the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第16部分

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save　the　expense　of　a　professional　picture　hanger。　　He　wished　to　set　his　children　the　example　of　economy。　　In　his　idle　hours；　he　would　change　the　position　of　the　heaviest　pieces　of　furniture；　trying　every　kind　of　combination。　　This　employment　reminded　him　of　those　happy　days　when　he　handled　great　sacks　of　wheat　and　bundles　of　hides　on　the　ranch。　　Whenever　his　son　noticed　that　he　was　looking　thoughtfully　at　a　monumental　sideboard　or　heavy　piece；　he　prudently　betook　himself　to　other　haunts。

Desnoyers　stood　a　little　in　awe　of　the　two　house…men；　very　solemn；　correct　creatures　always　in　dress　suit；　who　could　not　hide　their　astonishment　at　seeing　a　man　with　an　income　of　more　than　a　million　francs　engaged　in　such　work。　　Finally　it　was　the　two　coppery　maids　who　aided　their　Patron；　the　three　working　contentedly　together　like　companions　in　exile。

Four　automobiles　completed　the　luxuriousness　of　the　family。　　The　children　would　have　been　more　content　with　onesmall　and　dashing；　in　the　very　latest　style。　　But　Desnoyers　was　not　the　man　to　let　a　bargain　slip　past　him；　so　one　after　the　other；　he　had　picked　up　the　four；　tempted　by　the　price。　　They　were　as　enormous　and　majestic　as　coaches　of　state。　　Their　entrance　into　a　street　made　the　passers…by　turn　and　stare。　　The　chauffeur　needed　two　assistants　to　help　him　keep　this　flock　of　mastodons　in　order；　but　the　proud　owner　thought　only　of　the　skill　with　which　he　had　gotten　the　best　of　the　salesmen；　anxious　to　get　such　monuments　out　of　their　sight。

To　his　children　he　was　always　recommending　simplicity　and　economy。　〃We　are　not　as　rich　as　you　suppose。　　We　own　a　good　deal　of　property；　but　it　produces　a　scanty　income。〃

And　then；　after　refusing　a　domestic　expenditure　of　two　hundred　francs；　he　would　put　five　thousand　into　an　unnecessary　purchase　just　because　it　would　mean　a　great　loss　to　the　seller。　　Julio　and　his　sister　kept　protesting　to　their　mother；　Dona　LuisaChichi　even　going　so　far　as　to　announce　that　she　would　never　marry　a　man　like　her　father。

〃Hush；　hush！〃　exclaimed　the　scandalized　Creole。　　〃He　has　his　little　peculiarities；　but　he　is　very　good。　　Never　has　he　given　me　any　cause　for　complaint。　　I　only　hope　that　you　may　be　lucky　enough　to　find　his　equal。〃

Her　husband's　quarrelsomeness；　his　irritable　character　and　his　masterful　will　all　sank　into　insignificance　when　she　thought　of　his　unvarying　fidelity。　　In　so　many　years　of　married　life　。　。　。　nothing！　His　faithfulness　had　been　unexceptional　even　in　the　country　where　many；　surrounded　by　beasts；　and　intent　on　increasing　their　flocks；　had　seemed　to　become　contaminated　by　the　general　animalism。　　She　remembered　her　father　only　too　well！　。　。　。　　Even　her　sister　was　obliged　to　live　in　apparent　calmness　with　the　vainglorious　Karl；　quite　capable　of　disloyalty　not　because　of　any　special　lust；　but　just　to　imitate　the　doings　of　his　superiors。

Desnoyers　and　his　wife　were　plodding　through　life　in　a　routine　affection；　reminding　Dona　Luisa；　in　her　limited　imagination；　of　the　yokes　of　oxen　on　the　ranch　who　refused　to　budge　whenever　another　animal　was　substituted　for　the　regular　companion。　　Her　husband　certainly　was　quick　tempered；　holding　her　responsible　for　all　the　whims　with　which　he　exasperated　his　children；　yet　he　could　never　bear　to　have　her　out　of　his　sight。　　The　afternoons　at　the　hotel　Drouot　would　be　most　insipid　for　him　unless　she　was　at　his　side；　the　confidante　of　his　plans　and　wrathful　outbursts。

〃To…day　there　is　to　be　a　sale　of　jewels；　shall　we　go？〃

He　would　make　this　proposition　in　such　a　gentle　and　coaxing　voice　the　voice　that　Dona　Luisa　remembered　in　their　first　talks　around　the　old　home。　　And　so　they　would　go　together；　but　by　different　routes；　she　in　one　of　the　monumental　vehicles　because；　accustomed　to　the　leisurely　carriage　rides　of　the　ranch；　she　no　longer　cared　to　walk；　and　Desnoyersalthough　owner　of　the　four　automobiles；　heartily　abominating　them　because　he　was　conservative　and　uneasy　with　the　complications　of　new　machineryon　foot　under　the　pretext　that；　through　lack　of　work；　his　body　needed　the　exercise。　　When　they　met　in　the　crowded　salesrooms；　they　proceeded　to　examine　the　jewels　together；　fixing　beforehand；　the　price　they　would　offer。　　But　he；　quick　to　become　exasperated　by　opposition；　always　went　further；　hurling　numbers　at　his　competitors　as　though　they　were　blows。　　After　such　excursions；　the　senora　would　appear　as　majestic　and　dazzling　as　a　basilica　of　Byzantiumears　and　neck　decorated　with　great　pearls；　her　bosom　a　constellation　of　brilliants；　her　hands　radiating　points　of　light　of　all　colors　of　the　rainbow。

〃Too　much；　mama；〃　Chichi　would　protest。　　〃They　will　take　you　for　a　pawnbroker's　lady！〃　　But　the　Creole；　satisfied　with　her　splendor；　the　crowning　glory　of　a　humble　life；　attributed　her　daughter's　faultfinding　to　envy。　　Chichi　was　only　a　girl　now；　but　later　on　she　would　thank　her　for　having　collected　all　these　gems　for　her。

Already　the　home　was　unable　to　accommodate　so　many　purchases。　　In　the　cellars　were　piled　up　enough　paintings；　furniture；　statues；　and　draperies　to　equip　several　other　dwellings。　　Don　Marcelo　began　to　complain　of　the　cramped　space　in　an　apartment　costing　twenty…eight　thousand　francs　a　yearin　reality　large　enough　for　a　family　four　times　the　size　of　his。　　He　was　beginning　to　deplore　being　obliged　to　renounce　some　very　tempting　furniture　bargains　when　a　real　estate　agent　smelled　out　the　foreigner　and　relieved　him　of　his　embarrassment。　　Why　not　buy　a　castle？　。　。　。

The　entire　family　was　delighted　with　the　idea。　　An　historic　castle；　the　most　historic　that　could　be　found；　would　supplement　their　luxurious　establishment。　　Chichi　paled　with　pride。　　Some　of　her　friends　had　castles。　　Others；　of　old　colonial　family；　who　were　accustomed　to　look　down　upon　her　for　her　country　bringing　up；　would　now　cry　with　envy　upon　learning　of　this　acquisition　which　was　almost　a　patent　of　nobility。　　The　mother　smiled　in　the　hope　of　months　in　the　country　which　would　recall　the　simple　and　happy　life　of　her　youth。　　Julio　was　less　enthusiastic。　　The　〃old　man〃　would　expect　him　to　spend　much　time　away　from　Paris；　but　he　consoled　himself　by　reflecting　that　the　suburban　place　would　provide　excuse　for　frequent　automobile　trips。

Desnoyers　thought　of　the　relatives　in　Berlin。　　Why　should　he　not　have　his　castle　like　the　others？　。　。　。　　The　bargains　were　alluring。　Historic　mansions　by　the　dozen　were　offered　him。　　Their　owners；　exhausted　by　the　expense　of　maintaining　them；　were　more　than　anxious　to　sell。　　So　he　bought　the　castle　of　Villeblanche…sur…Marne；　built　in　the　time　of　the　religious　warsa　mixture　of　palace　and　fortress　with　an　Italian　Renaissance　facade；　gloomy　towers　with　pointed　hoods；　and　moats　in　which　swans　were　swimming。

He　could　now　live　with　some　tracts　of　land　over　which　to　exercise　his　authority；　struggling　again　with　the　resistance　of　men　and　things。　　Besides；　the　vast　proportions　of　the　rooms　of　the　castle　were　very　tempting　and　bare　of　furniture。　　This　opportunity　for　placing　the　overflow　from　his　cellars　plunged　him　again　into　buying。　With　this　atmosphere　of　lordly　gloom；　the　antiques　would　harmonize　beautifully；　without　that　cry　of　protest　which　they　always　seemed　to　make　when　placed　in　contact　with　the　glaring　white　walls　of　modern　habitations。　　The　historic　residence　required　an　endless　outlay；　on　that　account　it　had　changed　owners　so　many　times。

But　he　and　the　land　understood　each　other　beautifully。　。　。　。　　So　at　the　same　time　that　he　was　filling　the　salons；　he　was　going　to　begin　farming　and　stock…raising　in　the　extensive　parksa　reproduction　in　miniature　of　his　enterprises　in　South　America。　　The　property　ought　to　be　made　self…supporting。　　Not　that　he　had　any　fear　of　the　expenses；　but　he　did　not　intend　to　lose　money　on　the　proposition。

The　acquisition　of　the　castle　brought　Desnoyers　a　true　friendship　the　chief　advantage　in　the　transaction。　　He　became　acquainted　with　a　neighbor；　Senator　Lacour；　who　twice　had　been　Minister　of　State；　and　was　now　vegetating　in　the　senate；　silent　during　its　sessions；　but　restless　and　voluble　in　the　corridors　in　order　to　maintain　his　influence。　　He　was　a　prominent　figure　of　the　republican　nobility；　an　aristocrat　of　the　new　regime　that　had　sprung　from　the　agitations　of　the　Revolution；　just　as　the　titled　nobility　had　won　their　spurs　in　the　Crusades。　　His　great…grandfather　had　belonged　to　the　Convention。　His　father　had　figured　in　the　Republic　of　1848。　　He；　as　the　son　of　an　exile　who　had　died　in　banishment；　had　when　very　young　marched　behind　the　grandiloquent　figure　of　Gambetta；　and　always　spoke　in　glowing　terms　of　the　Master；　in　the　hope　that　some　of　his　rays　might　be　reflected　on　his　disciple。　　His　son　Rene；　a　pupil　of　the　Ecole　Centrale　regarded　his　father　as　〃a　rare　old　sport；〃　laughing　a　little　at　his　romantic　and　humanitarian　republicanism。　　He；　nevertheless；　was　counting　much　on　that　same　official　protection　treasured　by　four　generations　of　Lacours　dedicated　to　the　service　of　the　Republic；　to　assist　him　when　he　became　an　engineer。

Don　Marcelo　who　used　to　look　uneasily　upon　any　new　friendship；　fearing　a　demand　for　a　loan；　gave　himself　up　with　enthusiasm　to　intimacy　with　this　〃grand　man。〃　　The　personage　admired　riches　and　recognized；　besides；　a　certain　genius　in　this　millionaire　from　the　other　side　of　the　sea　accustomed　to　speaking　of　limitless　pastures　and　immense　herds。　　Their　intercourse　was　more　than　the　mere　friendliness　of　a　country　neighborhood；　and　continued　on　after　their　return　to　Paris。　　Finally　Rene　visited　the　home　on　the　avenida　Victor　Hugo　as　though　it　were　his　own。

The　only　disappointments　in　Desnoyers'　new　life　came　from　his　children。　　Chichi　irritated　him　because　of　the　independence　of　her　tastes。　　She　did　not　like　antiques；　no　matter　how　substantial　and　magnificent　they　might　be；　much　preferring　the　frivolities　of　the　latest　fashion。　　She　accepted　all　her　father's　gifts　with　great　indifference。　　Before　an　exquisite　blonde　piece　of　lace；　centuries　old；　picked　up　at　auction；　she　made　a　wry　face；　saying；　〃I　would　much　rather　have　had　a　new　dress　costing　three　hundred　francs。〃　　She　and　her　brother　were　solidly　opposed　to　everything　old。

Now　that　his　daughter　was　already　a　woman；　he　had　confided　her　absolutely　to　the　care　of　Dona　Luisa。　　But　the　former　〃Peoncit