第575章

第575章aftertheexecutionpierrewasseparatedfromtheotherprisonersandleftaloneinasmall,despoiled,andfilthychurch.

towardseveningapatrolsergeant,withtwosoldiers,cameintothechurchandinformedpierrethathewaspardoned,andwasnowgoingtothebarracksoftheprisonersofwar.withoutunderstandingawordofwhatwassaidtohim,pierregotupandwentwiththesoldiers.hewasconductedtosomeshedsthathadbeenedupintheupperpartofthemeadowoutofcharredboards,beams,andbattens,andwastakenintooneofthem.sometwentypersonsofvariouskindsthrongedroundpierre.hestaredatthem,withnoideaofwhatthesemenwere,whytheywerehere,andwhattheywantedofhim.heheardthewordstheysaidtohim,buthismindmadenokindofdeductionorinterpretationofthem;hehadnoideaoftheirmeaning.hemadesomeanswer,too,tothequestionsaskedhim,butwithoutanynotionwhowashearinghim,orhowtheywouldunderstandhisreplies.hegazedatfacesandfigures,andallseemedtohimequallymeaningless.

fromthemomentwhenpierresawthatfearfulmurdercommittedbymenwhodidnotwanttodoit,itseemedasthoughthespringinhissoul,bywhicheverythingwasheldtogetherandgiventhesemblanceoflife,hadbeenwrenchedout,andallseemedtohavecollapsedintoaheapofmeaninglessrefuse.thoughhehadnoclearapprehensionofit,ithadannihilatedinhissoulallfaithinthebeneficentorderingoftheuniverse,andinthesoulofmen,andinhisownsoul,andingod.thisstateofmindpierrehadexperiencedbefore,butneverwithsuchintensityasnow.whensuchdoubtshadcomeuponhiminthepasttheyhadarisenfromhisownfault.andattheverybottomofhisheartpierrehadbeenawarethenthatsalvationfromthatdespairandfromthesedoubtslayinhisownhands.butnowhefeltthatitwasnothisfaultthattheworldwascollapsingbeforehiseyes,andthatnothingwasleftbutmeaninglessruins.hefeltthattogetbacktofaithinlifewasnotinhispower.

aroundhiminthedarknessstoodmen.probablytheyfoundsomethingveryentertaininginhim.theyweretellinghimsomething,askinghimsomething,thenleadinghimsomewhere,andatlasthefoundhimselfinacorneroftheshedbesidemenofsomesort,whoweretalkingonallsides,andlaughing.

“andso,mates…thatsameprincewho”（withaspecialemphasisonthelastword）…somevoicewassayingintheoppositecorneroftheshed.

sittinginthestrawagainstthewall,muteandmotionless,pierreopened,andthenclosed,hiseyes.assoonasheshuthiseyeshesawthefearfulfaceofthefactorylad,fearfulespeciallyfromitssimplicity,andthefacesoftheinvoluntarymurderers,stillmorefearfulintheiruneasiness.andheopenedhiseyesagainandstaredblanklyabouthiminthedarkness.

closebyhimalittlemanwassittingbentup,ofwhosepresencepierrewasfirstawarefromthestrongsmellofsweatthatroseateverymovementhemade.thismanwasdoingsomethingwithhisfeetinthedarkness,andalthoughpierredidnotseehisface,hewasawarethathewascontinuallyglancingathim.peeringintentlyathiminthedark,pierremadeoutthatthemanwasundoinghisfoot-gear.andthewayhewasdoingitbegantointerestpierre.

undoingthestringsinwhichonefootwastiedup,hewoundthemneatlyoff,andatoncesettoworkontheotherleg,glancingatpierre.whileonehandhungupthefirstleg-binder,theotherwasalreadybeginningtountietheotherleg.inthisway,deftly,withrounded,effectivemovementsfollowingoneanotherwithoutdelay,themanunrolledhisleg-wrappersandhungthemuponpegsdriveninover-head,tookoutaknife,cutoffsomething,shuttheknifeup,putitunderhisbolsterandsettlinghimselfmoreathisease,claspedhisarmsroundhisknees,andstaredstraightatpierre.pierrewasconsciousofsomethingpleasant,soothing,androundedoffinthosedeftmovements,inhiscomfortableestablishmentofhisbelongingsinthecorner,andevenintheverysmelloftheman,andhedidnottakehiseyesoffhim.

“andhaveyouseenalotoftrouble,sir？eh？”saidthelittlemansuddenly.andtherewasatoneofsuchfriendlinessandsimplicityinthesing-songvoicethatpierrewantedtoanswer,buthisjawquivered,andhefeltthetearsrising.atthesamesecond,leavingnotimeforpierre’sembarrassmenttoappear,thelittlemansaid,inthesamepleasantvoice：

“ay,darling,don’tgrieve,”hesaid,inthattender,caressingsing-songinwhicholdrussianpeasantwomentalk.“don’tgrieve,dearie;troublelastsanhour,butlifelastsforever！ay,ay,mydear.andwegetonherefinely,thankgod;nothingtovexus.they’remen,too,andbadandgoodamongthem,”hesaid;and,whilestillspeaking,gotwithasupplemovementonhiskneestohisfeet,andclearinghisthroatwalkedaway.

“hey,thehussy,heresheis！”pierreheardattheendoftheshedthesamecaressingvoice.“heresheis,thehussy;sheremembersme！there,there,liedown！”andthesoldier,pushingdownadogthatwasjumpinguponhim,camebacktohisplaceandsatdown.inhishandshehadsomethingwrappedupinacloth.

“here,youtastethis,sir,”hesaid,returningtotherespectfultonehehadusedatfirst,anduntyingandhandingtopierreseveralbakedpotatoes.“atdinnerwehadsoup.butthepotatoesarefirst-rate！”

pierrehadeatennothingthewholeday,andthesmellofthepotatoesstruckhimasextraordinarilypleasant.hethankedthesoldierandbeganeating.

“butwhyso,eh？”saidthesoldiersmiling,andhetookoneofthepotatoes.“youtrythemlikethis.”hetookouthisclasp-knifeagain,cutthepotatoinhishandintotwoevenhalves,andsprinkledthemwithsaltfromthecloth,andofferedthemtopierre.