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Oriental countenance was contracted with hatred as if smelling out his victims。 While his horse continued galloping； he was bending his bow in order to spread pestilence abroad。 At his back swung the brass quiver filled with poisoned arrows； containing the germs of all diseasesthose of private life as well as those which envenom the wounded soldier on the battlefield。
The second horseman on the red steed was waving the enormous； two… edged sword over his hair bristling with the swiftness of his course。 He was young； but the fierce scowl and the scornful mouth gave him a look of implacable ferocity。 His garments； blown open by the motion of his wild race； disclosed the form of a muscular athlete。
Bald； old and horribly skinny was the third horseman bouncing up and down on the rawboned back of his black steed。 His shrunken legs clanked against the thin flanks of the lean beast。 In one withered hand he was holding the scales； symbol of the scarcity of food that was going to become as valuable as gold。
The knees of the fourth horseman； sharp as spurs； were pricking the ribs of the pale horse。 His parchment…like skin betrayed the lines and hollows of his skeleton。 The front of his skull…like face was twisted with the sardonic laugh of destruction。 His cane…like arms were whirling aloft a gigantic sickle。 From his angular shoulders was hanging a ragged； filthy shroud。
And the furious cavalcade was passing like a hurricane over the immense assemblage of human beings。 The heavens showed above their heads； a livid； dark…edged cloud from the west。 Horrible monsters and deformities were swarming in spirals above the furious horde； like a repulsive escort。 Poor Humanity； crazed with fear； was fleeing in all directions on hearing the thundering pace of the Plague； War； Hunger and Death。 Men and women； young and old； were knocking each other down and falling to the ground overwhelmed by terror； astonishment and desperation。 And the white horse； the red； the black and the pale； were crushing all with their relentless； iron treadthe athletic man was hearing the crashing of his broken ribs； the nursing babe was writhing at its mother's breast； and the aged and feeble were closing their eyes forever with a childlike sob。
〃God is asleep； forgetting the world；〃 continued the Russian。 〃It will be a long time before he awakes； and while he sleeps the four feudal horsemen of the Beast will course through the land as its only lords。〃
Tchernoff was overpowered by the intensity of his dramatic vision。 Springing from his seat； he paced up and down with great strides； but his picture of the fourfold catastrophe revealed by the gloomy poet's trance； seemed to him very weak indeed。 A great painter had given corporeal form to these terrible dreams。
〃I have a book；〃 he murmured； 〃a rare book。〃 。 。 。
And suddenly he left the studio and went to his own quarters。 He wanted to bring the book to show to his friends。 Argensola accompanied him； and they returned in a few minutes with the volume； leaving the doors open behind them； so as to make a stronger current of air among the hollows of the facades and the interior patio。
Tchernoff placed his precious book under the light。 It was a volume printed in 1511； with Latin text and engravings。 Desnoyers read the title； 〃The Apocalypse Illustrated。〃 The engravings were by Albert Durer； a youthful effort； when the master was only twenty…seven years old。 The three were fascinated by the picture portraying the wild career of the Apocalyptic horsemen。 The quadruple scourge； on fantastic mounts； seemed to be precipitating itself with a realistic sweep； crushing panic…stricken humanity。
Suddenly something happened which startled the three men from their contemplative admirationsomething unusual； indefinable； a dreadful sound which seemed to enter directly into their brains without passing through their earsa clutch at the heart。 Instinctively they knew that something very grave had just happened。
They stared at each other silently for a few interminable seconds。
Through the open door； a cry of alarm came up from the patio。
With a common impulse； the three ran to the interior window； but before reaching them； the Russian had a presentiment。
〃My neighbor！ 。 。 。 It must be my neighbor。 Perhaps she has killed herself！〃
Looking down； they could see lights below； people moving around a form stretched out on the tiled floor。 The alarm had instantly filled all the court windows； for it was a sleepless nighta night of nervous apprehension when everyone was keeping a sad vigil。
〃She has killed herself；〃 said a voice which seemed to come up from a well。 〃The German woman has committed suicide。〃
The explanation of the concierge leaped from window to window up to the top floor。
The Russian was shaking his head with a fatalistic expression。 The unhappy woman had not taken the death…leap of her own accord。 Someone had intensified her desperation； someone had pushed her。 。 。 。 The horsemen！ The four horsemen of the Apocalypse！ 。 。 。 Already they were in the saddle！ Already they were beginning their merciless gallop of destruction！
The blind forces of evil were about to be let loose throughout the world。
The agony of humanity； under the brutal sweep of the four horsemen； was already begun！
PART II
CHAPTER I
WHAT DON MARCELO ENVIED
Upon being convinced that war really was inevitable； the elder Desnoyers was filled with amazement。 Humanity had gone crazy。 Was it possible that war could happen in these days of so many railroads； so many merchant marines； so many inventions； so much activity developed above and below the earth？ 。 。 。 The nations would ruin themselves forever。 They were now accustomed to luxuries and necessities unknown a century ago。 Capital was master of the world； and war was going to wipe it out。 In its turn； war would be wiped out in a few months' time through lack of funds to sustain it。 His soul of a business man revolted before the hundreds of thousands of millions that this foolhardy event was going to convert into smoke and slaughter。
As his indignation had to fix upon something close at hand； he made his own countrymen responsible for this insanity。 Too much talk about la revanche！ The very idea of worrying for forty…four years over the two lost provinces when the nation was mistress of enormous and undeveloped lands in other countries！ 。 。 。 Now they were going to pay the penalty for such exasperating and clamorous foolishness。
For him war meant disaster writ large。 He had no faith in his country。 France's day had passed。 Now the victors were of the Northern peoples； and especially that Germany which he had seen so close； admiring with a certain terror its discipline and its rigorous organization。 The former working…man felt the conservative and selfish instinct of all those who have amassed millions。 He scorned political ideals； but through class interest he had of late years accepted the declarations against the scandals of the government。 What could a corrupt and disorganized Republic do against the solidest and strongest empire in the world？ 。 。 。
〃We are going to our deaths；〃 he said