第500章

第500章attheendofthedayofborodino,pierreranforasecondtimefromraevsky’sbattery,andwithcrowdsofsoldierscrossedtheravineonthewaytoknyazkovo.therehereachedanambulancetent,andseeingbloodandhearingscreamsandgroans,hehurriedon,caughtupinamobofsoldiers.

theonethingpierredesirednowwithhiswholesoulwastogetawayfromtheterriblesensationsinwhichhehadpassedthatday,togetbackintotheordinaryconditionsoflife,andtogotosleepquietlyindoorsinhisownbed.hefeltthatonlyintheordinaryconditionsoflifewouldhebefittounderstandhimselfandallhehadseenandfelt.buttheordinaryconditionsoflifewerenowheretobefound.

thoughbulletsandcannonballswerenotwhistlinghereontheroadalongwhichhewasgoing,stillhesawhereonallsidesthesamesightsasonthefieldofbattle.therewereeverywherethesamesuffering,exhausted,andsometimesstrangelyindifferentfaces;everywherethesamebloodandsoldiers’overcoats,thesamesoundoffiringatadistance,yetstillrousingthesamehorror.therewasheatanddustbesides.

afterwalkingaboutthreeverstsalongthemozhaiskroad,pierresatdownbytheroadside.

theshadowsofnightwerebeginningtofallovertheearth,andtheroarofcannondieddown.pierrelayleaningonhiselbow,andlaysoalongwhile,gazingattheshadowspassingbyhiminthedusk.hewascontinuallyfancyingthatacannonballwasswoopingdownuponhimwithafearfulwhiz.hestartedandsatup.hehadnoideahowlonghehadbeenthere.inthemiddleofthenight,threesoldiers,ingbranchesafterthem,settledthemselvesnearhimandbeganmakingafire.

castingsidelongglancesatpierre,thesoldierslightedthefire,setapotonit,brokeuptheirbiscuitsintoit,andputinsomelard.thepleasantodourofthesavouryandgreasymessblendedwiththesmellofsmoke.pierreraisedhimselfandsighed.thesoldiers（therewerethreeofthem）wereeatingandtalkingamongthemselves.withouttakinganynoticeofpierre.

“andwhatlotwillyoubeoneof？”oneofthesoldierssuddenlyaskedpierre,evidentlyestinginthisinquirypreciselywhatpierrewasthinkingabout.“ifyouarehungrywe’llgiveyousome,onlytelluswhetheryou’reatrueman.”

“i？”…saidpierre,feelingthenecessityofminimisinghissocialpositionasfaraspossible,soastobeclosertothesoldiersandmorewithintheirrange.“iamreallyamilitiaofficer,butmycompany’snowhereabout;icametothebattleandlostsightofmycomrades.”

“well！fancythat！”saidoneofthesoldiers.

anothersoldiershookhishead.

“well,youcanhavesomeofthemash,ifyoulike！”saidthefirst,andlickingawoodenspoonhegaveittopierre.

pierresquattedbythefire,andfelltoeatingthemessinthepot,whichseemedtohimthemostdeliciousdishhehadevertasted.whilehewasbendingoverthepot,helpinghimselftobigspoonfulsandgreedilymunchingoneafteranother,thesoldiersstaredathiminsilence.

“wheredoyouwanttogo？tellus！”thefirstofthemaskedagain.

“tomozhaisk.”

“you’reagentleman,then？”

“yes.”

“andwhat’syourname？”

“pyotrkirillovitch.”

“well,pyotrkirillovitch,comealong,we’lltakeyouthere.”

inthepitchdarkthesoldiersandpierrewalkedtomozhaisk.

thecockswerecrowingwhentheyreachedmozhaisk,andbeganascendingthesteephillintothetown.

pierrewalkedonwiththesoldiers,entirelyforgettingthathisinnwasatthebottomofthehillandhehadpassedit.hewouldnothavebeenawareofthis—soupiedwashe—ifhehadnotchancedhalfwayupthehilltostumbleacrosshisgroom,whohadbeentolookforhiminthetown,andwasonhiswaybacktotheinn.thegroomrecognisedpierrebyhishat,whichgleamedwhiteinthedark.

“yourexcellency！”hecried,“why,wehadquitegivenyouup.howisityouareonfoot？and,mercyonus,whereareyougoing？”

“oh,tobesure…”saidpierre.

thesoldiershalted.

“well,foundyourownfolksthen？”saidoneofthem.

“well,good-byetoyou—pyotrkirillovitch,wasn’tit？”

“good-bye,pyotrkirillovitch！”saidtheothervoices.

“good-bye,”saidpierre,andwiththegroomheturnedinthedirectionoftheinn.

“ioughttogivethemsomething！”thoughtpierre,feelingforhispocket.“no,betternot,”someinnervoicepromptedhim.

therewasnotaroomattheinn：allwerefull.pierrewentoutintotheyard,andmufflinghisheadup,laydowninhiscarriage.