the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第31部分

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〃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　sword。　　He　was　War。　　Peace　fled　from　the　world　before　his　furious　gallop；　humanity　was　going　to　be　exterminated。

And　when　the　third　seal　was　broken；　another　of　the　winged　animals　bellowed　like　a　thunder　clap；　〃Come　and　see！〃　　And　John　saw　a　black　horse。　　He　who　mounted　it　held　in　his　hand　a　scale　in　order　to　weigh　the　maintenance　of　mankind。　　He　was　Famine。

The　fourth　animal　saluted　the　breaking　of　the　fourth　seal　with　a　great　roaring〃Come　and　see！〃　　And　there　appeared　a　pale…colored　horse。　　His　rider　was　called　Death；　and　power　was　given　him　to　destroy　with　the　sword　and　with　hunger　and　with　death；　and　with　the　beasts　of　the　earth。

The　four　horsemen　were　beginning　their　mad；　desolating　course　over　the　heads　of　terrified　humanity。

Tchernoff　was　describing　the　four　scourges　of　the　earth　exactly　as　though　he　were　seeing　them。　　The　horseman　on　the　white　horse　was　clad　in　a　showy　and　barbarous　attire。　　His　Oriental　countenance　was　contracted　with　hatred　as　if　smelling　out　his　victims。　　While　his　horse　continued　galloping；　he　was　bending　his　bow　in　order　to　spread　pestilence　abroad。　　At　his　back　swung　the　brass　quiver　filled　with　poisoned　arrows；　containing　the　germs　of　all　diseasesthose　of　private　life　as　well　as　those　which　envenom　the　wounded　soldier　on　the　battlefield。

The　second　horseman　on　the　red　steed　was　waving　the　enormous；　two…　edged　sword　over　his　hair　bristling　with　the　swiftness　of　his　course。　　He　was　young；　but　the　fierce　scowl　and　the　scornful　mouth　gave　him　a　look　of　implacable　ferocity。　　His　garments；　blown　open　by　the　motion　of　his　wild　race；　disclosed　the　form　of　a　muscular　athlete。

Bald；　old　and　horribly　skinny　was　the　third　horseman　bouncing　up　and　down　on　the　rawboned　back　of　his　black　steed。　　His　shrunken　legs　clanked　against　the　thin　flanks　of　the　lean　beast。　　In　one　withered　hand　he　was　holding　the　scales；　symbol　of　the　scarcity　of　food　that　was　going　to　become　as　valuable　as　gold。

The　knees　of　the　fourth　horseman；　sharp　as　spurs；　were　pricking　the　ribs　of　the　pale　horse。　　His　parchment…like　skin　betrayed　the　lines　and　hollows　of　his　skeleton。　　The　front　of　his　skull…like　face　was　twisted　with　the　sardonic　laugh　of　destruction。　　His　cane…like　arms　were　whirling　aloft　a　gigantic　sickle。　　From　his　angular　shoulders　was　hanging　a　ragged；　filthy　shroud。

And　the　furious　cavalcade　was　passing　like　a　hurricane　over　the　immense　assemblage　of　human　beings。　　The　heavens　showed　above　their　heads；　a　livid；　dark…edged　cloud　from　the　west。　　Horrible　monsters　and　deformities　were　swarming　in　spirals　above　the　furious　horde；　like　a　repulsive　escort。　　Poor　Humanity；　crazed　with　fear；　was　fleeing　in　all　directions　on　hearing　the　thundering　pace　of　the　Plague；　War；　Hunger　and　Death。　　Men　and　women；　young　and　old；　were　knocking　each　other　down　and　falling　to　the　ground　overwhelmed　by　terror；　astonishment　and　desperation。　　And　the　white　horse；　the　red；　the　black　and　the　pale；　were　crushing　all　with　their　relentless；　iron　treadthe　athletic　man　was　hearing　the　crashing　of　his　broken　ribs；　the　nursing　babe　was　writhing　at　its　mother's　breast；　and　the　aged　and　feeble　were　closing　their　eyes　forever　with　a　childlike　sob。

〃God　is　asleep；　forgetting　the　world；〃　continued　the　Russian。　　〃It　will　be　a　long　time　before　he　awakes；　and　while　he　sleeps　the　four　feudal　horsemen　of　the　Beast　will　course　through　the　land　as　its　only　lords。〃

Tchernoff　was　overpowered　by　the　intensity　of　his　dramatic　vision。　Springing　from　his　seat；　he　paced　up　and　down　with　great　strides；　but　his　picture　of　the　fourfold　catastrophe　revealed　by　the　gloomy　poet's　trance；　seemed　to　him　very　weak　indeed。　　A　great　painter　had　given　corporeal　form　to　these　terrible　dreams。

〃I　have　a　book；〃　he　murmured；　〃a　rare　book。〃　。　。　。

And　suddenly　he　left　the　studio　and　went　to　his　own　quarters。　　He　wanted　to　bring　the　book　to　show　to　his　friends。　　Argensola　accompanied　him；　and　they　returned　in　a　few　minutes　with　the　volume；　leaving　the　doors　open　behind　them；　so　as　to　make　a　stronger　current　of　air　among　the　hollows　of　the　facades　and　the　interior　patio。

Tchernoff　placed　his　precious　book　under　the　light。　　It　was　a　volume　printed　in　1511；　with　Latin　text　and　engravings。　　Desnoyers　read　the　title；　〃The　Apocalypse　Illustrated。〃　　The　engravings　were　by　Albert　Durer；　a　youthful　effort；　when　the　master　was　only　twenty…seven　years　old。　　The　three　were　fascinated　by　the　picture　portraying　the　wild　career　of　the　Apocalyptic　horsemen。　　The　quadruple　scourge；　on　fantastic　mounts；　seemed　to　be　precipitating　itself　with　a　realistic　sweep；　crushing　panic…stricken　humanity。

Suddenly　something　happened　which　startled　the　three　men　from　their　contemplative　admirationsomething　unusual；　indefinable；　a　dreadful　sound　which　seemed　to　enter　directly　into　their　brains　without　passing　through　their　earsa　clutch　at　the　heart。　　Instinctively　they　knew　that　something　very　grave　had　just　happened。

They　stared　at　each　other　silently　for　a　few　interminable　seconds。

Through　the　open　door；　a　cry　of　alarm　came　up　from　the　patio。

With　a　common　impulse；　the　three　ran　to　the　interior　window；　but　before　reaching　them；　the　Russian　had　a　presentiment。

〃My　neighbor！　。　。　。　　It　must　be　my　neighbor。　　Perhaps　she　has　killed　herself！〃

Looking　down；　they　could　see　lights　below；　people　moving　around　a　form　stretched　out　on　the　tiled　floor。　　The　alarm　had　instantly　filled　all　the　court　windows；　for　it　was　a　sleepless　nighta　night　of　nervous　apprehension　when　everyone　was　keeping　a　sad　vigil。

〃She　has　killed　herself；〃　said　a　voice　which　seemed　to　come　up　from　a　well。　　〃The　German　woman　has　committed　suicide。〃

The　explanation　of　the　concierge　leaped　from　window　to　window　up　to　the　top　floor。

The　Russian　was　shaking　his　head　with　a　fatalistic　expression。　　The　unhappy　woman　had　not　taken　the　death…leap　of　her　own　accord。　Someone　had　intensified　her　desperation；　someone　had　pushed　her。　。　。　。　The　horsemen！　　The　four　horsemen　of　the　Apocalypse！　。　。　。　Already　they　were　in　the　saddle！　　Already　they　were　beginning　their　merciless　gallop　of　destruction！

The　blind　forces　of　evil　were　about　to　be　let　loose　throughout　the　world。

The　agony　of　humanity；　under　the　brutal　sweep　of　the　four　horsemen；　was　already　begun！



PART　II


CHAPTER　I

WHAT　DON　MARCELO　ENVIED


Upon　being　convinced　that　war　really　was　inevitable；　the　elder　Desnoyers　was　filled　with　amazement。　　Humanity　had　gone　crazy。　　Was　it　possible　that　war　could　happen　in　these　days　of　so　many　railroads；　so　many　merchant　marines；　so　many　inventions；　so　much　activity　developed　above　and　below　the　earth？　。　。　。　　The　nations　would　ruin　themselves　forever。　　They　were　now　accustomed　to　luxuries　and　necessities　unknown　a　century　ago。　　Capital　was　master　of　the　world；　and　war　was　going　to　wipe　it　out。　　In　its　turn；　war　would　be　wiped　out　in　a　few　months'　time　through　lack　of　funds　to　sustain　it。　His　soul　of　a　business　man　revolted　before　the　hundreds　of　thousands　of　millions　that　this　foolhardy　event　was　going　to　convert　into　smoke　and　slaughter。

As　his　indignation　had　to　fix　upon　something　close　at　hand；　he　made　his　own　countrymen　responsible　for　this　insanity。　　Too　much　talk　about　la　revanche！　　The　very　idea　of　worrying　for　forty…four　years　over　the　two　lost　provinces　when　the　nation　was　mistress　of　enormous　and　undeveloped　lands　in　other　countries！　。　。　。　　Now　they　were　going　to　pay　the　penalty　for　such　exasperating　and　clamorous　foolishness。

For　him　war　meant　disaster　writ　large。　　He　had　no　faith　in　his　country。　　France's　day　had　passed。　　Now　the　victors　were　of　the　Northern　peoples；　and　especially　that　Germany　which　he　had　seen　so　close；　admiring　with　a　certain　terror　its　discipline　and　its　rigorous　organization。　　The　former　working…man　felt　the　conservative　and　selfish　instinct　of　all　those　who　have　amassed　millions。　　He　scorned　political　ideals；　but　through　class　interest　he　had　of　late　years　accepted　the　declarations　against　the　scandals　of　the　government。　　What　could　a　corrupt　and　disorganized　Republic　do　against　the　solidest　and　strongest　empire　in　the　world？　。　。　。

〃We　are　going　to　our　deaths；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃Worse　than　'70！　。　。　。　　We　are　going　to　see　horrible　things！〃

The　good　order　and　enthusiasm　with　which　the　French　responded　to　their　country's　call　and　transformed　themselves　into　soldiers　were　most　astonishing　to　him。　　This　moral　shock　made　his　national　faith　begin　to　revive。　　The　great　majority　of　Frenchmen　were　good　after　all；　the　nation　was　as　valiant　as　in　former　times。　　Forty…four　years　of　suffering　and　alarm　had　developed　their　old　bravery。　　But　the　leaders？　　Where　were　they　going　to　get　leaders　to　march　to　victory？　。　。　。

Many　others　were　asking　themselves　the　same　question。　　The　silence　of　the　democratic　government　was　keeping　the　country　in　complete　ignorance　of　their　future　commanders。　　Everybody　saw　the　army　increasing　from　hour　to　hour：　very　few　knew　the　generals。　　One　name　was　beginning　to　be　repeated　from　mouth　to　mouth；　〃Joffre　。　。　。　Joffre。〃　　His　first　pictures　made　the　curious　crowds　struggle　to　get　a　glimpse　of　them。　　Desnoyers　studied　them　very　carefully。　　〃He　looks　like　a　very　capable　person。〃　　His　methodical　instincts　were　gratified　by　the　grave　and　confident　look　of　the　general　of　the　Republic。　　Suddenly　he　felt　the　great　confidence　that　efficient…　looking　bank　directors　always　inspired　in　him。　　He　could　entrust　his　interests　to　this　gentleman；　sure　that　he　would　not　act　impulsively。

Finally；　against　his　will；　Desnoyers　was　drawn　into　the　whirlpool　of　enthusiasm　and　emotion。　　Like　everyone　around　him；　he　lived　minutes　that　were　hours；　and　hours　that　were　years。　　Events　kept　on　overlapping　each　other；　within　a　week　the　world　seemed　to　have　made　up　for　its　long　period　of　peace。

The　old　man　fairly　lived　in　the　street；　attracted　by　the　spectacle　of　the　multitude　of　civilians　saluting　the　multitude　of　uniformed　men　departing　for　the　seat　of　war。

At　night　he　saw　the　processions　passing　through　the　boulevards。　　The　tricolored　flag　was　fluttering　its　colors　under　the　electric　lights。　The　cafes