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n the shoulder； he ran with him to the garden。 “Make haste； you fellows；” he shouted to his comrades； “it’s beginning to get hot。” Running behind the house to a sanded path； the Frenchman pulled Pierre by the arm； and pointed out to him a circular space。 Under a garden seat lay a girl of three years old； in a pink frock。
“Here’s your brat。 Ah； a little girl。 So much the better；” said the Frenchman。 “Good…bye。 Must be humane； we are all mortal； you know”； and the Frenchman； with the patch on his cheek； ran back to his comrades。
Pierre； breathless with joy； ran up to the child； and would have taken her in his arms。 But seeing a stranger； the little girl—a scrofulous…looking； unattractive child very like her mother—screamed and ran away。 Pierre caught her； however； and lifted her up in his arms； she squealed in desperate fury； and tried to tear herself out of Pierre’s arms with her little hands； and to bite him with her dirty； dribbling mouth。 Pierre had a sense of horror and disgust； such as he had felt at contact with some little beast。 But he made an effort to overcome it； and not to drop the child； and ran with it back to the big house。 By now； however； it was impossible to get back by the same way； the servant…girl； Aniska； was nowhere to be seen； and with a feeling of pity and loathing； Pierre held close to him； as tenderly as he could； the piteously howling； and sopping wet baby； and ran across the garden to seek some other way out。
Chapter 34
WHEN PIERRE； after running across courtyards and by…lanes； got back with his burden to Prince Gruzinsky’s garden； at the corner of Povarsky； he did not for the first moment recognise the place from which he had set out to look for the baby： it was so packed with people and goods； dragged out of the houses。 Besides the Russian families with their belongings saved from the fire； there were a good many French soldiers here too in various uniforms。 Pierre took no notice of them。 He was in haste to find the family； and to restore the child to its mother； so as to be able to go back and save some one else。 It seemed to Pierre that he had a great deal more to do； and to do quickly。 Warmed up by the heat and running； Pierre felt even more strongly at that minute the sense of youth； eagerness； and resolution； which had come upon him when he was running to save the baby。
The child was quiet now； and clinging to Pierre’s coat with her little hands； she sat on his arm； and looked about her like a little wild beast。 Pierre glanced at her now and then； and smiled slightly。 He fancied he saw something touchingly innocent in the frightened； sickly little face。
Neither the official nor his wife were in the place where he had left them。 With rapid steps； Pierre walked about among the crowd； scanning the different faces he came across。 He could not help noticing a Georgian or Armenian family； consisting of a very old man； of a handsome Oriental cast of face； dressed in a new cloth…faced sheepskin and new boots； an old woman of a similar type； and a young woman。 The latter—a very young woman—struck Pierre as a perfect example of Oriental beauty； with her sharply marked； arched； black eyebrows； her extraordinarily soft； bright colour and beautiful； expressionless； oval face。 Among the goods flung down in the crowd in the grass space； in her rich satin mantle； and the bright lilac kerchief on her head； she suggested a tender； tropical plant； thrown down in the snow。 She was sitting on the baggage a little behind the old woman； and her big； black； long…shaped eyes； with their long lashes； were fixed immovably on the ground。 Evidently she was aware of her beauty； and fearful because of it。 Her face struck Pierre； and in his haste he looked round at her several times as he passed along by the fence。 Reaching the fence； and still failing to find the people he was looking for； Pierre stood still and looked round。
Pierre’s figure was more remarkable than ever now with the baby in his arms； and several Russians； both men and women； gathered about him。
“Have you lost some one； good sir？ Are you a gentleman yourself； or what？ Whose baby is it？” they asked him。
Pierre answered that the baby belonged to a woman in a black mantle； who had been sitting at this spot with her children； and asked whether any one knew her； and where she had gone。
“Why； it must be the Anferovs；” said an old deacon addressing a pock…marked peasant woman。 “Lord； have mercy on us！ Lord； have mercy on us！” he added； in his professional bass。
“The Anferovs；” said the woman。 “Why； the Anferovs have been gone since early this morning。 It will either be Marya Nikolaevna’s or Ivanova’s。”
“He says a woman； and Marya Nikolaevna’s a lady；” said a house…serf。
“You know her； then； a thin woman—long teeth；” said Pierre。
“To be sure； Marya Nikolaevna。 They moved off into the garden as soon as these wolves pounced down on us；” said the woman； indicating the French soldiers。
“O Lord； have mercy on us！” the deacon added again。
“You go on yonder； they are there。 It’s she； for sure。 She was quite beside herself with crying；” said the woman again。 “It’s she。 Here this way。”
But Pierre was not heeding the woman。 For several seconds he had been gazing intently at what was passing a few paces from him。 He was looking at the Armenian family and two French soldiers； who had approached them。 One of these soldiers； a nimble； little man； was dressed in a blue coat； with a cord tied round for a belt。 He had a night…cap on his head； and his feet were bare。 Another； whose appearance struck Pierre particularly； was a long； round…shouldered； fair…haired； thin man； with ponderous movements and an idiotic expression of face。 He was dressed in a frieze tunic； blue trousers and big； torn； high boots。 The little bare…footed Frenchman in the blue coat； on going up to the Armenians； said something； and at once took hold of the old man’s legs； and the old man began immediately in haste pulling off his boots。 The other soldier in the tunic stopped facing the beautiful Armenian girl； with his hands in his pockets； and stared at her without speaking or moving。
“Take it； take the child；” said Pierre； handing the child to the peasant woman； and speaking with peremptory haste。 “You give her to them； you take her；” he almost shouted to the woman； setting the screaming child on the ground； and looking round again at the Frenchmen and the Armenian family。 The old man was by now sitting barefoot。 The little Frenchman had just taken the second boot from him； and was slapping the boots together。 The old man was saying something with a sob； but all that Pierre only saw in a passing glimpse。 His whole attention was absorbed by the Frenchman in the tunic； who had meanwhile； with a deliberate； swinging gait； moved up to the young woman； and taking his hands out of his pockets； caught hold of her neck。
The beautiful Armenian still sat in the same immobile pose； with her long lashes drooping； and seemed not to see and not to feel what the soldier was doing to her。
While Pierre ran the few steps that separated him from the Frenchman； the long soldier in the tunic had already torn the necklace from the Armenian beauty’s neck； and