Chapter 3 third chapter

When Pierre arrived in Petersburg, he told no one of his arrival, and, staying at home, spent the whole day reading a book by Thomas Kempis which had been sent to him by whomever he knew.When Pierre read this book, there was only one thing he grasped again and again, a joy he had not yet experienced: the conviction that perfection is possible, that unwavering love is possible, is What Osip Alexievich revealed to him.A week after his arrival, one evening, the young Polish Count Wilarski, with whom Pierre had once known in Petersburg society, entered his room with a pretentious dignity. He looked as though Dolokhov's witnesses to the duel had come to meet him, closed the door behind him, and turned to him only when he was sure that no one was in the room except Pierre. Turn your face and speak.

"Count, I have come to see you with my commission and suggestion," he said to him without sitting down. "An important person of high status in our Freemasonry came forward to apply for your admission in advance, and suggested that I be your guarantor. I regard it as a sacred duty to fulfill the will of this important person. You Would you like to join the Freemasonry on my pledge?" Pierre almost always saw him with a good-natured smile at balls, that is, among the beautiful women, but at this moment his cold and serious tone surprised Pierre. "Yes, I hope," said Pierre.

Villarsky bowed his head. "Count, there is one more question," he said, "and I beg you, not as a future Freemason, but as an honest man (galanthomme), to answer me sincerely, whether you abandon your former beliefs, whether you Believe in God?" Pierre pondered. "Yes... yes, I believe in God," he said. "In this case..." began Villarsky, interrupted by Pierre. "Yes, I believe in God," he said again. "In that case we can go on our way," said Villarsky, "and my buggy is at your disposal." Villarsky was silent all the way, and he addressed Pierre's question: what should he do, what should he answer.Villarsky simply said that Pierre had no choice but to tell the truth when his more respected brothers and sisters wanted to test him.

They entered the gate of the Masonic chapter building, walked down the dark staircase, and entered the small illuminated vestibule, where they took off their leather jackets without the help of the maid.They went from the hall into another room.I do not know who is wearing a strange clothes appeared by the door.Villarsky went up to him, said something softly to him in French, and went to the wardrobe, where Pierre noticed some clothes he had never seen before.Villarsky took a handkerchief from the wardrobe, put it over Pierre's eyes, tied a knot at the back of his head, grabbed his hair and stuffed it into the knot, where it hurt so much.Then he made Pierre to bend down a little near him, kissed him, took his hand, and led him somewhere.Pierre felt the pain of Knott's pulling his hair, which made him wrinkle his brow and smile because he was a little ashamed.Tall, with hanging hands and a smile on his wrinkled face, he followed Villarsky with unsteady, timid steps.

Wilarsky led him about ten paces, then stopped. "No matter what happens to you," he said, "if you decide to join our Freemasonry, you must stand up to all trials with courage. (Pierre bows his head and answers in the affirmative) When you hear the knock on the door If you hear the sound, you unblind yourself with the handkerchief," Wilarsky added: "I wish you success in your endeavors." Then Villarsky shook Pierre's hand and went out. Pierre was left alone, still smiling.Twice he shrugged his shoulders, reached for the handkerchief as if to untie it, and then put it down again.He was blindfolded for five minutes, and it seemed to him an hour had passed. His hands were swollen, his legs were weak, and he seemed tired.He experiences a wide variety of sensations of the utmost complexity.He's terrified of what's going to happen to him, and even more terrified that he'll show fear.He was curious to know what would happen to him, what mysteries would be revealed before him; It was coming, and it was something he had been thinking about day and night since he had met Osip Alexievich.At this moment, several strong knocks on the door could be heard.Pierre untied the handkerchief from his eyes and looked around.The room was dark: only one gleamed white thing, in which an ever-burning lamp stood on a black table, with an open book on top of it.The book is the Gospel; the white thing that holds the lamp is a skull with holes and teeth.When Pierre had finished reading the first words of the Gospel, he turned around the table and saw a large open box full of things.This is Shoufang with bones.What he saw did not surprise him in the least.He hopes to enter a new field of life, a field of life that is completely different from the past. He expects extraordinary things, even more extraordinary things than what he has seen.Skulls, longevity squares, Gospel books—he felt that all this was what he expected, and he expected more.He looked around, trying desperately to arouse his own pity. "God, death, love, the brotherhood of men," he said to himself, and connected the words with a vague but agreeable idea of ​​something.The door opened, and someone walked in.

But under the dim light that Pierre was accustomed to seeing, a man of short stature entered.Obviously, this person stopped walking after entering the room from a bright place, and then he took a step, walked carefully to the table, and put his small hands in leather gloves on the table. This man of short stature is wearing a white leather apron covering his chest and part of his lower body, and around his neck is a string of something like a necklace. Beside the necklace, a high white collar is exposed, which sets off his illuminated face from below. rectangular face. "Why do you come here?" The person who came in turned to Pierre when he heard his rustling footsteps, and asked, "Why do you, who do not believe in the truth of the divine light and cannot see the divine light?" Come here, what do you want from us? Excellent wisdom, high moral character, education?"

When the door is thrown open and an unknown person enters, Pierre experiences a feeling of terror and admiration, as he had experienced in his childhood confessions: he feels himself and a man In dealing alone, he is a stranger in terms of living circumstances, but in terms of human brotherhood, he is close.Pierre's heart was beating almost to hold his breath, and he moved towards the teacher of the rhetoric class (a brother in Freemasonry who registers aspirants is called a teacher).As Pierre came closer, he recognized the rhetoric teacher as his acquaintance Smolyaninov, but he felt insulted at the thought that the person who had entered was an acquaintance. Just a brother and a virtuous teacher.Pierre could not speak for a long time, and the rhetoric teacher had to ask questions repeatedly.

"Yeah, I... I... want to clean up and make a new one." Pierre struggled to say this. "Very well," said Smolyaninov, going on at once, "do you have any idea of ​​the means by which our holy Freemasonry will help you to achieve your ends? . . . " The rhetoric teacher Speak calmly and quickly. "I . . . hope . . . to guide . . . to help . "What is your concept of Freemasonry?" "I mean that 'freemasonry' is the brateznite and equality of virtuous people," said Pierre, as he spoke, embarrassed by the inappropriateness of his words to the solemn moment, "I mean yes……"

-------- ①French: Friendship. "Very well," said the rhetoric teacher hastily, apparently satisfied with the answer, "have you ever sought in religion the means to your ends?" "No, I thought religion was unjust, so I didn't believe in it." Pierre spoke in such a low voice that the rhetoric teacher couldn't hear him, so he asked him what he said, "I was an atheist." El answered. "You seek the truth in order to follow the laws of truth in your life, so you must seek wisdom and noble character, isn't that right?" the rhetoric class teacher said after a long silence.

"Yes, yes." Pierre admitted that he was right. The rhetoric teacher coughed, cleared his throat, folded his gloved hands over his chest, and began to speak. "Now I must confess to you the purpose of our Freemasonry," said he, "and if it suits your purpose, it will be to your advantage that you join our Society. No human force can overthrow our Freemasonry." The foundation upon which the Freemasonry is built, the primary purpose and foundation of our Society is to preserve and pass on some important metaphysics to future generations... From ancient times, even from the first man in the universe has been passed down to us, the fate of mankind may be Use this metaphysics as a transfer. But because this metaphysics has such characteristics, no one can understand it and apply it unless he purifies himself diligently for a long time and strives to cultivate himself. Even so, not everyone We can expect to arrive at this mystery quickly. We have, therefore, a secondary purpose, that of training our minds as far as possible by the methods taught to us by those societies who have labored to find it. Members, correct their hearts, purify and enlighten their reason, so that they have the ability to understand this metaphysics. Third, when purifying and transforming our members, we must do everything possible to transform all human beings. To set an example of piety and virtue for all mankind, so as to do our best to oppose the evil that dominates the world. You think about this, and I will come to see you later." After saying this, he walked out of the room up.

"Against the evil that dominates the world..." repeated Pierre, envisioning in his mind his future activities in this field.He also imagined people like himself two weeks ago, and he spoke the words of lesson to them in his heart.He imagined the imperfect and unfortunate people whom he helped by word and deed, he imagined the oppressors from whom he rescued his victims.Among the three goals listed by the rhetoric class teacher, the ultimate goal of saving all mankind was particularly dear to Pierre.Although an important metaphysics mentioned by the teacher of the rhetoric class aroused his curiosity, he did not think it was the essence. Feeling that you have completely corrected your former vices, you only need to devote your whole heart to doing good. Half an hour later, the rhetoric teacher returned and conveyed to the aspirant seven noble virtues corresponding to the total number of steps in Solomon's temple.These seven noble virtues are: (1) modesty, keeping the secrets of the Masonic Society; (2) obedience to the superiors of the Society; (3) good conduct; (6) generosity; (7) Love and devotion. "Article VII," said the rhetoric teacher, "always think of devotion, and try to make yourself feel that death is no longer a terrible enemy, but a friend... It can take away what you have suffered for your practice. The soul is freed from a life of catastrophe, leading it to the place of rest that God has granted." "Yes, that must be the case," thought Pierre, and the rhetoric teacher, having said these words, went away, leaving him to think alone. "It must be like this, but I'm still too fragile, I love my life, and I've only just realized the meaning of life a little bit now." Pierre pointed his fingers and remembered the other five noble virtues, and he felt in his heart: · Yong · Dare, generosity, integrity, love, kindness, and especially obedience, he even believes that obedience is not a noble character, but happiness. (He was very glad that he was now free from the fault of wantonness, and subordinated his own will to those who had seen the truth beyond doubt.) Pierre had forgotten the seventh virtue, and he could not think Can't get up. The rhetoric teacher came back more quickly the third time, and asked Pierre if his ambitions remained the same, and whether he was resolutely obedient to everything he asked. "I'm ready to give everything," Pierre said. "I should also tell you," said the rhetoric teacher, "that we Freemasons communicate our teachings not only by words, but by other means which may be more effective than oral explanations for those who are sincerely seeking wisdom and virtue. Can play a greater role. If your heart is sincere, then the furnishings you see in this magnificent house will speak to your heart more powerfully than words. Accept your In the process of joining the Freemasonry, you may have seen this kind of way of explaining the problem with your own eyes. Our Freemasons imitate the ancient societies with the help of pictographic symbols to reveal the teachings." The rhetoric class teacher said, "Pictographic symbols are a kind of non-constrained The name of an emotional thing, which itself implies a performance similar to a symbol." Pierre knew perfectly well what "pictographs" meant, but he dared not speak.He listened silently to the rhetoric class teacher's explanation, and he had a premonition that the test was about to begin based on various signs. "If you are determined, I will begin to guide you," said the rhetoric teacher, approaching Pierre. "I beg you to show me all your valuables as a gesture of generosity." "But I don't have anything with me," said Pierre, who thought he was expected to surrender everything he had. "Hand over what you have with you: pocket watch, money, rings..." Pierre hurriedly took out his wallet and pocket watch, unable to remove the engagement ring from his chubby finger for a long time.When he had done this, the Mason said: "I ask you to take off your clothes to show your obedience," Pierre followed the instructions of the rhetoric teacher and took off his tuxedo, waistcoat and left leather boot.The Masonic lifted his shirt from the left breast, bent over, and rolled his left trouser leg up above his knee.Pierre wanted to hastily take off his right boot and roll up his trousers so as not to trouble the stranger, but the Masonic told him that it was unnecessary, so he handed over the left sandal to him. to him.Pierre could not help showing a childlike shy, puzzled, self-deprecating smile.Pierre stood before his brother, the teacher of rhetoric, with his hands down, and his legs spread apart, awaiting his new orders. "Finally, I ask you to show your openness by telling me your chief passion," he said. "My hobbies! I used to have so many hobbies," said Pierre. "You name that inclination which most shakes you in the path to virtue," said the Mason. Pierre was silent for a while, thinking of what to say. "Drinking? Overeating? Idleness? Laziness? Impatience? Resentment? Women?" As he enumerated his own faults, he weighed them in his mind, wondering which one was the chief one. "Women," said Pierre in a low, almost inaudible voice.After hearing this answer, the Mason remained motionless and said nothing.At last he moved, approached Pierre, took the handkerchief which was lying on the table, and blindfolded him again. "I say this to you for the last time: turn all your attention to yourself, control your emotions, not in lust, but in yourself to find supreme happiness. The source of supreme happiness is not outside , and in our hearts..." Pierre had already felt this spring of supreme happiness, and now his soul was filled with joy and tenderness.