　yella　true　war　song：


　　　　　C'est　l'Alsace　et　la　Lorraine；　　　　　　C'est　l'Alsace　qu'il　nous　faut；　　　　　　Oh；　oh；　oh；　oh。


A　new　band　of　men　was　going　away　through　the　streets　below；　toward　the　railway　station；　the　gateway　of　the　war。　　They　must　be　from　the　outlying　districts；　perhaps　from　the　country；　and　passing　through　silence…wrapped　Paris；　they　felt　like　singing　of　the　great　national　hope；　that　those　who　were　watching　behind　the　dark　facades　might　feel　comforted；　knowing　that　they　were　not　alone。

〃Just　as　it　is　in　the　opera；〃　said　Julio　listening　to　the　last　notes　of　the　invisible　chorus　dying　away　into　the　night。

Tchernoff　continued　drinking；　but　with　a　distracted　air；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　red　cloud　that　floated　over　the　roofs。

The　two　friends　conjectured　his　mental　labor　from　his　concentrated　look；　and　the　low　exclamations　which　were　escaping　him　like　the　echoes　of　an　interior　monologue。　　Suddenly　he　leaped　from　thought　to　word　without　any　forewarning；　continuing　aloud　the　course　of　his　reasoning。

〃And　when　the　sun　arises　in　a　few　hours；　the　world　will　see　coursing　through　its　fields　the　four　horsemen；　enemies　of　mankind。　。　。　。　Already　their　wild　steeds　are　pawing　the　ground　with　impatience；　already　the　ill…omened　riders　have　come　together　and　are　exchanging　the　last　words　before　leaping　into　the　saddle。〃

〃What　horsemen　are　these？〃　asked　Argensola。

〃Those　which　go　before　the　Beast。〃

The　two　friends　thought　this　reply　as　unintelligible　as　the　preceding　words。　　Desnoyers　again　said　mentally；　〃He　is　drunk；〃　but　his　curiosity　forced　him　to　ask；　〃What　beast　is　that？〃

〃That　of　the　Apocalypse。〃

There　was　a　brief　silence；　but　the　Russian's　terseness　of　speech　did　not　last　long。　　He　felt　the　necessity　of　expressing　his　enthusiasm　for　the　dreamer　on　the　island　rock　of　Patmos。　　The　poet　of　great　and　mystic　vision　was　exerting；　across　two　thousand　years；　his　influence　over　this　mysterious　revolutionary；　tucked　away　on　the　top　floor　of　a　house　in　Paris。　　John　had　foreseen　it　all。　　His　visions；　unintelligible　to　the　masses；　nevertheless　held　within　them　the　mystery　of　great　human　events。

Tchernoff　described　the　Apocalyptic　beast　rising　from　the　depths　of　the　sea。　　He　was　like　a　leopard；　his　feet　like　those　of　a　bear；　his　mouth　like　the　snout　of　a　lion。　　He　had　seven　heads　and　ten　horns。　And　upon　the　horns　were　ten　crowns；　and　upon　each　of　his　heads　the　name　of　a　blasphemy。　　The　evangelist　did　not　say　just　what　these　blasphemies　were；　perhaps　they　differed　according　to　the　epochs；　modified　every　thousand　years　when　the　beast　made　a　new　apparition。　The　Russian　seemed　to　be　reading　those　that　were　flaming　on　the　heads　of　the　monsterblasphemies　against　humanity；　against　justice；　against　all　that　makes　life　sweet　and　bearable。　　〃Might　is　superior　to　Right！〃　。　。　。　　〃The　weak　should　not　exist。〃　。　。　。　　〃Be　harsh　in　order　to　be　great。〃　。　。　。　　And　the　Beast　in　all　its　hideousness　was　attempting　to　govern　the　world　and　make　mankind　render　him　homage！

〃But　the　four　horsemen？〃　persisted　Desnoyers。

The　four　horsemen　were　preceding　the　appearance　of　the　monster　in　John's　vision。

The　seven　seals　of　the　book　of　mystery　were　broken　by　the　Lamb　in　the　presence　of　the　great　throne　where　was　seated　one　who　shone　like　jasper。　　The　rainbow　round　about　the　throne　was　in　sight　like　unto　an　emerald。　　Twenty…four　thrones　were　in　a　semicircle　around　the　great　throne；　and　upon　them　twenty…four　elders　with　white　robes　and　crowns　of　gold。　　Four　enormous　animals；　covered　with　eyes　and　each　having　six　wings；　seemed　to　be　guarding　the　throne。　　The　sounding　of　trumpets　was　greeting　the　breaking　of　the　first　seal。

〃Come　and　see；〃　cried　one　of　the　beasts　in　a　stentorian　tone　to　the　vision…seeing　poet。　。　。　。　　And　the　first　horseman　appeared　on　a　white　horse。　　In　his　hand　he　carried　a　bow；　and　a　crown　was　given　unto　him。　　He　was　Conquest；　according　to　some；　the　Plague　according　to　others。　　He　might　be　both　things　at　the　same　time。　　He　wore　a　crown；　and　that　was　enough　for　Tchernoff。

〃Come　forth；〃　shouted　the　second　animal；　removing　his　thousand　eyes。　And　from　the　broken　seal　leaped　a　flame…colored　steed。　　His　rider　brandished　over　his　head　an　enormous　swor