第196章

第196章“ihavethepleasureofspeakingtocountbezuhov,ifiamnotmistaken,”saidthestranger,inalouddeliberatevoice.pierrelookedinsilenceandinquiringlyoverhisspectaclesatthespeaker.“ihaveheardofyou,”continuedthestranger,“andihaveheard,sir,ofwhathashappenedtoyou,ofyourmisfortune.”heunderlined,asitwere,thelastword,asthoughtosay：“yes,misfortune,whateveryoucallit,iknowthatwhathappenedtoyouinmoscowwasamisfortune.”

“iamverysorryforit,sir.”pierrereddened,andhurriedlydroppinghislegsovertheedgeofthebed,hebentforwardtowardstheoldman,smilingtimidlyandunnaturally.

“ihavenotmentionedthistoyou,sir,fromcuriosity,butfromgraverreasons.”hepaused,notlettingpierreescapefromhisgaze,andmovedasideonthesofa,invitinghimbythismovementtositbesidehim.pierredislikedenteringintoconversationwiththisoldman,butinvoluntarilysubmittingtohim,hecameandsatdownbesidehim.

“youareunhappy,sir,”hewenton,“youareyoung,andiamold.ishouldlike,asfarasitisinmypower,tohelpyou.”

“oh,yes,”saidpierre,withanunnaturalsmile.“verymuchobligedtoyou…wherehaveyoubeentravellingfrom？”thestranger’sfacewasnotcordial,itwasevencoldandsevere,butinspiteofthat,boththespeechandthefaceofhisnewacquaintancewereirresistiblyattractivetopierre.

“butifforanyreasonyoudislikeconversingwithme,”saidtheoldman,“thenyousayso,sir.”andsuddenlyhesmiledaquiteunexpectedsmileoffatherlykindliness.

“oh,no,notatall;onthecontrary,iamverygladtomakeyouracquaintance,”saidpierre,andglancingoncemoreatthestranger’shands,heexaminedtheringmoreclosely.hesawtheheadofadam,thetokenofmasonry.

“allowmetoinquire,”hesaid,“areyouamason？”

“yes,ibelongtothebrotherhoodofthefreemasons,”saidthestranger,lookingnowmoresearchinglyintopierre’seyes.“andfrommyselfandintheirnameiholdouttoyouabrotherlyhand.”

“iamafraid,”saidpierre,smilingandhesitatingbetweentheconfidenceinspiredinhimbythepersonalityofthefreemasonandthehabitofridiculingthearticlesofthemasons’creed;“iamafraidthatiamveryfarfromacomprehension—howshallisay—iamafraidthatmywayofthinkinginregardtothewholetheoryoftheuniverseissoopposedtoyoursthatweshallnotunderstandoneanother.”

“iamawareofyourwayofthinking,”saidthefreemason,“andthatwayofthinkingofwhichyouspeak,whichseemstoyoutheresultofyourownthought,isthewayofthinkingofthemajorityofmen,andistheinvariablefruitofpride,indolence,andignorance.excusemysaying,sir,thatifihadnotbeenawareofit,ishouldnothaveaddressedyou.yourwayofthinkingisamelancholyerror.”

“justasimaytakeforgrantedthatyouareinerror,”saidpierre,faintlysmiling.

“iwouldneverbesoboldastosayiknowthetruth,”saidthemason,thedefinitenessanddecisionofwhosemannerofspeakingimpressedpierremoreandmore.“noonealonecanattaintruth;onlystoneuponstone,withtheco-operationofall,bythemillionsofgenerationsfromourfirstfatheradamdowntoourdayisthattemplebeingrearedthatshouldbeafittingdwelling-placeofthegreatgod,”saidthefreemason,andheshuthiseyes.

“ioughttotellyouthatidon’tbelieve,don’t…believeingod,”saidpierreregretfullyandwitheffort,feelingitessentialtospeakthewholetruth.

thefreemasonlookedintentlyatpierreandsmiledasarichman,holdingmillionsinhishands,mightsmiletoapoorwretch,whoshouldsaytohimthathe,thepoorman,hasnotfiveroublesthatwouldsecurehishappiness.

“yes,youdonotknowhim,sir,”saidthefreemason.“youcannotknowhim.youknownothim,thatiswhyyouareunhappy.”

“yes,yes,iamunhappy,”pierreassented;“butwhatamitodo？”

“youknownothim,sir,andthat’swhyyouareveryunhappy.youknownothim,butheishere,heiswithinme,heisinmywords,heisinthee,andeveninthesescoffingwordsthatthouhastjustuttered,”saidthemasoninastern,vibratingvoice.

hepausedandsighed,evidentlytryingtobecalm.

“ifhewerenot,”hesaidsoftly,“weshouldnotbespeakingofhim,sir.ofwhat,ofwhomwerewespeaking？whomdostthoudeny？”hesaidallatonce,withenthusiasticausterityandauthorityinhisvoice.“whoinventedhim,ifhebenot？howcametherewithintheetheconceptionthatthereissuchanincomprehensiblebeing？howcomesitthatthouandalltheworldhaveassumedtheexistenceofsuchaninconceivablebeing,abeingallpowerful,eternalandinfiniteinallhisqualities？…”hestoppedandmadealongpause.

pierrecouldnotandwouldnotinterruptthissilence.