第313章

第313章afterprinceandrey’sengagementtonatasha，pierresuddenly，fornoapparentreason，feltitimpossibletogoonlivinginthesamewayasbefore.firmashisbeliefwasinthetruthsrevealedtohimbyhisbenefactor，theoldfreemason，andhappyashehadbeenatfirstinthetaskofperfectinghisinnerspiritualself，towhichhehaddevotedhimselfwithsuchardour，yetafterprinceandrey’sengagementtonatasha，andthedeathofosipalexyevitch，thenewsofwhichreachedhimalmostsimultaneously，thewholezestofhisreligiouslifeseemedtohavesuddenlyvanished.nothingbuttheskeletonofliferemained：hishousewithhisbrilliantwife，nowbaskinginthefavoursofaverygrandpersonageindeed，thesocietyofallpetersburg，andhisserviceatcourtwithitstediousformalities.andthatlifesuddenlyfilledpierrewithunexpectedloathing.hegaveupkeepinghisdiary，avoidedthesocietyofbrother-masons，tooktovisitingtheclubagainandtodrinkingagreatdeal；associatedoncemorewithgaybachelorcompanions，andbegantoleadalifesodissipatedthatcountesselenavassilyevnathoughtitnecessarytomakesevereobservationstohimonthesubject.pierrefeltthatshewasright；andtoavoidcompromisinghiswifehewentawaytomoscow.

inmoscow，assoonasheenteredhishugehousewiththefadedandfadingprincesses，hiscousins，andtheimmenseretinueofservants，assoonas，drivingthroughthetown，hesawtheiverskychapelwiththelightsofinnumerablecandlesbeforethegoldensettingofthemadonna，thesquareofthekremlinwithitsuntroddensnow，thesledge-drivers，andthehovelsofsivtsevvrazhok；sawtheoldmoscowgentlemenquietlygoingonwiththeirdailyround，withouthurryordesireofchange；sawtheoldmoscowladies，themoscowballs，andtheenglishclub—hefelthimselfathome，inaquiethavenofrest.inmoscowhefeltcomfortable，warm，athome，andsnuglydirty，asinanolddressing-gown.

allmoscowsociety，fromtheoldladiestothechildren，welcomedpierrebacklikealong-expectedguest，whoseplacewasalwaysreadyforhim，andhadneverbeenfilledup.forthemoscowworld，pierrewasthemostdelightful，kind-hearted，intellectual，good-humoured，andgenerouseccentric，andaheedlessandgenialrussiangentlemanofthegoodoldschool.hispursewasalwaysempty，becauseitwasalwaysopentoeveryone.

benefit-entertainments，poorpicturesandstatues，benevolentsocieties，gypsychoruses，schools，subscriptiondinners，drinkingparties，themasons，churches，andbooks—nooneandnothingevermetwitharefusal，andhaditnotbeenfortwofriends，whohadborrowedlargesumsofmoneyfrompierreandconstitutedthemselvesguardiansofasortoverhim，hewouldhavepartedwitheverything.notadinner，notasoiréetookplaceattheclubwithouthim.

assoonashewaslollinginhisplaceonthesofa，afteracoupleofbottlesofmargaux，hewassurroundedbyacircleoffriends，andarguments，disputes，andjokesspranguproundhim.wheretherewerequarrels，hiskindlysmileandcasuallyutteredjokeswereenoughtoreconciletheantagonists.themasonicdininglodgesweredullanddrearywhenhewasabsent.

whenafterabachelorsupper，withaweakandgood-naturedsmile，heyieldedtotheentreatiesofthefestivepartythathewoulddriveoffwiththemtosharetheirrevels，therewereshoutsofdelightandtriumph.atballshedancediftherewerealackofpartners.girlsandyoungmarriedladieslikedhim，becausehepaidnospecialattentiontoanyone，butwasequallyamiabletoall，especiallyaftersupper.“heischarming；heisofnosex，”theyusedtosayofhim.

pierrewasjustakammerherr，retiredtoendhisdaysinmoscow，likehundredsofothers.howhorrifiedhewouldhavebeenif，sevenyearsbefore，whenhehadjustcomehomefromabroad，anyonehadtoldhimthattherewasnoneedforhimtolookabouthimandrackhisbrains，thatthetrackhadlongagobeentrodden，markedoutfromalleternityforhim，andthat，leashewould，hewouldbejustsuchanotherasallmeninhisposition.hecouldnothavebelieveditthen！hadhenotlongedwithhiswholehearttoestablisharepublicinrussia；thentobehimselfanapoleon；thentobeaphilosopher；andthenagreatstrategistandtheconquerorofnapoleon？hadhenotpassionatelydesiredandbelievedintheregenerationofthesinfulraceofmanandtheschoolingofhimselftothehighestpointofperfectvirtue？hadhenotfoundedschoolsandhospitalsandliberatedhisserfs？

butinsteadofallthat，herehewasthewealthyhusbandofafaithlesswife，aretiredkammerherr，fondofdininganddrinking，fond，too，asheunbuttonedhiswaistcoatafterdinner，ofindulginginalittleabuseofthegovernment，amemberofthemoscowenglishclub，andauniversalfavouriteinmoscowsociety.foralongwhilehecouldnotreconcilehimselftotheideathathewaspreciselytheretiredmoscowkammerherr，theverytypehehadsoprofoundlyscornedsevenyearsbefore.

sometimesheconsoledhimselfbythereflectionthatitdidnotcount，thathewasonlytemporarilyleadingthislife.butlateronhewashorrifiedbyanotherreflection，thatnumbersofothermen，withthesameideaofitsbeingtemporary，hadenteredthatlifeandthatclubwithalltheirteethandathickheadofhair，onlytoleaveitwhentheyweretoothlessandbald.