Pierre, perplexed, lookedroundwithhisshortsightedeyeswithoutobeying, andsuddenlydoubtsaroseinhismind."WhereamI? WhatamIdoing? Aren'ttheylaughingatme? Shan'tIbeashamedtorememberthis?" , rememberedallhehadalreadygonethrough, , tryingtoarousehisformerdevotionalfeeling, , , hewastoldtogetup, andawhiteleatherapron, suchastheotherswore, wasputonhim: hewasgivenatrowelandthreepairsofgloves, , whichsymbolizedstrengthandpurity; thenoftheunexplainedtrowel, hetoldhimtotoilwithittocleansehisownheartfromvice, , aman's, 'sgloveshewastowearatthemeetings, andfinallyofthethird, apairofwomen'sgloves, hesaid: "Dearbrother, thesewoman'." Andafterapause, headded: "Butbeware, dearbrother, thattheseglovesdonotdeckhandsthatareunclean." , blushedlikeachildtilltearscametohiseyes, beganlookingabouthimuneasily, andanawkwardpausefollowed.
Thissilencewasbrokenbyoneofthebrethren, wholedPierreuptotherugandbeganreadingtohimfromamanuscriptbookanexplanationofallthefiguresonit: thesun, themoon, ahammer, aplumbline, atrowel, aroughstoneandasquaredstone, apillar, threewindows, , hewasshownthesignsoftheLodge, toldthepassword, , andPierre, fromjoy, agitation, andembarrassment, .
"Inourtempleswerecognizenootherdistinctions," readtheGrandMaster, "'saidwhoeverhemaybe, exhorthimwhogoethastray, raisehimthatfalleth, , , ."
Hefinishedand, gettingup, embracedandkissedPierre, who, withtearsofjoyinhiseyes, lookedroundhim, , andburnedwithimpatiencetosettoworkwiththem.
, andoneofthemreadanexhortationonthenecessityofhumility.
TheGrandMasterproposedthatthelastdutyshouldbeperformed, andthedistinguisheddignitarywhoborethetitleof "CollectorofAlms" , butfearingthatitmightlooklikepridesubscribedthesameamountastheothers.
Themeetingwasatanend, andonreachinghomePierrefeltasifhehadreturnedfromalongjourneyonwhichhehadspentdozensofyears, hadbecomecompletelychanged, andhadquiteleftbehindhisformerhabitsandwayoflife.
