the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第5部分

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n　Paris！〃　　And　the　marine　band；　the　very　same　band　that　three　days　before　had　astonished　Desnoyers　with　its　unexpected　Marseillaise；　burst　forth　into　a　military　march　of　the　time　of　Frederick　the　Greata　march　of　grenadiers　with　an　accompaniment　of　trumpets。

That　had　been　the　night　before。　　Although　twenty…four　hours　had　not　yet　passed　by；　Desnoyers　was　already　considering　it　as　a　distant　event　of　shadowy　reality。　　His　thoughts；　always　disposed　to　take　the　opposite　side；　did　not　share　in　the　general　alarm。　　The　insolence　of　the　Counsellor　now　appeared　to　him　but　the　boastings　of　a　burgher　turned　into　a　soldier。　　The　disquietude　of　the　people　of　Paris；　was　but　the　nervous　agitation　of　a　city　which　lived　placidly　and　became　alarmed　at　the　first　hint　of　danger　to　its　comfort。　　So　many　times　they　had　spoken　of　an　immediate　war；　always　settling　things　peacefully　at　the　last　moment！　。　。　。　　Furthermore　he　did　not　want　war　to　come　because　it　would　upset　all　his　plans　for　the　future；　and　the　man　accepted　as　logical　and　reasonable　everything　that　suited　his　selfishness；　placing　it　above　reality。

〃No；　there　will　not　be　war；〃　he　repeated　as　he　continued　pacing　up　and　down　the　garden。　　〃These　people　are　beside　themselves。　　How　could　a　war　possibly　break　out　in　these　days？〃　。　。　。

And　after　disposing　of　his　doubts；　which　certainly　would　in　a　short　time　come　up　again；　he　thought　of　the　joy　of　the　moment；　consulting　his　watch。　　Five　o'clock！　　She　might　come　now　at　any　minute！　　He　thought　that　he　recognized　her　afar　off　in　a　lady　who　was　passing　through　the　grating　by　the　rue　Pasquier。　　She　seemed　to　him　a　little　different；　but　it　occurred　to　him　that　possibly　the　Summer　fashions　might　have　altered　her　appearance。　　But　soon　he　saw　that　he　had　made　a　mistake。　　She　was　not　alone；　another　lady　was　with　her。　　They　were　perhaps　English　or　North　American　women　who　worshipped　the　memory　of　Marie　Antoinette　and　wished　to　visit　the　Chapelle　Expiatoire；　the　old　tomb　of　the　executed　queen。　　Julio　watched　them　as　they　climbed　the　flights　of　steps　and　crossed　the　interior　patio　in　which　were　interred　the　eight　hundred　Swiss　soldiers　killed　in　the　attack　of　the　Tenth　of　August；　with　other　victims　of　revolutionary　fury。

Disgusted　at　his　error；　he　continued　his　tramp。　　His　ill　humor　made　the　monument　with　which　the　Bourbon　restoration　had　adorned　the　old　cemetery　of　the　Madeleine；　appear　uglier　than　ever　to　him。　　Time　was　passing；　but　she　did　not　come。　　Every　time　that　he　turned；　he　looked　hungrily　at　the　entrances　of　the　garden。　　And　then　it　happened　as　in　all　their　meetings。　　She　suddenly　appeared　as　if　she　had　fallen　from　the　sky　or　risen　up　from　the　ground；　like　an　apparition。　　A　cough；　a　slight　rustling　of　footsteps；　and　as　he　turned；　Julio　almost　collided　with　her。

〃Marguerite！　　Oh；　Marguerite！〃　。　。　。

It　was　she；　and　yet　he　was　slow　to　recognize　her。　　He　felt　a　certain　strangeness　in　seeing　in　full　reality　the　countenance　which　had　occupied　his　imagination　for　three　months；　each　time　more　spirituelle　and　shadowy　with　the　idealism　of　absence。　　But　his　doubts　were　of　short　duration。　　Then　it　seemed　as　though　time　and　space　were　eliminated；　that　he　had　not　made　any　voyage；　and　but　a　few　hours　had　intervened　since　their　last　interview。

Marguerite　divined　the　expansion　which　might　follow　Julio's　exclamations；　the　vehement　hand…clasp；　perhaps　something　more；　so　she　kept　herself　calm　and　serene。

〃No；　not　here；〃　she　said　with　a　grimace　of　repugnance。　　〃What　a　ridiculous　idea　for　us　to　have　met　here！〃

They　were　about　to　seat　themselves　on　the　iron　chairs；　in　the　shadow　of　some　shrubbery；　when　she　rose　suddenly。　　Those　who　were　passing　along　the　boulevard　might　see　them　by　merely　casting　their　eyes　toward　the　garden。　　At　this　time；　many　of　her　friends　might　be　passing　through　the　neighborhood　because　of　its　proximity　to　the　big　shops。　。　。　。　　They；　therefore；　sought　refuge　at　a　corner　of　the　monument；　placing　themselves　between　it　and　the　rue　des　Mathurins。　Desnoyers　brought　two　chairs　near　the　hedge；　so　that　when　seated　they　were　invisible　to　those　passing　on　the　other　side　of　the　railing。　　But　this　was　not　solitude。　　A　few　steps　away；　a　fat；　nearsighted　man　was　reading　his　paper；　and　a　group　of　women　were　chatting　and　embroidering。　　A　woman　with　a　red　wig　and　two　dogs　some　housekeeper　who　had　come　down　into　the　garden　in　order　to　give　her　pets　an　airingpassed　several　times　near　the　amorous　pair；　smiling　discreetly。

〃How　annoying！〃　groaned　Marguerite。　　〃Why　did　we　ever　come　to　this　place！〃

The　two　scrutinized　each　other　carefully；　wishing　to　see　exactly　what　transformation　Time　had　wrought。

〃You　are　darker　than　ever；〃　she　said。　　〃You　look　like　a　man　of　the　sea。〃

Julio　was　finding　her　even　lovelier　than　before；　and　felt　sure　that　possessing　her　was　well　worth　all　the　contrarieties　which　had　brought　about　his　trip　to　South　America。　　She　was　taller　than　he；　with　an　elegantly　proportioned　slenderness。　　〃She　has　the　musical　step；〃　Desnoyers　had　told　himself；　when　seeing　her　in　his　imagination；　and　now；　on　beholding　her　again；　the　first　thing　that　he　admired　was　her　rhythmic　tread；　light　and　graceful　as　she　passed　through　the　garden　seeking　another　seat。　　Her　features　were　not　regular　but　they　had　a　piquant　fascinationa　true　Parisian　face。　Everything　that　had　been　invented　for　the　embellishment　of　feminine　charm　was　used　about　her　person　with　the　most　exquisite　fastidiousness。　　She　had　always　lived　for　herself。　　Only　a　few　months　before　had　she　abdicated　a　part　of　this　sweet　selfishness；　sacrificing　reunions；　teas；　and　calls　in　order　to　give　Desnoyers　some　of　the　afternoon　hours。

Stylish　and　painted　like　a　priceless　doll；　with　no　loftier　ambition　than　to　be　a　model；　interpreting　with　personal　elegance　the　latest　confections　of　the　modistes；　she　was　at　last　experiencing　the　same　preoccupations　and　joys　as　other　women；　creating　for　herself　an　inner　life。　　The　nucleus　of　this　new　life；　hidden　under　her　former　frivolity；　was　Desnoyers。　　Just　as　she　was　imagining　that　she　had　reorganized　her　existenceadjusting　the　satisfactions　of　worldly　elegance　to　the　delights　of　love　in　intimate　secrecya　fulminating　catastrophe　（the　intervention　of　her　husband　whose　possible　appearance　she　seemed　to　have　overlooked）　had　disturbed　her　thoughtless　happiness。　　She　who　was　accustomed　to　think　herself　the　centre　of　the　universe；　imagining　that　events　ought　to　revolve　around　her　desires　and　tastes；　had　suffered　this　cruel　surprise　with　more　astonishment　than　grief。

〃And　you；　how　do　you　think　I　look？〃　Marguerite　queried。

〃I　must　tell　you　that　the　fashion　has　changed。　　The　sheath　skirt　has　passed　away。　　Now　it　is　worn　short　and　with　more　fullness。〃

Desnoyers　had　to　interest　himself　in　her　apparel　with　the　same　devotion；　mixing　his　appreciation　of　the　latest　freak　of　the　fashion…monger　with　his　eulogies　of　Marguerite's　beauty。

〃Have　you　thought　much　about　me？〃　she　continued。　　〃You　have　not　been　unfaithful　to　me　a　single　time？　　Not　even　once？　。　。　。　　Tell　me　the　truth；　you　know　I　can　always　tell　when　you　are　lying。〃

〃I　have　always　thought　of　you；〃　he　said　putting　his　hand　on　his　heart；　as　if　he　were　swearing　before　a　judge。

And　he　said　it　roundly；　with　an　accent　of　truth；　since　in　his　infidelitiesnow　completely　forgottenthe　memory　of　Marguerite　had　always　been　present。

〃But　let　us　talk　about　you！〃　added　Julio。　　〃What　have　you　been　doing　all　the　time？〃

He　had　brought　his　chair　nearer　to　hers；　and　their　knees　touched。　He　took　one　of　her　hands；　patting　it　and　putting　his　finger　in　the　glove　opening。　　Oh；　that　accursed　garden　which　would　not　permit　greater　intimacy　and　obliged　them　to　speak　in　a　low　tone；　after　three　months'　absence！　。　。　。　　In　spite　of　his　discretion；　the　man　who　was　reading　his　paper　raised　his　head　and　looked　irritably　at　them　over　his　spectacles　as　though　a　fly　were　distracting　him　with　its　buzzing。　。　。　。　　The　very　idea　of　talking　love…nonsense　in　a　public　garden　when　all　Europe　was　threatened　with　calamity！

Repelling　the　audacious　hand；　Marguerite　spoke　tranquilly　of　her　existence　during　the　last　months。

〃I　have　passed　my　life　the　best　I　could；　but　I　have　been　greatly　bored。　　You　know　that　I　am　now　living　with　mama；　and　mama　is　a　lady　of　the　old　regime　who　does　not　understand　our　tastes。　　I　have　been　to　the　theatres　with　my　brother。　　I　have　made　many　calls　on　the　lawyer　in　order　to　learn　the　progress　of　my　divorce　and　hurry　it　along　。　。　。　and　nothing　else。〃

〃And　your　husband？〃

〃Don't　let's　talk　about　him。　　Do　you　want　to？　　I　pity　the　poor　man！　So　good　。　。　。　so　correct。　　The　lawyer　assures　me　that　he　agrees　to　everything　and　will　not　impose　any　obstacles。　　They　tell　me　that　he　does　not　come　to　Paris；　that　he　lives　in　his　factory。　　Our　old　home　is　closed。　　There　are　times　when　I　feel　remorseful　over　the　way　I　have　treated　him。〃

〃And　I？〃　queried　Julio；　withdrawing　his　hand。

〃You　are　right；〃　she　returned　smiling。　　〃You　are　Life。　　It　is　cruel　but　it　is　human。　　We　have　to　live　our　lives　without　taking　others　into　consideration。　　It　is　necessary　to　be　selfish　in　order　to　be　happy。〃

The　two　remained　silent。　　The　remembrance　of　the　husband　had　swept　across　them　like　a　glacial　blast。　　Julio　was　the　first　to　brighten　up。

〃And　you　have　not　danced　in　all　this　time？〃

〃No；　how　could　I？　　The　very　idea；　a　woman　in　divorce　proceedings！　。　。　。　I　have　not　been　to　a　single　chic　party　since　you　went　away。　　I　wanted　to　preserve　a　certain　decorous　mourning　fiesta。　　How　horrible　it　was！　。　。　。　　It　needed　you；　the　Master！〃

They　had　again　clasped　hands　and　were　smiling。　　Memories　of　the　previous　months　were　passing　before　their　eyes；　visions　of　their　life　from　five　to　seven　in　the　afternoon；　dancing　in　the　hotels　of　the　Champs　Elysees　where　the　tango　had　been　inexorably　associated　with　a　cup　of　tea。

She　appeared　to　tear　herself　away　from　these　recollections；　impelled　by　a　tenacious　obsession　which　had　slipped　from　her　mind　in　the　first　moments　of　their　meeting。

〃Do　you　know　much　about　what's　happening？　　Tell　me　all。　　People　talk　so　much。　。　。　。　　Do　you　really　believe　that　there　will　be　war？　　Don't　you　think　that　it　will　all　end　in　some　kind　of　settlement？〃

Desnoyers　comforted　her　with　his　optimism。　　He　did　not　believe　in　the