HenowoftenrememberedhisconversationwithPrinceAndrewandquiteagreedwithhim, thoughheunderstoodPrinceAndrew', , thesatisfactionofone'sneedsandconsequentfreedominthechoiceofone'soccupation, thatis, ofone'swayoflife, nowseemedtoPierretobeindubitablyman', drinkingwhenhewantedtodrink, sleepingwhenhewantedtosleep, ofwarmthwhenhewascold, 'sneeds—goodfood, cleanliness, andfreedom—nowthathewasdeprivedofallthis, seemedtoPierretoconstituteperfecthappiness; andthechoiceofoccupation, thatis, ofhiswayoflife—nowthatthatwassorestricted—seemedtohimsuchaneasymatterthatheforgotthatasuperfluityofthecomfortsoflifedestroysalljoyinsatisfyingone'sneeds, whilegreatfreedominthechoiceofoccupation—suchfreedomashiswealth, hiseducation, andhissocialpositionhadgivenhiminhisownlife—isjustwhatmakesthechoiceofoccupationinsolublydifficultanddestroysthedesireandpossibilityofhavinganoccupation.
AllPierre', andfortherestofhislife, hethoughtandspokewithenthusiasmofthatmonthofcaptivity, ofthoseirrecoverable, strong, joyfulsensations, andchieflyofthecompletepeaceofmindandinnerfreedomwhichheexperiencedonlyduringthoseweeks.
Whenonthefirstdayhegotupearly, wentoutoftheshedatdawn, andsawthecupolasandcrossesoftheNewConventoftheVirginstilldarkatfirst, thehoarfrostonthedustygrass, theSparrowHills, andthewoodedbanksabovethewindingrivervanishinginthepurpledistance, whenhefeltthecontactofthefreshairandheardthenoiseofthecrowsflyingfromMoscowacrossthefield, andwhenafterwardslightgleamedfromtheeastandthesun'srimappearedsolemnlyfrombehindacloud, andthecupolasandcrosses, thehoarfrost, thedistanceandtheriver, allbegantosparkleinthegladlight—, butevengrewinstrengthasthehardshipsofhispositionincreased.
, therespectshownhimbytheFrench, hissimplicity, hisreadinesstogiveanythingaskedofhim (hereceivedtheallowanceofthreerublesaweekmadetoofficers); withhisstrength, whichheshowedtothesoldiersbypressingnailsintothewallsofthehut; hisgentlenesstohiscompanions, andhiscapacityforsittingstillandthinkingwithoutdoinganything (whichseemedtothemincomprehensible), , ifnotactuallyharmful, tohimintheworldhehadlivedin—hisstrength, hisdisdainforthecomfortsoflife, hisabsent-mindednessandsimplicity—.
