the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第68部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



The　budding　officer　had　merely　referred　in　the　most　casual　way　to　some　of　exploits；　with　the　indifference　of　one　accustomed　to　danger　and　expecting　the　same　attitude　from　his　comrades；　but　his　chum　exaggerated　them；　enlarging　upon　them　as　though　they　were　the　culminating　events　of　the　war。　　He　had　carried　an　order　across　an　infernal　fire；　after　three　messengers；　trying　to　accomplish　the　same　feat；　had　fallen　dead。　　He　had　been　the　first　to　attack　many　trenches　and　had　saved　many　of　his　comrades　by　means　of　the　blows　from　his　bayonet　and　hand　to　hand　encounters。　　Whenever　his　superior　officers　needed　a　reliable　man；　they　invariably　said；　〃Let　Sergeant　Desnoyers　be　called！〃

He　rattled　off　all　this　as　though　he　had　witnessed　it；　as　if　he　had　just　come　from　the　seat　of　war；　making　Dona　Luisa　tremble　and　pour　forth　tears　of　joy　mingled　with　fear　over　the　glories　and　dangers　of　her　son。　　That　Argensola　certainly　possessed　the　gift　of　affecting　his　hearers　by　the　realism　with　which　he　told　his　stories！

In　gratitude　for　these　eulogies；　she　felt　that　she　ought　to　show　some　interest　in　his　affairs。　。　。　。　　What　had　he　been　doing　of　late？

〃I；　Madame；　have　been　where　I　ought　to　be。　　I　have　not　budged　from　this　spot。　　I　have　witnessed　the　siege　of　Paris。〃

In　vain；　his　reason　protested　against　the　inexactitude　of　that　word；　〃siege。〃　　Under　the　influence　of　his　readings　about　the　war　of　1870；　he　had　classed　as　a　siege　all　those　events　which　had　developed　near　Paris　during　the　course　of　the　battle　of　the　Marne。

He　pointed　modestly　to　a　diploma　in　a　gold　frame　hanging　above　the　piano　against　a　tricolored　flag。　　It　was　one　of　the　papers　sold　in　the　streets；　a　certificate　of　residence　in　the　Capital　during　the　week　of　danger。　　He　had　filled　in　the　blanks　with　his　name　and　description　of　his　person；　and　at　the　foot　were　very　conspicuous　the　signatures　of　two　residents　of　the　rue　de　la　Pompea　tavern…keeper；　and　a　friend　of　the　concierge。　　The　district　Commissary　of　Police；　with　stamp　and　seal；　had　guaranteed　the　respectability　of　these　honorable　witnesses。　　Nobody　could　remain　in　doubt；　after　such　precautions；　as　to　whether　he　had　or　had　not　witnessed　the　siege　of　Paris。　　He　had　such　incredulous　friends！　。　。　。

In　order　to　bring　the　scene　more　dramatically　before　his　amiable　listener；　he　recalled　the　most　striking　of　his　impressions　for　her　special　benefit。　　Once；　in　broad　daylight；　he　had　seen　a　flock　of　sheep　in　the　boulevard　near　the　Madeleine。　　Their　tread　had　resounded　through　the　deserted　streets　like　echoes　from　the　city　of　the　dead。　　He　was　the　only　pedestrian　on　the　sidewalks　thronged　with　cats　and　dogs。

His　military　recollections　excited　him　like　tales　of　glory。

〃I　have　seen　the　march　of　the　soldiers　from　Morocco。　。　。　。　　I　have　seen　the　Zouaves　in　automobiles！〃

The　very　night　that　Julio　had　gone　to　Bordeaux；　he　had　wandered　around　till　sunrise；　traversing　half　of　Paris；　from　the　Lion　of　Belfort；　to　the　Gare　de　l'Est。　　Twenty　thousand　men；　with　all　their　campaign　outfit；　coming　from　Morocco；　had　disembarked　at　Marseilles　and　arrived　at　the　Capital；　making　part　of　the　trip　by　rail　and　the　rest　afoot。　　They　had　come　to　take　part　in　the　great　battle　then　beginning。　　They　were　troops　composed　of　Europeans　and　Africans。　The　vanguard；　on　entering　through　the　Orleans　gate；　had　swung　into　rhythmic　pace；　thus　crossing　half　Paris　toward　the　Gare　de　l'Est　where　the　trains　were　waiting　for　them。

The　people　of　Paris　had　seen　squadrons　from　Tunis　with　theatrical　uniforms；　mounted　on　horses；　nervous　and　fleet；　Moors　with　yellow　turbans；　Senegalese　with　black　faces　and　scarlet　caps；　colonial　artillerymen；　and　light　infantry　from　Africa。　　These　were　professional　warriors；　soldiers　who　in　times　of　peace；　led　a　life　of　continual　fighting　in　the　coloniesmen　with　energetic　profiles；　bronzed　faces　and　the　eyes　of　beasts　of　prey。　　They　had　remained　motionlesss　in　the　streets　for　hours　at　a　time；　until　room　could　be　found　for　them　in　the　military　trains。　。　。　。　　And　Argensola　had　followed　this　armed；　impassive　mass　of　humanity　from　the　boulevards；　talking　with　the　officials；　and　listening　to　the　primitive　cries　of　the　African　warriors　who　had　never　seen　Paris；　and　who　passed　through　it　without　curiosity；　asking　where　the　enemy　was。

They　had　arived　in　time　to　attack　von　Kluck　on　the　banks　of　the　Ourq；　obliging　him　to　fall　back　or　be　completely　overwhelmed。

A　fact　which　Argensola　did　not　relate　to　his　sympathetic　guest　was　that　his　nocturnal　excursion　the　entire　length　of　this　division　of　the　army　had　been　accompanied　by　the　amiable　damsel　within；　and　two　other　friendsan　enthusiastic　and　generous　coterie；　distributing　flowers　and　kisses　to　the　swarthy　soldiers；　and　laughing　at　their　consternation　and　gleaming　white　teeth。

Another　day　he　had　seen　the　most　extraordinary　of　all　the　spectacles　of　the　war。　　All　the　taxicabs；　some　two　thousand　vehicles；　conveying　battalions　of　Zouaves；　eight　men　to　a　motor　car；　had　gone　rolling　past　him　at　full　speed；　bristling　with　guns　and　red　caps。　　They　had　presented　a　most　picturesque　train　in　the　boulevards；　like　a　kind　of　interminable　wedding　procession。　　And　these　soldiers　got　out　of　the　automobiles　on　the　very　edge　of　the　battle　field；　opening　fire　the　instant　that　they　leaped　from　the　steps。　　Gallieni　had　launched　all　the　men　who　knew　how　to　handle　a　gun　against　the　extreme　right　of　the　adversary　at　the　supreme　moment　when　the　most　insignificant　weight　might　tip　the　scales　in　favor　of　the　victory　which　was　hanging　in　the　balance。　　The　clerks　and　secretaries　of　the　military　offices；　the　orderlies　of　the　government　and　the　civil　police；　all　had　marched　to　give　that　final　push；　forming　a　mass　of　heterogenous　colors。

And　one　Sunday　afternoon　when；　with　his　three　companions　of　the　〃siege〃　he　was　strolling　with　thousands　of　other　Parisians　through　the　Bois　de　Boulogne；　he　had　learned　from　the　extras　that　the　combat　which　had　developed　so　near　to　the　city　was　turning　into　a　great　battle；　a　victory。

〃I　have　seen　much；　Madame　Desnoyers。　。　。　。　　I　can　relate　great　events。〃

And　she　agreed　with　him。　　Of　course　Argensola　had　seen　much！　。　。　。　And　on　taking　her　departure；　she　offered　him　all　the　assistance　in　her　power。　　He　was　the　friend　of　her　son；　and　she　was　used　to　his　petitions。　　Times　had　changed；　Don　Marcelo's　generosity　now　knew　no　bounds　。　。　。　but　the　Bohemian　interrupted　her　with　a　lordly　gesture；　he　was　living　in　luxury。　　Julio　had　made　him　his　trustee。　　The　draft　from　America　had　been　honored　by　the　bank　as　a　deposit；　and　he　had　the　use　of　the　interest　in　accordance　with　the　regulations　of　the　moratorium。　　His　friend　was　sending　him　regularly　whatever　money　was　needed　for　household　expenses。　　Never　had　he　been　in　such　prosperous　condition。　　War　had　its　good　side；　too　。　。　。　but　not　wishing　to　break　away　from　old　customs；　he　announced　that　once　more　he　would　mount　the　service　stairs　in　order　to　bear　away　a　basket　of　bottles。

After　her　sister's　departure；　Dona　Luisa　went　alone　to　the　churches　until　Chichi　in　an　outburst　of　devotional　ardor；　suddenly　surprised　her　with　the　announcement：

〃Mama；　I　am　going　with　you！〃

The　new　devotee　was　no　longer　agitating　the　household　by　her　rollicking；　boyish　joy；　she　was　no　longer　threatening　the　enemy　with　imaginary　dagger　thrusts。　　She　was　pale；　and　with　dark　circles　under　her　eyes。　　Her　head　was　drooping　as　though　weighed　down　with　a　set　of　serious；　entirely　new　thoughts　on　the　other　side　of　her　forehead。

Dona　Luisa　observed　her　in　the　church　with　an　almost　indignant　jealousy。　　Her　headstrong　child's　eyes　were　moist；　and　she　was　praying　as　fervently　as　the　mother　　。　。　。　but　it　was　surely　not　for　her　brother。　　Julio　had　passed　to　second　place　in　her　remembrance。　Another　man　was　now　completely　filling　her　thoughts。

The　last　of　the　Lacours　was　no　longer　a　simple　soldier；　nor　was　he　now　in　Paris。　　Upon　her　return　from　Biarritz；　Chichi　had　listened　anxiously　to　the　reports　from　her　little　sugar　soldier。　　Throbbing　with　eagerness；　she　wanted　to　know　all　about　the　dangers　which　he　had　been　experiencing；　and　the　young　warrior　〃in　the　auxiliary　service〃　told　her　of　his　restlessness　in　the　office　during　the　interminable　days　in　which　the　troops　were　battling　around　Paris；　hearing　afar　off　the　boom　of　the　artillery。　　His　father　had　wished　to　take　him　with　him　to　Bordeaux；　but　the　administrative　confusion　of　the　last　hour　had　kept　him　in　the　capital。

He　had　done　something　more。　　On　the　day　of　the　great　crisis；　when　the　acting　governor　had　sent　out　all　the　available　men　in　automobiles；　he　had；　unasked；　seized　a　gun　and　occupied　a　motor　with　others　from　his　office。　　He　had　not　seen　anything　more　than　smoke；　burning　houses；　and　wounded　men。　　Not　a　single　German　had　passed　before　his　eyes；　excepting　a　band　of　Uhlan　prisoners；　but　for　some　hours　he　had　been　shooting　on　the　edge　of　the　road　。　。　。　and　nothing　more。

For　a　while；　that　was　enough　for　Chichi。　　She　felt　very　proud　to　be　the　betrothed　of　a　hero　of　the　Marne；　even　though　his　intervention　had　lasted　but　a　few　hours。　　In　a　few　days；　however；　her　enthusiasm　became　rather　clouded。

It　was　becoming　annoying　to　stroll　through　the　streets　with　Rene；　a　simple　soldier　and　in　the　auxiliary　service；　besides。　。　。　。　　The　women　of　the　town；　excited　by　the　recollection　of　their　men　fighting　at　the　front；　or　clad　in　mourning　because　of　the　death　of　some　loved　one；　would　look　at　them　with　aggressive　insolence。　　The　refinement　and　elegance　of　the　Republican　Prince　seemed　to　irritate　them。　Several　times；　she　overheard　uncomplimentary　words　hurled　against　the　〃embusques。〃

The　fact　that　her　brother　who　was　not　French　was　in　the　thick　of　the　fighting；　made　the　Lacour　situation　still　more　intolerable。　　She　had　an　〃embusque〃　for　a　lover。　　How　her　friends　would　laugh　at　her！　。　。　。

The　senator's　son　soon　read　her　thoughts　and　began　to　lose　some　of　his　smiling　serenity。　　For　three　days　he　did　not　present　himself　at　the　Desnoyers'　home；　and　they　all　supposed　that　he　was　detained　by　work　at　the　office。

One　morning　as　Chichi　was　going　toward　the　Bois　de　Boulogne；　escorted　by　one　of　the　nut…brown　maids；　she　noticed　a　soldier　coming　toward　her。　　He　was　wearing　a　bright　uniform　of　the　new　gray…blue；　the　〃horizon　blue〃　just　a