V. BLASCO IBANEZ AND HIS WORK

BY CLYDE CHEW GLASCOCK

III

Novels of International Character

The Great War

Los Argonautas (the Argonauts 1914) is the first of a series of novels by Blasco Ibáñez which may be called international in character; for the personages in them, some of them at least, are a product of intermingling races and civilizations, and the conditions set before us and the atmosphere in which we move are no longer that of Spain nor of one European country, nor even of Europe alone, but of Europe and America and even Asia combined. We now have the results of Blasco Ibáñez's wide travel and experience in the Orient, in Europe and in South America, and these last novels are a direct reflection of the author's keen observation magnified greatly by his wonderful imagination so as to produce occasionally grotesquely humorous caricatures.

Los Argonautas tells of a young Spanish writer, Ojeda, who leaves his mistress in Spain and goes out to Argentina in South America to make a fortune, so as to be able to return to Spain in due time and marry this woman whom he loves. We go through all the variegated life and experiences of a long voyage over the ocean on a great transatlantic liner on which are gathered all manner of Europeans and South Americans as well. In no other novel, with the possible exception of Atlantis by Gerhart Hauptmann, has the life on board a splendid ocean liner of the most modern type been depicted in so complete and vivid a way. It is somewhat to be regretted therefore that the leading character of the work is not a man of more admirable moral fibre; and a novel may not reveal

many things that transpire on a huge ocean liner where people of all kinds are gathered, free from the restraints of stable society, in pleasure-seeking idleness. This is one of the few joyous books by the author, and so it is all the more unfor tunate that it is without serious moral content, and over some of the scenes a veil might well be drawn.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1916) is well known to English and American readers. It is a most brilliant and entertaining novelistic picture of the early stages of the war in northern France. This book has gone in the original version or in translation to nearly every cultured home throughout the nations arrayed against Germany and her allies. In the October number of the American Magazine (1920) the statement was made that it had passed through 158 editions in this country.

Marcelo Desnoyers, a French lad of nineteen years, emigrates in 1870 to Argentina, South America, where he becomes an overseer on an immense ranch owned by Don Madariaga, "the Centaur" who has grown enormously rich by trading, by purchasing huge stretches of land, and by raising cattle.

Desnoyers on one occasion saves his life, and so gains the gratitude of the despotic and capricious proprietor who now treats him as a member of his family. Desnoyers finally marries his daughter Luisa, whereas a young German of good family who has also come to the ranch, Karl von Hartrott, marries the younger sister Elena. The old ranchman remarks to Desnoyers: "Just think of it, Frenchman, I am Spainish, you French, Karl German, my daughters Argentinians, the cook Russian, his assistant Greek, the stable boy English, the kitchen servants native Galicians or Italians, and among the peons are many castes and laws: . . and yet all live in peace. In Europe we should have been in a grand fight by this time, but here we are all friends.”

Desnoyers's son Julio comes to be the old man's favorite grandchild, and he says to Julio: "Have a good time, for grandpa is always here with his money.'

At length the old man is killed by a fall from his horse. The Hartrotts go at once to Germany to live in Berlin, and the Desnoyers to Paris, both families now in possession of enormous wealth. In addition to a luxurious home in Paris, Desnoyers purchases an old castle, Villeblanche-sur-Marne where he stores his rapidly accumulating collection of works of art, paintings, furniture, statues. He is disappointed in his son Julio, who seems to be devoting his time to dancing and frivolity, to amateurish painting, to fast living, and to making love to a gay, fascinating young married woman, Marguerite Laurier, whom he intends to marry when she obtains a divorce.

All at once the black cloud of war gathers. Dr. Julius von Hartrott, who is visiting Paris and is about to leave, predicts that nothing can prevent war, that "it is necessary for the welfare of humanity." Just before mobilization takes place Tchernoff, a Russian friend of Julio's sees in a vision the beast of the Apocalypse, a symbol of war, rising out of the sea, preceded by four terrible horsemen, those scourges of the earth, conquest, war, famine, death, to undertake their desolating course over the heads of terrified humanity.

Julio is a native Argentinian. Exempt therefore from military service he thinks at first of continuing his pleasurable mode of living. His lady-love however, Marguerite Laurier, shows signs of transformation, her love of gaiety and dress yields to her desire for service. The war is changing every one, and her as well, and her sense of duty to her wronged husband is aroused when she hears that he is severely wounded and blinded for life; and she goes back to him to wait on him and serve him faithfully. To Julio she bids farewell: "You must leave me. Life is not what we thought it. Had it not been for the war we might, perhaps, have realized our dream, but now. For the remainder of my life, I shall carry the heaviest burden, and yet, it will be sweet, since the more it weighs me down the greater will my atonement be." Deprived of love and happiness, Julio is impelled to

try to fill the emptiness of life, and change is wrought in his character as well.

When Paris is threatened by the Germans and refugees tell of the sacking and destruction of their homes, Don Marcelo Desnoyers begins to entertain fear for his castle and he hastens to Villeblanche, through scenes of war. He arrives in time to witness the retreat of a part of the French army that is discouraged and exhausted. On come the relentless German shouting, "On to Paris.'

A regiment of Germans occupy Villeblanche and Desnoyers is subjected to many indignities, his choice possessions are looted, and he witnesses the execution of prominent civilians of the village who are lined up and shot down before his face. Things even more horrifying occur, too dreadful even to be read.

After a time Captain Otto von Hartrott appears. He explains to his uncle, callously as a German would be expected to do, the ruin and plunder of his uncle's castle: "It is war,' he says. "We have to be very ruthless that it may not last long. True kindness consists in being cruel, because then the terror-stricken enemy gives in sooner, and so the world suffers less."

For four days Don Marcelo goes through more horrible visions in a sort of dazed amazement. The village sinks in ruins and ashes before his eyes, his castle, his household and he himself suffer unspeakable abuse at the hands of bestial, carousing German officers. A war hospital is established on his estate but moves on under stress of battle although the Red Cross flag remains to deceive the French as to artillery installed in the park. When a French aeroplane discovers the treachery French guns are turned on the place and Don Marcelo sees the deadly effect of modern artillery, on his own. palace! He is terrified by the booming of German cannon and the explosion of French shells, and he is forced to witness all the havoc wrought on his castle, as well as on the Germans. In the end he sees retreating columns of Germans go along the

highway. French regiments cross the Marne, and unmoved by deadly fire rush on the Germans at Villeblanche, and he witnesses hand to hand conflicts with many of the frightful details, as the Teuton horde is vanquished and driven off by his loved Frenchmen.

Nothing but ruins of the once beautiful estate now remain. So he bids farewell to Villeblanche and returns to Paris, crossing battle fields covered with ghastly and gory mementoes. On reaching Paris he receives a visit from his son Julio in rough uniform; never had the boy seemed so distinguished to his father, and a complete reconciliation takes place.

Then months of anxious suspense follow while his son is on the battlefield. Through an influential friend Desnoyers obtains permission to go to the front and the curious experiences of trench warfare are unfolded to him. He visits his son who is a hero to him now, reaching him through tortuous, zig-zag, curving trenches, bullets whizzing overhead like flies, on through dark galleries, and subterranean fortifications, until at last the outer line is attained.

Desnoyers finds his son Julio much changed, in fact hardly recognizable, but although Julio has undergone terrible hardships, yet he has found joy in comradeship, and he has experienced a delight hitherto unknown to him, that of being useful in the world, and the joy of service.

When Desnoyers goes back hope whispers to him: "No one will kill him; my heart which never deceives me tells me so."

Julio is an efficient soldier and is promoted; he becomes a sergeant, then sublieutenant, and for exceptional bravery he receives the croix de guerre, the military medal, and finally he is recommended for the Légion d'honneur. One afternoon, during the Champagne offensive, Desnoyers, still cherishing his fond hopes that his son will be spared, returns to find awaiting him the dreadful news. Julio, his son, is dead upon the field of honor. His father goes with other members of the family to find his son's resting place in an immense soldiers'