第664章

第664章asisgenerallythecase,pierreonlyfeltthefullstrainofthephysicalhardshipsandprivationshehadsufferedasaprisoner,whentheywereover.afterhehadbeenrescued,hewenttoorel,andtwodaysaftergettingthere,ashewaspreparingtostartforkiev,hefellillandspentthreemonthslaidupatorel.hewassuffering,sothedoctorssaid,fromabiliousfever.althoughtheytreatedhimbylettingbloodandgivinghimdrugs,herecovered.

everythingthathadhappenedtopierrefromthetimeofhisrescueuptohisillnesshadlefthardlyanyimpressiononhismind.hehadonlyamemoryofdarkgreyweather,sometimesrainyandsometimessunshiny,ofinternalphysicalaches,ofpaininhisfeetandhisside.herememberedageneralimpressionofthemiseryandsufferingofmen,rememberedtheworryingcuriosityofofficersandgenerals,whoquestionedhimabouthisimprisonment,thetroublehehadtogethorsesandaconveyance;andmorethanallherememberedhisowndullnessofthoughtandoffeelingallthattime.

onthedayofhisrescuehesawthedeadbodyofpetyarostov.thesamedayhelearnedthatprinceandreyhadlivedformorethanamonthafterthebattleofborodino,andhadonlyashorttimebeforediedatyaroslavlintherostovs’house.thesamedaydenisov,whohadtoldpierrethispieceofnews,happenedtoalludeinconversationtothedeathofellen,supposingpierretohavebeenlongawareofit.allthishadatthetimeseemedtopierreonlystrange.hefeltthathecouldnottakeinallthebearingsofthesefacts.hewasatthetimesimplyinhastetogetawayfromtheseplaceswheremenwereslaughteringeachothertosomequietrefugewherehemightrestandrecoverhisfaculties,andthinkoverallthenewstrangethingshehadlearned.

butassoonashereachedorel,hefellill.oncomingtohimselfafterhisillness,pierresawwaitingonhimtwoofhisservants,terentyandvaska,whohadcomefrommoscow,andtheeldestofhiscousins,whowasstayingatpierre’sestateinelets,andhearingofhisrescueandhisillnesshadcometonursehim.

duringhisconvalescencepierrecouldonlygraduallyrecoverfromtheimpressionsofthelastfewmonths,whichhadbecomehabitual.onlybydegreescouldhebecomeaccustomedtotheideathattherewasnoonetodrivehimonto-morrow,thatnoonewouldtakehiswarmbedfromhim,andthathewasquitesureofgettinghisdinner,andtea,andsupper.butforalongwhileafterwardshewasalwaysinhisdreamssurroundedbyhisconditionsasaprisoner.

andonlyinthesamegradualwaydidpierregraspthemeaningofthenewshehadheardsincehisescape：ofthedeathofprinceandrey,ofthedeathofhiswife,andoftheoverthrowofthefrench.