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e time he needed the most retired seat in the darkest earner to hide his emotion。
AND DON MARCELO ENVIED HIS GRIEF。
Some of the Reservists came along singing； preceded by a flag。 They were joking and jostling each other； betraying in excited actions； long halts at all the taverns along the way。 One of them； without interrupting his song； was pressing the hand of an old woman marching beside him； cheerful and dry…eyed。 The mother was concentrating all her strength in order； with feigned happiness； to accompany this strapping lad to the last minute。
Others were coming along singly； separated from their companies； but not on that account alone。 The gun was hanging from the shoulder； the back overlaid by the hump of the knapsack； the red legs shooting in and out of the turned…back folds of the blue cloak； and the smoke of a pipe under the visor of the kepis。 In front of one of these men； four children were walking along； lined up according to size。 They kept turning their heads to admire their father； suddenly glorified by his military trappings。 At his side was marching his wife； affable and resigned； feeling in her simple soul a revival of love； an ephemeral Spring； born of the contact with danger。 The man； a laborer of Paris； who a few months before was singing La Internacional； demanding the abolishment of armies and the brotherhood of all mankind； was now going in quest of death。 His wife； choking back her sobs； was admiring him greatly。 Affection and commiseration made her insist upon giving him a few last counsels。 In his knapsack she had put his best handkerchiefs； the few provisions in the house and all the money。 Her man was not to be uneasy about her and the children； they would get along all right。 The government and kind neighbors would look after them。
The soldier in reply was jesting over the somewhat misshapen figure of his wife； saluting the coming citizen； and prophesying that he would be born in a time of great victory。 A kiss to the wife； an affectionate hair…pull for his offspring； and then he had joined his comrades。 。 。 。 No tears。 Courage！。 。 。 Vive la France！
The final injunctions of the departing were now heard。 Nobody was crying。 But as the last red pantaloons disappeared； many hands grasped the iron railing convulsively； many handkerchiefs were bitten with gnashing teeth； many faces were hidden in the arms with sobs of anguish。
AND DON MARCELO ENVIED THESE TEARS。
The old woman； on losing the warm contact of her son's hand from her withered one； turned in the direction which she believed to be that of the hostile country； waving her arms with threatening fury。
〃Ah； the assassin！ 。 。 。 the bandit！〃
In her wrathful imagination she was again seeing the countenance so often displayed in the illustrated pages of the periodicals moustaches insolently aggressive； a mouth with the jaw and teeth of a wolf； that laughed 。 。 。 and laughed as men must have laughed in the time of the cave…men。
AND DON MARCELO ENVIED THIS WRATH！
CHAPTER II
NEW LIFE
When Marguerite was able to return to the studio in the rue de la Pompe； Julio； who had been living in a perpetual bad humor； seeing everything in the blackest colors； suddenly felt a return of his old optimism。
The war was not going to be so cruel as they all had at first imagined。 The days had passed by； and the movements of the troops were beginning to be less noticeable。 As the number of men diminished in the streets； the feminine population seemed to have increased。 Although there was great scarcity of money； the banks still remaining closed； the necessity for it was increasingly great； in order to secure provisions。 Memories of the famine of the siege of '70 tormented the imagination。 Since war had broken out with the same enemy； it seemed but logical to everybody to expect a repetition of the same happenings。 The storehouses were besieged by women who were securing stale food at exorbitant prices in order to store it in their homes。 Future hunger was producing more terror than immediate dangers。
For young Desnoyers these were about all the transformations that war was creating around him。 People would finally become accustomed to the new existence。 Humanity has a certain reserve force of adaptation which enables it to mould itself to circumstances and continue existing。 He was hoping to continue his life as though nothing had happened。 It was enough for him that Marguerite should continue faithful to their past。 Together they would see events slipping by them with the cruel luxuriousness of those who； from an inaccessible height； contemplate a flood without the slightest risk to themselves。
This selfish attitude had also become habitual to Argensola。
〃Let us be neutral；〃 the Bohemian would say。 〃Neutrality does not necessarily mean indifference。 Let us enjoy the great spectacle； since nothing like it will ever happen again in our lifetime。〃
It was unfortunate that war should happen to come when they had so little money。 Argensola was hating the banks even more than the Central Powers； distinguishing with special antipathy the trust company which was delaying payment of Julio's check。 How lovely it would have been with this sum available； to have forestalled events by laying in every class of commodity！ In order to supplement the domestic scrimping； he again had to solicit the aid of Dona Luisa。 War had lessened Don Marcelo's precautions； and the family was now living in generous unconcern。 The mother； like other house mistresses； had stored up provisions for months and months to come； buying whatever eatables she was able to lay hands on。 Argensola took advantage of this abundance； repeating his visits to the home in the avenue Victor Hugo； descending its service stairway with great packages which were swelling the supplies in the studio。
He felt all the joys of a good housekeeper in surveying the treasures piled up in the kitchengreat tins of canned meat； pyramids of butter crocks； and bags of dried vegetables。 He had accumulated enough there to maintain a large family。 The war had now offered a new pretext for him to visit Don Marcelo's wine… vaults。
〃Let them come！〃 he would say with a heroic gesture as he took stock of his treasure trove。 〃Let them come when they will！ We are ready for them！〃
The care and increase of his provisions； and the investigation of news were the two functions of his existence。 It seemed necessary to procure ten； twelve； fifteen papers a day； some because they were reactionary； and the novelty of seeing all the French united filled him with enthusiasm； others because they were radical and must be better informed of the news received from the government。 They generally appeared at midday； at three； at four and at five in the afternoon。 An half hour's delay in the publication of the sheet raised great hopes in the public； on the qui vive for stupendous news。 All the last supplements were snatched up； everybody had his pockets stuffed with papers； waiting anxiously the issue of extras in order to buy them； too。 Yet all the sheets were saying approximately the same thing。
Argensola was developing a credulous； enthusiastic soul； ca