第519章

第519章“i’llcomein,allthesame;iwanttolookthroughthebooks,”saidpierre.

“praydo,youareverywelcome;thebrotherofmylatemaster—theheavenlykingdombehis！—makaralexyevitchhasremained,butyourhonourisawareheisinfeeblehealth,”saidtheoldservant.

makaralexyevitchwas,aspierreknew,abrotherofosipalexyevitch,ahalf-madcreature,besottedbydrink.

“yes,yes,iknow.letusgoin,”saidpierre,andhewentintothehouse.atall,baldoldmaninadressing-gown,witharednoseandgoloshesonhisbarefeet,wasstandinginthevestibule;seeingpierre,hemutteredsomethingangrily,andwalkedawayintothecorridor.

“hewasagreatintellect,butnow,asyourhonourcansee,hehasgrownfeeble,”saidgerasim.“willyouliketogointothestudy？”pierrenodded.“asitwassealedup,soithasremained.sofyadanilovnagaveordersthatifyousentforthebookstheyweretobehandedover.”

pierrewentintothegloomystudy,whichhehadenteredwithsuchtrepidationinthelifetimeofhisbenefactor.nowcoveredwithdust,anduntouchedsincethedeathofosipalexyevitch,theroomwasgloomierthanever.

gerasimopenedoneblind,andwentoutoftheroomontiptoe.pierrewalkedroundthestudy,wentuptothebookcase,wherethemanuscriptswerekept,andtookoneofthemostimportant,atonetimeasacredrelicoftheorder.thisconsistedofthelongscottishactsoftheorder,withbazdyev’snotesandcommentaries.hesatdowntothedustywriting-tableandlaidthemanuscriptsdownbeforehim,openedandclosedthem,andatlast,pushingthemaway,sankintothought,withhiselbowonthetableandhisheadinhishand.

severaltimesgerasimpeepedcautiouslyintothestudyandsawthatpierrewassittinginthesameattitude.

morethantwohourspassedby,gerasimventuredtomakeaslightnoiseatthedoortoattractpierre’sattention.pierredidnothearhim.

“isthedrivertobedismissed,yourhonour？”

“ohyes,”saidpierre,wakingupfromhisreverie,andhurriedlygettingup.“listen,”hesaid,takinggerasimbythebuttonofhiscoatandlookingdownattheoldmanwithmoist,shining,eagereyes.“listen！youknowthatto-morrowthereistobeabattle…”

“theyhavebeensayingso…”answeredgerasim.

“ibegyounottotellanyonewhoiam.anddowhatitellyou”

“certainly,sir,”saidgerasim.“wouldyourhonourlikesomethingtoeat？”

“no,butiwantsomethingelse.iwantapeasantdressandapistol,”saidpierre,suddenlyflushingred.

“certainly,sir,”saidgerasim,afteramoment’sthought.

alltherestofthatdaypierrespentaloneinhisbenefactor’sstudypacingrestlesslyfromonecornertotheother,asgerasimcouldhear,andtalkingtohimself;andhespentthenightonabedmadeupforhimthere.

gerasimacceptedpierre’stakinguphisabodetherewiththeimperturbabilityofaservant,whohadseenmanyqueerthingsinhistime,andheseemed,indeed,pleasedathavingsomeonetowaitupon.withoutevenpermittinghimselftowonderwithwhatobjectitwaswanted,heobtainedforpierrethateveningacoachman’scoatandcap,andpromisednextdaytoprocurethepistolherequired.makaralexyevitchtwicethateveningapproachedthedoor,shufflinginhisgoloshes,andstoodthere,gazingwithaningratiatingairatpierre.butassoonaspierreturnedtohim,hewrappedhisdressing-gownroundhimwithashamefacedandwrathfullook,andhastilyretreated.pierreputonthecoachman’scoat,procuredandcarefullyfumigatedforhimbygerasim,andwentoutwiththelattertobuyapistolatthesuharevtower.itwastherehehadmettherostovs.