第574章

第574章pierretriednottolook,andagainturnedaway;butagainasortofawfulcrashsmotehishearing,andwiththesoundhesawsmoke,blood,andthepaleandfrightenedfacesofthefrenchmen,againdoingsomethingatthepost,andbalkingeachotherwiththeirtremblinghands.pierre,breathinghard,lookedabouthimasthoughasking,“whatdoesitmean？”thesamequestionwaswritteninalltheeyesthatmetpierre’seyes.onallthefacesoftherussians,onthefacesofthefrenchsoldiersandofficers,allwithoutexception,hereadthesamedismay,horror,andconflictashefeltinhisownheart.“butwhoisitdoingittherereally？theyareallsufferingasiam！whoisit？who？”flashedforonesecondthroughpierre’smind.“sharpshootersoftheeighty-sixth,forward！”someoneshouted.thefifthprisonerstandingbesidepierrewasledforward—alone.pierredidnotunderstandthathewassaved;thatheandalltheresthadbeenbroughtheresimplytobepresentattheexecution.withgrowinghorror,withnosenseofjoyorrelief,hegazedatwhatwasbeingdone.thefifthwasthefactoryladintheloosegown.assoonastheytouchedhim,hedartedawayinterrorandclutchedatpierre（pierreshudderedandtorehimselfawayfromhim）.thefactoryladcouldnotwalk.hewasheldupunderthearmsandedalong,andhescreamedsomethingallthewhile.whentheyhadbroughthimtotheposthewassuddenlyquiet.heseemedsuddenlytohavegraspedsomething.whetherhegraspedthatitwasnousetoscream,orthatitwasimpossibleformentokillhim,hestoodatthepost,waitingtobeboundliketheothers,andlikeawildbeastunderfirelookedabouthimwithglitteringeyes.

pierrecouldnotmakehimselfturnawayandclosehiseyes.thecuriosityandemotionhefelt,andallthecrowdwithhim,atthisfifthmurderreacheditshighestpitch.liketherest,thisfifthmanseemedcalm.hewrappedhisdressing-gownroundhim,andscratchedonebarefootwiththeother.

whentheybounduphiseyes,ofhimselfhestraightenedtheknot,whichhurtthebackofhishead;then,whentheyproppedhimagainsttheblood-stainedpost,heeredback,andashewasuncomfortableinthatposition,heshiftedhisattitude,andleanedbackquietly,withhisfeetputdownsymmetrically.pierrenevertookhiseyesoffhim,anddidnotmisstheslightestmovementhemade.

thewordofcommandmusthavesounded,andafterittheshotsoftheeightmuskets.butpierre,howeverearnestlyhetriedtorecollectitafterwards,hadnotheardtheslightestsoundfromtheshots.heonlysawthefactoryladsuddenlyfallbackonthecords,sawbloodoozingintwoplaces,andsawthecordsthemselvesworkloosefromtheweightofthehangingbody,andthefactoryladsitdown,hisheadfallingunnaturally,andonelegbentunderhim.pierreranuptothepost.noonehinderedhim.menwithpaleandfrightenedfacesweredoingsomethingroundthefactorylad.therewasoneoldwhiskeredfrenchman,whoselowerjawtwitchedallthewhileasheuntiedthecords.thebodysankdown.thesoldiers,withclumsyhaste,editfromthepostandshoveditintothepit.

allofthemclearlyknew,beyondalldoubt,thattheywerecriminals,whomustmakehastetohidethetracesoftheircrime.

pierreglancedintothepitandsawthatthefactoryladwaslyingtherewithhiskneesupclosetohishead,andoneshoulderhigherthantheother.andthatshoulderwasconvulsively,rhythmicallyrisingandfalling.butspadefulsofearthwerealreadyfallingalloverthebody.oneofthesoldiers,inavoiceofrage,exasperation,andpain,shoutedtopierretostandaside.butpierredidnotunderstandhim,andstillstoodatthepost,andnoonedrovehimaway.

whenthepitwasquitefilledup,thewordofcommandwasheard,pierrewastakenbacktohisplace,andthefrenchtroops,standinginranksonbothsidesofthepost,facedabout,andbeganmarchingwithameasuredsteppastthepost.thetwenty-foursharpshooters,standinginthemiddleofthecircle,withunchargedmuskets,ranbacktotheirplacesastheircompaniesmarchedbythem.

pierrestarednowwithdazedeyesatthesesharpshooters,whowererunningtwotogetheroutofthecircle.allofthemhadjoinedtheircompaniesexceptone.ayoungsoldier,withafaceofdeathlypallor,stillstoodfacingthepitonthespotuponwhichhehadshot,hisshakofallingbackwardsoffhishead,andhisfusedroppingontotheground.heeredlikeadrunkenman,takingafewstepsforward,andthenafewback,tokeephimselffromfalling.anoldunder-officerranoutoftheranks,and,seizingtheyoungsoldierbytheshoulder,edhimtohiscompany.thecrowdoffrenchmenandrussiansbegantodisperse.allwalkedinsilence,withdowncasteyes.

“thatwillteachthemtosetfiretotheplaces,”saidsomeoneamongthefrench.pierrelookedroundatthespeaker,andsawthatitwasasoldierwhowastryingtoconsolehimselfsomehowforwhathadbeendone,butcouldnot.withoutfinishinghissentence,hewavedhishandandwenton.