第608章

第608章theymarchedveryquicklywithoutpausing,andonlyhaltedwhenthesunwassetting.theage-cartsweremovedupclosetooneanother,andthemenbegantoprepareforthenight.everyoneseemedill-humouredanddissatisfied.oaths,angryshouts,andfightingcouldbeheardonallsidestillalatehour.acarriage,whichhadbeenfollowingtheescort,haddrivenintooneoftheircartsandrunashaftintoit.severalsoldiersranuptothecartfromdifferentsides;somehitthecarriagehorsesontheheadastheyturnedthemround,otherwerefightingamongthemselves,andpierresawonegermanseriouslywoundedbyablowfromtheflatsideofaswordonhishead.

itseemedasthoughnowwhentheyhadcometoastandstillinthemidstoftheopencountry,inthecoldtwilightoftheautumnevening,allthesemenwereexperiencingthesamefeelingofunpleasantawakeningfromthehurryandeagerimpulseforwardthathadcarriedthemallawayatsettingoff.nowstandingstill,allasitweregraspedthattheyknewnotwheretheyweregoing,andthattherewasmuchpainandhardshipinstoreforthemonthejourney.

atthishalting-place,theprisonerswereevenmoreroughlytreatedbytheirescortthanatstarting.theywereforthefirsttimegivenhorse-fleshtoeat.

ineveryoneoftheescort,fromtheofficerstothelowestsoldier,couldbeseenasortofpersonalspiteagainsteveryoneoftheprisoners,insurprisingcontrastwiththefriendlyrelationsthathadexistedbetweenthembefore.

thisspitewasincreasedwhen,oncountingovertheprisoners,itwasdiscoveredthatinthebustleofgettingoutofmoscowonerussiansoldierhadmanagedtorunawaybypretendingtobeseizedwithcolic.pierrehadseenafrenchmanbeatarussiansoldierunmercifullyformovingtoofarfromtheroad,andheardthecaptain,whohadbeenhisfriend,reprimandinganunder-officerfortheescapeoftheprisoner,andthreateninghimwithcourt-martial.ontheunder-officer’surgingthattheprisonerwasillandcouldnotwalk,theofficersaidthattheirordersweretoshootthosewhoshouldlagbehind.pierrefeltthatthatfatalforcewhichhadcrushedhimattheexecution,andhadbeenimperceptibleduringhisimprisonment,hadnowagainthemasteryofhisexistence.hewasafraid;buthefelttoo,thatasthatfatalforcestrovetocrushhim,therewasgrowingupinhissoulandgatheringstrengthaforceoflifethatwasindependentofit.pierresuppedonsoupmadeofryeflourandhorseflesh,andtalkedalittlewithhiscompanions.

neitherpierrenoranyofhiscompanionstalkedofwhattheyhadseeninmoscow,noroftheharshtreatmenttheyreceivedfromthefrench,noroftheorderstoshootthem,whichhadbeenannouncedtothem.asthoughinreactionagainsttheirmoredepressingposition,allwereparticularlygayandlively.theytalkedofpersonalreminiscences,ofamusingincidentstheyhadseenastheymarched,andavoidedtouchingontheirpresentposition.

thesunhadlongagoset.starswereshiningbrightlyhereandthereinthesky;therewasaredflush,asofaconflagrationonthehorizon,wherethefullmoonwasrising,andthevast,redballseemedtremblingstrangelyinthegreydarkness.itbecamequitelight.theeveningwasover,butthenighthadnotyetbegun.pierrelefthisnewcompanionsandwalkedbetweenthecamp-firestotheothersideoftheroad,wherehehadbeentoldthatthecommonprisonerswerecamping.hewantedtotalktothem.ontheroadafrenchsentinelstoppedhimandbadehimgoback.

pierredidgoback,butnottothecamp-firewherehiscompanionswere,buttoanunharnessedonwheretherewasnobody.tuckinghislegsupunderhim,anddroppinghishead,hesatdownonthecoldgroundagainsttheonwheel,andsattherealongwhilemotionless,thinking.morethananhourpassedby.noonedisturbedpierre.suddenlyheburstintosuchaloudroarofhisfat,good-humouredlaughter,thatmenlookedroundoneverysideinastonishmentatthisstrangeandobviouslysolitarylaughter.“ha,ha,ha！”laughedpierre.andhetalkedaloudtohimself.“thesoldierdidnotletmepass.theyhavetakenme—shutmeup.theykeepmeprisoner.whois‘me’？me？me—myimmortalsoul！ha,ha,ha！…ha,ha,ha！…”helaughed,withthetearsstartingintohiseyes.

amangotupandcametoseewhatthisstrange,bigmanwaslaughingatallbyhimself.pierreleftofflaughing,gotup,walkedawayfromtheinquisitiveintruder,andlookedabouthim.

theimmense,endlessbivouac,whichhadbeenfullofthesoundofcracklingfiresandmentalking,hadsunktorest;theredcamp-firesburntlowanddim.highoverheadinthelucidskystoodthefullmoon.forestsandfields,thatbeforecouldnotbeseenbeyondthecamp,cameintoviewnowinthedistance.andbeyondthosefieldsandforestscouldbeseenthebright,shifting,alluring,boundlessdistance.pierreglancedatthesky,atthefar-away,twinklingstars.“andallthatismine,andallthatisinme,andallthatisi！”thoughtpierre.“andallthistheycaughtandshutupinashedclosedinwithboards！”hesmiledandwenttoliedowntosleepbesidehiscompanions.