the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第88节
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issive； trying with her wiles； to win the women over one by one。 Finally； she was permitted to spend the greater part of the day with Rene
When Desnoyers first saw the wounded artilleryman in bed； he had to make a great effort to keep the tears back。 。 。 。 Ay； his son； too； might be brought to this sad pass！ 。 。 。 The man looked to him like an Egyptian mummy； because of his complete envelopment in tight bandage wrappings。 The sharp hulls of the shell had fairly riddled him。 There could only be seen a pair of sweet eyes and a blond bit of moustache sticking up between white bands。 The poor fellow was trying to smile at Chichi； who was hovering around him with a certain authority as though she were in her own home。
Two months rolled by。 Rene was better； almost well。 His betrothed had never doubted his recovery from the moment that they permitted her to remain with him。
〃No one that I love； ever dies；〃 she asserted with a ring of her father's self…confidence。 〃As if I would ever permit the Boches to leave me without a husband！〃
She had her little sugar soldier back again； but； oh； in what a lamentable state！ 。 。 。 Never had Don Marcelo realized the de… personalizing horrors of war as when he saw entering his home this convalescent whom he had known months beforeelegant and slender； with a delicate and somewhat feminine beauty。 His face was now furrowed by a network of scars that had transformed it into a purplish arabesque。 Within his body were hidden many such。 His left hand had disappeared with a part of the forearm； the empty sleeve hanging over the remainder。 The other hand was supported on a cane； a necessary aid in order to be able to move a leg that would never recover its elasticity。
But Chichi was content。 She surveyed her dear little soldier with more enthusiasm than evera little deformed； perhaps； but very interesting。 With her mother； she accompanied the convalescent in his constitutionals through the Bois de Boulogne。 When； in crossing a street； automobilists or coachmen failed to stop their vehicles in order to give the invalid the right of way； her eyes shot lightning shafts； as she thundered； 〃Shameless embusques！〃 。 。 。 She was now feeling the same fiery resentment as those women of former days who used to insult her Rene when he was well and happy。 She trembled with satisfaction and pride when returning the greetings of her friends。 Her eloquent eyes seemed to be saying； 〃Yes； he is my betrothed 。 。 。 a hero！〃 She was constantly arranging the war cross on his blouse of 〃horizon blue；〃 taking pains to place it as conspicuously as possible。 She also spent much time in prolonging the life of his shabby uniformalways the same one； the old one which he was wearing when wounded。 A new one would give him the officery look of the soldiers who never left Paris。
As he grew stronger； Rene vainly tried to emancipate himself from her dominant supervision。 It was simply useless to try to walk with more celerity or freedom。
〃Lean on me！〃
And he had to take his fiancee's arm。 All her plans for the future were based on the devotion with which she was going to protect her husband； on the solicitude that she was going to dedicate to his crippled condition。
〃My poor； dear invalid；〃 she would murmur lovingly。 〃So ugly and so helpless those blackguards have left you！ 。 。 。 But luckily you have me； and I adore you！ 。 。 。 It makes no difference to me that one of your hands is gone。 I will care for you； you shall be my little son。 You will just see； after we are married； how elegant and stylish I am going to keep you。 But don't you dare to look at any of the other women！ The very first moment that you do； my precious little invalid； I'll leave you alone in your helplessness！〃
Desnoyers and the senator were also concerned about their future； but in a very definite way。 They must be married as soon as possible。 What was the use of waiting？ 。 。 。 The war was no longer an obstacle。 They would be married as quietly as possible。 This was no time for wedding pomp。
So Rene Lacour remained permanently in the house on the avenida Victor Hugo； after the nuptial ceremony witnessed by a dozen people。
Don Marcelo had had dreams of other things for his daughtera grand wedding to which the daily papers would devote much space； a son…in… law with a brilliant future 。 。 。 but ay； this war！ Everybody was having his fondest hopes dashed to pieces every few hours。
He took what comfort he could out of the situation。 What more did they want？ Chichi was happywith a rollicking and selfish happiness which took no interest in anything but her own love… affairs。 The Desnoyers business returns could not be improved upon；after the first crisis had passed； the necessities of the belligerents had begun utilizing the output of his ranches； and never before had meat brought such high prices。 Money was flowing in with greater volume than formerly； while the expenses were diminishing。 。 。 。 Julio was in daily danger of death； but the old ranchman was buoyed up by his conviction that his son led a charmed lifeno harm could touch him。 His chief preoccupation； therefore； was to keep himself tranquil； avoiding all emotional storms。 He had been reading with considerable alarm of the frequency with which well…known persons； politicians； artists and writers； were dying in Paris。 War was not doing all its killing at the front； its shocks were falling like arrows over the land； causing the fall of the weak； the crushed and the exhausted who； in normal times； would probably have lived to a far greater age。
〃Attention； Marcelo！〃 he said to himself with grim humor。 〃Keep cool now！ 。 。 。 You must avoid Friend Tchernoff's four horsemen； you know！〃
He spent an afternoon in the studio going over the war news in the papers。 The French had begun an offensive in Champagne with great advances and many prisoners。
Desnoyers could not but think of the loss of life that this must represent。 Julio's fate； however； gave him no uneasiness； for his son was not in that part of the front。 But yesterday he had received a letter from him； dated the week before； they all took about that length of time to reach him。 Sub…lieutenant Desnoyers was as blithe and reckless as ever。 They were going to promote him againhe was among those proposed for the Legion d'Honneur。 These facts intensified Don Marcelo's vision of himself as the father of a general as young as those of the revolution； and as he contemplated the daubs and sketches around him； he marvelled at the extraordinary way in which the war had twisted his son's career。
On his way home； he passed Marguerite Laurier dressed in mourning。 The senator had told him a few days before that her brother； the artilleryman； had just been killed at Verdun。
〃How many are falling！〃 he said mournfully to himself。 〃How hard it will be for his poor mother！〃
But he smiled immediately after at the thought of those to be born。 Never before had the people been so occupied in accelerating their reproduction。 Even Madame Laurier now showed with pride the very visible curves of her approaching maternity； and Desnoyers noted sympathetically the vital volume apparent beneath her long mourning veil。 Again he thought of Julio； without taking into account the flight of time。 He felt as interested in the little newcomer as though he were in some way related to it； and he promised himself to aid generously the Laurier baby if he ever had the opportunity。
On entering his house； he was met in the hall by Dona Luisa； who told him that Lacour was waiting for him。
〃Very good！〃 he responded gaily。 〃Let us see what our illustrious father…in…law has to say。〃
His good wife was uneasy。 She had felt alarmed without knowing exactly why at the senator's solemn appearance； with that feminine instinct which perforates all masculine precautions； she surmised some hidden mission。 She had noticed； too； that Rene and his father were talking together in a low tone； with repressed emotion。
Moved by an irresistible impulse； she hovered near the closed door； hoping to hear something definite。 Her wait was not long。
Suddenly a cry 。 。 。 a groan 。 。 。 the groan that can come only from a body from which all vitality is escaping。
And Dona Luisa rushed in just in time to support her husband as he was falling to the floor。
The senator was excusing himself confusedly to the walls； the furniture； and turning his back in his agitation on the dismayed Rene； the only one who could have listened to him。
〃He did not let me finish。 。 。 。 He guessed from the very first word。 。 。 。〃
Hearing the outcry； Chichi hastened in in time to see her father slipping from his wife's arms to the sofa； and from there to the floor； with glassy； staring eyes； and foaming at the mouth。
From the luxurious rooms came forth the world…old cry； always the same from the humblest home to the highest and loneliest：
〃Oh； Julio！ 。 。 。 Oh； my son； my son！ 。 。 。
CHAPTER V
THE BURIAL FIELDS
The automobile was going slowly forward under the colorless sky of a winter morning。
In the distance； the earth's surface seemed trembling with white； fluttering things resembling a band of butterflies poise
