战争与和平(上)-第129章

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　the　only　means　for　me　to　escape　from　active　service　is　to　serve　under　him。”
“So　you　are　in　the　service；　then？”
“Yes。”　He　was　silent　for　a　while。
“Then　why　do　you　serve？”
“I’ll　tell　you　why。　My　father　is　one　of　the　most　remarkable　men　of　his　time。　But　he’s　grown　old；　and　he’s　not　cruel　exactly；　but　he’s　of　too　energetic　a　character。　He’s　terrible　from　his　habit　of　unlimited　power；　and　now　with　this　authority　given　him　by　the　Emperor　as　a　commander…in…chief　in　the　militia。　If　I　had　been　two　hours　later　a　fortnight　ago；　he　would　have　hanged　the　register…clerk　at　Yuhnovo；”　said　Prince　Andrey　with　a　smile。　“So　I　serve　under　him　now　because　no　one　except　me　has　any　influence　over　my　father；　and　I　sometimes　save　him　from　an　act　which　would　be　a　source　of　misery　to　him　afterwards。”
“Ah；　there　you　see！”
“Yes；　it　is　not　as　you　think；”　Prince　Andrey　continued。　“I　didn’t；　and　I　don’t　wish　well　in　the　slightest　to　that　scoundrelly　register…clerk　who　had　stolen　boots　or　something　from　the　militiamen；　indeed；　I　would　have　been　very　glad　to　see　him　hanged；　but　I　feel　for　my　father；　that　is　again　myself。”
Prince　Andrey　grew　more　and　more　eager。　His　eyes　glittered　feverishly；　as　he　tried　to　prove　to　Pierre　that　there　was　never　the　slightest　desire　to　do　good　to　his　neighbour　in　his　actions。
“Well；　you　want　to　liberate　your　serfs；　too；”　he　pursued；　“that’s　a　very　good　thing；　but　not　for　you—I　expect　you　have　never　flogged　a　man　nor　sent　one　to　Siberia—and　still　less　for　your　peasants。　If　a　peasant　is　beaten；　flogged；　sent　to　Siberia；　I　dare　say　he’s　not　a　bit　the　worse　for　it。　In　Siberia　he　can　lead　the　same　brute　existence；　the　stripes　on　the　body　heal；　and　he’s　as　happy　as　before。　But　it’s　needed　for　the　people　who　are　ruined　morally；　who　are　devoured　by　remorse；　who　stifle　that　remorse　and　grow　callous　from　being　able　to　inflict　punishment　all　round　them。　Perhaps　you　have　not　seen　it；　but　I　have　seen　good　men；　brought　up　in　the　traditions　of　unlimited　power　with　years；　as　they　grew　more　irritable；　become　cruel　and　brutal；　conscious　of　it；　and　unable　to　control　themselves；　and　growing　more　and　more　miserable。”
Prince　Andrey　spoke　with　such　earnestness　that　Pierre　could　not　help　thinking　those　ideas　were　suggested　to　him　by　his　father。　He　made　him　no　reply。
“So　that’s　what　I　grieve　for—for　human　dignity；　for　peace　of　conscience；　for　purity；　and　not　for　their　backs　or　their　heads；　which　always　remain　just　the　same　backs　and　heads；　however　you　thrash　or　shave　them。”
“No；　no；　a　thousand　times　no！　I　shall　never　agree　with　you；”　said　Pierre。


Chapter　12
IN　THE　EVENING　Prince　Andrey　and　Pierre　got　into　the　coach　and　drove　to　Bleak　Hills。　Prince　Andrey　watched　Pierre　and　broke　the　silence　from　time　to　time　with　speeches　that　showed　he　was　in　a　good　humour。
Pointing　to　the　fields；　he　told　him　of　the　improvements　he　was　making　in　the　management　of　his　land。
Pierre　preserved　a　gloomy　silence；　replying　only　by　monosyllables；　and　apparently　plunged　in　his　own　thoughts。
Pierre　was　reflecting　that　Prince　Andrey　was　unhappy；　that　he　was　in　error；　that　he　did　not　know　the　true　light；　and　that　he　ought　to　come　to　his　aid；　enlighten　him　and　lift　him　up。　But　as　soon　as　he　began　to　deliberate　on　what　he　would　say；　he　foresaw　that　Prince　Andrey　with　one　word；　one　argument；　would　annihilate　everything　in　his　doctrine；　and　he　was　afraid　to　begin；　afraid　of　exposing　his　most　cherished　and　holiest　ideas　to　possible　ridicule。
“No；　what　makes　you　think　so？”　Pierre　began　all　at　once；　lowering　his　head　and　looking　like　a　butting　bull；　“what　makes　you　think　so？　You　ought　not　to　think　so。”
“Think　so；　about　what？”　asked　Prince　Andrey　in　surprise。
“About　life。　About　the　destination　of　man。　It　can’t　be　so。　I　used　to　think　like　that；　and　I　have　been　saved；　do　you　know　by　what？—freemasonry。　No；　you　must　not　smile。　Freemasonry　is　not　a　religious　sect；　nor　mere　ceremonial　rites；　as　I　used　to　suppose；　freemasonry　is　the　best；　the　only　expression　of　the　highest；　eternal　aspects　of　humanity。”　And　he　began　expounding　to　Prince　Andrey　freemasonry；　as　he　understood　it。
He　said　that　freemasonry　is　the　teaching　of　Christianity；　freed　from　its　political　and　religious　fetters；　the　teaching　of　equality；　fraternity；　and　love。
“Our　holy　brotherhood　is　the　only　thing　that　has　real　meaning　in　life；　all　the　rest　is　a　dream；”　said　Pierre。　“You　understand；　my　dear　fellow；　that　outside　this　brotherhood　all　is　filled　with　lying　and　falsehood；　and　I　agree　with　you　that　there’s　nothing　left　for　an　intelligent　and　good…hearted　man　but；　like　you；　to　get　through　his　life；　only　trying　not　to　hurt　others。　But　make　our　fundamental　convictions　your　own；　enter　into　our　brotherhood；　give　yourself　up　to　us；　let　us　guide　you；　and　you　will　at　once　feel　yourself；　as　I　felt；　a　part　of　a　vast；　unseen　chain；　the　origin　of　which　is　lost　in　the　skies；”　said　Pierre；　looking　straight　before　him。
Prince　Andrey　listened　to　Pierre’s　words　in　silence。　Several　times　he　did　not　catch　words　from　the　noise　of　the　wheels；　and　he　asked　Pierre　to　repeat　what　he　had　missed。　From　the　peculiar　light　that　glowed　in　Prince　Andrey’s　eyes；　and　from　his　silence；　Pierre　saw　that　his　words　were　not　in　vain；　that　Prince　Andrey　would　not　interrupt　him　nor　laugh　at　what　he　said。
They　reached　a　river　that　had　overflowed　its　banks；　and　had　to　cross　it　by　a　ferry。　While　the　coach　and　horses　waited　they　crossed　on　the　ferry。　Prince　Andrey　with　his　elbow　on　the　rail　gazed　mutely　over　the　stretch　of　water　shining　in　the　setting　sun。
“Well；　what　do　you　think　about　it？”　asked　Pierre。　“Why　are　you　silent？”
“What　do　I　think？　I　have　heard　what　you　say。　That’s　all　right；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“But　you　say；　enter　into　our　brotherhood；　and　we　will　show　you　the　object　of　life　and　the　destination　of　man；　and　the　laws　that　govern　the　universe。　But　who　are　we？—men？　How　do　you　know　it　all？　Why　is　it　I　alone　don’t　see　what　you　see？　You　see　on　earth　the　dominion　of　good　and　truth；　but　I　don’t　see　it。”
Pierre　interrupted　him。　“Do　you　believe　in　a　future　life？”　he　asked。
“In　a　future　life？”　repeated　Prince　Andrey。
But　Pierre　did　not　give　him　time　to　answer；　and　took　this　repetition　as　a　negative　reply；　the　more　readily　as　he　knew　Prince　Andrey’s　atheistic　views　in　the　past。　“You　say　that　you　can’t　see　the　dominion　of　good　and　truth　on　the　earth。　I　have　not　seen　it　either；　and　it　cannot　be　seen　if　one　looks　upon　our　life　as　the　end　of　everything。　On　earth；　this　earth　here”　（Pierre　pointed　to　the　open　country）；　“there　is　no　truth—all　is　deception　and　wickedness。　But　in　the　world；　the　whole　world；　there　is　a　dominion　of　truth；　and　we　are　now　the　children　of　earth；　but　eternally　the　children　of　the　whole　universe。　Don’t　I　feel　in　my　soul　that　I　am　a　part　of　that　vast；　harmonious　whole？　Don’t　I　feel　that　in　that　vast；　innumerable　multitude　of　beings；　in　which　is　made　manifest　the　Godhead；　the　higher　power—what　you　choose　to　call　it—I　constitute　one　grain；　one　step　upward　from　lower　beings　to　higher　ones？　If　I　see；　see　clearly　that　ladder　that　rises　up　from　the　vegetable　to　man；　why　should　I　suppose　that　ladder　breaks　off　with　me　and　does　not　go　on　further　and　further？　I　feel　that　I　cannot　disappear　as　nothing　does　disappear　in　the　universe；　that　indeed　I　always　shall　be　and　always　have　been。　I　feel　that　beside　me；　above　me；　there　are　spirits；　and　that　in　their　world　there　is　truth。”
“Yes；　that’s　Herder’s　theory；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“But　it’s　not　that；　my　dear　boy；　convinces　me；　but　life　and　death　are　what　have　convinced　me。　What　convinces　me　is　seeing　a　creature　dear　to　me；　and　bound　up　with　me；　to　whom　one　has　done　wrong；　and　hoped　to　make　it　right”　（Prince　Andrey’s　voice　shook　and　he　turned　away）；　“and　all　at　once　that　creature　suffers；　is　in　agony；　and　ceases　to　be。…　What　for？　It　cannot　be　that　there　is　no　answer！　And　I　believe　there　is。…　That’s　what　convinces；　that’s　what　has　convinced　me；”　said　Prince　Andrey。
“Just　so；　just　so；”　said　Pierre；　“isn’t　that　the　very　thing　I’m　saying？”
“No。　I　only　say　that　one　is　convinced　of　the　necessity　of　a　future　life；　not　by　argument；　but　when　one　goes　hand…in…hand　with　some　one；　and　all　at　once　that　some