第503章

第503章onthe30thpierrereturnedtomoscow.almostatthecitygateshewasmetbyanadjutantofcountrastoptchin’s.

“why,wehavebeenlookingforyoueverywhere,”saidtheadjutant.“thecounturgentlywantstoseeyou.hebegsyoutocometohimatonceonveryimportantbusiness.”insteadofgoinghome,pierrehailedacab-driveranddrovetothegovernor’s.

countrastoptchinhadonlythatmorningarrivedfromhissummervillaatsokolniky.theante-roomandwaiting-roominthecount’shousewerefullofofficials,whohadbeensummonedbyhim,orhadcometohimforinstructions.vassiltchekovandplatovhadalreadyseenthecount,andinformedhimthatthedefenceofmoscowwasoutofthequestion,andthecitywouldbesurrendered.thoughthenewswasbeingconcealedfromthecitizens,theheadsofvariousdepartmentsandofficialsofdifferentkindsknewthatmoscowwouldsoonbeinthehandsoftheenemy,justascountrastoptchinknewit.andallofthemtoescapepersonalresponsibilityhadcometothegovernortoinquirehowtoactinregardtotheofficesintheircharge.

atthemomentwhenpierrewentintothewaiting-room,acourierfromthearmywasjustcomingoutfromaninterviewwiththecount.

thecourierwavedhishandwithahopelessairatthequestionswithwhichhewasbesieged,andwalkedacrosstheroom.

whilehewaited,pierrewatchedwithwearyeyesthevariousofficials—young,old,military,andcivilian,importantandinsignificant—whoweregatheredtogetherintheroom.allseemeddissatisfiedanduneasy.pierrewentuptoonegroupoffunctionaries,amongwhomherecognisedanacquaintance.aftergreetinghim,theywentonwiththeirconversation.

“well,tosendoutandbringbackagainwouldbenoharm;butinthepresentpositionofaffairsthere’snoansweringforanything.”

“butlookhere,whathewrites,”saidanother,pointingtoaprintedpaperheheldinhishand.

“that’sadifferentmatter.that’snecessaryforthecommonpeople,”saidthefirst.

“whatisit？”askedpierre.

“thenewproclamation.”

pierretookitandbegantoread.

“hishighnesstheprincehaspassedmozhaisk,soastounitewiththetroopsthataregoingtojoinhim,andhastakenupastrongposition,wheretheenemycannotattackhimsuddenly.forty-eightcannonwithshellshavebeensenthimfromhere,andhishighnessdeclaresthathewilldefendmoscowtothelastdropofblood,andisreadyeventofightinthestreets.don’tmind,brothers,thatthecourtsofjusticeareclosed;wemusttakeourmeasures,andwe’lldealwithmiscreantsinourownfashion.whenthetimecomes,ishallhaveneedofsomegallantfellows,bothoftownandcountry.iwillgivethewordinacoupleofdays;butnowthere’snoneed,andiholdmypeace.theaxeisuseful;thepike,too,isnottobedespised;butbestofallisthethree-prongedfork：afrenchmanisnoheavierthanasheafofrye.to-morrowafterdinner,ishalltaketheiverskyholymothertost.catherine’shospitaltothewounded.therewewillconsecratethewater;theywillsoonbewellagain.i,tooamwellnow;oneofmyeyeswasbad,butnowilookwelloutofboth.”

“why,iwastoldbymilitarymen,”saidpierre,“thattherecouldbenofightinginthetownitself,andtheposition…”

“tobesure,that’sjustwhatwearesaying,”saidthefirstspeaker.

“butwhatdoesthatmean：‘oneofmyeyeswasbad,butnowilookoutofboth’？”askedpierre.