第202章

第202章shortlyafterthis，therewalkedintothedarktempletofetchpierrenottherhetor，buthissponsorvillarsky，whomherecognisedbyhisvoice.inreplytofreshinquiriesastothefirmnessofhisresolve，pierreanswered：

“yes，yes，iagree，”andwithabeaming，childlikesmilehewalkedforward，steppingtimidlyandunevenlywithonebootedandoneslipperedfoot，whilevillarskyheldaswordpointedathisfat，uncoveredchest.hewasledoutoftheroomalongcorridors，turningbackwardsandforwards，tillatlasthewasbroughttothedoorsofthelodge.villarskycoughed；hewasansweredbymasonictapswithhammers；thedooropenedbeforethem.abassvoice（pierre’seyeswereagainbandaged）putquestionstohim，whohewas，whereandwhenhewasborn，andsoon.thenhewasagainledawaysomewherewithhiseyesstillbandaged，andashewalkedtheyspoketohiminallegoriesofthetoilsofhispilgrimage，andofholylove，oftheeternalcreatoroftheworld，ofthecouragewithwhichhewastoenduretoilsanddangers.duringthistimepierrenoticedthathewascalledsometimestheseeker，sometimesthesufferer，andsometimesthepostulant，andthattheymadevarioustappingsoundswithhammersandwithswords.whilehewasbeingleduptosomeobject，henoticedthattherewashesitationanduncertaintyamonghisconductors.heheardawhispereddisputeamongthepeopleroundhim，andoneoftheminsistingthatheshouldbemadetocrossacertaincarpet.afterthistheytookhisrighthand，laiditonsomething，whiletheybadehimwiththeleftholdacompasstohisleftbreast，whiletheymadehimrepeataftersomeonewhoreadthewordsaloud，theoathoffidelitytothelawsoftheorder.thenthecandleswereextinguishedandspiritwaslighted，aspierreknewfromthesmellofit，andhewastoldthathewouldseethelesserlight.thebandagewastakenoffhiseyes，andinthefaintlightoftheburningspiritpierresaw，asthoughitwereinadream，severalpersonswhostoodfacinghiminapronsliketherhetor’s，andheldswordspointedathisbreast.amongthemstoodamaninawhiteshirtstainedwithblood.onseeingthis，pierremovedwithhischestforwardtowardstheswords，meaningthemtostabhim.buttheswordsweredrawnback，andthebandagewasatoncereplacedonhiseyes.

“nowyouhaveseenthelesserlight，”saidavoice.thenagaintheylightedthecandles，toldhimthathehadnowtoseethefulllight，andagainremovedthebandage，andmorethantenvoicessaidallatonce：“sictransitgloriamundi.”

pierregraduallybegantoregainhisself-possession，andtolookaboutattheroomandthepeopleinit.roundalongtablecoveredwithblackweresittingsomedozenmen，allinthesamestrangegarmentthathehadseenbefore.severalofthempierreknewinpetersburgsociety.inthepresident’schairsatayoungman，withapeculiarcrossonhisneck，whomhedidnotknow.onhisrighthandsattheitalianabbéwhompierrehadseentwoyearsbeforeatannapavlovna’s.therewereamongthemadignitaryofveryhighstandingandaswisstutor，whohadoncebeeninthekuraginfamily.allpreservedasolemnsilence，listeningtothepresident，whoheldahammerinhishand.inthewallwascarvedablazingstar；ononesideofthetablewasasmallrugwithvariousfiguresworkeduponit；ontheotherwassomethinglikeanaltarwiththegospelandaskullonit.roundthetablestoodsevenbigecclesiastical-lookingcandlesticks.twoofthebrothersledpierreuptothealtar，sethisfeetatrightanglesandbadehimliedown，sayingthathewouldbecastinghimselfdownatthegatesofthetemple.

“heoughtfirsttoreceivethespade，”saidoneofthebrothersinawhisper.

“oh！hush，please，”saidanother.