第601章

第601章earlyinthemorningofthe6thofoctober,pierrecameoutoftheshed,andwhenhewentback,hestoodinthedoorway,playingwiththelongbandy-ed,purplish-greydog,thatjumpedabouthim.thisdoglivedintheirshed,sleepingwithkarataev,thoughitsometimeswentoffonitsownaccountintothetown,andcamebackagain.ithadprobablyneverbelongedtoanyone,andnowithadnomaster,andnoname.thefrenchcalleditazor;thesoldierwhotoldstoriescalleditfemgalka;karataevcalledit“grey-coat,”andsometimes“floppy.”thelackofamaster,ofaname,ofanyparticularbreed,andevenofadefinitecolour,bynomeanstroubledthepurplish-greydog.itsfluffytailstoodupfirmandroundlikeaplume;itsbandylegsserveditsowellthatoften,asthoughdisdainingtouseallfour,itwouldholdonehind-leggracefullyup,andrunveryquicklyandsmartlyonthreepaws.everythingwasasourceofsatisfactiontoit.atonemoment,itwasbarkingwithjoy,thenitwouldbaskinthesun,withadreamyandthoughtfulair,thenitwouldfrolicabout,playingwithachiporastraw.

pierre’sattirenowconsistedofadirty,tatteredshirt,thesolerelicleftofhispreviouswardrobe,apairofsoldier’sdrawers,tiedwithstringroundtheanklesbykarataev’sadvice,forthesakeofwarmth,afullpeasant’scoatandapeasant’scap.physicallypierrehadchangedgreatlyduringthisperiod.henolongerseemedstout,thoughhestillhadthatlookofsolidityandstrengththatwascharacteristicofthebezuhovfamily.thelowerpartofhisfacewasovergrownwithbeardandmoustaches;hislong,tangledhair,swarmingwithlice,formedamatofcurlsonhishead.hiseyeshadalookoffirmness,calm,andalertreadiness,suchashadneverbeenseeninpierre’sfacebefore.allhisoldslackness,whichhadshowneveninhiseyes,wasreplacednowbyavigorous,alertlookofreadinessforactionandforresistance.hisfeetwerebare.

pierrelookedoverthemeadow,acrosswhichonsandmenonhorsebackweremovingthatmorning,thenfarawaybeyondtheriver,thenatthedog,whowaspretendingtobemeaningtobitehiminearnest,thenathisbarefeet,whichheshiftedwithpleasurefromonepositiontoanother,movingthedirty,thick,bigtoes.andeverytimehelookedathisbarefeet,asmileofeagerself-satisfactionflittedacrosshisface.thesightofthosebarefeetremindedhimofallhehadpassedthroughandlearnedduringthistime;andthethoughtofthatwassweettohim.

theweatherhadforseveraldaysbeenstillandclear,withlightfrostsinthemornings—theso-called“oldgranny’ssummer.”

itwaswarmoutofdoorsinthesunshine,andthatwarmthwasparticularlypleasant,withthebracingfreshnessofthemorningfroststillintheair.

overeverything,overallobjectsnearandfar,laythatmagical,crystal-clearbrightness,whichisonlyseenatthattimeintheautumn.inthedistancecouldbeseenthesparrowhills,withthevillage,thechurch,andthegreatwhitehouse.andtheleaflesstrees,andthesandandthestonesandroofsofthehouses,thegreenspireofthechurch,andtheanglesofthewhitehouseinthedistance,allstoodoutinthemostdelicateoutlineswithunnaturaldistinctnessinthelimpidair.closeathandstoodthefamiliarruinsofahalf-burntmansion,occupiedbyfrenchsoldiers,withlilacbushesstilldark-greenbythefence.andeventhischarredandruinedhouse,whichlookedrevoltinglyhideousinbadweather,hadasortofsoothingcomelinessintheclear,stillbrightness.

afrenchcorporal,inasmoking-cap,withhiscoatcomfortablyunbuttoned,cameroundthecorneroftheshed,withashortpipebetweenhisteeth,andwithafriendlywink,approachedpierre.

“whatsunshine,hein,m.kiril？”（thiswaswhatallthefrenchsoldierscalledpierre.）“onewouldsayitwasspring.”andthecorporalleanedagainstthedoor,andofferedpierrehispipe,thoughhewasalwaysofferingit,andpierrealwaysdeclinedit.

“ifoneweremarchinginweatherlikethis,”hebegan.