《War And Peace》 Book5 CHAPTER V
by Leo Tolstoy
THE DAY after his initiation at the Lodge, Pierre was sitting at home reading
a book, and trying to penetrate to the significance of the square, which
symbolised by one of its sides, God, by another the moral, by the third the
physical, by the fourth the nature of both mingled. Now and then he broke off
from the book and the symbolic square, and in his imagination shaped his new
plan of life. On the previous day he had been told at the lodge that the rumour
of the duel had reached the Emperor's ears, and that it would be more judicious
for him to withdraw from Petersburg. Pierre proposed going to his estates in the
south, and there occupying himself with the care of his peasants. He was
joyfully dreaming of this new life when Prince Vassily suddenly walked into his
room.
“My dear fellow, what have you been about in Moscow? What have you been
quarrelling over with Ellen, my dear boy? You have been making a mistake,” said
Prince Vassily, as he came into the room. “I have heard all about it; I can tell
you for a fact that Ellen is as innocent in her conduct towards you as Christ
was to the Jews.”
Pierre would have answered, but he interrupted him.
“And why didn't you come simply and frankly to me as to a friend? I know all
about it; I understand it all,” said he. “You have behaved as was proper for a
man who valued his honour, too hastily, perhaps, but we won't go into that. One
thing you must think of, the position you are placing her and me in, in the eyes
of society and even of the court,” he added, dropping his voice. “She is in
Moscow, while you are here. Think of it, my dear boy.” He drew him down by the
arm. “It's simply a misunderstanding; I expect you feel it so yourself. Write a
letter with me now at once, and she'll come here, and everything will be
explained, or else, I tell you plainly, my dear boy, you may very easily have to
suffer for it.”
Prince Vassily looked significantly at Pierre.
“I have learned from excellent sources that the Dowager Empress is taking a
keen interest in the whole affair. You know she is very graciously disposed to
Ellen.”
Several times Pierre had prepared himself to speak, but on one hand Prince
Vassily would not let him, and on the other hand Pierre himself was loath to
begin to speak in the tone of resolute refusal and denial, in which he was
firmly resolved to answer his father-in-law. Moreover the words of the masonic
precept: “Be thou friendly and courteous,” recurred to his mind. He blinked and
blushed, got up and sank back again, trying to force himself to do what was for
him the hardest thing in life—to say an unpleasant thing to a man's face, to say
what was not expected by that man, whoever he might be. He was so much in the
habit of submitting to that tone of careless authority in which Prince Vassily
spoke, that even now he felt incapable of resisting it. But he felt, too, that
on what he said now all his future fate would depend; that it would decide
whether he continued along the old way of his past life, or advanced along the
new path that had been so attractively pointed out to him by the masons, and
that he firmly believed would lead him to regeneration in a new life.
“Come, my dear boy,” said Prince Vassily playfully, “simply say ‘yes,' and
I'll write on my own account to her, and we'll kill the fatted calf.” But before
Prince Vassily had finished uttering his playful words, Pierre not looking at
him, but with a fury in his face that made him like his father, whispered,
“Prince, I did not invite you here: go, please, go!” He leaped up and opened the
door to him. “Go!” he repeated, amazed at himself and enjoying the expression of
confusion and terror in the countenance of Prince Vassily.
“What's the matter with you? are you ill?”
“Go!” the quivering voice repeated once more. And Prince Vassily had to go,
without receiving a word of explanation.
A week later Pierre went away to his estates, after taking leave of his new
friends, the freemasons, and leaving large sums in their hands for alms. His new
brethren gave him letters for Kiev and Odessa, to masons living there, and
promised to write to him and guide him in his new activity.
