第669章

第669章attheendofjanuarypierrearrivedinmoscowandsettledinthelodgeofhismansion,asthathadescapedthefire.hecalledoncountrastoptchinandseveralacquaintances,andwasintendinginthreedaystosetofftopetersburg.everyonewastriumphantatvictory;theruinedandrevivingcitywasbubblingoverwithlife.everyonewasgladtoseepierre;everybodywaseagertoseehim,andtoaskhimaboutallhehadseen.pierrehadaparticularlyfriendlyfeelingtowardseveryonehemet.butunconsciouslyhewasalittleonhisguardwithpeopletoavoidfetteringhisfreedominanyway.toallthequestionsputtohim—importantortrivial—whethertheyaskedhimwherehemeanttolive,whetherheweregoingtobuild,whenhewasstartingforpetersburg,orwhetherhecouldtakeaparcelthereforsomeone,heanswered,“yes,verypossibly,”“idaresayimay,”andsoon.

heheardthattherostovswereinkostroma,andthethoughtofnatashararelycametohismind,andwhenitdidoccurtohimitwasasapleasantmemoryoftimelongpast.hefelthimselfsetfree,notonlyfromthecaresofdailylife,butalsofromthatfeelingwhich,itseemedtohim,hehadvoluntarilybroughtuponhimself.

thethirddayafterhisarrivalinmoscowhelearntfromthedrubetskoysthatprincessmaryawasinmoscow.thedeath,thesufferings,andthelastdaysofprinceandreyhadoftenengagedpierre’sthoughts,andnowrecurredtohimwithfreshvividness.heheardatdinnerthatprincessmaryawasinmoscow,andlivinginherownhouseinvosdvizhenka,whichhadescapedthefire,andhewenttocalluponherthesameevening.

onthewaytoprincessmarya’spierre’smindwasfullofprinceandrey,ofhisfriendshipforhim,ofthedifferentoccasionswhentheyhadmet,andespeciallyoftheirlastinterviewatborodino.

“canhepossiblyhavediedinthebittermoodhewasinthen？wasnotthemeaningofliferevealedtohimbeforedeath？”pierrewondered.hethoughtofkarataev,ofhisdeath,andunconsciouslycomparedthosetwomen,sodifferent,andyetalike,inthelovehehadfeltforboth,andinthatbothhadlived,andbothweredead.

inthemostseriousframeofmindpierredroveuptotheoldprince’shouse.thehousehadremainedentire.thereweretracestobeseenofthehavocwroughtinit,butthecharacterofthehousewasunchanged.theoldfootmanmetpierrewithasternface,thatseemedtowishtomaketheguestfeelthattheabsenceoftheoldprincedidmakenodifferenceinthesevereroutineofthehousehold,andsaidthattheprincesshadretiredtoherownapartments,andreceivedonsundays.

“takemynametoher,perhapsshewillseeme,”saidpierre.

“yes,yourexcellency,”answeredthefootman;“kindlywalkintotheportrait-gallery.”

afewminuteslaterthefootmanreturnedaccompaniedbydessalle.dessallebroughtamessagefromtheprincessthatshewouldbeverygladtoseepierre,andedhim,ifhewouldexcusethelackofceremony,tocomeupstairstoherapartment.

inalow-pitchedroom,lightedbyasinglecandle,hefoundtheprincess,andsomeonewithherinablackdress.pierrerecollectedthattheprincesshadalwayshadlady-companionsofsomesortwithher,butwhothosecompanionswere,andwhattheywerelike,hedidnotremember.“thatisoneofhercompanions,”hethought,glancingattheladyintheblackdress.

theprincessroseswiftlytomeethim,andheldoutherhand.