第247章

第247章itwasinthesummerof1809thatpierrereturnedtopetersburg.fromthecorrespondencethatpassedbetweenfreemasonsinrussiaandabroad,itwasknownthatbezuhovhadeededingainingtheconfidenceofmanypersonsinhighpositionsabroad;thathehadbeeninitiatedintomanymysteries,hadbeenraisedtoahighergrade,andwasbringingbackwithhimmuchthatwouldconducetotheprogressoffreemasonryinrussia.thepetersburgfreemasonsallcametoseehim,triedtoingratiatethemselveswithhim,andallfanciedthathehadsomethinginreservethathewaspreparingforthem.

asolemnassemblyofthelodgeofthesecondorderwasarranged,atwhichpierrepromisedtocommunicatethemessagehehadtogivethepetersburgbrothersfromthehighestleadersoftheorderabroad.theassemblywasafullone.aftertheusualceremoniespierregotupandbegantospeak：

“dearbrothers,”hebegan,blushingandhesitating,withawrittenspeechinhishand,“itisnotenoughtoguardoursecretsintheseclusionofthelodge,—whatisneededistoact…toact.…wearefallingintoslumber,andweneedtoact.”

pierreopenedhismanuscriptandbegantoread.

“forthepropagationofthepuretruthandtheattainmentofvirtue,”heread,“wemustpurifymenfromprejudice,diffuseprinciplesinharmonywiththespiritofthetimes,undertaketheeducationoftheyoungergeneration,allyourselvesbyindissolubletieswiththemostenlightenedmen,boldly,andatthesametimeprudently,overcomesuperstition,infidelity,andfolly,andformofthosedevotedtousmenlinkedtogetherbyacommonaimandpossessedofpowerandauthority.

“fortheattainmentofthisaimwemustsecuretovirtuethepreponderanceovervice;wemuststrivethatthehonestmanmayobtainhiseternalrewardeveninthisworld.butinthosegreatprojectsweareverygravelyhinderedbyexistingpoliticalinstitutions.whatistobedoneintheexistingstateofaffairs？arewetowelcomerevolutions,tooverthroweverything,torepelviolencebyviolence？…no,weareveryfarfromthat.everyreformbyviolenceistobedeprecated,becauseitdoeslittletocorrecttheevilwhilemenremainastheyare,andbecausewisdomhasnoneedofviolence.

“thewholeplanofourordershouldbefoundedonthetrainingofmenofcharacterandvirtue,boundtogetherbyunityofconvictionandaim,—theaimofsuppressingviceandfollyeverywherebyeverymeans,andprotectingtalentandvirtue,raisingdeservingpersonsoutofthedustandenrollingtheminourbrotherhood.onlythenwillourorderobtainthepowerinsensiblytotiethehandsofthepromotersofdisorder,andtocontrolthemwithouttheirbeingawareofit.inaword,wewanttofoundaformofgovernmentholdinguniversalsway,whichshouldbediffusedoverthewholeworldwithoutencroachingoncivilobligations;underwhichallothergovernmentscouldcontinueintheirordinarycourseanddoall,exceptwhathindersthegreataimofourorder,thatis,thetriumphofvirtueovervice.thisaimisthatofchristianityitself.ithastaughtmentobeholyandgood,andfortheirownprofittofollowthepreceptandexampleofbetterandwisermen.

“intimeswhenallwasplungedindarkness,exhortationalonewasofcourseenough;thenoveltyoftruthgaveitpeculiarforce,butnowadaysfarmorepowerfulmeansarenecessaryforus.nowamanguidedbyhissensesneedstofindinvirtueacharmpalpabletothesenses.thepassionscannotbeuprooted;wemustonlyattempttodirectthemtoanobleobject,andsoeveryoneshouldbeabletofindsatisfactionforhispassionswithintheboundsofvirtue,andourordershouldprovidemeanstothatend.assoonaswehaveacertainnumberofcapablemenineverystate,eachofthemtrainingagaintwoothers,andallkeepinginclosecooperation,theneverythingwillbepossibleforourorder,whichhasalreadydonemuchinsecretforthegoodofhumanity.”

thisspeechdidnotmerelymakeagreatimpression,itproducedathrillofexcitementinthelodge.themajorityofthebrothers,seeinginthisspeechdangerousprojectsof“illuminism,”topierre’ssurprisereceiveditcoldly.thegrandmasterbegantoraiseobjectionstoit;pierrebegantoexpoundhisownviewswithgreaterandgreaterheat.itwaslongsincetherehadbeensostormyameeting.thelodgesplitupintoparties;onepartyopposedpierre,accusinghimof“illuminism”;theothersupportedhim.pierrewasforthefirsttimeatthismeetingimpressedbytheendlessmultiplicityofmen’sminds,whichleadstonotruthbeingeverseenbytwopersonsalike.

eventhoseamongthememberswhoseemedtobeonhissideinterpretedhimintheirownway,withlimitationsandvariations,towhichhecouldnotagree.whatpierrechieflydesiredwasalwaystotransmithisthoughttoanotherexactlyasheconceivedithimself.

attheconclusionofthesitting,thegrandmasterspokewithill-willandironytobezuhovofhishastytemper;andobservedthatitwasnotloveofvirtuealone,butapassionforstrife,thathadguidedhiminthediscussion.

pierremadehimnoreply,butbrieflyinquiredwhetherhisproposalwouldbeaccepted.hewastoldthatitwouldnotbe;andwithoutwaitingfortheusualformalities,heleftthelodgeandwenthome.