the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第7部分

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t　beside　her　lover；　and　seeking　a　hiding…place。　　Suddenly　she　saw　before　her　the　little　red　door　of　an　automobile；　opened　by　the　hand　of　her　adorer。

〃Get　in；〃　ordered　Julio。

And　she　climbed　in　hastily；　anxious　to　hide　herself　as　soon　as　possible。　　The　vehicle　started　at　great　speed。　　Marguerite　immediately　pulled　down　the　shade　of　the　window　on　her　side；　but；　before　she　had　finished　and　could　turn　her　head；　she　felt　a　hungry　mouth　kissing　the　nape　of　her　neck。

〃No；　not　here；〃　she　said　in　a　pleading　tone。　　〃Let　us　be　sensible！〃

And　while　he；　rebellious　at　these　exhortations；　persisted　in　his　advances；　the　voice　of　Marguerite　again　sounded　above　the　noise　of　the　rattling　machinery　of　the　automobile　as　it　bounded　over　the　pavement。

〃Do　you　really　believe　that　there　will　be　no　war？　　Do　you　believe　that　we　will　be　able　to　marry？　。　。　。　　Tell　me　again。　　I　want　you　to　encourage　me　。　。　。　I　need　to　hear　it　from　your　lips。〃



CHAPTER　II

MADARIAGA；　THE　CENTAUR


In　1870　Marcelo　Desnoyers　was　nineteen　years　old。　　He　was　born　in　the　suburbs　of　Paris；　an　only　child；　his　father；　interested　in　little　building　speculations；　maintained　his　family　in　modest　comfort。　　The　mason　wished　to　make　an　architect　of　his　son；　and　Marcelo　was　in　the　midst　of　his　preparatory　studies　when　his　father　suddenly　died；　leaving　his　affairs　greatly　involved。　　In　a　few　months；　he　and　his　mother　descended　the　slopes　of　ruin；　and　were　obliged　to　give　up　their　snug；　middle…class　quarters　and　live　like　laborers。

When　the　fourteen…year…old　boy　had　to　choose　a　trade；　he　learned　wood　carving。　　This　craft　was　an　art　related　to　the　tastes　awakened　in　Marcelo　by　his　abandoned　studies。　　His　mother　retired　to　the　country；　living　with　some　relatives　while　the　lad　advanced　rapidly　in　the　shops；　aiding　his　master　in　all　the　important　orders　which　he　received　from　the　provinces。　　The　first　news　of　the　war　with　Prussia　surprised　him　in　Marseilles；　working　on　the　decorations　of　a　theatre。

Marcelo　was　opposed　to　the　Empire　like　all　the　youths　of　his　generation。　　He　was　also　much　influenced　by　the　older　workmen　who　had　taken　part　in　the　Republic　of　'48；　and　who　still　retained　vivid　recollections　of　the　Coup　d'Etat　of　the　second　of　December。

One　day　he　saw　in　the　streets　of　Marseilles　a　popular　manifestation　in　favor　of　peace　which　was　practically　a　protest　against　the　government。　　The　old　republicans　in　their　implacable　struggle　with　the　Emperor；　the　companies　of　the　International　which　had　just　been　organized；　and　a　great　number　of　Italians　and　Spaniards　who　had　fled　their　countries　on　account　of　recent　insurrections；　composed　the　procession。　　A　long…haired；　consumptive　student　was　carrying　the　flag。　　〃It　is　peace　that　we　wanta　peace　which　may　unite　all　mankind；〃　chanted　the　paraders。　　But　on　this　earth；　the　noblest　propositions　are　seldom　heard；　since　Destiny　amuses　herself　in　perverting　them　and　turning　them　aside。

Scarcely　had　the　friends　of　peace　entered　the　rue　Cannebiere　with　their　hymn　and　standard；　when　war　came　to　meet　them；　obliging　them　to　resort　to　fist　and　club。　　The　day　before；　some　battalions　of　Zouaves　from　Algiers　had　disembarked　in　order　to　reinforce　the　army　on　the　frontier；　and　these　veterans；　accustomed　to　colonial　existence　and　undiscriminating　as　to　the　cause　of　disturbances；　seized　the　opportunity　to　intervene　in　this　manifestation；　some　with　bayonets　and　others　with　ungirded　belts。　　〃Hurrah　for　War！〃　and　a　rain　of　lashes　and　blows　fell　upon　the　unarmed　singers。　　Marcelo　saw　the　innocent　student；　the　standard…bearer　of　peace；　knocked　down　wrapped　in　his　flag；　by　the　merry　kicks　of　the　Zouaves。　　Then　he　knew　no　more；　since　he　had　received　various　blows　with　a　leather　strap；　and　a　knife　thrust　in　his　shoulder；　he　had　to　run　the　same　as　the　others。

That　day　developed　for　the　first　time；　his　fiery；　stubborn　character；　irritable　before　contradiction；　even　to　the　point　of　adopting　the　most　extreme　resolution。　　〃Down　with　War！〃　　Since　it　was　not　possible　for　him　to　protest　in　any　other　way；　he　would　leave　the　country。　　The　Emperor　might　arrange　his　affairs　as　best　he　could。　　The　struggle　was　going　to　be　long　and　disastrous；　according　to　the　enemies　of　the　Empire。　　If　he　stayed；　he　would　in　a　few　months　be　drawn　for　the　soldiery。　　Desnoyers　renounced　the　honor　of　serving　the　Emperor。　　He　hesitated　a　little　when　he　thought　of　his　mother。　　But　his　country　relatives　would　not　turn　her　out；　and　he　planned　to　work　very　hard　and　send　her　money。　　Who　knew　what　riches　might　be　waiting　for　him；　on　the　other　side　of　the　sea！　。　。　。　　Good…　bye；　France！

Thanks　to　his　savings；　a　harbor　official　found　it　to　his　interest　to　offer　him　the　choice　of　three　boats。　　One　was　sailing　to　Egypt；　another　to　Australia；　another　to　Montevideo　and　Buenos　Aires；　which　made　the　strongest　appeal　to　him？　。　。　。　　Desnoyers；　remembering　his　readings；　wished　to　consult　the　wind　and　follow　the　course　that　it　indicated；　as　he　had　seen　various　heroes　of　novels　do。　　But　that　day　the　wind　blew　from　the　sea　toward　France。　　He　also　wished　to　toss　up　a　coin　in　order　to　test　his　fate。　　Finally　he　decided　upon　the　vessel　sailing　first。　　Not　until；　with　his　scanty　baggage；　he　was　actually　on　the　deck　of　the　next　boat　to　anchor；　did　he　take　any　interest　in　its　course〃For　the　Rio　de　la　Plata。〃　。　。　。　　And　he　accepted　these　words　with　a　fatalistic　shrug。　　〃Very　well；　let　it　be　South　America！〃　　The　country　was　not　distasteful　to　him；　since　he　knew　it　by　certain　travel　publications　whose　illustrations　represented　herds　of　cattle　at　liberty；　half…naked；　plumed　Indians；　and　hairy　cowboys　whirling　over　their　heads　serpentine　lassos　tipped　with　balls。

The　millionaire　Desnoyers　never　forgot　that　trip　to　Americaforty…　three　days　navigating　in　a　little　worn…out　steamer　that　rattled　like　a　heap　of　old　iron；　groaned　in　all　its　joints　at　the　slightest　roughness　of　the　sea；　and　had　to　stop　four　times　for　repairs；　at　the　mercy　of　the　winds　and　waves。

In　Montevideo；　he　learned　of　the　reverses　suffered　by　his　country　and　that　the　French　Empire　no　longer　existed。　　He　felt　a　little　ashamed　when　he　heard　that　the　nation　was　now　self…governing；　defending　itself　gallantly　behind　the　walls　of　Paris。　　And　he　had　fled！　。　。　。　　Months　afterwards；　the　events　of　the　Commune　consoled　him　for　his　flight。　　If　he　had　remained；　wrath　at　the　national　downfall；　his　relations　with　his　co…laborers；　the　air　in　which　he　livedeverything　would　surely　have　dragged　him　along　to　revolt。　　In　that　case；　he　would　have　been　shot　or　consigned　to　a　colonial　prison　like　so　many　of　his　former　comrades。

So　his　determination　crystallized；　and　he　stopped　thinking　about　the　affairs　of　his　mother…country。　　The　necessities　of　existence　in　a　foreign　land　whose　language　he　was　beginning　to　pick　up　made　him　think　only　of　himself。　　The　turbulent　and　adventurous　life　of　these　new　nations　compelled　him　to　most　absurd　expedients　and　varied　occupations。　　Yet　he　felt　himself　strong　with　an　audacity　and　self…　reliance　which　he　never　had　in　the　old　world。　　〃I　am　equal　to　everything；〃　he　said；　〃if　they　only　give　me　time　to　prove　it！〃　Although　he　had　fled　from　his　country　in　order　not　to　take　up　arms；　he　even　led　a　soldier's　life　for　a　brief　period　in　his　adopted　land；　receiving　a　wound　in　one　of　the　many　hostilities　between　the　whites　and　reds　in　the　unsettled　districts。

In　Buenos　Aires；　he　again　worked　as　a　woodcarver。　　The　city　was　beginning　to　expand；　breaking　its　shell　as　a　large　village。　Desnoyers　spent　many　years　ornamenting　salons　and　facades。　　It　was　a　laborious　existence；　sedentary　and　remunerative。　　But　one　day　he　became　tired　of　this　slow　saving　which　could　only　bring　him　a　mediocre　fortune　after　a　long　time。　　He　had　gone　to　the　new　world　to　become　rich　like　so　many　others。　　And　at　twenty…seven；　he　started　forth　again；　a　full…fledged　adventurer；　avoiding　the　cities；　wishing　to　snatch　money　from　untapped；　natural　sources。　　He　worked　farms　in　the　forests　of　the　North；　but　the　locusts　obliterated　his　crops　in　a　few　hours。　　He　was　a　cattle…driver；　with　the　aid　of　only　two　peons；　driving　a　herd　of　oxen　and　mules　over　the　snowy　solitudes　of　the　Andes　to　Bolivia　and　Chile。　　In　this　life；　making　journeys　of　many　months'　duration；　across　interminable　plains；　he　lost　exact　account　of　time　and　space。　　Just　as　he　thought　himself　on　the　verge　of　winning　a　fortune；　he　lost　it　all　by　an　unfortunate　speculation。　And　in　a　moment　of　failure　and　despair；　being　now　thirty　years　old；　he　became　an　employee　of　Julio　Madariaga。

He　knew　of　this　rustic　millionaire　through　his　purchases　of　flocks　a　Spaniard　who　had　come　to　the　country　when　very　young；　adapting　himself　very　easily　to　its　customs；　and　living　like　a　cowboy　after　he　had　acquired　enormous　properties。　　The　country　folk；　wishing　to　put　a　title　of　respect　before　his　name；　called　him　Don　Madariaga。

〃Comrade；〃　he　said　to　Desnoyers　one　day　when　he　happened　to　be　in　a　good　humora　very　rare　thing　for　him〃you　must　have　passed　through　many　ups　and　downs。　　Your　lack　of　silver　may　be　smelled　a　long　ways　off。　　Why　lead　such　a　dog's　life？　　Trust　in　me；　Frenchy；　and　remain　here！　　I　am　growing　old；　and　I　need　a　man。〃

After　the　Frenchman　had　arranged　to　stay　with　Madariaga；　every　landed　proprietor　living　within　fifteen　or　twenty　leagues　of　the　ranch；　stopped　the　new　employee　on　the　road　to　prophesy　all　sorts　of　misfortune。

〃You　will　not　stay　long。　　Nobody　can　get　along　with　Don　Madariaga。　We　have　lost　count　of　his　overseers。　　He　is　a　man　who　must　be　killed　or　deserted。　　Soon　you　will　go；　too！〃

Desnoyers　did　not　doubt　but　that　there　was　some　truth　in　all　this。　Madariaga　was　an　impossible　character；　but　feeling　a　certain　sympathy　with　the　Frenchman；　had　tried　not　to　annoy　him　with　his　irritability。

〃He's　a　regular　pearl；　this　Frenchy；〃　said　the　plainsman　as　though　trying　to　excuse　himself　for　his　considerate　treatment　of　his　latest　acquisition。　　〃I　like　him　because　he　is　very　serious。　。　。　。　　That　is　the　way　I　like　a　man。〃

Desnoyers　did　not　know　exactly　what　this　much…admired　seriousness　could　be；　but　he　felt　a　secret　pride　in　seeing　him　aggressive　with　everybody　else；　even　his　family；　whilst　he　took　with　him　a　tone　of　paternal　bluffness。

The　family　consisted　of　his　wife　Misia　Petrona　（whom　he　always