第553章

第553章whenpierre,afterrunningacrosscourtyardsandby-lanes,gotbackwithhisburdentoprincegruzinsky’sgarden,atthecornerofpovarsky,hedidnotforthefirstmomentrecognisetheplacefromwhichhehadsetouttolookforthebaby：itwassopackedwithpeopleandgoods,edoutofthehouses.besidestherussianfamilieswiththeirbelongingssavedfromthefire,therewereagoodmanyfrenchsoldiersheretooinvariousuniforms.pierretooknonoticeofthem.hewasinhastetofindthefamily,andtorestorethechildtoitsmother,soastobeabletogobackandsavesomeoneelse.itseemedtopierrethathehadagreatdealmoretodo,andtodoquickly.warmedupbytheheatandrunning,pierrefeltevenmorestronglyatthatminutethesenseofyouth,eagerness,andresolution,whichhadcomeuponhimwhenhewasrunningtosavethebaby.

thechildwasquietnow,andclingingtopierre’scoatwithherlittlehands,shesatonhisarm,andlookedaboutherlikealittlewildbeast.pierreglancedathernowandthen,andsmiledslightly.hefanciedhesawsomethingtouchinglyinnocentinthefrightened,sicklylittleface.

neithertheofficialnorhiswifewereintheplacewherehehadleftthem.withrapidsteps,pierrewalkedaboutamongthecrowd,scanningthedifferentfaceshecameacross.hecouldnothelpnoticingageorgianorarmenianfamily,consistingofaveryoldman,ofahandsomeorientalcastofface,dressedinanewcloth-facedsheepskinandnewboots;anoldwomanofasimilartype;andayoungwoman.thelatter—averyyoungwoman—struckpierreasaperfectexampleoforientalbeauty,withhersharplymarked,arched,blackeyebrows,herextraordinarilysoft,brightcolourandbeautiful,expressionless,ovalface.amongthegoodsflungdowninthecrowdinthegrassspace,inherrichsatinmantle,andthebrightlilackerchiefonherhead,sheestedatender,tropicalplant,throwndowninthesnow.shewassittingontheagealittlebehindtheoldwoman,andherbig,black,long-shapedeyes,withtheirlonglashes,werefixedimmovablyontheground.evidentlyshewasawareofherbeauty,andfearfulbecauseofit.herfacestruckpierre,andinhishastehelookedroundatherseveraltimesashepassedalongbythefence.reachingthefence,andstillfailingtofindthepeoplehewaslookingfor,pierrestoodstillandlookedround.

pierre’sfigurewasmoreremarkablethanevernowwiththebabyinhisarms,andseveralrussians,bothmenandwomen,gatheredabouthim.

“haveyoulostsomeone,goodsir？areyouagentlemanyourself,orwhat？whosebabyisit？”theyaskedhim.

pierreansweredthatthebabybelongedtoawomaninablackmantle,whohadbeensittingatthisspotwithherchildren;andaskedwhetheranyoneknewher,andwhereshehadgone.

“why,itmustbetheanferovs,”saidanolddeaconaddressingapock-markedpeasantwoman.“lord,havemercyonus！lord,havemercyonus！”headded,inhisprofessionalbass.

“theanferovs,”saidthewoman.“why,theanferovshavebeengonesinceearlythismorning.itwilleitherbemaryanikolaevna’sorivanova’s.”

“hesaysawoman,andmaryanikolaevna’salady,”saidahouse-serf.

“youknowher,then;athinwoman—longteeth,”saidpierre.

“tobesure,maryanikolaevna.theymovedoffintothegardenassoonasthesewolvespounceddownonus,”saidthewoman,indicatingthefrenchsoldiers.

“olord,havemercyonus！”thedeaconaddedagain.

“yougoonyonder,theyarethere.it’sshe,forsure.shewasquitebesideherselfwithcrying,”saidthewomanagain.“it’sshe.herethisway.”

butpierrewasnotheedingthewoman.forseveralsecondshehadbeengazingintentlyatwhatwaspassingafewpacesfromhim.hewaslookingatthearmenianfamilyandtwofrenchsoldiers,whohadapproachedthem.oneofthesesoldiers,animble,littleman,wasdressedinabluecoat,withacordtiedroundforabelt.hehadanight-caponhishead,andhisfeetwerebare.another,whoseappearancestruckpierreparticularly,wasalong,round-shouldered,fair-haired,thinman,withponderousmovementsandanidioticexpressionofface.hewasdressedinafriezetunic,bluetrousersandbig,torn,highboots.thelittlebare-footedfrenchmaninthebluecoat,ongoinguptothearmenians,saidsomething,andatoncetookholdoftheoldman’slegs,andtheoldmanbeganimmediatelyinhastepullingoffhisboots.theothersoldierinthetunicstoppedfacingthebeautifularmeniangirl,withhishandsinhispockets,andstaredatherwithoutspeakingormoving.