战争与和平(上)-第119章

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our　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　stranger　the　trouble　of　doing　so；　but　the　mason　told　him　this　was　not　necessary　and　gave　him　a　slipper　to　put　on　his　left　foot。　With　a　childish　smile　of　embarrassment；　of　doubt；　and　of　self…mockery；　which　would　come　into　his　face　in　spite　of　himself；　Pierre　stood　with　his　legs　wide　apart　and　his　hands　hanging　at　his　sides；　facing　the　rhetor　and　awaiting　his　next　commands。
“And　finally；　in　token　of　candour；　I　beg　you　to　disclose　to　me　your　chief　temptation；”　he　said。
“My　temptation！　I　had　so　many；”　said　Pierre。
“The　temptation　which　does　more　than　all　the　rest　to　make　you　stumble　on　the　path　of　virtue；”　said　the　freemason。
Pierre　paused；　seeking　a　reply。
“Wine？　gluttony？　frivolity？　laziness？　hasty　temper？　anger？　women？”　he　went　through　his　vices；　mentally　balancing　them；　and　not　knowing　to　which　to　give　the　pre…eminence。
“Women；”　said　Pierre　in　a　low；　hardly　audible　voice。　The　freemason　did　not　speak　nor　stir　for　a　long　while　after　that　reply。　At　last　he　moved　up　to　Pierre；　took　the　handkerchief　that　lay　on　the　table；　and　again　tied　it　over　his　eyes。
“For　the　last　time　I　say　to　you：　turn　all　your　attention　upon　yourself；　put　a　bridle　on　your　feelings；　and　seek　blessedness　not　in　your　passions；　but　in　your　own　heart。　The　secret　of　blessing　is　not　without　but　within　us。…”
Pierre　had　for　a　long　while　been　conscious　of　this　refreshing　fount　of　blessing　within　him　that　now　flooded　his　heart　with　joy　and　emotion。


Chapter　4
SHORTLY　AFTER　THIS；　there　walked　into　the　dark　temple　to　fetch　Pierre　not　the　rhetor；　but　his　sponsor　Villarsky；　whom　he　recognised　by　his　voice。　In　reply　to　fresh　inquiries　as　to　the　firmness　of　his　resolve；　Pierre　answered：
“Yes；　yes；　I　agree；”　and　with　a　beaming；　childlike　smile　he　walked　forward；　stepping　timidly　and　unevenly　with　one　booted　and　one　slippered　foot；　while　Villarsky　held　a　sword　pointed　at　his　fat；　uncovered　chest。　He　was　led　out　of　the　room　along　corridors；　turning　backwards　and　forwards；　till　at　last　he　was　brought　to　the　doors　of　the　lodge。　Villarsky　coughe