Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
By: Vicente Blasco Ibáñez (1867-1928) The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, by Vicente Blasco Ibañez and translated into English by Charlotte Brewster Jordan, depicts two branches of a family with its roots in the pampas of Argentina. The wealthy Argentinian, Julio Madariaga, comes from Spain and raises himself from poverty, becoming a self-made, wealthy cattleman. He is a man of extremes; an honest man with a rascally knack for taking advantage of others; a self-made man with overweening pride, prejudices, and a sharp, flinty temper that can spark into violence, he is at the same time given to great generosity toward those who are under him. This almost feudal lord has two daughters who marry expatriates, a Frenchman and a German. Julio Madariaga leaves his stamp on these two families who, after his death, return to the native countries of his two sons in law. At that time, the mood of Europe is in many ways similar to that of the old gaucho, a mixture of generosity, explosive anger, romanticism, strong prejudices, and wounded pride, a mood composed of extremes painted on an oversized canvas. World War I is waiting in the wings and will leave its own stamp on the old gaucho's lineage, pitting them against each other on opposite sides in the violent first year that many think will last only a few months but will, in fact, result in improbable destruction and loss of lives. An old Russian visionary given to drink, looks out on red skies one day and experiences its coming in a vision: hoofbeats; and riders. First Page: THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE (Los Cuatro Jinettes del Apocalipsis) by Vicente Blasco Ibanez Translated by Charlotte Brewster Jordan CONTENTS PART I I. THE TRYST IN THE GARDEN OF THE EXPIATORY CHAPEL II. MADARIAGA, THE CENTAUR III. THE DESNOYERS FAMILY IV. THE COUSIN FROM BERLIN V. IN WHICH APPEAR THE FOUR HORSEMEN PART II I. WHAT DON MARCELO ENVIED II. NEW LIFE III. THE RETREAT IV. NEAR THE SACRED GROTTO V. THE INVASION VI. THE BANNER OF THE RED CROSS PART III I. AFTER THE MARNE II. IN THE STUDIO IV. "NO ONE WILL KILL HIM" V. THE BURIAL FIELDS PART I CHAPTER I THE TRYST (In the Garden of the Chapelle Expiatoire) They were to have met in the garden of the Chapelle Expiatoire at five o'clock in the afternoon, but Julio Desnoyers with the impatience of a lover who hopes to advance the moment of meeting by presenting himself before the appointed time, arrived an half hour earlier. The change of the seasons was at this time greatly confused in his mind, and evidently demanded some readjustment. Five months had passed since their last interview in this square had afforded the wandering lovers the refuge of a damp, depressing calmness near a boulevard of continual movement close to a great railroad station... Continue reading book >>

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

By: Vicente Blasco Ibáñez (1867-1928)

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, by Vicente Blasco Ibañez and translated into English by Charlotte Brewster Jordan, depicts two branches of a family with its roots in the pampas of Argentina. The wealthy Argentinian, Julio Madariaga, comes from Spain and raises himself from poverty, becoming a self-made, wealthy cattleman. He is a man of extremes; an honest man with a rascally knack for taking advantage of others; a self-made man with overweening pride, prejudices, and a sharp, flinty temper that can spark into violence, he is at the same time given to great generosity toward those who are under him. This almost feudal lord has two daughters who marry expatriates, a Frenchman and a German.

Julio Madariaga leaves his stamp on these two families who, after his death, return to the native countries of his two sons in law. At that time, the mood of Europe is in many ways similar to that of the old gaucho, a mixture of generosity, explosive anger, romanticism, strong prejudices, and wounded pride, a mood composed of extremes painted on an oversized canvas. World War I is waiting in the wings and will leave its own stamp on the old gaucho's lineage, pitting them against each other on opposite sides in the violent first year that many think will last only a few months but will, in fact, result in improbable destruction and loss of lives. An old Russian visionary given to drink, looks out on red skies one day and experiences its coming in a vision: hoofbeats; and riders.

First Page:

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE

(Los Cuatro Jinettes del Apocalipsis)

by Vicente Blasco Ibanez

Translated by Charlotte Brewster Jordan

CONTENTS

PART I

I. THE TRYST IN THE GARDEN OF THE EXPIATORY CHAPEL II. MADARIAGA, THE CENTAUR III. THE DESNOYERS FAMILY IV. THE COUSIN FROM BERLIN V. IN WHICH APPEAR THE FOUR HORSEMEN

PART II

I. WHAT DON MARCELO ENVIED II. NEW LIFE III. THE RETREAT IV. NEAR THE SACRED GROTTO V. THE INVASION VI. THE BANNER OF THE RED CROSS

PART III

I. AFTER THE MARNE II. IN THE STUDIO IV. "NO ONE WILL KILL HIM" V. THE BURIAL FIELDS

PART I

CHAPTER I

THE TRYST

(In the Garden of the Chapelle Expiatoire)

They were to have met in the garden of the Chapelle Expiatoire at five o'clock in the afternoon, but Julio Desnoyers with the impatience of a lover who hopes to advance the moment of meeting by presenting himself before the appointed time, arrived an half hour earlier. The change of the seasons was at this time greatly confused in his mind, and evidently demanded some readjustment.

Five months had passed since their last interview in this square had afforded the wandering lovers the refuge of a damp, depressing calmness near a boulevard of continual movement close to a great railroad station... Continue reading book >>

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Genres for this book
Historical Fiction
Literature
War stories

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Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

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