第551章

第551章onthedried-up,dustygrassononesideofthepathlayheapsofhouseholdbelongingspiledup：feather-beds,asamovar,holyimages,andboxes.ontheground,neartheboxes,satathinwoman,nolongeryoung,withlong,projectingfrontteeth,dressedinablackcloakandcap.thiswomanwasweepingviolently,swayingtoandfro,andmutteringsomething.twolittlegirls,fromtentotwelveyearsold,dressedindirty,shortfrocksandcloaks,weregazingattheirmother,withanexpressionofstupefactionontheirpale,frightenedfaces.alittleboyofseven,inacoatandahugecap,obviouslynothisown,wascryinginanoldnurse’sarms.abare-ed,dirtyservant-girlwassittingonachest;shehadletdownherflaxenhair,andwaspullingoutthesingedhairs,sniffingatthem.thehusband,ashort,stoopingman,inauniform,withlittle,wheel-shapedwhiskers,andsmoothlocksofhair,peepingoutfromunderhiscap,whichwasstuckerectonhishead,wasmovingthechestsfromunderoneanotherwithanimmovableface,inggarmentsofsomesortfromunderthem.

thewomanalmostflungherselfatpierre’sfeetassoonasshesawhim.

“mercifulheavens,goodchristianfolk,saveme,helpme,kindsir！…somebody,helpme,”shearticulatedthroughhersobs.“mylittlegirl！…mydaughter！…myyoungestgirlleftbehind！…she’sburnt！oo…er！whatafateihavenursedtheefor…ooo！”

“hush,maryanikolaevna,”thehusbandsaidinalowvoicetohiswife,evidentlyonlytojustifyhimselfbeforeanoutsider.

“sistermusthavetakenher,nothingelsecanhavehappenedtoher！”headded.

“monster,miscreant！”thewomanscreechedfuriously,hertearssuddenlyceasing.“thereisnoheartinyou,youhavenofeelingforyourownchild.anyothermanwouldhaverescuedherfromthefire.butheisamonster,notaman,notafather.youareanobleman,”thewomanturnedtopierresobbingandtalkingrapidly.“therowwasonfire—theyrushedintotellus.thegirlscreamed：fire！werushedtogetourthingsout.justaswewere,weescaped.…thisisallwecouldsnatchup…theblessedimages,welookatthechildren,andthebedthatwasmydowry,andalltherestislost.katitchka’smissing.oooo！olord！…”andagainshebrokeintosobs.“mydarlingbabe！burnt！burnt！”

“butwhere,wherewassheleft？”saidpierre.

fromtheexpressionofhisinterestedface,thewomansawthatthismanmighthelpher.

“good,kindsir！”shescreamed,clutchingathislegs.“benefactor,setmyheartatrestanyway…aniska,go,youslut,showtheway,”shebawledtotheservant-girl,openinghermouthwideinheranger,anddisplayingherlongteethmorethanever.

“showtheway,showme,i…i…i’lldosomething,”pierregaspedhurriedly.

thedirtyservant-girlcameoutfrombehindthebox,putupherhair,andsighing,walkedoninfrontalongthepathwithhercoarse,barefeet.

pierrefeltasthoughhehadsuddenlycomebacktolifeafteraheavyswoon.hedrewhisheadup,hiseyesbegantoshinewiththelightoflife,andwithrapidstepshefollowedthegirl,overtookher,andwentintopovarskystreet.thewholestreetwasfullofcloudsofblacksmoke.tonguesofflameshotuphereandthereoutoftheseclouds.agreatcrowdhadgatheredinfrontofthefire.inthemiddleofthestreetstoodafrenchgeneral,sayingsomethingtothoseabouthim.pierre,accompaniedbytheservant-girl,wasapproachingtheplacewherethefrenchgeneralstood;butthefrenchsoldiersstoppedhim.

“can’tpass,”avoiceshoutedtohim.

“thisway,master,”bawledthegirl.“we’llcutacrossnikolinybythelane.”

pierreturnedback,breakingintoarunnowandthentokeeppacewithher.thegirlranacrossthestreet,turnedintoalaneontheleft,andpassingthreehouses,turnedinatagateontheright.

“it’sjusthere,”shesaid,andrunningacrossayard,sheopenedalittlegateinapaling-fence,andstoppingshort,pointedouttopierreasmallwoodenlodge,whichwasblazingawaybrightly.onesideofithadfallenin,theotherwasonfire,andflamespeepedoutatthewindow-holesandundertheroof.

aspierrewentinatthelittlegate,hefelttherushofheat,andinvoluntarilystoppedshort.

“which,whichisyourhouse？”heasked.