the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第48部分

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o　fight；　and　experienced　in　foreign　fields。

The　city；　formerly　visited　by　the　hopeful；　Catholic　sick；　was　now　invaded　by　a　crowd　no　less　dolorous　but　clad　in　carnival　colors。　All；　in　spite　of　their　physical　distress；　had　a　certain　air　of　good　cheer　and　satisfaction。　　They　had　seen　Death　very　near；　slipping　out　from　his　bony　claws　into　a　new　joy　and　zest　in　life。　　With　their　cloaks　adorned　with　medals；　their　theatrical　Moorish　garments；　their　kepis　and　their　African　headdresses；　this　heroic　band　presented；　nevertheless；　a　lamentable　aspect。

Very　few　still　preserved　the　noble　vertical　carriage；　the　pride　of　the　superior　human　being。　　They　were　walking　along　bent　almost　double；　limping；　dragging　themselves　forward　by　the　help　of　a　staff　or　friendly　arm。　　Others　had　to　let　themselves　be　pushed　along；　stretched　out　on　the　hand…carts　which　had　so　often　conducted　the　devout　sick　from　the　station　to　the　Grotto　of　the　Virgin。　　Some　were　feeling　their　way　along；　blindly；　leaning　on　a　child　or　nurse。　　The　first　encounters　in　Belgium　and　in　the　East；　a　mere　half…dozen　battles；　had　been　enough　to　produce　these　physical　wrecks　still　showing　a　manly　nobility　in　spite　of　the　most　horrible　outrages。　These　organisms；　struggling　so　tenaciously　to　regain　their　hold　on　life；　bringing　their　reviving　energies　out　into　the　sunlight；　represented　but　the　most　minute　part　of　the　number　mowed　down　by　the　scythe　of　Death。　　Back　of　them　were　thousands　and　thousands　of　comrades　groaning　on　hospital　beds　from　which　they　would　probably　never　rise。　　Thousands　and　thousands　were　hidden　forever　in　the　bosom　of　the　Earth　moistened　by　their　death　agonyfatal　land　which；　upon　receiving　a　hail　of　projectiles；　brought　forth　a　harvest　of　bristling　crosses！

War　now　showed　itself　to　Desnoyers　with　all　its　cruel　hideousness。　He　had　been　accustomed　to　speak　of　it　heretofore　as　those　in　robust　health　speak　of　death；　knowing　that　it　exists　and　is　horrible；　but　seeing　it　afar　off　。　。　。　so　far　off　that　it　arouses　no　real　emotion。　The　explosion　of　the　shells　were　accompanying　their　destructive　brutality　with　a　ferocious　mockery；　grotesquely　disfiguring　the　human　body。　　He　saw　wounded　objects　just　beginning　to　recover　their　vital　force　who　were　but　rough　skeletons　of　men；　frightful　caricatures；　human　rags；　saved　from　the　tomb　by　the　audacities　of　sciencetrunks　with　heads　which　were　dragged　along　on　wheeled　platforms；　fragments　of　skulls　whose　brains　were　throbbing　under　an　artificial　cap；　beings　without　arms　and　without　legs；　resting　in　the　bottom　of　little　wagons；　like　bits　of　plaster　models　or　scraps　from　the　dissecting　room；　faces　without　noses　that　looked　like　skulls　with　great；　black　nasal　openings。　　And　these　half…men　were　talking；　smoking；　laughing；　satisfied　to　see　the　sky；　to　feel　the　caress　of　the　sun；　to　have　come　back　to　life；　dominated　by　that　sovereign　desire　to　live　which　trustingly　forgets　present　misery　in　the　confident　hope　of　something　better。

So　strongly　was　Julio　impressed　that　for　a　little　while　he　forgot　the　purpose　which　had　brought　him　thither。　。　。　。　　If　those　who　provoke　war　from　diplomatic　chambers　or　from　the　tables　of　the　Military　Staff　could　but　see　itnot　in　the　field　of　battle　fired　with　the　enthusiasm　which　prejudices　judgmentsbut　in　cold　blood；　as　it　is　seen　in　the　hospitals　and　cemeteries；　in　the　wrecks　left　in　its　trail！　。　。　。

To　Julio's　imagination　this　terrestrial　globe　appeared　like　an　enormous　ship　sailing　through　infinity。　　Its　crewspoor　humanity　had　spent　century　after　century　in　exterminating　each　other　on　the　deck。　　They　did　not　even　know　what　existed　under　their　feet；　in　the　hold　of　the　vessel。　　To　occupy　the　same　portion　of　the　surface　in　the　sunlight　seemed　to　be　the　ruling　desire　of　each　group。　　Men；　considered　superior　human　beings；　were　pushing　these　masses　to　extermination　in　order　to　scale　the　last　bridge　and　hold　the　helm；　controlling　the　course　of　the　boat。　　And　all　those　who　felt　the　overmastering　ambition　for　absolute　command　knew　the　same　thing　。　。　。　nothing。　　Not　one　of　them　could　say　with　certainty　what　lay　beyond　the　visible　horizon；　nor　whither　the　ship　was　drifting。　　The　sullen　hostility　of　mystery　surrounded　them　all；　their　life　was　precarious；　necessitating　incessant　care　in　order　to　maintain　it；　yet　in　spite　of　that；　the　crew　for　ages　and　ages；　had　never　known　an　instant　of　agreement；　of　team　work；　of　clear　reason。　　Periodically　half　of　them　would　clash　with　the　other　half。　　They　killed　each　other　that　they　might　enslave　the　vanquished　on　the　rolling　deck　floating　over　the　abyss；　they　fought　that　they　might　cast　their　victims　from　the　vessel；　filling　its　wake　with　cadavers。　　And　from　the　demented　throng　there　were　still　springing　up　gloomy　sophistries　to　prove　that　a　state　of　war　was　the　perfect　state；　that　it　ought　to　go　on　forever；　that　it　was　a　bad　dream　on　the　part　of　the　crew　to　wish　to　regard　each　other　as　brothers　with　a　common　destiny；　enveloped　in　the　same　unsteady　environment　of　mystery。　。　。　。　　Ah；　human　misery！

Julio　was　drawn　out　of　these　pessimistic　reflections　by　the　childish　glee　which　many　of　the　convalescents　were　evincing。　　Some　were　Mussulmans；　sharpshooters　from　Algeria　and　Morocco。　　In　Lourdes；　as　they　might　be　anywhere；　they　were　interested　only　in　the　gifts　which　the　people　were　showering　upon　them　with　patriotic　affection。　　They　all　surveyed　with　indifference　the　basilica　inhabited　by　〃the　white　lady；〃　their　only　preoccupation　being　to　beg　for　cigars　and　sweets。

Finding　themselves　regaled　by　the　dominant　race；　they　became　greatly　puffed　up；　daring　everything　like　mischievous　children。　　What　pleased　them　most　was　the　fact　that　the　ladies　would　take　them　by　the　hand。　　Blessed　war　that　permitted　them　to　approach　and　touch　these　white　women；　perfumed　and　smiling　as　they　appeared　in　their　dreams　of　the　paradise　of　the　blest！　　〃Lady　。　。　。　Lady；〃　they　would　sigh；　looking　at　them　with　dark；　sparkling　eyes。　　And　not　content　with　the　hand；　their　dark　paws　would　venture　the　length　of　the　entire　arm　while　the　ladies　laughed　at　this　tremulous　adoration。　Others　would　go　through　the　crowds；　offering　their　right　hand　to　all　the　women。　　〃We　touch　hands。〃　。　。　。　　And　then　they　would　go　away　satisfied　after　receiving　the　hand　clasp。

Desnoyers　wandered　a　long　time　around　the　basilica　where；　in　the　shadow　of　the　trees；　were　long　rows　of　wheeled　chairs　occupied　by　the　wounded。　　Officers　and　soldiers　rested　many　hours　in　the　blue　shade；　watching　their　comrades　who　were　able　to　use　their　legs。　　The　sacred　grotto　was　resplendent　with　the　lights　from　hundreds　of　candles。　　Devout　crowds　were　kneeling　in　the　open　air；　fixing　their　eyes　in　supplication　on　the　sacred　stones　whilst　their　thoughts　were　flying　far　away　to　the　fields　of　battle；　making　their　petitions　with　that　confidence　in　divinity　which　accompanies　every　distress。　　Among　the　kneeling　mass　were　many　soldiers　with　bandaged　heads；　kepis　in　hand　and　tearful　eyes。

Up　and　down　the　double　staircase　of　the　basilica　were　flitting　women；　clad　in　white；　with　spotless　headdresses　that　fluttered　in　such　a　way　that　they　appeared　like　flying　doves。　　These　were　the　nurses　and　Sisters　of　Charity　guiding　the　steps　of　the　injured。　Desnoyers　thought　he　recognized　Marguerite　in　every　one　of　them；　but　the　prompt　disillusion　following　each　of　these　discoveries　soon　made　him　doubtful　about　the　outcome　of　his　journey。　　She　was　not　in　Lourdes；　either。　　He　would　never　find　her　in　that　France　so　immeasurably　expanded　by　the　war　that　it　had　converted　every　town　into　a　hospital。

His　afternoon　explorations　were　no　more　successful。　　The　employees　listened　to　his　interrogations　with　a　distraught　air。　　He　could　come　back　again；　just　now　they　were　taken　up　with　the　announcement　that　another　hospital　train　was　on　the　way。　　The　great　battle　was　still　going　on　near　Paris。　　They　had　to　improvise　lodgings　for　the　new　consignment　of　mutilated　humanity。　　In　order　to　pass　away　the　time　until　his　return；　Desnoyers　went　back　to　the　garden　near　the　grotto。　He　was　planning　to　return　to　Pau　that　night；　there　was　evidently　nothing　more　to　do　at　Lourdes。　　In　what　direction　should　he　now　continue　his　search？

Suddenly　he　felt　a　thrill　down　his　backthe　same　indefinable　sensation　which　used　to　warn　him　of　her　presence　when　they　were　meeting　in　the　gardens　of　Paris。　　Marguerite　was　going　to　present　herself　unexpectedly　as　in　the　old　days　without　his　knowing　from　exactly　what　spotas　though　she　came　up　out　of　the　earth　or　descended　from　the　clouds。

After　a　second's　thought　he　smiled　bitterly。　　Mere　tricks　of　his　desire！　　Illusions！　。　。　。　　Upon　turning　his　head　he　recognized　the　falsity　of　his　hope。　　Nobody　was　following　his　footsteps；　he　was　the　only　being　going　down　the　center　of　the　avenue。　　Near　him；　in　the　diaphanous　white　of　a　guardian　angel；　was　a　nurse。　　Poor　blind　man！　。　。　。　　Desnoyers　was　passing　on　when　a　quick　movement　on　the　part　of　the　white…clad　woman；　an　evident　desire　to　escape　notice；　to　hide　her　face　by　looking　at　the　plants；　attracted　his　attention。　He　was　slow　in　recognizing　her。　　Two　little　ringlets　escaping　from　the　band　of　her　cap　made　him　guess　the　hidden　head　of　hair；　the　feet　shod　in　white　were　the　signs　which　enabled　him　to　reconstruct　the　person　somewhat　disfigured　by　the　severe　uniform。　　Her　face　was　pale　and　sad。　　There　wasn't　a　trace　left　in　it　of　the　old　vanities　that　used　to　give　it　its　childish；　doll…like　beauty。　In　the　depths　of　those　great；　dark…circled　eyes　life　seemed　to　be　reflected　in　new　forms。　。　。　。　　Marguerite！

They　stared　at　one　another　for　a　long　while；　as　though　hypnotized　with　surprise。　　She　looked　alarmed　when　Desnoyers　advanced　a　step　toward　her。　　No　。　。　。　　No！　　Her　eyes；　her　hands；　her　entire　body　seemed　to　protest；　to　repel　his　approach；　to　hold　him　motionless。　Fear　that　he　might　come　near　her；　made　her　go　toward　him。　　She　said　a　few　words　to　the　soldier　who　remained　on　the　bench；　receiving　across　the　bandage　on　his　face　a　ray　of　sunlight　which　he　did　not　appear　to　feel。　　Then　she　rose；　going　to　meet　Julio；　and　continued　forward；　indicating　by　a　gesture　that　they　must　find　some　place　further　on　where　the　wounded　man　could　not　hear　them。

She　led　the　way　to　a　side　path　from　which　she　could　see　the　blind　man　confided　to　her　care。　　They　stood