第577章

第577章inthisshed,wherepierrespentfourweeks,thereweretwenty-threesoldiers,threeofficers,andtwocivilianfunctionaries,allprisoners.

theywereallmistyfigurestopierreafterwards,butplatonkarataevremainedforeverinhismindthestrongestandmostpreciousmemory,andthepersonificationofeverythingrussian,kindly,andround.whennextdayatdawnpierresawhisneighbour,hisfirstimpressionofsomethingroundwasfullyconfirmed;platon’swholefigureinhisfrenchmilitarycoat,girtroundthewaistwithcord,inhisforage-capandbastshoes,wasroundish,hisheadwasperfectlyround,hisback,hischest,hisshoulders,evenhisarms,whichhealwaysheldasthoughhewereabouttoembracesomething,wereroundintheirlines;hisfriendlysmileandbig,soft,browneyes,too,wereround.

platonkarataevmusthavebeenoverfiftytojudgebyhisstoriesofthecampaignsinwhichhehadtakenpart.hedidnothimselfknowandcouldnotdeterminehowoldhewas.buthisstrong,dazzlinglywhiteteethshowedintwounbrokensemicircleswheneverhelaughed,asheoftendid,andallweregoodandsound：therewasnotagreyhairinhisbeardoronhishead,andhiswholeframehadalookofsupplenessandofunusualhardinessandendurance.

hisfacehadanexpressionofinnocenceandyouthinspiteofthecurvingwrinklesonit;hisvoicehadapleasantsing-songnote.butthegreatpeculiarityofhistalkwasitsspontaneityandreadiness.itwasevidentthatheneverthoughtofwhathewassaying,orofwhathewasgoingtosay;andthatgaveapeculiar,irresistiblepersuasivenesstohisrapidandgenuineintonations.

hisphysicalpowersandactivityweresuch,duringthefirstperiodofhisimprisonment,thatheseemednottoknowwhatfatigueorsicknessmeant.everyeveningashelaydowntosleep,hesaid：“letmeliedown,lord,likeastone;letmeriseuplikenewbread”;andeverymorningongettingup,hewouldshakehisshoulderinthesameway,saying：“liedownandcurlup,getupandshakeyourself.”andhehad,infact,onlytoliedowninordertosleepatoncelikeastone,andhehadbuttoshakehimselftobereadyatonce,onwaking,withoutasecond’sdelay,tosettoworkofsomesort;justaschildren,onwaking,beginatonceplayingwiththeirtoys.heknewhowtodoeverything,notparticularlywell,butnotbadlyeither.hebaked,andcooked,andsewed,andplaned,andcobbledboots.hewasalwaysbusy,andonlyintheeveningsallowedhimselftoindulgeinconversation,whichheloved,andsinging.hesangsongs,notassingersdo,whoknowtheyarelistenedto,butsang,asthebirdssing,obviously,becauseitwasnecessarytohimtoutterthosesounds,asitsometimesistostretchortowalkabout;andthosesoundswerealwaysthin,tender,almostfeminine,melancholynotes,andhisfaceasheutteredthemwasveryserious.

beinginprison,andhavinglethisbeardgrow,hehadapparentlycastoffallthesoldier’swaysthathadbeenforceduponhimandwerenotnaturaltohim,andhadunconsciouslyrelapsedintohisoldpeasanthabits.