登陆注册
5223700000077

第77章 CHAPTER III THE RETREAT(7)

And he offered to take his friend with him in that flight to Bordeaux of which so few yet knew. Desnoyers shook his head. No; be wanted to go the castle of Villeblanche. His furniture . . . his riches . . . his parks.

"But you will be taken prisoner!" protested the senator. "Perhaps they will kill you!"

A shrug of indifference was the only response. He considered himself energetic enough to struggle against the entire German army in the defense of his property. The important thing was to get there, and then--just let anybody dare to touch his things! . . .

The senator looked with astonishment at this civilian infuriated by the lust of possession. It reminded him of some Arab merchants that he had once known, ordinarily mild and pacific, who quarrelled and killed like wild beasts when Bedouin thieves seized their wares.

This was not the moment for discussion, and each must map out his own course. So the influential senator finally yielded to the desire of his friend. If such was his pleasure, let him carry it through! So he arranged that his mad petitioner should depart that very night on a military train that was going to meet the army.

That journey put Don Marcelo in touch with the extraordinary movement which the war had developed on the railroads. His train took fourteen hours to cover the distance normally made in two. It was made up of freight cars filled with provisions and cartridges, with the doors stamped and sealed. A third-class car was occupied by the train escort, a detachment of provincial guards. He was installed in a second-class compartment with the lieutenant in command of this guard and certain officials on their way to join their regiments after having completed the business of mobilization in the small towns in which they were stationed before the war. The crowd, habituated to long detentions, was accustomed to getting out and settling down before the motionless locomotive, or scattering through the nearby fields.

In the stations of any importance all the tracks were occupied by rows of cars. High-pressure engines were whistling, impatient to be off. Groups of soldiers were hesitating before the different trains, making mistakes, getting out of one coach to enter others.

The employees, calm but weary-looking, were going from side to side, giving explanations about mountains of all sorts of freight and arranging them for transport. In the convoy in which Desnoyers was placed the Territorials were sleeping, accustomed to the monotony of acting as guard. Those in charge of the horses had opened the sliding doors, seating themselves on the floor with their legs hanging over the edge. The train went very slowly during the night, across shadowy fields, stopping here and there before red lanterns and announcing its presence by prolonged whistling.

In some stations appeared young girls clad in white with cockades and pennants on their breasts. Day and night they were there, in relays, so that no train should pass through without a visit. They offered, in baskets and trays, their gifts to the soldiers--bread, chocolate, fruit. Many, already surfeited, tried to resist, but had to yield eventually before the pleading countenance of the maidens.

Even Desnoyers was laden down with these gifts of patriotic enthusiasm.

He passed a great part of the night talking with his travelling companions. Only the officers had vague directions as to where they were to meet their regiments, for the operations of war were daily changing the situation. Faithful to duty, they were passing on, hoping to arrive in time for the decisive combat. The Chief of the Guard had been over the ground, and was the only one able to give any account of the retreat. After each stop the train made less progress. Everybody appeared confused. Why the retreat? . . . The army had undoubtedly suffered reverses, but it was still united and, in his opinion, ought to seek an engagement where it was. The retreat was leaving the advance of the enemy unopposed. To what point were they going to retreat? . . . They who two weeks before were discussing in their garrisons the place in Belgium where their adversaries were going to receive their death blow and through what places their victorious troops would invade Germany! . . .

Their admission of the change of tactics did not reveal the slightest discouragement. An indefinite but firm hope was hovering triumphantly above their vacillations. The Generalissimo was the only one who possessed the secret of events. And Desnoyers approved with the blind enthusiasm inspired by those in whom we have confidence. Joffre! . . . That serious and calm leader would finally bring things out all right. Nobody ought to doubt his ability; he was the kind of man who always says the decisive word.

At daybreak Don Marcelo left the train. "Good luck to you!" And he clasped the hands of the brave young fellows who were going to die, perhaps in a very short time. Finding the road unexpectedly open, the train started immediately and Desnoyers found himself alone in the station. In normal times a branch road would have taken him on to Villeblanche, but the service was now suspended for lack of a train crew. The employees had been transferred to the lines crowded with the war transportation.

In vain he sought, with most generous offers, a horse, a simple cart drawn by any kind of old beast, in order to continue his trip. The mobilization had appropriated the best, and all other means of transportation had disappeared with the flight of the terrified. He would have to walk the eight miles. The old man did not hesitate.

同类推荐
  • 东南纪事

    东南纪事

    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。
  • 阅史郄视

    阅史郄视

    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。
  • 佛说大集会正法经

    佛说大集会正法经

    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。
  • 太上说六甲直符保胎护命妙经

    太上说六甲直符保胎护命妙经

    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。
  • 佛说大乘菩萨藏正法经卷第一

    佛说大乘菩萨藏正法经卷第一

    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
  • 重装女战警

    重装女战警

    “苍狼闪电突击队”是一支打黑反恐行动小组,五个年轻靓丽,身怀绝技的巾帼英雄。神出鬼没,屡建奇功。在西海,抓获境外贩毒集团首领山口昌一。山口昌一的儿子山口浩男雇佣幽灵敢死队潜入西海,营救山口昌一,制造恐怖事件。
  • 宇武纪

    宇武纪

    第一次开始想要认真的写。并希望可以能持之以恒,也希望能够得到大家都喜爱
  • 醒世恒言

    醒世恒言

    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。
  • 二〇一四的厦大:新概念花开十七朵

    二〇一四的厦大:新概念花开十七朵

    2014年,厦门大学录取了17名新概念获奖者,打破了全国16年来的记录。本书由萌芽杂志社唯一授权出版。书中由2014年被厦门大学录取的牟馨格、李培霖、陈钧妮、李荣琦、刘静怡、刘冠宇、黄颂格、何普普、杨雅茗、李嘉茵、段立文、高涵、周玲、赵蔓、谢金辉、胡子赫、钱佳欣等共17人特别撰文,叙述一个个怀着文学梦想的少男少女的学生生涯和其中的梦想和迷惘、欢快和惆怅,以及他们与美丽的厦门大学的缘分。
  • 子弹无痕

    子弹无痕

    赵林、武侯、程平会终于成长为特战队员。他们在坚守特战队员誓言的同时,也收获着爱情的喜悦。高考生吴铭因为特警学校没有女学员名额而苦恼。在大学里。徐文风对赵雪一见钟情,并为得到赵雪青睐努力改造自己。 刘欣竭力成全女儿孔圆圆与赵林的婚事,赵林之父牺牲真相浮出水面,赵林不得不经受事业与感情的考验。程平会与田蕊,事业与爱情之间必须作出选择。面对挫折,是逆风前行还是知难而退?老一辈武警人卸下肩上的枪交到下一代人手里。赵林、武侯等成长起来的武警人成为共和国安全屏障的中间力量。以徐文风、吴铭、马小宁为代表的新一代武警人,以崭新的姿态站在共和国绿色舞台上,延续着前辈的信念和理想。
  • 青蚨计划

    青蚨计划

    1939年随枣会战前,鄂西北仙江市,时局动荡,各方势力错综复杂。海外游学归来的青年刘牧楚,在与父亲返家的途中,莫名遭遇持枪匪徒的袭击。但对方却明显不是针对富豪刘爷的劫财或仇杀。侥幸脱险之后,刘牧楚立刻意识到,这场截杀可能是针对自己,确切的说,对方也许是想要从自己身上拿回一只钢笔。那只钢笔毫无特别之处,只是外壳上刻着一只别致的小虫图案。父亲告诉他,这是“青蚨”,传说中有钱财永进的寓意,所以自古许多钱庄都以此为标记。刘氏父子并没意识到,刘牧楚已经被卷入军统为了对抗日军伪钞乱世而制定的“青蚨计划”中。仙江市伪钞逐渐泛滥,刘家也被波及,大战在即……
  • 网游之一统三界

    网游之一统三界

    自古强者皆风流.从来不为钱财愁。要问天下谁最牛.一剑劈开华山头。山外青山楼外楼.统领三界我主流。四方海角擎天柱.荡平天界我做主。现实中的平凡,不代表游戏中的→平凡。
  • 王子少年的故事

    王子少年的故事

    本套丛书包括《国王皇后的故事》、《王子少年的故事》、《公主千金的故事》、《官员商人的故事》、《庶民百姓的故事》、《能工巧匠的故事》、《女人儿童的故事》、《魔鬼妖怪的故事》、《动物植物的故事》和《生灵怪象的故事》等10册童话故事,其中包括安徒生、格林、豪夫和王尔德的作品,也包括了世界各国许多民间童话故事, 很具有代表性和普遍性。相信这套《世界经典童话故事全集》丛书,能够启迪儿童的心灵、陶冶儿童的情操、培养儿童的情趣、丰富儿童的知识、发展儿童的智力,成为广大父母和少年儿童们的良好读物和收藏品。
  • 庶女锦途之言妃传

    庶女锦途之言妃传

    超级女祭师意外穿越成为大煌朝相府废材庶女,醒来就面对渣男的休书,嫡姐们的冷言嘲讽,幸亏祭师本领言灵术和控心术跟随灵魂而来,一言扫阴霾,两语灭渣渣!穿越重生,改变命运!虐待姐?姐能让你梦靥缠身!讥讽姐?姐能让你当众出丑!雇凶杀姐?姐让你作茧自缚!曾经弱不禁风、人见人欺的废材变成可以呼风唤雨的响当当人物,渣男回心转意!对不起,过了那个村就没那个店了!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 广播电视播音主持业务

    广播电视播音主持业务

    《广播电视播音主持业务》共分六部分,包括:播音主持工作及其正确的创作道路、普通话语音知识与播音发声、播音主持语言表达、播音主持业务等。