the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第41部分

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don't　know；　of　course；〃　said　the　unwelcome　lodger　with　mock　humility。　　〃Perhaps　it　is　not　authentic。　　I　have　heard　it　said。〃　　Her　host　was　furious。　　Where　had　she　heard　it　said？　　Who　was　giving　her　such　news？　。　。　。

And　in　order　to　ventilate　his　wrath；　he　broke　forth　into　tirades　against　the　enemy's　espionage；　against　the　carelessness　of　the　police　force　in　permitting　so　many　Germans　to　remain　hidden　in　Paris。　　Then　he　suddenly　became　quiet；　thinking　of　his　own　behavior　in　this　line。　　He；　too；　was　involuntarily　contributing　toward　the　maintenance　and　support　of　the　foe。

The　fall　of　the　ministry　and　the　constitution　of　a　government　of　national　defense　made　it　apparent　that　something　very　important　must　have　taken　place。　　The　alarms　and　tears　of　Dona　Luisa　increased　his　nervousness。　　The　good　lady　was　no　longer　returning　from　the　churches；　cheered　and　strengthened。　　Her　confidential　talks　with　her　sister　were　filling　her　with　a　terror　that　she　tried　in　vain　to　communicate　to　her　husband。　　〃All　is　lost。　。　。　。　　Elena　is　the　only　one　that　knows　the　truth。〃

Desnoyers　went　in　search　of　Senator　Lacour。　　He　would　know　all　the　ministers；　no　one　could　be　better　informed。　　〃Yes；　my　friend；〃　said　the　important　man　sadly。　　〃Two　great　losses　at　Morhange　and　Charleroi；　at　the　East　and　the　North。　　The　enemy　is　going　to　invade　French　soil！　。　。　。　　But　our　army　is　intact；　and　will　retreat　in　good　order。　　Good　fortune　may　still　be　ours。　　A　great　calamity；　but　all　is　not　lost。〃

Preparations　for　the　defense　of　Paris　were　being　pushed　forward　。　。　。　rather　late。　　The　forts　were　supplying　themselves　with　new　cannon。　Houses；　built　in　the　danger　zone　in　the　piping　times　of　peace；　were　now　disappearing　under　the　blows　of　the　official　demolition。　　The　trees　on　the　outer　avenues　were　being　felled　in　order　to　enlarge　the　horizon。　　Barricades　of　sacks　of　earth　and　tree　trunks　were　heaped　at　the　doors　of　the　old　walls。　　The　curious　were　skirting　the　suburbs　in　order　to　gaze　at　the　recently　dug　trenches　and　the　barbed　wire　fences。　　The　Bois　de　Boulogne　was　filled　with　herds　of　cattle。　Near　heaps　of　dry　alfalfa　steers　and　sheep　were　grouped　in　the　green　meadows。　　Protection　against　famine　was　uppermost　in　the　minds　of　a　people　still　remembering　the　suffering　of　1870。　　Every　night；　the　street　lighting　was　less　and　less。　　The　sky；　on　the　other　hand；　was　streaked　incessantly　by　the　shafts　from　the　searchlights。　　Fear　of　aerial　invasion　was　increasing　the　public　uneasiness。　　Timid　people　were　speaking　of　Zeppelins；　attributing　to　them　irresistible　powers；　with　all　the　exaggeration　that　accompanies　mysterious　dangers。

In　her　panic；　Dona　Luisa　greatly　distressed　her　husband；　who　was　passing　the　days　in　continual　alarm；　yet　trying　to　put　heart　into　his　trembling　and　anxious　wife。　　〃They　are　going　to　come；　Marcelo；　my　heart　tells　me　so。　　The　girl！　。　。　。　the　girl！〃　　She　was　accepting　blindly　all　the　statements　made　by　her　sister；　the　only　thing　that　comforted　her　being　the　chivalry　and　discipline　of　those　troops　to　which　her　nephews　belonged。　　The　news　of　the　atrocities　committed　against　the　women　of　Belgium　were　received　with　the　same　credulity　as　the　enemy's　advances　announced　by　Elena。　　〃Our　girl；　Marcelo。　。　。　。　Our　girl！〃　　And　the　girl；　object　of　so　much　solicitude；　would　laugh　with　the　assurance　of　vigorous　youth　on　hearing　of　her　mother's　anxiety。　　〃Just　let　the　shameless　fellows　come！　　I　shall　take　great　pleasure　in　seeing　them　face　to　face！〃　　And　she　clenched　her　right　hand　as　though　it　already　clutched　the　avenging　knife。

The　father　became　tired　of　this　situation。　　He　still　had　one　of　his　monumental　automobiles　that　an　outside　chauffeur　could　manage。　Senator　Lacour　obtained　the　necessary　passports　and　Desnoyers　gave　his　wife　her　orders　in　a　tone　that　admitted　of　no　remonstrance。　They　must　go　to　Biarritz　or　to　some　of　the　summer　resorts　in　the　north　of　Spain。　　Almost　all　the　South　American　families　had　already　gone　in　the　same　direction。　　Dona　Luisa　tried　to　object。　　It　was　impossible　for　her　to　separate　herself　from　her　husband。　　Never　before；　in　their　many　years　of　married　life；　had　they　once　been　separated。　　But　a　harsh　negative　from　Don　Marcelo　cut　her　pleadings　short。　　He　would　remain。　　Then　the　poor　senora　ran　to　the　rue　de　la　Pompe。　　Her　son！　。　。　。　　Julio　scarcely　listened　to　his　mother。　　Ay！　he；　too；　would　stay。　　So　finally　the　imposing　automobile　lumbered　toward　the　South　carrying　Dona　Luisa；　her　sister　who　hailed　with　delight　this　withdrawal　before　the　admired　troops　of　the　Emperor；　and　Chichi；　pleased　that　the　war　was　necessitating　an　excursion　to　the　fashionable　beaches　frequented　by　her　friends。

Don　Marcelo　was　at　last　alone。　　The　two　coppery　maids　had　followed　by　rail　the　flight　of　their　mistresses。　　At　first　the　old　man　felt　a　little　bewildered　by　this　solitude；　which　obliged　him　to　eat　uncomfortable　meals　in　a　restaurant　and　pass　the　nights　in　enormous　and　deserted　rooms　still　bearing　traces　of　their　former　occupants。　The　other　apartments　in　the　building　had　also　been　vacated。　　All　the　tenants　were　foreigners；　who　had　discreetly　decamped；　or　French　families　surprised　by　the　war　when　summering　at　their　country　seats。

Instinctively　he　turned　his　steps　toward　the　rue　de　la　Pompe　gazing　from　afar　at　the　studio　windows。　　What　was　his　son　doing？　。　。　。　Undoubtedly　continuing　his　gay　and　useless　life。　　Such　men　only　existed　for　their　own　selfish　folly。

Desnoyers　felt　satisfied　with　the　stand　he　had　taken。　　To　follow　the　family　would　be　sheer　cowardice。　　The　memory　of　his　youthful　flight　to　South　America　was　sufficient　martyrdom；　he　would　finish　his　life　with　all　the　compensating　bravery　that　he　could　muster。　　〃No；　they　will　not　come；〃　he　said　repeatedly；　with　the　optimism　of　enthusiasm。　I　have　a　presentiment　that　they　will　never　reach　Paris。　　And　even　if　they　DO　come！〃　。　。　。　　The　absence　of　his　family　brought　him　a　joyous　valor　and　a　sense　of　bold　youthfulness。　　Although　his　age　might　prevent　his　going　to　war　in　the　open　air；　he　could　still　fire　a　gun；　immovable　in　a　trench；　without　fear　of　death。　　Let　them　come！　。　。　。　He　was　longing　for　the　struggle　with　the　anxiety　of　a　punctilious　business　man　wishing　to　cancel　a　former　debt　as　soon　as　possible。

In　the　streets　of　Paris　he　met　many　groups　of　fugitives。　　They　were　from　the　North　and　East　of　France；　and　had　escaped　before　the　German　advance。　　Of　all　the　tales　told　by　this　despondent　crowdnot　knowing　where　to　go　and　dependent　upon　the　charity　of　the　peoplehe　was　most　impressed　with　those　dealing　with　the　disregard　of　property。　　Shootings　and　assassinations　made　him　clench　his　fists；　with　threats　of　vengeance；　but　the　robberies　authorized　by　the　heads；　the　wholesale　sackings　by　superior　order；　followed　by　fire；　appeared　to　him　so　unheard…of　that　he　was　silent　with　stupefaction；　his　speech　seeming　to　be　temporarily　paralyzed。　　And　a　people　with　laws　could　wage　war　in　this　fashion；　like　a　tribe　of　Indians　going　to　combat　in　order　to　rob！　。　。　。　　His　adoration　of　property　rights　made　him　beside　himself　with　wrath　at　these　sacrileges。

He　began　to　worry　about　his　castle　at　Villeblanche。　　All　that　he　owned　in　Paris　suddenly　seemed　to　him　of　slight　importance　to　what　he　had　in　his　historic　mansion。　　His　best　paintings　were　there；　adorning　the　gloomy　salons；　there；　too；　the　furnishings　captured　from　the　antiquarians　after　an　auctioneering　battle；　and　the　crystal　cabinets；　the　tapestries；　the　silver　services。

He　mentally　reviewed　all　of　these　objects；　not　letting　a　single　one　escape　his　inventory。　　Things　that　he　had　forgotten　came　surging　up　in　his　memory；　and　the　fear　of　losing　them　seemed　to　give　them　greater　lustre；　increasing　their　size；　and　intensifying　their　value。　All　the　riches　of　Villeblanche　were　concentrated　in　one　certain　acquisition　which　Desnoyers　admired　most　of　all；　for；　to　his　mind；　it　stood　for　all　the　glory　of　his　immense　fortunein　fact；　the　most　luxurious　appointment　that　even　a　millionaire　could　possess。

〃My　golden　bath；〃　he　thought。　　〃I　have　there　my　tub　of　gold。〃

This　bath　of　priceless　metal　he　had　procured；　after　much　financial　wrestling；　from　an　auction；　and　he　considered　the　purchase　the　culminating　achievement　of　his　wealth。　　No　one　knew　exactly　its　origin；　perhaps　it　had　been　the　property　of　luxurious　princes；　perhaps　it　owed　its　existence　to　the　caprice　of　a　demi…mondaine　fond　of　display。　　He　and　his　had　woven　a　legend　around　this　golden　cavity　adorned　with　lions'　claws；　dolphins　and　busts　of　naiads。　Undoubtedly　it　was　once　a　king's！　　Chichi　gravely　affirmed　that　it　had　been　Marie　Antoinette's；　and　the　entire　family　thought　that　the　home　on　the　avenue　Victor　Hugo　was　altogether　too　modest　and　plebeian　to　enshrine　such　a　jewel。　　They　therefore　agreed　to　put　it　in　the　castle；　where　it　was　greatly　venerated；　although　it　was　useless　and　solemn　as　a　museum　piece。　。　。　。　　And　was　he　to　permit　the　enemy　in　their　advance　toward　the　Marne　to　carry　off　this　priceless　treasure；　as　well　as　the　other　gorgeous　things　which　he　had　accumulated　with　such　patience　　Ah；　no！　　His　soul　of　a　collector　would　be　capable　of　the　greatest　heroism　before　he　would　let　that　go。

Each　day　was　bringing　a　fresh　sheaf　of　bad　news。　　The　papers　were　saying　little；　and　the　Government　was　so　veiling　its　communications　that　the　mind　was　left　in　great　perplexity。　　Nevertheless；　the　truth　was　mysteriously　forcing　its　way；　impelled　by　the　pessimism　of　the　alarmists；　and　the　manipulation　of　the　enemy's　spies　who　were　remaining　hidden　in　Paris。　　The　fatal　news　was　being　passed　along　in　whispers。　　〃They　have　already　crossed　the　frontier。　。　。　。〃　　〃They　are　already　in　Lille。〃　。　。　。　　They　were　advancing　at　the　rate　of　thirty…five　miles　a　day。　　The　name　of　von　Kluck　was　beginning　to　have　a　familiar　ring。　　English　and　French　were　retreating　before　the　enveloping　progression　of　the　invaders。　　Some　were　expecting　another　Sedan。　　Desnoyers　was　following　the　advance　of　the　Germans；　going　daily　to　the　Gare　du　Nord。　　Every　twenty…four　hours　was　lessening　the　radius　of　travel。　　Bulletins　announcing　that　tickets　would　not　be　sold　for　the　Northern　districts　served　to　indicate　how　these　places　were　falling；　one　after　the　other；　into　the　power　of　the　invader。　　The　shrinkage　of　national　territory　was　going　on　with　such　met