登陆注册
5223700000124

第124章 CHAPTER I AFTER THE MARNE(4)

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 adopted by the French army. The chin strap of his kepi was gilt, and on his sleeve there was a little strip of gold. His smile, his outstretched hands, the confidence with which he advanced toward her made her recognize him. Rene an officer!

Her betrothed a sub-lieutenant!

"Yes, of course! I could do nothing else. . . . I had heard enough!"

Without his father's knowledge, and assisted by his friends, he had in a few days, wrought this wonderful transformation. As a graduate of the Ecole Centrale, he held the rank of a sub-lieutenant of the Reserve Artillery, and he had requested to be sent to the front.

Good-bye to the auxiliary service! . . . Within two days, he was going to start for the war.

"You have done this!" exclaimed Chichi. "You have done this!"

Although very pale, she gazed fondly at him with her great eyes--eyes that seemed to devour him with admiration.

"Come here, my poor boy. . . . Come here, my sweet little soldier! . . . I owe you something."

And turning her back on the maid, she asked him to come with her round the corner. It was just the same there. The cross street was just as thronged as the avenue. But what did she care for the stare of the curious! Rapturously she flung her arms around his neck, blind and insensible to everything and everybody but him.

"There. . . . There!" And she planted on his face two vehement, sonorous, aggressive kisses.

Then, trembling and shuddering, she suddenly weakened, and fumbling for her handkerchief, broke down in desperate weeping.

同类推荐
  • 无明慧经禅师语录

    无明慧经禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 战略辑佚

    战略辑佚

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 隆平集

    隆平集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 武王伐纣平话 吕望兴周

    武王伐纣平话 吕望兴周

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 士冠礼

    士冠礼

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 金刚顶一字顶轮王瑜伽一切时处念诵成佛仪轨

    金刚顶一字顶轮王瑜伽一切时处念诵成佛仪轨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 小城故事多(上)

    小城故事多(上)

    通过小城发生的故事折射出中华大地上那一段疯狂的年月荒诞离奇的传奇。小说真实形象讲述草根六一令人匪夷所思、啼笑皆非的经历及所见所闻的故事,让人发笑,笑中含泪。泪后生思考,这一切难道仅仅就是一场滑稽剧么?
  • 柑橘浪漫

    柑橘浪漫

    两年前,在教育局当副局长的老常渐渐厌倦了城市的喧闹拥挤,他十分倾心野外的宁静和新鲜空气,便辞职来到离城三十多里的冯村,租赁一千亩山地,种植了上万棵柑橘树苗。他每天日出而作,日落而息,凿泉而饮,耕田而食。老常对这种生活非常满意,感觉精神焕发,心情舒畅,犹如年轻了十岁。 如今,望着万紫千红、郁郁葱葱的山坡,老常伫立山顶,欣赏世外桃源的美景,感叹人生的美好:闲时做山中野鹤,忙时做村野农夫。夫复何求? 这天上午,老常正要到后山上割些荆条用于扎院墙篱笆,忽见一个年轻女人慌慌张张地往山上跑来,身后有一群人喊叫着狂追。
  • 傲笑天地间

    傲笑天地间

    四地域,六遗族。八天宗,九神谷。战天抗魔,枭雄争。琥珀长剑,血染如何?琥珀色眼眸,热血之心,大道向前,血染又如何。争夺,杀戮,在强者的世界里,没有弱者的席位。度与劫,丹田为度,丹灵为劫,斗气炼度,灵气渡劫。生与死,情与恨,泪与笑,一杯酒。异灵,狂魔,凡人,天神天陨,血誓,遗迹,有缘人丹药,鬼精,神魄,魔血,焠体炼魂爱,狠,情,仇,断人肠侠,义,恩,蝉,笑人生。
  • 瑾色撩人

    瑾色撩人

    身患重病的现代女子苏瑾,一朝穿到古代,同名同姓的苏秀才家的次女身上。能重活一世,是上天的垂怜,苏瑾只想做个安静的美女子,闲看庭前,花开花落,漫随天外,云卷云舒…静静的享受活着的美好。
  • 逃婚笔记

    逃婚笔记

    易天峰是是一个不婚主义者,但是他有爱的女人,可是女人需要婚姻作为保障,因为这不是他心甘情愿的婚姻,希望能有人帮自己解脱,原来新娘的背景能帮他在金钱和权利的世界中提升自己的地位,但是心里还一些不甘心,于是他才会在咖啡屋买醉中找到那份久违的爱情,他能找到吗?
  • 源:复刻

    源:复刻

    来自科技侧世界的中二少年,鬼使神差的融合了某神秘大奥术师的最后之作,却被胡乱释放的法术送到了剑与魔法的世界。科学与魔法、大奥术师的传承,龙族,高等精灵,小妖精,奈瑟瑞尔的遗产……两个世界之间,究竟会擦出怎样的火花呢?这是从我最近一个跑团记录衍生来的故事。以3R规则为基础,DND新人,如有错误请多指教(另:本文中任何内容,包括梗梗与现实生活,尤其是政治军事等没有任何关系,请注意!)另:本书极具YY特色并可能一直写至传奇。。。书友群:QQ794099258
  • 大般涅槃经

    大般涅槃经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 偷学

    偷学

    出人头地需要一笔庞大的资本,你的资本在哪里?在现实的社会、残酷的竞争面前,若是没有强大的实力,就很难站得住脚。只有身负真本事的人才会脱颖而出,成为芸芸众生中的佼佼者。
  • 缀网劳蛛

    缀网劳蛛

    《缀网劳蛛》收集了许地山先生各个时期的小说代表作,许地山的小说富有独特的艺术个性与气质。委婉细腻、纯真自然的文笔,对人的悲悯、对真善美的执着追求,使其作品成为现代文学的一朵奇葩。