第248章

第248章againpierrewasovertakenbythatdespondencyhesodreaded.forthreedaysafterthedeliveryofhisspeechatthelodgehelayonasofaathome,seeingnoone,andgoingnowhere.

atthistimehereceivedaletterfromhiswifewhobesoughthimtoseeher,wroteofherunhappinessonhisaccount,andherdesiretodevoteherwholelifetohim.

attheendofthelettersheinformedhimthatinadayortwoshewouldarriveinpetersburgfromabroad.

theletterwasfollowedupbyoneofthefreemasonswhompierrerespectedleastburstinginuponhissolitude.turningtheconversationuponpierre’smatrimonialaffairs,hegavehim,bywayofbrotherlycounsel,hisopinionthathisseveritytohiswifewaswrong,andthatpierrewasdepartingfromthefirstprinciplesoffreemasonryinnotforgivingthepenitent.atthesametimehismother-in-law,princevassily’swife,senttohim,beseechinghimtovisither,ifonlyforafewminutes,todiscussamatterofgreatimportance.pierresawtherewasaconspiracyagainsthim,thattheymeanttoreconcilehimwithhiswife,andhedidnotevendislikethisinthemoodinwhichhethenwas.nothingmatteredtohim;pierreregardednothinginlifeasamatterofgreatconsequence,andundertheinfluenceofthedespondencywhichhadtakenpossessionofhim,heattachednosignificanceeithertohisownfreedomortohavinghisownwaybepunishinghiswife.

“nooneisright,nooneistoblame,andsoshe,too,isnottoblame,”hethought.ifpierredidnotatoncegivehisconsenttobeingreunitedtohiswife,itwassimplybecauseinthedespondentstateintowhichhehadlapsed,hewasincapableoftakinganylineofaction.hadhiswifecometohim,hecouldnotnowhavedrivenheraway.coulditmatterbesidethequestionsthatwereabsorbingpierre,whetherhelivewithhiswifeornot？

withoutansweringeitherhiswifeorhismother-in-law,pierreatoncesetofflateintheeveninganddrovetomoscowtoseeosipalexyevitch.

thisiswhatpierrewroteinhisdiary.