战争与和平(上)-第261部分

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cle　about　the　pit　and　the　post。　The　crowd　consisted　of　a　small　number　of　Russians　and　a　great　number　of　Napoleon’s　soldiers　not　on　duty：　there　were　Germans；　Italians；　and　Frenchmen　in　various　uniforms。　To　the　right　and　left　of　the　post　stood　rows　of　French　soldiers；　in　blue　uniforms；　with　red　epaulettes；　in　Hessians　and　shako。　The　prisoners　were　stood　in　a　certain　order；　in　accordance　with　a　written　list　（Pierre　was　sixth）　and　led　up　to　the　post。　Several　drums　suddenly　began　beating　on　both　sides　of　them；　and　Pierre　felt　as　though　a　part　of　his　soul　was　being　torn　away　from　him　by　that　sound。　He　lost　all　power　of　thought　and　reflection。　He　could　only　see　and　hear。　And　there　was　only　one　desire　left　in　him；　the　desire　that　the　terrible　thing　that　was　to　be　done　should　be　done　more　quickly。　Pierre　looked　round　at　his　companions　and　scrutinised　them。
The　two　men　at　the　end　were　shaven　convicts；　one　tall　and　thin；　the　other　a　swarthy；　hirsute；　muscular　fellow　with　a　flattened　nose。　The　third　was　a　house…serf；　a　man　of　five…and…forty；　with　grey　hair　and　a　plump；　well…fed　figure。　The　fourth　was　a　peasant；　a　very　handsome　fellow　with　a　full；　flaxen　beard　and　black　eyes。　The　fifth　was　a　factory　hand；　a　thin；　sallow　lad　of　eighteen；　in　a　dressing…gown。
Pierre　heard　the　Frenchmen　deliberating　how　they　were　to　be　shot；　singly；　or　two　at　a　time。　“Two　at　a　time；”　a　senior　officer　answered　coldly。　There　was　a　stir　in　the　ranks　of　the　soldiers；　and　it　was　evident　that　every　one　was　in　haste　and　not　making　haste；　not　as　people　do　when　they　are　getting　through　some　job　every　one　can　understand；　but　as　men　hasten　to　get　something　done　that　is　inevitable；　but　is　disagreeable　and　incomprehensible。
A　French　official　wearing　a　scarf　came　up　to　the　right　side　of　the　file　of　prisoners；　and　read　aloud　the　sentence　in　Russian　and　in　French。
Then　two　couples　of　French　soldiers　came　up　to　the　prisoners　by　the　instruction　of　an　officer；　and　took　the　two　convicts　who　stood　at　the　head。　The　convicts　went　up　to　the　post；　stopped　there；　and　while　the　sacks　were　being　brought；　they　looked　dumbly　about　them；　as　a　wild　beast　at　bay　looks　at　the　approaching　hunter。　One　of　them　kept　on　crossing　himself；　the　other　scratched　his　back　and　worked　his　lips　into　the　semblance　of　a　smile。　The　soldiers　with　hurrying　fingers　bandaged　their　eyes；　put　the　sacks　over　their　heads　and　bound　them　to　the　post。
A　dozen　sharpshooters；　with　muskets；　stepped　out　of　the　ranks　with　a　fine；　regular　tread；　and　halted　eight　paces　from　the　post。　Pierre　turned　away　not　to　see　what　was　coming。　There　was　a　sudden　bang　and　rattle　that　seemed　to　Pierre　louder　than　the　most　terrific　clap　of　thunder；　and　he　looked　round。　There　was　a　cloud　of　smoke；　and　the　French　soldiers；　with　trembling　hands　and　pale　faces；　were　doing　something　in　it　by　the　pit。　The　next　two　were　led　up。　Those　two；　too；　looked　at　every　one　in　the　same　way；　with　the　same　eyes；　dumbly；　and　in　vain；　with　their　eyes　only　begging　for　protection；　and　plainly　unable　to　understand　or　believe　in　what　was　coming。　They　could　not　believe　in　it；　because　they　only　knew　what　their　life　was　to　them；　and　so　could　not　understand；　and　could　not　believe；　that　it　could　be　taken　from　them。
Pierre　tried　not　to　look；　and　again　turned　away；　but　again　a　sort　of　awful　crash　smote　his　hearing；　and　with　the　sound　he　saw　smoke；　blood；　and　the　pale　and　frightened　faces　of　the　Frenchmen；　again　doing　something　at　the　post；　and　balking　each　other　with　their　trembling　hands。　Pierre；　breathing　hard；　looked　about　him　as　though　asking；　“What　does　it　mean？”　The　same　question　was　written　in　all　the　eyes　that　met　Pierre’s　eyes。　On　all　the　faces　of　the　Russians；　on　the　faces　of　the　French　soldiers　and　officers；　all　without　exception；　he　read　the　same　dismay；　horror；　and　conflict　as　he　felt　in　his　own　heart。　“But　who　is　it　doing　it　there　really？　They　are　all　suffering　as　I　am！　Who　is　it？　who？”　flashed　for　one　second　through　Pierre’s　mind。　“Sharpshooters　of　the　eighty…sixth；　forward！”　some　one　shouted。　The　fifth　prisoner　standing　beside　Pierre　was　led　forward—alone。　Pierre　did　not　understand　that　he　was　saved；　that　he　and　all　the　rest　had　been　brought　here　simply　to　be　present　at　the　execution。　With　growing　horror；　with　no　sense　of　joy　or　relief；　he　gazed　at　what　was　being　done。　The　fifth　was　the　factory　lad　in　the　loose　gown。　As　soon　as　they　touched　him；　he　darted　away　in　terror　and　clutched　at　Pierre　（Pierre　shuddered　and　tore　himself　away　from　him）。　The　factory　lad　could　not　walk。　He　was　held　up　under　the　arms　and　dragged　along；　and　he　screamed　something　all　the　while。　When　they　had　brought　him　to　the　post　he　was　suddenly　quiet。　He　seemed　suddenly　to　have　grasped　something。　Whether　he　grasped　that　it　was　no　use　to　scream；　or　that　it　was　impossible　for　men　to　kill　him；　he　stood　at　the　post；　waiting　to　be　bound　like　the　others；　and　like　a　wild　beast　under　fire　looked　about　him　with　glittering　eyes。
Pierre　could　not　make　himself　turn　away　and　close　his　eyes。　The　curiosity　and　emotion　he　felt；　and　all　the　crowd　with　him；　at　this　fifth　murder　reached　its　highest　pitch。　Like　the　rest；　this　fifth　man　seemed　calm。　He　wrapped　his　dressing…gown　round　him；　and　scratched　one　bare　foot　with　the　other。
When　they　bound　up　his　eyes；　of　himself　he　straightened　the　knot；　which　hurt　the　back　of　his　head；　then；　when　they　propped　him　against　the　blood…stained　post；　he　staggered　back；　and　as　he　was　uncomfortable　in　that　position；　he　shifted　his　attitude；　and　leaned　back　quietly；　with　his　feet　put　down　symmetrically。　Pierre　never　took　his　eyes　off　him；　and　did　not　miss　the　slightest　movement　he　made。
The　word　of　command　must　have　sounded；　and　after　it　the　shots　of　the　eight　muskets。　But　Pierre；　however　earnestly　he　tried　to　recollect　it　afterwards；　had　not　heard　the　slightest　sound　from　the　shots。　He　only　saw　the　factory　lad　suddenly　fall　back　on　the　cords；　saw　blood　oozing　in　two　places；　and　saw　the　cords　themselves　work　loose　from　the　weight　of　the　hanging　body；　and　the　factory　lad　sit　down；　his　head　falling　unnaturally；　and　one　leg　bent　under　him。　Pierre　ran　up　to　the　post。　No　one　hindered　him。　Men　with　pale　and　frightened　faces　were　doing　something　round　the　factory　lad。　There　was　one　old　whiskered　Frenchman；　whose　lower　jaw　twitched　all　the　while　as　he　untied　the　cords。　The　body　sank　down。　The　soldiers；　with　clumsy　haste；　dragged　it　from　the　post　and　shoved　it　into　the　pit。
All　of　them　clearly　knew；　beyond　all　doubt；　that　they　were　criminals；　who　must　make　haste　to　hide　the　traces　of　their　crime。
Pierre　glanced　into　the　pit　and　saw　that　the　factory　lad　was　lying　there　with　his　knees　up　close　to　his　head；　and　one　shoulder　higher　than　the　other。　And　that　shoulder　was　convulsively；　rhythmically　rising　and　falling。　But　spadefuls　of　earth　were　already　falling　all　over　the　body。　One　of　the　soldiers；　in　a　voice　of　rage；　exasperation；　and　pain；　shouted　to　Pierre　to　stand　aside。　But　Pierre　did　not　understand　him；　and　still　stood　at　the　post；　and　no　one　drove　him　away。
When　the　pit　was　quite　filled　up；　the　word　of　command　was　heard；　Pierre　was　taken　back　to　his　place；　and　the　French　troops；　standing　in　ranks　on　both　sides　of　the　post；　faced　about；　and　began　marching　with　a　measured　step　past　the　post。　The　twenty…four　sharpshooters；　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　circle；　with　uncharged　muskets；　ran　back　to　their　places　as　their　companies　marched　by　them。
Pierre　stared　now　with　dazed　eyes　at　these　sharpshooters；　who　were　running　two　together　out　of　the　circle。　All　of　them　had　joined　their　companies　except　one。　A　young　soldier；　with　a　face　of　deathly　pallor；　still　stood　facing　the　pit　on　the　spot　upon　which　he　had　shot；　his　shako　falling　backwards　off　his　head；　and　his　fuse　dropping　on　to　the　ground。　He　staggered　like　a　drunken　man；　taking　a　few　steps　forward；　and　then　a　few　back；　to　keep　himself　from　falling。　An　old　under…officer　ran　out　of　the　ranks；　and；　seizing　the　young　soldier　by　the　shoulder；　dragged　him　to　his　company。　The　crowd　of　Frenchmen　and　Russians　began　to　disperse。　All　walked　in　silence；　with　downcast　eyes。
“That　will　teach　them　to　set　fire　to　the　places；”　said　some　one　among　the　French。　Pierre　looked　round　at　the　speaker；　and　saw　that　it　was　a　soldier　who　was　trying　to　console　himself　somehow　for　what　had　been　done；　but　could　not。　Without　finishing　his　sentence；　he　waved　his　hand　and　went　on。


Chapter　12
AFTER　THE　EXECUTION　Pierre　was　separated　from　the　other　prisoners　and　left　alone　in　a　small；　despoiled；　and　filthy　church。
Towards　evening　a　patrol　sergeant；　with　two　soldiers；　came　into　the　church　and　informed　Pierre　that　he　was　pardoned；　and　was　now　going　to　the　barracks　of　the　prisoners　of　war。　Without　understanding　a　word　of　what　was　said　to　him；　Pierre　got　up　and　went　with　the　soldiers。　He　was　conducted　to　some　sheds　that　had　been　rigged　up　in　the　upper　part　of　the　meadow　out　of　charred　boards；　beams；　and　battens；　and　was　taken　into　one　of　them。　Some　twenty　persons　of　various　kinds　thronged　round　Pierre。　He　stared　at　them；　with　no　idea　of　what　these　men　were；　why　they　were　here；　and　what　they　wanted　of　him。　He　heard　the　words　they　said　to　him；　but　his　mind　made　no　kind　of　deduction　or　interpretation　of　them；　he　had　no　idea　of　their　meaning。　He　made　some　answer；　too；　to　the　questions　asked　him；　but　without　any　notion　who　was　hearing　him；　or　how　they　would　understand　his　replies。　He　gazed　at　faces　and　figures；　and　all　seemed　to　him　equally　meaningless。
From　the　moment　when　Pierre　saw　that　fearful　murder　committed　by　men　who　did　not　want　to　do　it；　it　seemed　as　though　the　spring　in　his　soul；　by　which　everything　was　held　together　and　given　the　semblance　of　life；　had　been　wrenched　out；　and　all　seemed　to　have　collapsed　into　a　heap　of　meaningless　refuse。　Though　he　had　no　clear　apprehension　of　it；　it　had　annihilated　in　his　soul　all　faith　in　the　beneficent　ordering　of　the　universe；　and　in　the　soul　of　men；　and　in　his　own　soul；　and　in　God。　This　state　of　mind　Pierre　had　experienced　before；　but　never　with　such　intensity　as　now。　When　such　doubts　had　come　upon　him　in　the　past　they　had　arisen　from　his　own　fault。　And　at　the　very　bottom　of　his　heart　Pierre　had　been　aware　then　that　salvation　from　that　despair　and　from　these　doubts　lay　in　his　own　hands。　But　now　he　felt　that　it　wa