第536章

第536章theprocessoftheabsorptionofthefrenchintomoscowinawideningcircleinalldirectionsdidnot,tilltheeveningofthe2ndofseptember,reachthequarterofthetowninwhichpierrewasstaying.

afterthetwolastdaysspentinsolitudeandexceptionalconditions,pierrewasinaconditionapproachingmadness.onehauntingideahadcompletepossessionofhim.hecouldnothavetoldhoworwhenithadcometohim,butthatideahadnowsuchcompletepossessionofhimthatherememberednothinginthepast,andunderstoodnothinginthepresent;andeverythinghesawandheardseemedpassinginadream.

pierrehadlefthisownhousesimplytoescapefromthecomplicatedtanglewovenabouthimbythedemandsofdailylife,whichinhisconditionatthattimehewasincapableofunravelling.hehadgonetoosipalexyevitch’shouseonthepretextofsortingoutthebooksandpapersofthedeceased.simplyhewasinsearchofaquiethomeofrestfromthestormoflife,andhismemoriesofosipalexyevitchwereconnectedinhissoulwithawholeworldofcalm,solemn,andeternalideals,ineverywaythereverseofthetangledwhirlofagitationintowhichhefelthimselfbeingdrawn.hewasinsearchofaquietrefuge,andhecertainlyfounditinosipalexyevitch’sstudy.when,inthedeathlikestillnessofthestudy,hesatwithhiselbowsonthedustywriting-tableofhisdeceasedfriend,therepassedincalmandsignificantessionbeforehismentalvisiontheimpressionsofthelastfewdays,especiallyofthebattleofborodino,andofthatoverwhelmingsenseofhisownpettinessandfalsityincomparisonwiththetruthandsimplicityandforceofthatclassofmen,whowerementallyreferredtobyhimas“they.”whengerasimrousedhimfromhisreverie,theideaoccurredtopierrethathewouldtakepartinthedefenceofmoscowbythepeople,whichwas,heknew,expected.andwiththatobjecthehadaskedgerasimtogethimapeasant’scoatandapistol,andhadtoldhimthatheintendedtoconcealhisname,andtoremaininosipalexyevitch’shouse.thenduringthefirstdayofsolitudeandidleness（pierretriedseveraltimesinvaintofixhisattentiononthemasonicmanuscripts）thereroseseveraltimesvaguelytohismindtheideathathadoccurredtohiminthepastofthecabalisticsignificanceofhisnameinconnectionwiththenameofbonaparte.buttheideathathe,l’russebesuhof,wasdestinedtoputanendtothepowerofthebeast,hadasyetonlycometohimasoneofthosedreamsthatflitidlythroughthebrain,leavingnotracebehind.whenafterbuyingthepeasant’scoat,simplywiththeobjectoftakingpartinthedefenceofmoscowbythepeople,pierrehadmettherostovs,andnatashasaidtohim,“youarestaying？ah,howsplendidthatis！”theideahadflashedintohismindthatitreallymightbesplendid,eveniftheydidtakemoscow,forhimtoremain,andtodowhathadbeenfore-toldforhimtodo.

nextdaywiththesimpleaimofnotsparinghimselfandnotdoinglessthantheywoulddo,hehadgoneouttothethreehillsbarrier.butwhenhecameback,convincedthatmoscowwouldnotbedefended,hesuddenlyfeltthatwhathadonlyoccurredtohimbeforeasapossibilityhadnowbecomesomethingnecessaryandinevitable.hemustremaininmoscow,concealinghisname,mustmeetnapoleon,andkillhim,soaseithertoperishortoputanendtothemiseryofalleurope,whichwasinpierre’sopinionentirelyduetonapoleonalone.

pierreknewallthedetailsofthegermanstudent’sattemptonnapoleon’slifeatviennain1809,andknewthatthatstudenthadbeenshot.andthedangertowhichhewouldbeexposinghisownlifeincarryingouthisdesignexcitedhimevenmoreviolently.