the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第59部分

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nd　seeing　that　he　was　going　toward　the　castle；　Desnoyers　marched　by　his　side。

〃Commandant；　this　cannot　be；〃　he　commenced　saying。　　〃This　lacks　common　sense。　　To　shoot　a　man　on　the　suspicion　that　he　may　be　twenty　years　old！〃

But　the　Commandant　remained　silent　and　continued　on　his　way。　　As　they　crossed　the　bridge；　they　heard　the　sound　of　the　pianoa　good　omen；　Desnoyers　thought。　　The　aesthete　who　had　so　touched　him　with　his　impassioned　voice；　was　going　to　say　the　saving　word。

On　entering　the　salon；　he　did　not　at　first　recognize　His　Excellency。　He　saw　a　man　sitting　at　the　piano　wearing　no　clothing　but　a　Japanese　dressing　gowna　woman's　rose…colored　kimono；　embroidered　with　golden　birds；　belonging　to　Chichi。　　At　any　other　time；　he　would　have　burst　into　roars　of　laughter　at　beholding　this　scrawny；　bony　warrior　with　the　cruel　eyes；　with　his　brawny　braceleted　arms　appearing　through　the　loose　sleeves。　　After　taking　his　bath；　the　Count　had　delayed　putting　on　his　uniform；　luxuriating　in　the　silky　contact　of　the　feminine　tunic　so　like　his　Oriental　garments　in　Berlin。　Blumhardt　did　not　betray　the　slightest　astonishment　at　the　aspect　of　his　general。　　In　the　customary　attitude　of　military　erectness；　he　spoke　in　his　own　language　while　the　Count　listened　with　a　bored　air；　meanwhile　passing　his　fingers　idly　over　the　keys。

A　shaft　of　sunlight　from　a　nearby　window　was　enveloping　the　piano　and　musician　in　a　halo　of　gold。　　Through　the　window；　too；　was　wafting　the　poetry　of　the　sunsetthe　rustling　of　the　leaves；　the　hushed　song　of　the　birds　and　the　hum　of　the　insects　whose　transparent　wings　were　glowing　like　sparks　in　the　last　rays　of　the　sun。　　The　General；　annoyed　that　his　dreaming　melancholy　should　be　interrupted　by　this　inopportune　visit；　cut　short　the　Commandant's　story　with　a　gesture　of　command　and　a　word　。　。　。　one　word　only。　　He　said　no　more。　　He　took　two　puffs　from　a　Turkish　cigarette　that　was　slowly　scorching　the　wood　of　the　piano；　and　again　ran　his　hands　over　the　ivory　keys；　catching　up　the　broken　threads　of　the　vague　and　tender　improvisation　inspired　by　the　gloaming。

〃Thanks；　Your　Excellency；〃　said　the　gratified　Desnoyers；　surmising　his　magnanimous　response。

The　Commandant　had　disappeared；　nor　could　the　Frenchman　find　him　outside　the　castle。　　A　soldier　was　pacing　up　and　down　near　the　iron　gates　in　order　to　transmit　commands；　and　the　guards　were　pushing　back　with　blows　from　their　guns；　a　screaming　group　of　women　and　tiny　children。　　The　entrance　was　entirely　cleared！　undoubtedly　the　crowds　were　returning　to　the　village　after　the　General's　pardon。　。　。　。　Desnoyers　was　half　way　down　the　avenue　when　he　heard　a　howling　sound　composed　of　many　voices；　a　hair…raising　shriek　such　as　only　womanly　desperation　can　send　forth。　　At　the　same　time；　the　air　was　vibrating　with　snaps；　the　loud　cracking　sound　that　he　knew　from　the　day　before。　　Shots！　。　。　。　　He　imagined　that　on　the　other　side　of　the　iron　railing　there　were　some　writhing　bodies　struggling　to　escape　from　powerful　arms；　and　others　fleeing　with　bounds　of　fear。　　He　saw　running　toward　him　a　horror…stricken；　sobbing　woman　with　her　hands　to　her　head。　　It　was　the　wife　of　the　Keeper　who　a　little　while　before　had　joined　the　desperate　group　of　women。

〃Oh；　don't　go　on；　Master；〃　she　called　stopping　his　hurried　step。　〃They　have　killed　him。　。　。　。　　They　have　just　shot　him。〃

Don　Marcelo　stood　rooted　to　the　ground。　　Shot！　。　。　。　and　after　the　General's　pardon！　。　。　。　　Suddenly　he　ran　back　to　the　castle；　hardly　knowing　what　he　was　doing；　and　soon　reached　the　salon。　　His　Excellency　was　still　at　the　piano。　　humming　in　low　tones；　his　eyes　moistened　by　the　poesy　of　his　dreams。　　But　the　breathless　old　gentleman　did　not　stop　to　listen。

〃They　have　shot　him；　Your　Excellency。　。　。　。　　They　have　just　killed　him　in　spite　of　your　order。〃

The　smile　which　crossed　the　Count's　face　immediately　informed　him　of　his　mistake。

〃That　is　war；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　the　player；　pausing　for　a　moment。　〃War　with　its　cruel　necessities。　。　。　。　　It　is　always　expedient　to　destroy　the　enemy　of　to…morrow。〃

And　with　a　pedantic　air　as　though　he　were　giving　a　lesson；　he　discoursed　about　the　Orientals；　great　masters　of　the　art　of　living。　One　of　the　personages　most　admired　by　him　was　a　certain　Sultan　of　the　Turkish　conquest　who；　with　his　own　hands；　had　strangled　the　sons　of　the　adversary。　　〃Our　foes　do　not　come　into　the　world　on　horseback　and　brandishing　the　lance；〃　said　that　hero。　　〃All　are　born　as　children；　and　it　is　advisable　to　wipe　them　from　the　face　of　the　earth　before　they　grow　up。〃

Desnoyers　listened　without　taking　it　in。　　One　thought　only　was　occupying　his　mind。　。　。　。　　That　man　that　he　had　supposed　just；　that　sentimentalist　so　affected　by　his　own　singing；　had；　between　two　arpeggios；　coldly　given　the　order　for　death！　。　。　。

The　Count　made　a　gesture　of　impatience。　　He　might　retire　now；　and　he　counselled　him　to　be　more　discreet　in　the　future；　avoiding　mixing　himself　up　in　the　affairs　of　the　service。　　Then　he　turned　his　back；　running　his　hands　over　the　piano；　and　giving　himself　up　to　harmonious　melancholy。

For　Don　Marcelo　there　now　began　an　absurd　life　of　the　most　extraordinary　events；　an　experience　which　was　going　to　last　four　days。　　In　his　life　history；　this　period　represented　a　long　parenthesis　of　stupefaction；　slashed　by　the　most　horrible　visions。

Not　wishing　to　meet　these　men　again；　he　abandoned　his　own　bedroom；　taking　refuge　on　the　top　floor　in　the　servants'　quarters；　near　the　room　selected　by　the　Warden　and　his　family。　　In　vain　the　good　woman　kept　offering　him　things　to　eat　as　the　night　came　onhe　had　no　appetite。　　He　lay　stretched　out　on　the　bed；　preferring　to　be　alone　with　his　thoughts　in　the　dark。　　When　would　this　martyrdom　ever　come　to　an　end？　。　。　。

There　came　into　his　mind　the　recollection　of　a　trip　which　he　had　made　to　London　some　years　ago。　　In　his　imagination　he　again　saw　the　British　Museum　and　certain　Assyrian　bas…reliefsrelics　of　bestial　humanity；　which　had　filled　him　with　terror。　　The　warriors　were　represented　as　burning　the　towns；　the　prisoners　were　beheaded　in　heaps；　the　pacific　countrymen　were　marching　in　lines　with　chains　on　their　necks；　forming　strings　of　slaves。　　Until　that　moment　he　had　never　realized　the　advance　which　civilization　had　made　through　the　centuries。　　Wars　were　still　breaking　out　now　and　then；　but　they　had　been　regulated　by　the　march　of　progress。　　The　life　of　the　prisoner　was　now　held　sacred；　the　captured　towns　must　be　respected；　there　existed　a　complete　code　of　international　law　to　regulate　how　men　should　be　killed　and　nations　should　combat；　causing　the　least　possible　harm。　。　。　。　　But　now　he　had　just　seen　the　primitive　realities　of　war。　　The　same　as　that　of　thousands　of　years　ago！　　The　men　with　the　helmets　were　proceeding　in　exactly　the　same　way　as　those　ferocious　and　perfumed　satraps　with　blue　mitre　and　curled　beard。　　The　adversary　was　shot　although　not　carrying　arms；　the　prisoner　died　of　shot　or　blow　from　the　gun；　the　civilian　captives　were　sent　in　crowds　to　Germany　like　those　of　other　centuries。　　Of　what　avail　was　all　our　so…called　Progress？　　Where　was　our　boasted　civilization？　。　。　。

He　was　awakened　by　the　light　of　a　candle　in　his　eyes。　　The　Warden's　wife　had　come　up　again　to　see　if　he　needed　anything。

〃Oh；　what　a　night；　Master！　　Just　hear　them　yelling　and　singing！　　The　bottles　that　they　have　emptied！　。　。　。　　They　are　in　the　dining　room。　You　better　not　see　them。　　Now　they　are　amusing　themselves　by　breaking　the　furniture。　　Even　the　Count　is　drunk；　drunk；　too；　is　that　Commandant　that　you　were　talking　with；　and　all　the　rest。　。　。　。　Some　of　them　are　dancing　half…naked。〃

She　evidently　wished　to　keep　quiet　about　certain　details；　but　her　love　of　talking　got　the　better　of　her　discretion。　　Some　of　the　officers　had　dressed　themselves　up　in　the　hats　and　gowns　of　her　mistress　and　were　dancing　and　shouting；　imitating　feminine　seductiveness　and　affectations。　。　。　。　　One　of　them　had　been　greeted　with　roars　of　enthusiasm　upon　presenting　himself　with　no　other　clothing　than　a　〃combination〃　of　Mademoiselle　Chichi's。　　Many　were　taking　obscene　delight　in　soiling　the　rugs　and　filling　the　sideboard　drawers　with　indescribable　filth；　using　the　finest　linens　that　they　could　lay　their　hands　on。

Her　master　silenced　her　peremptorily。　　Why　tell　him　such　vile；　disgusting　things？　。　。　。

〃And　we　are　obliged　to　wait　on　them！〃　wailed　the　woman。　　〃They　are　beside　themselves；　they　appear　like　different　beings。　　The　soldiers　are　saying　that　they　are　going　to　resume　their　march　at　daybreak。　There　is　a　great　battle　on；　and　they　are　going　to　win　it；　but　it　is　necessary　that　everyone　of　them　should　fight　in　it。　。　。　。　　My　poor；　sick　husband　just　can't　stand　it　any　longer。　　So　many　humiliations　。　。　。　and　my　little　girl　。　。　。　。　　My　little　girl！〃

The　child　was　her　greatest　anxiety。　　She　had　her　well　hidden　away；　but　she　was　watching　uneasily　the　goings　and　comings　of　some　of　these　men　maddened　with　alcohol。　　The　most　terrible　of　them　all　was　that　fat　officer　who　had　patted　Georgette　so　paternally。

Apprehension　for　her　daughter's　safety　made　her　hurry　restlessly　away；　saying　over　and　over：

〃God　has　forgotten　the　world。　。　。　。　　Ay；　what　is　ever　going　to　become　of　us！〃

Don　Marcelo　was　now　tinglingly　awake。　　Through　the　open　window　was　blowing　the　clear　night　air。　　The　cannonading　was　still　going　on；　prolonging　the　conflict　way　into　the　night。　　Below　the　castle　the　soldiers　were　intoning　a　slow　and　melodious　chant　that　sounded　like　a　psalm。　　From　the　interior　of　the　edifice　rose　the　whoopings　of　brutal　laughter；　the　crash　of　breaking　furniture；　and　the　mad　chase　of　dissolute　pursuit。　　When　would　this　diabolical　orgy　ever　wear　itself　down？　。　。　。　　For　a　long　time　he　was　not　at　all　sleepy；　but　was　gradually　losing　consciousness　of　what　was　going　on　around　him　when　he　was　roused　with　a　start。　　Near　him；　on　the　same　floor；　a　door　had　fallen　with　a　crash；　unable　to　resist　a　succession　of　formidable　batterings。　　This　was　followed　immediately　by　the　screams　of　a　woman；　weeping；　desperate　supplications；　the　noise　of　a　struggle；　reeling　steps；　and　the　thud　of　bodies　against　the　wall。　He　had　a　presentiment　that　it　was　Georgette　shrieking　and　trying　to　defend　herself。　　Before　he　could　put　his　feet　to　the　floor　he　heard　a　man