the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第32部分

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ric　lights。　The　cafes　were　overflowing　with　people；　sending　forth　from　doors　and　windows　the　excited；　musical　notes　of　patriotic　songs。　　Suddenly；　amidst　applause　and　cheers；　the　crowd　would　make　an　opening　in　the　street。　　All　Europe　was　passing　here；　all　Europeless　the　arrogant　enemyand　was　saluting　France　in　her　hour　of　danger　with　hearty　spontaneity。　　Flags　of　different　nations　were　filing　by；　of　all　tints　of　the　rainbow；　and　behind　them　were　the　Russians　with　bright　and　mystical　eyes；　the　English；　with　heads　uncovered；　intoning　songs　of　religious　gravity；　the　Greeks　and　Roumanians　of　aquiline　profile；　the　Scandinavians；　white　and　red；　the　North　Americans；　with　the　noisiness　of　a　somewhat　puerile　enthusiasm；　the　Hebrews　without　a　country；　friends　of　the　nation　of　socialistic　revolutions；　the　Italians；　as　spirited　as　a　choir　of　heroic　tenors；　the　Spanish　and　South　Americans；　tireless　in　their　huzzas。　　They　were　students　and　apprentices　who　were　completing　their　courses　in　the　schools　and　workshops；　and　refugees　who；　like　shipwrecked　mariners；　had　sought　shelter　on　the　hospitable　strand　of　Paris。　　Their　cheers　had　no　special　significance；　but　they　were　all　moved　by　their　desire　to　show　their　love　for　the　Republic。　　And　Desnoyers；　touched　by　the　sight；　felt　that　France　was　still　of　some　account　in　the　world；　that　she　yet　exercised　a　moral　force　among　the　nations；　and　that　her　joys　and　sorrows　were　still　of　interest　to　humanity。

〃In　Berlin　and　Vienna；　too；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃they　must　also　be　cheering　enthusiastically　at　this　moment　。　。　。　but　Germans　only；　no　others。　　Assuredly　no　foreigner　is　joining　in　their　demonstrations。〃

The　nation　of　the　Revolution；　legislator　of　the　rights　of　mankind；　was　harvesting　the　gratitude　of　the　throngs；　but　was　beginning　to　feel　a　certain　remorse　before　the　enthusiasm　of　the　foreigners　who　were　offering　their　blood　for　France。　　Many　were　lamenting　that　the　government　should　delay　twenty　days；　until　after　they　had　finished　the　operations　of　mobilization；　in　admitting　the　volunteers。　　And　he；　a　Frenchman　born；　a　few　hours　before；　had　been　mistrusting　his　country！　。　。　。

In　the　daytime　the　popular　current　was　running　toward　the　Gare　de　l'Est。　　Crowded　against　the　gratings　was　a　surging　mass　of　humanity　stretching　its　tentacles　through　the　nearby　streets。　　The　station　that　was　acquiring　the　importance　of　a　historic　spot　appeared　like　a　narrow　tunnel　through　which　a　great　human　river　was　trying　to　flow　with　many　rippling　encounters　and　much　heavy　pressure　against　its　banks。　　A　large　part　of　France　in　arms　was　coursing　through　this　exit　from　Paris　toward　the　battlefields　at　the　frontier。

Desnoyers　had　been　in　the　station　only　twice；　when　going　and　coming　from　Germany。　　Others　were　now　taking　the　same　road。　　The　crowds　were　swarming　in　from　the　environs　of　the　city　in　order　to　see　the　masses　of　human　beings　in　geometric　bodies；　uniformly　clad；　disappearing　within　the　entrance　with　flash　of　steel　and　the　rhythm　of　clanking　metal。　　The　crystal　archways　that　were　glistening　in　the　sun　like　fiery　mouths　were　swallowing　and　swallowing　people。　　When　night　fell　the　processions　were　still　coming　on；　by　light　of　the　electric　lamps。　　Through　the　iron　grills　were　passing　thousands　and　thousands　of　draught　horses；　men　with　their　breasts　crossed　with　metal　and　bunches　of　horsehair　hanging　from　their　helmets；　like　paladins　of　bygone　centuries；　enormous　cases　that　were　serving　as　cages　for　the　aeronautic　condors；　strings　of　cannon；　long　and　narrow；　painted　grey　and　protected；　by　metal　screens；　more　like　astronomical　instruments　than　mouths　of　death；　masses　and　masses　of　red　kepis　（military　caps）　moving　in　marching　rhythm；　rows　and　rows　of　muskets；　some　black　and　stark　like　reed　plantations；　others　ending　in　bayonets　like　shining　spikes。　　And　over　all　these　restless　fields　of　seething　throngs；　the　flags　of　the　regiments　were　fluttering　in　the　air　like　colored　birds；　a　white　body；　a　blue　wing；　or　a　red　one；　a　cravat　of　gold　on　the　neck；　and　above；　the　metal　tip　pointing　toward　the　clouds。

Don　Marcelo　would　return　home　from　these　send…offs　vibrating　with　nervous　fatigue；　as　one　who　had　just　participated　in　a　scene　of　racking　emotion。　　In　spite　of　his　tenacious　character　which　always　stood　out　against　admitting　a　mistake；　the　old　man　began　to　feel　ashamed　of　his　former　doubts。　　The　nation　was　quivering　with　life；　France　was　a　grand　nation；　appearances　had　deceived　him　as　well　as　many　others。　　Perhaps　the　most　of　his　countrymen　were　of　a　light　and　flippant　character；　given　to　excessive　interest　in　the　sensuous　side　of　life；　but　when　danger　came　they　were　fulfilling　their　duty　simply；　without　the　necessity　of　the　harsh　force　to　which　the　iron…　clad　organizations　were　submitting　their　people。

On　leaving　home　on　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day　of　the　mobilization　Desnoyers；　instead　of　betaking　himself　to　the　centre　of　the　city；　went　in　the　opposite　direction　toward　the　rue　de　la　Pompe。　　Some　imprudent　words　dropped　by　Chichi；　and　the　uneasy　looks　of　his　wife　and　sister…in…law　made　him　suspect　that　Julio　had　returned　from　his　trip。　　He　felt　the　necessity　of　seeing　at　least　the　outside　of　the　studio　windows；　as　if　they　might　give　him　news。　　And　in　order　to　justify　a　trip　so　at　variance　with　his　policy　of　ignoring　his　son；　he　remembered　that　the　carpenter　lived　in　the　same　street。

〃I　must　hunt　up　Robert。　　He　promised　a　week　ago　that　he　would　come　here。〃

This　Robert　was　a　husky　young　fellow　who；　to　use　his　own　words；　was　〃emancipated　from　boss　tyranny；〃　and　was　working　independently　in　his　own　home。　　A　tiny；　almost　subterranean　room　was　serving　him　for　dwelling　and　workshop。　　A　woman　he　called　〃my　affinity〃　was　looking　carefully　after　his　hearth　and　home；　with　a　baby　boy　clinging　to　her　skirts。　　Desnoyers　was　accustomed　to　humor　Robert's　tirades　against　his　fellow　citizens　because　the　man　had　always　humored　his　whimseys　about　the　incessant　rearrangement　of　his　furniture。　　In　the　luxurious　apartment　in　the　avenue　Victor　Hugo　the　carpenter　would　sing　La　Internacional　while　using　hammer　and　saw；　and　his　employer　would　overlook　his　audacity　of　speech　because　of　the　cheapness　of　his　work。

Upon　arriving　at　the　shop　he　found　the　man　with　cap　over　one　ear；　broad　trousers　like　a　mameluke's；　hobnailed　boots　and　various　pennants　and　rosettes　fastened　to　the　lapels　of　his　jacket。

〃You've　come　too　late；　Boss；〃　he　said　cheerily。　　〃I　am　just　going　to　close　the　factory。　　The　Proprietor　has　been　mobilized；　and　in　a　few　hours　will　join　his　regiment。〃

And　he　pointed　to　a　written　paper　posted　on　the　door　of　his　dwelling　like　the　printed　cards　on　all　establishments；　signifying　that　employer　and　employees　had　obeyed　the　order　of　mobilization。

It　had　never　occurred　to　Desnoyers　that　his　carpenter　might　become　a　soldier；　since　he　was　so　opposed　to　all　kinds　of　authority。　　He　hated　the　flics；　the　Paris　police；　with　whom　he　had；　more　than　once；　exchanged　fisticuffs　and　clubbings。　　Militarism　was　his　special　aversion。　　In　the　meetings　against　the　despotism　of　the　barracks　he　had　always　been　one　of　the　noisiest　participants。　　And　was　this　revolutionary　fellow　going　to　war　naturally　and　voluntarily？　。　。　。

Robert　spoke　enthusiastically　of　his　regiment；　of　life　among　comrades　with　Death　but　four　steps　away。

〃I　believe　in　my　ideas；　Boss；　the　same　as　before；〃　he　explained　as　though　guessing　the　other's　thought。　　〃But　war　is　war　and　teaches　many　thingsamong　others　that　Liberty　must　be　accompanied　with　order　and　authority。　　It　is　necessary　that　someone　direct　that　the　rest　may　followwillingly；　by　common　consent　。　。　。　but　they　must　follow。　　When　war　actually　comes　one　sees　things　very　differently　from　when　living　at　home　doing　as　one　pleases。〃

The　night　that　they　assassinated　Jaures　he　howled　with　rage；　announcing　that　the　following　morning　the　murder　would　be　avenged。　He　had　hunted　up　his　associates　in　the　district　in　order　to　inform　them　what　retaliation　was　being　planned　against　the　malefactors。　But　war　was　about　to　break　out。　　There　was　something　in　the　air　that　was　opposing　civil　strife；　that　was　placing　private　grievances　in　momentary　abeyance；　concentrating　all　minds　on　the　common　weal。

〃A　week　ago；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　was　an　anti…militarist！　　How　far　away　that　seems　nowas　if　a　year　had　gone　by！　　I　keep　thinking　as　before！　　I　love　peace　and　hate　war　like　all　my　comrades。　　But　the　French　have　not　offended　anybody；　and　yet　they　threaten　us；　wishing　to　enslave　us。　。　。　。　　But　we　French　can　be　fierce；　since　they　oblige　us　to　be；　and　in　order　to　defend　ourselves　it　is　just　that　nobody　should　shirk；　that　all　should　obey。　　Discipline　does　not　quarrel　with　Revolution。　　Remember　the　armies　of　the　first　Republicall　citizens；　Generals　as　well　as　soldiers；　but　Hoche；　Kleber　and　the　others　were　rough…hewn；　unpolished　benefactors　who　knew　how　to　command　and　exact　obedience。〃

The　carpenter　was　well　read。　　Besides　the　papers　and　pamphlets　of　〃the　Idea；〃　he　had　also　read　on　stray　sheets　the　views　of　Michelet　and　other　liberal　actors　on　the　stage　of　history。

〃We　are　going　to　make　war　on　War；〃　he　added。　　〃We　are　going　to　fight　so　that　this　war　will　be　the　last。〃

This　statement　did　not　seem　to　be　expressed　with　sufficient　clearness；　so　he　recast　his　thought。

〃We　are　going　to　fight　for　the　future；　we　are　going　to　die　in　order　that　our　grandchildren　may　not　have　to　endure　a　similar　calamity。　If　the　enemy　triumphs；　the　war…habit　will　triumph；　and　conquest　will　be　the　only　means　of　growth。　　First　they　will　overcome　Europe；　then　the　rest　of　the　world。　　Later　on；　those　who　have　been　pillaged　will　rise　up　in　their　wrath。　　More　wars！　。　。　。　　We　do　not　want　conquests。　We　desire　to　regain　Alsace　and　Lorraine；　for　their　inhabitants　wish　to　return　to　us　。　。　。　and　nothing　more。　　We　shall　not　imitate　the　enemy；　appropriating　territory　and　jeopardizing　the　peace　of　the　world。　　We　had　enough　of　that　with　Napoleon；　we　must　not　repeat　that　experience。　　We　are　going　to　fight　for　our　immediate　security；　and　at　the　same　time　for　the　security　of　the　worldfor　the　life　of　the　weaker　nations。　　If　this　were　a　war　of　aggression；　of　mere　vanity；　of　conquest；　then　we　Socialists　would　bethink　ourselves　of　our　anti…　militarism。　　But　this　is　self…defense；　and　the　gove