战争与和平(上)-第117部分

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our　order　obtain　the　power　insensibly　to　tie　the　hands　of　the　promoters　of　disorder；　and　to　control　them　without　their　being　aware　of　it。　In　a　word；　we　want　to　found　a　form　of　government　holding　universal　sway；　which　should　be　diffused　over　the　whole　world　without　encroaching　on　civil　obligations；　under　which　all　other　governments　could　continue　in　their　ordinary　course　and　do　all；　except　what　hinders　the　great　aim　of　our　order；　that　is；　the　triumph　of　virtue　over　vice。　This　aim　is　that　of　Christianity　itself。　It　has　taught　men　to　be　holy　and　good；　and　for　their　own　profit　to　follow　the　precept　and　example　of　better　and　wiser　men。
“In　times　when　all　was　plunged　in　darkness；　exhortation　alone　was　of　course　enough；　the　novelty　of　truth　gave　it　peculiar　force；　but　nowadays　far　more　powerful　means　are　necessary　for　us。　Now　a　man　guided　by　his　senses　needs　to　find　in　virtue　a　charm　palpable　to　the　senses。　The　passions　cannot　be　uprooted；　we　must　only　attempt　to　direct　them　to　a　noble　object；　and　so　every　one　should　be　able　to　find　satisfaction　for　his　passions　within　the　bounds　of　virtue；　and　our　order　should　provide　means　to　that　end。　As　soon　as　we　have　a　certain　number　of　capable　men　in　every　state；　each　of　them　training　again　two　others；　and　all　keeping　in　close　cooperation；　then　everything　will　be　possible　for　our　order；　which　has　already　done　much　in　secret　for　the　good　of　humanity。”
This　speech　did　not　merely　make　a　great　impression；　it　produced　a　thrill　of　excitement　in　the　lodge。　The　majority　of　the　brothers；　seeing　in　this　speech　dangerous　projects　of　“illuminism；”　to　Pierre’s　surprise　received　it　coldly。　The　Grand　Master　began　to　raise　objections　to　it；　Pierre　began　to　expound　his　own　views　with　greater　and　greater　heat。　It　was　long　since　there　had　been　so　stormy　a　meeting。　The　lodge　split　up　into　parties；　one　party　opposed　Pierre；　accusing　him　of　“illuminism”；　the　other　supported　him。　Pierre　was　for　the　first　time　at　this　meeting　impressed　by　the　endless　multiplicity　of　men’s　minds；　which　leads　to　no　truth　being　ever　seen　by　two　persons　alike。
Even　those　among　the　members　who　seemed　to　be　on　his　side　interpreted　him　in　their　own　way；　with　limitations　and　variations；　to　which　he　could　not　agree。　What　Pierre　chiefly　desired　was　always　to　transmit　his　thought　to　another　exactly　as　he　conceived　it　himself。
At　the　conclusion　of　the　sitting；　the　Grand　Master　spoke　with　ill…will　and　irony　to　Bezuhov　of　his　hasty　temper；　and　observed　that　it　was　not　love　of　virtue　alone；　but　a　passion　for　strife；　that　had　guided　him　in　the　discussion。
Pierre　made　him　no　reply；　but　briefly　inquired　whether　his　proposal　would　be　accepted。　He　was　told　that　it　would　not　be；　and　without　waiting　for　the　usual　formalities；　he　left　the　lodge　and　went　home。


Chapter　8
AGAIN　PIERRE　was　overtaken　by　that　despondency　he　so　dreaded。　For　three　days　after　the　delivery　of　his　speech　at　the　lodge　he　lay　on　a　sofa　at　home；　seeing　no　one；　and　going　nowhere。
At　this　time　he　received　a　letter　from　his　wife　who　besought　him　to　see　her；　wrote　of　her　unhappiness　on　his　account；　and　her　desire　to　devote　her　whole　life　to　him。
At　the　end　of　the　letter　she　informed　him　that　in　a　day　or　two　she　would　arrive　in　Petersburg　from　abroad。
The　letter　was　followed　up　by　one　of　the　freemasons　whom　Pierre　respected　least　bursting　in　upon　his　solitude。　Turning　the　conversation　upon　Pierre’s　matrimonial　affairs；　he　gave　him；　by　way　of　brotherly　counsel；　his　opinion　that　his　severity　to　his　wife　was　wrong；　and　that　Pierre　was　departing　from　the　first　principles　of　freemasonry　in　not　forgiving　the　penitent。　At　the　same　time　his　mother…in…law；　Prince　Vassily’s　wife；　sent　to　him；　beseeching　him　to　visit　her；　if　only　for　a　few　minutes；　to　discuss　a　matter　of　great　importance。　Pierre　saw　there　was　a　conspiracy　against　him；　that　they　meant　to　reconcile　him　with　his　wife；　and　he　did　not　even　dislike　this　in　the　mood　in　which　he　then　was。　Nothing　mattered　to　him；　Pierre　regarded　nothing　in　life　as　a　matter　of　great　consequence；　and　under　the　influence　of　the　despondency　which　had　taken　possession　of　him；　he　attached　no　significance　either　to　his　own　freedom　or　to　having　his　own　way　be　punishing　his　wife。
“No　one　is　right；　no　one　is　to　blame；　and　so　she；　too；　is　not　to　blame；”　he　thought。　If　Pierre　did　not　at　once　give　his　consent　to　being　reunited　to　his　wife；　it　was　simply　because　in　the　despondent　state　into　which　he　had　lapsed；　he　was　incapable　of　taking　any　line　of　action。　Had　his　wife　come　to　him；　he　could　not　now　have　driven　her　away。　Could　it　matter　beside　the　questions　that　were　absorbing　Pierre；　whether　he　live　with　his　wife　or　not？
Without　answering　either　his　wife　or　his　mother…in…law；　Pierre　at　once　set　off　late　in　the　evening　and　drove　to　Moscow　to　see　Osip　Alexyevitch。
This　is　what　Pierre　wrote　in　his　diary。
“Moscow；　November　17。—I　have　only　just　come　from　seeing　my　benefactor；　and　I　hasten　to　note　down　all　I　have　been　feeling。　Osip　Alexyevitch　lives　in　poverty；　and　has　been　for　three　years　past　suffering　from　a　painful　disease　of　the　bladder。　No　one　has　ever　heard　from　him　a　groan　or　a　word　of　complaint。　From　morning　till　late　at　night；　except　at　the　times　when　he　partakes　of　the　very　plainest　food；　he　is　working　at　science。　He　received　me　graciously；　and　made　me　sit　down　on　the　bed　on　which　he　was　lying。　I　made　him　the　sign　of　the　Knights　of　the　East　and　of　Jerusalem；　he　responded　with　the　same；　and　asked　me　with　a　gentle　smile　what　I　had　learned　and　gained　in　the　Prussian　and　Scottish　lodges。　I　told　him　everything　as　best　I　could；　repeating　to　him　the　principles　of　action　I　had　proposed　in　our　Petersburg　lodge；　and　telling　him　of　the　unfavourable　reception　given　me；　and　the　rupture　between　me　and　the　brothers。　Osip　Alexyevitch；　after　some　silent　thought；　laid　all　his　own　views　of　the　subject　before　me；　which　immediately　threw　light　on　all　the　past　and　all　the　course　that　lies　before　me。　He　surprised　me　by　asking　whether　I　remembered　the　threefold　aim　of　the　order—（1）　the　preservation　and　study　of　the　holy　mystery；　（2）　the　purification　and　reformation　of　self　for　its　reception；　and　（3）　the　improvement　of　the　human　race　through　striving　for　such　purification。　Which；　he　asked；　was　the　first　and　greatest　of　those　three　aims？　Undoubtedly　self…reformation　and　self…purification。　It　is　only　towards　that　aim　that　we　can　always　strive　independently　of　all　circumstances。　But　at　the　same　time　it　is　just　that　aim　which　requires　of　us　the　greatest　effort；　and　therefore；　led　astray　by　pride；　we　let　that　aim　drop；　and　either　strive　to　penetrate　to　the　mystery　which　we　are　unworthy　in　our　impurity　to　receive；　or　seek　after　the　reformation　of　the　human　race；　while　we　are　ourselves　setting　an　example　of　vice　and　abomination。　‘Illuminism’　is　not　a　pure　doctrine　precisely　because　it　is　seduced　by　worldly　activity　and　puffed　up　with　pride。　On　this　ground　Osip　Alexyevitch　censured　my　speech　and　all　I　am　doing。　At　the　bottom　of　my　heart　I　agreed　with　him。　Talking　of　my　domestic　affairs；　he　said　to　me：　‘The　first　duty　of　a　mason；　as　I　have　told　you；　is　the　perfection　of　himself。　But　often　we　imagine　that　by　removing　all　the　difficulties　of　our　life；　we　may　better　attain　this　aim。　It　is　quite　the　contrary；　sir；’　he　said　to　me：　‘it　is　only　in　the　midst　of　the　cares　of　the　world　that　we　can　reach　the　three　great　aims—（1）　self…knowledge；　for　a　man　can　know　himself　only　by　comparison；　（2）　greater　perfection；　which　can　only　be　obtained　by　conflict；　and　（3）　the　attainment　of　the　chief　virtue—love　of　death。　Only　the　corruptions　of　life　can　show　us　all　its　vanity；　and　strengthen　our　innate　love　for　death；　or　rather　regeneration　into　new　life。’　These　words　were　the　more　remarkable　as　Osip　Alexyevitch；　in　spite　of　his　grievous　physical　sufferings；　is　never　weary　of　life；　though　he　loves　death；　for　which　he　does　not；　in　spite　of　all　the　purity　and　loftiness　of　his　inner　man；　yet　feel　himself　prepared。　Then　my　benefactor　explained　to　me　fully　the　significance　of　the　great　square　of　creation；　and　pointed　out　that　the　third　and　the　seventh　number　are　the　basis　of　everything。　He　counselled　me　not　to　withdraw　from　co…operation　with　the　Petersburg　brothers；　and　while　undertaking　duties　only　of　the　second　order　in　the　lodge；　to　endeavour　to　draw　the　brothers　away　from　the　seductions　of　pride；　and　to　turn　them　into　the　true　path　of　self…knowledge　and　self…perfection。　Moreover；　for　myself　personally；　he　advised　me　first　of　all　to　keep　a　watch　over　myself；　and　with　that　aim　he　gave　me　a　manuscript…book；　the　one　in　which　I　am　writing　now；　and　am　to　note　down　all　my　actions　in　the　future。”
“Petersburg；　November　23。—I　am　reconciled　with　my　wife。　My　mother…in…law　came　to　me　in　tears；　and　said　that　Ellen　was　here；　and　that　she　besought　me　to　hear　her；　that　she　was　innocent；　that　she　was　miserable　at　my　desertion　of　her；　and　a　great　deal　more。　I　knew　that　if　I　once　let　myself　see　her；　I　should　not　be　able　to　refuse　to　accede　to　her　wishes。　In　my　uncertainty；　I　did　not　know　to　whose　help　and　advice　to　have　recourse。　If　my　benefactor　had　been　here；　he　would　have　told　me　what　to　do。　I　retired　to　my　own　room；　read　over　the　letters　of　Osip　Alexyevitch；　recalled　my　conversations　with　him；　and　from　all　that　I　reached　the　conclusion　that　I　ought　not　to　refuse　a　suppliant；　and　ought　to　hold　out　a　helping　hand　to　every　one；　and；　above　all；　to　a　person　so　closely　connected　with　me；　and　that　I　must　bear　my　cross。　But　if　I　forgive　her　for　the　sake　of　doing　right；　at　least　let　my　reunion　with　her　have　a　spiritual　end　only。　So　I　decided；　and　so　I　wrote　to　Osip　Alexyevitch。　I　said　to　my　wife　that　I　begged　her　to　forget　all　the　past；　that　I　begged　her　to　forgive　whatever　wrong　I　might　have　done　her；　and　that　I　had　nothing　to　forgive　her。　It　was　a　joy　to　me　to　tell　her　that。　May　she　never　know　how　painful　it　was　to　me　to　see　her　again！　I　have　installed　myself　in　the　upper　rooms　in　this　great　house；　and　I　am　conscious　of　a　happy　feeling　of　beginning　anew。”


Chapter　9
AT　THAT　TIME；　as　always　indeed；　the　exalted　society　that　met　at　court　and　at　the　great　balls　was　split　up　into　several　circles；　each　of　which　had　its　special　tone。　The　largest　among　them　was　the　French　circle—supporting　the　Napoleonic　alliance—the