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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 the young woman； clutching at her neck with both hands； screamed shrilly。
“Let that woman alone！” Pierre roared in a voice hoarse with rage； and seizing the long； stooping soldier by the shoulders he shoved him away。 The soldier fell down； got up； and ran away。 His comrade； dropping the boots； pulled out his sword； and moved up to Pierre in a menacing attitude。
“Voyons； pas de bêtises！” he shouted。
Pierre was in that transport of frenzy in which he remembered nothing； and his strength was increased tenfold。 He dashed at the barefoot Frenchman； and before he had time to draw his cutlass； he knocked him down； and was pommelling him with his fists Shouts of approval were heard from the crowd around； and at the same time a patrol of French Uhlans came riding round the corner。 The Uhlans trotted up to Pierre； and the French soldiers surrounded him。 Pierre had no recollection of what followed。 He remembered that he beat somebody； and was beaten； and that in the end he found that his hands were tied； that a group of French soldiers were standing round him； ransacking his clothes。
“Lieutenant； he has a dagger；” were the first words Pierre grasped the meaning of。
“Ah； a weapon；” said the officer； and he turned to the barefoot soldier； who had been taken with Pierre。 “Very good； very good； you can tell all your story at the court…martial；” said the officer。 And then he turned to Pierre： “Do you know French？”
Pierre looked about him with bloodshot eyes； and made no reply。 Probably his face looked very terrible； for the officer said something in a whisper； and four more Uhlans left the rest； and stationed themselves both sides of Pierre。
“Do you speak French？” the officer； keeping his distance； repeated the question。 “Call the interpreter。” From the ranks a little man came forward； in a Russian civilian dress。 Pierre； from his dress and speech； at once recognised in him a French shopman from some Moscow shop。
“He doesn’t look like a common man；” said the interpreter； scanning Pierre。
“Oh； oh； he looks very like an incendiary；” said the officer。 “Ask him who he is；” he added。
“Who are you？” asked the interpreter in his Frenchified Russian。 “You must answer the officer。”
“I will not say who I am。 I am your prisoner。 Take me away。” Pierre said suddenly in French。
“Ah！ ah！” commented the officer； knitting his brows； “well； march then！”
A crowd had gathered around the Uhlans。 Nearest of all to Pierre stood the pock…marked peasant woman with the child。 When the patrol was moving； she stepped forward：
“Why； where are they taking you； my good soul？” she said。 “The child！ what am I to do with the child if it’s not theirs？” she cried。
“What does she want； this woman？” asked the officer。
Pierre was like a drunken man。 His excitement was increased at the sight of the little girl he had saved。
“What does she want？” he said。 “She is carrying my daughter； whom I have just saved from the flames；” he declared。 “Good…bye！” and utterly at a loss to explain to himself the aimless lie he had just blurted out； he strode along with a resolute and solemn step between the Frenchmen。
The patrol of Uhlans was one of those that had been sent out by Durosnel’s orders through various streets of Moscow to put a stop to pillage； and still more to capture the incendiaries； who in the general opinion of the French officers in the higher ranks on that day were causing the fires。 Patrolling several streets； the Uhlans arrested five more suspicious characters； a shopkeeper； two divinity students； a peasant； and a house…serf—all Russians—besides several French soldiers engaged in pillage。 But of all these suspicious characters Pierre seemed to them the most suspicious of all。
When they had all been brought for the night to a big house on Zubovsky rampart； which had been fixed upon as a guardhouse； Pierre was put apart from the rest under strict guard。
Part Twelve
Chapter 1
IN THE HIGHER CIRCLES in Petersburg the intricate conflict between the parties of Rumyantsev； of the French； of Marya Fyodorovna； of the Tsarevitch； and the rest was going on all this time with more heat than ever； drowned； as always； by the buzzing of the court drones。 But the easy； luxurious life of Petersburg； troubled only about phantasms； the reflection of life； went on its old way； and the course of that life made it a difficult task to believe in the danger and the difficult position of the Russian people。 There were the same levees and balls； the same French theatre； the same court interests； the same interests and intrigues in the government service。 It was only in the very highest circles that efforts were made to recollect the difficulty of the real position。 There was whispered gossip of how the two Empresses had acted in opposition to one another in these difficult circumstances。 The Empress Marya Fyodorovna； anxious for the welfare of the benevolent and educational institutions under her patronage； had arrangements made for the removal of all the institutes to Kazan； and all the belongings of these establishments were already packed。 The Empress Elizaveta Alexyevna on being asked what commands she was graciously pleased to give； had been pleased to reply that in regard to state matters she could give no commands； since that was all in the Tsar’s hands； as far as she personally was concerned； she had graciously declared； with her characteristic Russian patriotism； that she would be the last to leave Petersburg。
On the 26th of August； the very day of the battle of Borodino； there was a soirée at Anna Pavlovna’s； the chief attraction of which was to be the reading of the Metropolitan’s letter； written on the occasion of his sending to the Tsar the holy picture of Saint Sergey。 This letter was looked upon as a model of patriotic ecclesiastical eloquence。 It was to be read by Prince Vassily himself； who was famed for his fine elocution。 （He used even to read aloud in the Empress’s drawing…room。） The beauty of his elocution was supposed to lie in the loud； resonant voice； varying between a despairing howl and a tender whine； in which he rolled off the words quite independently of the sense； so that a howl fell on one word and a whine on others quite at random。 This reading； as was always the case with Anna Pavlovna’s entertainments； had a political significance。 She was expecting at this soirée several important personages who were to be made to feel ashamed of patronising the French theatre； and to be roused to patriotic fervour。 A good many people had already arrived； but Anna Pavlovna did not yet see those persons whose presence in her drawing…room was necessary； and she was therefore starting general topics of conversation before proceeding to the reading。
The news of the day in Petersburg was the illness of Countess Bezuhov。 The countess had been taken ill a few days previously； she had missed several entertainments； of which she was usually the ornament； and it was said that she was seeing no one； and that instead of the celebrated Petersburg physic