the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第47部分

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　first　comer。　　These　poor　people　who　had　been　waiting　for　the　train　from　four　in　the　morning　till　eight　at　night；　awakened　his　pity。　　The　women；　groaning　with　weariness；　were　standing　in　the　corridors；　looking　with　ferocious　envy　at　those　who　had　seats。　　The　children　were　bleating　like　hungry　kids。　　Julio　finally　gave　up　his　place；　sharing　with　the　needy　and　improvident　the　bountiful　supply　of　eatables　with　which　Argensola　had　provided　him。　　The　station　restaurants　had　all　been　emptied　of　food。

During　the　train's　long　wait；　soldiers　only　were　seen　on　the　platform；　soldiers　who　were　hastening　at　the　call　of　the　trumpet；　to　take　their　places　again　in　the　strings　of　cars　which　were　constantly　steaming　toward　Paris。　　At　the　signal　stations；　long　war　trains　were　waiting　for　the　road　to　be　clear　that　they　might　continue　their　journey。　　The　cuirassiers；　wearing　a　yellow　vest　over　their　steel　breastplate；　were　seated　with　hanging　legs　in　the　doorways　of　the　stable　cars；　from　whose　interior　came　repeated　neighing。　　Upon　the　flat　cars　were　rows　of　gun　carriages。　　The　slender　throats　of　the　cannon　of　'75　were　pointed　upwards　like　telescopes。

Young　Desnoyers　passed　the　night　in　the　aisle；　seated　on　a　valise；　noting　the　sodden　sleep　of　those　around　him；　worn　out　by　weariness　and　exhaustion。　　It　was　a　cruel　and　endless　night　of　jerks；　shrieks　and　stops　punctuated　by　snores。　　At　every　station；　the　trumpets　were　sounding　precipitously　as　though　the　enemy　were　right　upon　them。　The　soldiers　from　the　South　were　hurrying　to　their　posts；　and　at　brief　intervals　another　detachment　of　men　was　dragged　along　the　rails　toward　Paris。　　They　all　appeared　gay；　and　anxious　to　reach　the　scene　of　slaughter　as　soon　as　possible。　　Many　were　regretting　the　delays；　fearing　that　they　might　arrive　too　late。　　Leaning　out　of　the　window；　Julio　heard　the　dialogues　and　shouts　on　the　platforms　impregnated　with　the　acrid　odor　of　men　and　mules。　　All　were　evincing　an　unquenchable　confidence。　　〃The　Boches！　very　numerous；　with　huge　cannons；　with　many　mitrailleuse　。　。　。　but　we　only　have　to　charge　with　our　bayonets　to　make　them　run　like　rabbits！〃

The　attitude　of　those　going　to　meet　death　was　in　sharp　contrast　to　the　panic　and　doubt　of　those　who　were　deserting　Paris。　　An　old　and　much…decorated　gentleman；　type　of　a　jubilee　functionary；　kept　questioning　Desnoyers　whenever　the　train　started　on　again〃Do　you　believe　that　they　will　get　as　far　as　Tours？〃　　Before　receiving　his　reply；　he　would　fall　asleep。　　Brutish　sleep　was　marching　down　the　aisles　with　leaden　feet。　　At　every　junction；　the　old　man　would　start　up　and　suddenly　ask；　〃Do　you　believe　that　we　will　get　as　far　as　Bordeaux？〃　。　。　。　　And　his　great　desire　not　to　halt　until；　with　his　family；　he　had　reached　an　absolutely　secure　refuge；　made　him　accept　as　oracles　all　the　vague　responses。

At　daybreak；　they　saw　the　Territorialists　guarding　the　roads。　　They　were　armed　with　old　muskets；　and　were　wearing　the　red　kepis　as　their　only　military　distinction。　　They　were　following　the　opposite　course　of　the　military　trains。

In　the　station　at　Bordeaux；　the　civilian　crowds　struggling　to　get　out　or　to　enter　other　cars；　were　mingling　with　the　troops。　　The　trumpets　were　incessantly　sounding　their　brazen　notes；　calling　the　soldiers　together。　　Many　were　men　of　darkest　coloring；　natives　with　wide　gray　breeches　and　red　caps　above　their　black　or　bronzed　faces。

Julio　saw　a　train　bearing　wounded　from　the　battles　of　Flanders　and　Lorraine。　　Their　worn　and　dirty　uniforms　were　enlivened　by　the　whiteness　of　the　bandages　sustaining　the　wounded　limbs　or　protecting　the　broken　heads。　　All　were　trying　to　smile；　although　with　livid　mouths　and　feverish　eyes；　at　their　first　glimpse　of　the　land　of　the　South　as　it　emerged　from　the　mist　bathed　in　the　sunlight；　and　covered　with　the　regal　vestures　of　its　vineyards。　　The　men　from　the　North　stretched　out　their　hands　for　the　fruit　that　the　women　were　offering　them；　tasting　with　delight　the　sweet　grapes　of　the　country。

For　four　days　the　distracted　lover　lived　in　Bordeaux；　stunned　and　bewildered　by　the　agitation　of　a　provincial　city　suddenly　converted　into　a　capital。　　The　hotels　were　overcrowded；　many　notables　contenting　themselves　with　servants'　quarters。　　There　was　not　a　vacant　seat　in　the　cafes；　the　sidewalks　could　not　accommodate　the　extraordinary　assemblage。　　The　President　was　installed　in　the　Prefecture；　the　State　Departments　were　established　in　the　schools　and　museums；　two　theatres　were　fitted　up　for　the　future　reunions　of　the　Senate　and　the　Chamber　of　Deputies。　　Julio　was　lodged　in　a　filthy；　disreputable　hotel　at　the　end　of　a　foul…smelling　alley。　　A　little　Cupid　adorned　the　crystals　of　the　door；　and　the　looking…glass　in　his　room　was　scratched　with　names　and　unspeakable　phrases　souvenirs　of　the　occupants　of　an　hour　。　。　。　and　yet　many　grand　ladies；　hunting　in　vain　for　temporary　residence；　would　have　envied　him　his　good　fortune。

All　his　investigations　proved　fruitless。　　The　friends　whom　he　encountered　in　the　fugitive　crowd　were　thinking　only　of　their　own　affairs。　　They　could　talk　of　nothing　but　incidents　of　the　installation；　repeating　the　news　gathered　from　the　ministers　with　whom　they　were　living　on　familiar　terms；　or　mentioning　with　a　mysterious　air；　the　great　battle　which　was　going　on　stretching　from　the　vicinity　of　Paris　to　Verdun。　　A　pupil　of　his　days　of　glory；　whose　former　elegance　was　now　attired　in　the　uniform　of　a　nurse；　gave　him　some　vague　information。　　〃The　little　Madame　Laurier？　。　。　。　I　remember　hearing　that　she　was　living　somewhere　near　here。　。　。　。　Perhaps　in　Biarritz。〃　　Julio　needed　no　more　than　this　to　continue　his　journey。　　To　Biarritz！

The　first　person　that　he　encountered　on　his　arrival　was　Chichi。　　She　declared　that　the　town　was　impossible　because　of　the　families　of　rich　Spaniards　who　were　summering　there。　　〃The　Boches　are　in　the　majority；　and　I　pass　a　miserable　existence　quarrelling　with　them。　。　。　。　I　shall　finally　have　to　live　alone。〃　　Then　he　met　his　mother　embraces　and　tears。　　Afterwards　he　saw　his　Aunt　Elena　in　the　hotel　parlors；　most　enthusiastic　over　the　country　and　the　summer　colony。

She　could　talk　at　great　length　with　many　of　them　about　the　decadence　of　France。　　They　were　all　expecting　to　receive　the　news　from　one　moment　to　another；　that　the　Kaiser　had　entered　the　Capital。　Ponderous　men　who　had　never　done　anything　in　all　their　lives；　were　criticizing　the　defects　and　indolence　of　the　Republic。　　Young　men　whose　aristocracy　aroused　Dona　Elena's　enthusiasm；　broke　forth　into　apostrophes　against　the　corruption　of　Paris；　corruption　that　they　had　studied　thoroughly；　from　sunset　to　sunrise；　in　the　virtuous　schools　of　Montmartre。　　They　all　adored　Germany　where　they　had　never　been；　or　which　they　knew　only　through　the　reels　of　the　moving　picture　films。　　They　criticized　events　as　though　they　were　witnessing　a　bull　fight。　　〃The　Germans　have　the　snap！　　You　can't　fool　with　them！　　They　are　fine　brutes！〃　　And　they　appeared　to　admire　this　inhumanity　as　the　most　admirable　characteristic。　　〃Why　will　they　not　say　that　in　their　own　home　on　the　other　side　of　the　frontier？〃　Chichi　would　protest。　　〃Why　do　they　come　into　their　neighbor's　country　to　ridicule　his　troubles？　。　。　。　　Possibly　they　consider　it　a　sign　of　their　wonderful　good…breeding！〃

But　Julio　had　not　gone　to　Biarritz　to　live　with　his　family。　。　。　。　The　very　day　of　his　arrival；　he　saw　Marguerite's　mother　in　the　distance。　　She　was　alone。　　His　inquiries　developed　the　information　that　her　daughter　was　living　in　Pau。　　She　was　a　trained　nurse　taking　care　of　a　wounded　member　of　the　family。　　〃Her　brother　。　。　。　undoubtedly　it　is　her　brother；〃　thought　Julio。　　And　he　again　continued　his　trip；　this　time　going　to　Pau。

His　visits　to　the　hospitals　there　were　also　unavailing。　　Nobody　seemed　to　know　Marguerite。　　Every　day　a　train　was　arriving　with　a　new　load　of　bleeding　flesh；　but　her　brother　was　not　among　the　wounded。　　A　Sister　of　Charity；　believing　that　he　was　in　search　of　someone　of　his　family；　took　pity　on　him　and　gave　him　some　helpful　directions。　　He　ought　to　go　to　Lourdes；　there　were　many　of　the　wounded　there　and　many　of　the　military　nurses。　　So　Desnoyers　immediately　took　the　short　cut　between　Pau　and　Lourdes。

He　had　never　visited　the　sacred　city　whose　name　was　so　frequently　on　his　mother's　lips。　　For　Dona　Luisa；　the　French　nation　was　Lourdes。　In　her　discussions　with　her　sister　and　other　foreign　ladies　who　were　praying　that　France　might　be　exterminated　for　its　impiety；　the　good　senora　always　summed　up　her　opinions　in　the　same　words：〃When　the　Virgin　wished　to　make　her　appearance　in　our　day；　she　chose　France。　This　country；　therefore；　cannot　be　as　bad　as　you　say。　。　。　。　　When　I　see　that　she　appears　in　Berlin；　we　will　then　re…discuss　the　matter。〃

But　Desnoyers　was　not　there　to　confirm　his　mother's　artless　opinions。　　Just　as　soon　as　he　had　found　a　room　in　a　hotel　near　the　river；　he　had　hastened　to　the　big　hostelry；　now　converted　into　a　hospital。　　The　guard　told　him　that　he　could　not　speak　to　the　Director　until　the　afternoon。　　In　order　to　curb　his　impatience　he　walked　through　the　street　leading　to　the　basilica；　past　all　the　booths　and　shops　with　pictures　and　pious　souvenirs　which　have　converted　the　place　into　a　big　bazaar。　　Here　and　in　the　gardens　adjoining　the　church；　he　saw　wounded　convalescents　with　uniforms　stained　with　traces　of　the　combat。　　Their　cloaks　were　greatly　soiled　in　spite　of　repeated　brushings。　　The　mud；　the　blood　and　the　rain　had　left　indelible　spots　and　made　them　as　stiff　as　cardboard。　　Some　of　the　wounded　had　cut　their　sleeves　in　order　to　avoid　the　cruel　friction　on　their　shattered　arms；　others　still　showed　on　their　trousers　the　rents　made　by　the　devastating　shells。

They　were　fighters　of　all　ranks　and　of　many　racesinfantry；　cavalry；　artillerymen；　soldiers　from　the　metropolis　and　from　the　colonies；　French　farmers　and　African　sharpshooters；　red　heads；　faces　of　Mohammedan　olive　and　the　black　countenances　of　the　Sengalese；　with　eyes　of　fire；　and　thick；　bluish　blubber　lips；　some　showing　the　good…nature　and　sedentary　obesity　of　the　middle…class　man　suddenly　converted　into　a　warrior；　others　sinewy；　alert；　with　the　aggressive　profile　of　men　born　to　fight；　and　experienced　in　foreign　fields。

The　city；　formerly　visited　by　the　hopeful；　Catholic　s