战争与和平(上)-第95部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　afraid　of　showing　fear。　He　felt　inquisitive　to　know　what　was　coming；　what　would　be　revealed　to　him；　but　above　everything；　he　felt　joy　that　the　moment　had　come　when　he　would　at　last　enter　upon　that　path　of　regeneration　and　of　an　actively　virtuous　life；　of　which　he　had　been　dreaming　ever　since　his　meeting　with　Osip　Alexyevitch。
There　came　loud　knocks　at　the　door。　Pierre　took　off　the　bandage　and　looked　about　him。　It　was　black　darkness　in　the　room；　only　in　one　spot　there　was　a　little　lamp　burning　before　something　white。　Pierre　went　nearer　and　saw　that　the　little　lamp　stood　on　a　black　table；　on　which　there　lay　an　open　book。　The　book　was　the　gospel：　the　white　thing　in　which　the　lamp　was　burning　was　a　human　skull　with　its　eyeholes　and　teeth。　After　reading　the　first　words　of　the　gospel；　“In　the　beginning　was　the　Word　and　the　Word　was　with　God；”　Pierre　went　round　the　table　and　caught　sight　of　a　large　open　box　filled　with　something。　It　was　a　coffin　full　of　bones。　He　was　not　in　the　least　surprised　by　what　he　saw。　Hoping　to　enter　upon　a　completely　new　life；　utterly　unlike　the　old　life；　he　was　ready　for　anything　extraordinary；　more　extraordinary　indeed　than　what　he　was　seeing。　The　skull；　the　coffin；　the　gospel—it　seemed　to　him　that　he　had　been　expecting　all　that；　had　been　expecting　more；　indeed。　He　tried　to　stir　up　a　devotional　feeling　in　himself；　he　looked　about　him。　“God；　death；　love；　the　brotherhood　of　man；”　he　kept　saying　to　himself；　associating　with　those　words　vague　but　joyful　conceptions　of　some　sort。　The　door　opened　and　some　one　came　in。　In　the　faint　light；　in　which　Pierre　could；　however；　see　a　little　by　this　time；　a　short　man　approached。　Apparently　dazed　by　coming　out　of　the　light　into　the　darkness；　the　man　stopped；　then　with　cautious　steps　moved　again　towards　the　table；　and　laid　on　it　both　his　small　hands　covered　with　leather　gloves。
This　short　man　was　wearing　a　white　leather　apron；　that　covered　his　chest　and　part　of　his　legs；　upon　his　neck　could　be　seen　something　like　a　necklace；　and　a　high　white　ruffle　stood　up　from　under　the　necklace；　framing　his　long　face；　on　which　the　light　fell　from　below。
“For　what　are　you　come　hither？”　asked　the　newcomer；　turning　towards　Pierre　at　a　faint　rustle　made　by　the　latter。　“For　what　are　you；　an　unbeliever　in　the　truth　of　the　light；　who　have　not　seen　the　light；　for　what　are　you　come　here？　What　do　you　seek　from　us？　Wisdom；　virtue；　enlightenment？”
At　the　moment　when　the　door　opened　and　the　unknown　person　came　in；　Pierre　had　a　sensation　of　awe　and　reverence；　such　as　he　had　felt　in　childhood　at　confession；　he　felt　himself　alone　with　a　man　who　was　in　the　circumstances　of　life　a　complete　stranger；　and　yet　through　the　brotherhood　of　men　so　near。　With　a　beating　heart　that　made　him　gasp　for　breath；　Pierre　turned　to　the　rhetor；　as　in　the　phraseology　of　freemasonry　the　man　is　called　who　prepares　the　seeker　for　entering　the　brotherhood。　Going　closer；　Pierre　recognised　in　the　rhetor　a　man　he　knew；　Smolyaninov；　but　it　was　mortifying　to　him　to　think　that　the　newcomer　was　a　familiar　figure；　he　was　to　him　only　a　brother　and　a　guide　in　the　path　of　virtue。　For　a　long　while　Pierre　could　not　utter　a　word；　so　that　the　rhetor　was　obliged　to　repeat　his　question。
“Yes；　I…I…　wish　to　begin　anew；”　Pierre　articulated　with　difficulty。
“Very　good；”　said　Smolyaninov；　and　went　on　at　once。
“Have　you　any　idea　of　the　means　by　which　our　holy　order　will　assist　you　in　attaining　your　aim？…”　said　the　rhetor　calmly　and　rapidly。
“I…hope　for…guidance…for　help…in　renewing…”　said　Pierre；　with　a　tremble　in　his　voice　and　a　difficulty　in　utterance　due　both　to　emotion　and　to　being　unaccustomed　to　speak　of　abstract　subjects　in　Russian。
“What　idea　have　you　of　freemasonry？”
“I　assume　that　freemasonry　is　the　fraternité　and　equality　of　men　with　virtuous　aims；”　said　Pierre；　feeling　ashamed　as　he　spoke　of　the　incongruity　of　his　words　with　the　solemnity　of　the　moment。　“I　assume　…”
“Very　good；”　said　the　rhetor　hastily；　apparently　quite　satisfied　with　the　reply。　“Have　you　sought　the　means　of　attaining　your　aim　in　religion？”
“No；　I　regarded　it　as　untrue　and　have　not　followed　it；”　said　Pierre；　so　softly　that　the　rhetor　did　not　catch　it；　and　asked　him　what　he　was　saying。　“I　was　an　atheist；”　answered　Pierre。
“You　seek　the　truth　in　order　to　follow　its　laws　in　life；　consequently；　you　seek　wisdom　and　virtue；　do　you　not？”　said　the　rhetor；　after　a　moment’s　pause。
“Yes；　yes；”　assented　Pierre。
The　rhetor　cleared　his　throat；　folded　his　gloved　hands　across　his　chest；　and　began　speaking。
“Now　I　must　reveal　to　you　the　chief　aim　of　our　order；”　he　said；　“and　if　that　aim　coincides　with　yours；　you　may　with　profit　enter　our　brotherhood。　The　first　and　greatest　aim　and　united　basis　of　our　order；　on　which　it　is　established　and　which　no　human　force　can　destroy；　is　the　preservation　and　handing　down　to　posterity　of　a　certain　important　mystery　…　that　has　come　down　to　us　from　the　most　ancient　times；　even　from　the　first　man—a　mystery　upon　which；　perhaps；　the　fate　of　the　human　race　depends。　But　since　this　mystery　is　of　such　a　kind　that　no　one　can　know　it　and　profit　by　it　if　he　has　not　been　prepared　by　a　prolonged　and　diligent　self…purification；　not　every　one　can　hope　to　attain　it　quickly。　Hence　we　have　a　second　aim；　which　consists　in　preparing　our　members；　as　far　as　possible　reforming　their　hearts；　purifying　and　enlightening　their　intelligence　by　those　means　which　have　been　revealed　to　us　by　tradition　from　men　who　have　striven　to　attain　this　mystery；　and　thereby　to　render　them　fit　for　the　reception　of　it。　Purifying　and　regenerating　our　members；　we　endeavor；　thirdly；　to　improve　the　whole　human　race；　offering　it　in　our　members　an　example　of　piety　and　virtue；　and　thereby　we　strive　with　all　our　strength　to　combat　the　evil　that　is　paramount　in　the　world。　Ponder　on　these　things；　and　I　will　come　again　to　you；”　he　said；　and　went　out　of　the　room。
“To　combat　the　evil　that　is　paramount　in　the　world　…”　Pierre　repeated；　and　a　mental　image　of　his　future　activity　in　that　direction　rose　before　him。　He　seemed　to　see　men　such　as　he　had　been　himself　a　fortnight　ago；　and　he　was　mentally　addressing　an　edifying　exhortation　to　them。　He　pictured　to　himself　persons　vicious　and　unhappy；　whom　he　would　help　in　word　and　in　deed；　he　pictured　oppressors　whose　victims　he　would　rescue。　Of　the　three　aims　enumerated　by　the　rhetor　the　last—　the　reformation　of　the　human　race—appealed　particularly　to　Pierre。　The　great　mystery　of　which　the　rhetor　had　made　mention；　though　it　excited　his　curiosity；　did　not　strike　his　imagination　as　a　reality；　while　the　second　aim；　the　purification　and　regeneration　of　himself；　had　little　interest　for　him；　because　at　that　moment　he　was　full　of　a　blissful　sense　of　being　completely　cured　of　all　his　former　vices；　and　being　ready　for　nothing　but　goodness。
Half　an　hour　later　the　rhetor　returned　to　enumerate　to　the　seeker　the　seven　virtues　corresponding　to　the　seven　steps　of　the　temple　of　Solomon；　in　which　every　freemason　must　train　himself。　Those　virtues　were：　（1）　discretion；　the　keeping　of　the　secrets　of　the　order；　（2）　obedience　to　the　higher　authorities　of　the　order；　（3）　morality；　（4）　love　for　mankind；　（5）　courage；　（6）　liberality；　and　（7）　love　of　death。
“Seventhly；　strive；”　said　the　rhetor；　“by　frequent　meditation　upon　death　to　bring　yourself　to　feel　it　not　an　enemy　to　be　dreaded；　but　a　friend　…　which　delivers　the　soul　grown　weary　in　the　labours　of　virtue　from　this　distressful　life　and　leads　it　to　its　place　of　recompense　and　peace。”
“Yes；　that’s　as　it　should　be；”　thought　Pierre；　when　the　rhetor　after　these　words　left　him　again　to　solitary　reflection；　“that’s　as　it　ought　to　be；　but　I’m　still　so　weak　as　to　love　this　life；　the　meaning　of　which　is　only　now　by　degrees　being　revealed　to　me。”　But　the　other　five　virtues　which　Pierre　recalled；　reckoning　them　on　his　fingers；　he　felt　already　in　his　soul；　courage　and　liberality；　morality　and　love　for　mankind；　and　above　all　obedience；　which　seemed　to　him　not　to　be　a　virtue；　indeed；　but　a　happiness。　（It　was　such　a　joy　to　him　now　to　be　escaping　from　the　guidance　of　his　own　caprice；　and　to　be　submitting　his　will　to　those　who　knew　the　absolute　truth。）　The　seventh　virtue　Pierre　had　forgotten；　and　he　could　not　recall　it。
The　third　time　the　rhetor　came　back　sooner；　and　asked　Pierre　whether　he　were　still　resolute　in　his　intention；　and　whether　he　were　prepared　to　submit　to　everything　that　would　be　demanded　of　him。
“I　am　ready　for　anything；”　said　Pierre。
“I　must　inform　you　further；”　said　the　rhetor；　“that　our　order　promulgates　its　doctrine　not　by　word　only；　but　by　certain　means　which　have　perhaps　on　the　true　seeker　after　wisdom　and　virtue　a　more　potent　effect　than　merely　verbal　explanations。　This　temple；　with　what　you　see　therein；　should　shed　more　light　on　your　heart；　if　it　is　sincere；　than　any　words　can　do。　You　will　see；　maybe；　a　like　method　of　enlightenment　in　the　further　rites　of　your　admittance。　Our　order　follows　the　usage　of　ancient　societies　which　revealed　their　doctrine　in　hieroglyphs。　A　hieroglyph；”　said　the　rhetor；　“is　the　name　given　to　a　symbol　of　some　object；　imperceptible　to　the　senses　and　possessing　qualities　similar　to　those　of　the　symbol。”
Pierre　knew　very　well　what　a　hieroglyph　was；　but　he　did　not　venture　to　say　so。　He　listened　to　the　rhetor　in　silence；　feeling　from　everything　he　said　that　his　ordeal　was　soon　to　begin。
“If　you　are　resolved；　I　must　proceed　to　your　initiation；”　said　the　rhetor；　coming　closer　to　Pierre。　“In　token　of　liberality　I　beg　you　to　give　me　everything　precious　you　have。”
“But　I　have　nothing　with　me；”　said　Pierre；　supposing　he　was　being　asked　to　give　up　all　his　possessions。
“What　you　have　with　you：　watch；　money；　rings…”
Pierre　made　haste　to　get　out　his　purse　and　his　watch；　and　was　a　long　time　trying　to　get　his　betrothal　ring　off　his　fat　finger。　When　this　had　been　done；　the　freemason　said：
“In　token　of　obedience　I　beg　you　to　undress。”　Pierre　took　off　his　coat　and　waistcoat　and　left　boot　at　the　rhetor’s　instructions。　The　mason　opened　his　shirt　over　the　left　side　of　his　chest　and　pulled　up　his　breeches　on　the　left　leg　above　the　knee。　Pierre　would　hurriedly　have　taken　off　the　right　boot　and　tucked　up　the　trouser…leg；　to　save　this　strange