第571章

第571章onthe8thofseptember，therecameintotheprisoners’coach-houseanofficerofverygreatconsequence，judgingbytherespectfulnesswithwhichhewasaddressedbythesoldiersonguard.thisofficer，probablysomeoneonthestaff，heldamemoranduminhishand，andcalledoveralltherussians’names，givingpierrethetitleof“theonewhowillnotgivehisname.”andwithanindolentandindifferentglanceatalltheprisoners，hegavetheofficeronguardorderstohavethemdecentlydressedandingoodorderbeforebringingthembeforethemarshal.inanhouracompanyofsoldiersarrived，andpierrewiththethirteenotherswastakentothevirgin’smeadow.itwasafineday，sunnyafterrain，andtheairwasexceptionallyclear.thesmokedidnothanglowoverthetownasonthedaywhenpierrehadbeentakenfromtheguard-roomofthezubovskyrampart；thesmokeroseupincolumnsintothepureair.flameswerenowheretobeseen；butcolumnsofsmokewererisinguponallsides，andallmoscow，allthatpierrecouldsee，wasoneconflagration.onallsideshesawplaceslaidwaste，withstovesandpipesleftstandinginthem，andnowandthenthecharredwallsofastonehouse.

pierrestaredatthefires，anddidnotrecognisepartsofthetownthatheknewwell.hereandtherecouldbeseenchurchesthathadnotbeentouchedbythefire.thekremlinuninjured，rosewhiteinthedistance，withtowersandivanthegreat.closeathand，thecupolaofthemonasteryofthenewvirginshonebrightly，andthebellsforservicerangoutgailyfromit.thosebellsremindedpierrethatitwassundayandthefestivalofthebirthofthevirginmother.butthereseemedtobenoonetokeepthisholiday；onallsidestheysawtheruinwroughtbythefires，andtheonlyrussianstheymetwereafewtatteredandfrightened-lookingpeople，whohidthemselvesonseeingthefrench.

itwasevidentthattherussiannestwasinruinsanddestroyed；butwiththisannihilationoftheoldrussianorderoflife，pierrewasunconsciouslyawarethatthefrenchhadraisedupoverthisruinednestanutterlydifferentbutstrongorderoftheirown.hefeltthisatthesightoftheregularranksoftheboldlyandgailymarchingsoldierswhowereescortinghimandtheotherprisoners；hefeltitatthesightofsomeimportantfrenchofficialinacarriageandpair，drivenbyasoldier，whomtheymetontheirway.hefeltitatthegaysoundsofregimentalmusic，whichfloatedacrossfromtheleftofthemeadow；andhehadfeltitandrealiseditparticularlystronglyfromthememorandumthefrenchofficerhadreadinthemorningwhenhecalledovertheprisoners’names.pierrewastakenbyonesetofsoldiers，ledofftooneplace，andthencetoanother，withdozensofdifferentpeople.itseemedtohimthattheymighthaveforgottenhim，havemixedhimupwithotherpeople.butno；hisanswersgivenattheexaminationcamebacktohimintheformofthedesignation，“theonewhowillnotgivehisname.”andunderthisdesignation，whichfilledpierrewithdread，theyledhimawaysomewhere，withunhesitatingconvictionwrittenontheirfacesthatheandtheotherprisonerswithhimweretherightones，andthattheywerebeingtakentotheproperplace.pierrefelthimselfaninsignificantchipthathadfallenunderthewheelofamachinethatworkedwithoutahitch，thoughhedidnotunderstandit.

pierrewasledwiththeotherprisonerstotherightsideofthevirgin’smeadow，notfarfromthemonastery，andtakenuptoabig，whitehousewithanimmensegarden.itwasthehouseofprinceshtcherbatov，andpierrehadoftenbeeninsideitinformerdaystoseeitsowner.now，ashelearntfromthetalkofthesoldiers，itwasoccupiedbythemarshal，thedukeofeckmuhl.

theywereleduptotheentrance，andtakenintothehouse，oneatatime.pierrewasthesixthtobeledin.throughaglass-roofedgallery，avestibule，andahall，allfamiliartopierre，hewasledtothelong，low-pitchedstudy，atthedoorofwhichstoodanadjutant.

davoustwassittingatatableattheendoftheroom，hisspectaclesonhisnose.pierrecamecloseuptohim.davoust，withoutraisinghiseyes，wasapparentlyengagedinlookingupsomethinginadocumentthatlaybeforehim.withoutraisinghiseyes，heaskedsoftly：“whoareyou？”