按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
extensive than many German principalities。 Now； upon installing himself definitely in his country； all was forgotten。 But； oh； the contributions levied upon his vanity 。 。 。 Desnoyers shrewdly guessed at the thousands of marks poured with both hands into the charitable works of the Empress； into the imperialistic propagandas； into the societies of veterans； into the clubs of aggression and expansion organized by German ambition。
The frugal Frenchman； thrifty in his expenditures and free from social ambitions； smiled at the grandeurs of his brother…in…law。 He considered Karl an excellent companion although of a childish pride。 He recalled with satisfaction the years that they had passed together in the country。 He could not forget the German who was always hovering around him； affectionate and submissive as a younger brother。 When his family commented with a somewhat envious vivacity upon the glories of their Berlin relatives； Desnoyers would say smilingly； 〃Leave them in peace； they are paying very dear for their whistle。〃
But the enthusiasm which the letters from Germany breathed finally created an atmosphere of disquietude and rebellion。 Chichi led the attack。 Why were they not going to Europe like other folks？ all their friends had been there。 Even the Italian and Spanish shopkeepers were making the voyage； while she； the daughter of a Frenchman； had never seen Paris！ 。 。 。 Oh； Paris。 The doctors in attendance on melancholy ladies were announcing the existence of a new and terrible disease； 〃the mania for Paris。〃 Dona Luisa supported her daughter。 Why had she not gone to live in Europe like her sister； since she was the richer of the two？ Even Julio gravely declared that in the old world he could study to better advantage。 America is not the land of the learned。
Infected by the general unrest； the father finally began to wonder why the idea of going to Europe had not occurred to him long before。 Thirty…four years without going to that country which was not his！ 。 。 。 It was high time to start！ He was living too near to his business。 In vain the retired ranchman had tried to keep himself indifferent to the money market。 Everybody was coining money around him。 In the club； in the theatre； wherever he went； the people were talking about purchases of lands； of sales of stock； of quick negotiations with a triple profit； of portentous balances。 The amount of money that he was keeping idle in the banks was beginning to weigh upon him。 He finally ended by involving himself in some speculation； like a gambler who cannot see the roulette wheel without putting his hand in his pocket。
His family was right。 〃To Paris！〃 For in the Desnoyers' mind； to go to Europe meant； of course； to go to Paris。 Let the 〃aunt from Berlin〃 keep on chanting the glories of her husband's country！ 〃It's sheer nonsense！〃 exclaimed Julio who had made grave geographical and ethnic comparisons in his nightly forays。 〃There is no place but Paris！〃 Chichi saluted with an ironical smile the slightest doubt of it〃Perhaps they make as elegant fashions in Germany as in Paris？ 。 。 。 Bah！〃 Dona Luisa took up her children's cry。 〃Paris！〃 。 。 。 Never had it even occurred to her to go to a Lutheran land to be protected by her sister。
〃Let it be Paris； then！〃 said the Frenchman； as though he were speaking of an unknown city。
He had accustomed himself to believe that he would never return to it。 During the first years of his life in America； the trip would have been an impossibility because of the military service which he had evaded。 Then he had vague news of different amnesties。 After the time for conscription had long since passed； an inertness of will had made him consider a return to his country as somewhat absurd and useless。 On the other side； nothing remained to attract him。 He had even lost track of those country relatives with whom his mother had lived。 In his heaviest hours he had tried to occupy his activity by planning an enormous mausoleum； all of marble； in La Recoleta； the cemetery of the rich； in order to move thither the remains of Madariaga as founder of the dynasty； following him with all his own when their hour should come。 He was beginning to feel the weight of age。 He was nearly seventy years old； and the rude life of the country； the horseback rides in the rain； the rivers forded upon his swimming horse； the nights passed in the open air； had brought on a rheumatism that was torturing his best days。
His family； however； reawakened his enthusiasm。 〃To Paris！〃 。 。 。 He began to fancy that he was twenty again； and forgetting his habitual parsimony； wished his household to travel like royalty； in the most luxurious staterooms； and with personal servants。 Two copper…hued country girls； born on the ranch and elevated to the rank of maids to the senora and her daughter； accompanied them on the voyage； their oblique eyes betraying not the slightest astonishment before the greatest novelties。
Once in Paris； Desnoyers found himself quite bewildered。 He confused the names of streets； proposed visits to buildings which had long since disappeared； and all his attempts to prove himself an expert authority on Paris were attended with disappointment。 His children； guided by recent reading up； knew Paris better than he。 He was considered a foreigner in his own country。 At first； he even felt a certain strangeness in using his native tongue； for he had remained on the ranch without speaking a word of his language for years at a time。 He was used to thinking in Spanish； and translating his ideas into the speech of his ancestors spattered his French with all kinds of Creole dialect。
〃Where a man makes his fortune and raises his family； there is his true country；〃 he said sententiously； remembering Madariaga。
The image of that distant country dominated him with insistent obsession as soon as the impressions of the voyage had worn off。 He had no French friends； and upon going into the street； his feet instinctively took him to the places where the Argentinians gathered together。 It was the same with them。 They had left their country only to feel； with increasing intensity； the desire to talk about it all the time。 There he read the papers； commenting on the rising prices in the fields； on the prospects for the next harvests and on the sales of cattle。 Returning home； his thoughts were still in America； and he chuckled with delight as he recalled the way in which the two chinas had defied the professional dignity of the French cook； preparing their native stews and other dishes in Creole style。
He had settled the family in an ostentatious house in the avenida Victor Hugo； for which he paid a rental of twenty…eight thousand francs。 Dona Luisa had to go and come many times before she could accustom herself to the imposing aspect of the conciergeshe； decorated with gold trimmings on his black uniform and wearing white whiskers like a notary in a comedy； she with a chain of gold upon her exuberant bosom； and receiving the tenants in a red and gold salon。 In the rooms above was ultra…modern luxury； gilded and glacial； with white walls and glass doors with tiny panes which exasperated Desnoyers； who l