Afterthesufferingshehadbeenenduring, —especiallyhisearliestchildhood, whenheusedtobeundressedandputtobed, andwhenleaningoverhimhisnursesanghimtosleepandhe, buryinghisheadinthepillow, felthappyinthemereconsciousnessoflife—returnedtohismemory, notmerelyassomethingpastbutassomethingpresent.
ThedoctorswerebusilyengagedwiththewoundedmantheshapeofwhoseheadseemedfamiliartoPrinceAndrew: theywereliftinghimupandtryingtoquiethim.
"Showittome....Oh, ooh...Oh! Oh, ooh!" hisfrightenedmoanscouldbeheard, subduedbysufferingandbrokenbysobs.
, orbecausehewassorrytopartwithlife, orbecauseofthosememoriesofachildhoodthatcouldnotreturn, orbecausehewassufferingandothersweresufferingandthatmannearhimwasgroaningsopiteously—hefeltlikeweepingchildlike, kindly, andalmosthappytears.
Thewoundedmanwasshownhisamputatedlegstainedwithclottedbloodandwiththebootstillon.
"Oh! Oh, ooh!" hesobbed, likeawoman.
Thedoctorwhohadbeenstandingbesidehim, preventingPrinceAndrewfromseeinghisface, movedaway.
"MyGod! Whatisthis? Whyishehere?" saidPrinceAndrewtohimself.
Inthemiserable, sobbing, enfeebledmanwhoseleghadjustbeenamputated, , buthistrembling, ."Yes, itishe! Yes, thatmanissomehowcloselyandpainfullyconnectedwithme," thoughtPrinceAndrew, notyetclearlygraspingwhathesawbeforehim."Whatistheconnectionofthatmanwithmychildhoodandlife?" .HerememberedNatashaashehadseenherforthefirsttimeattheballin1810, withherslenderneckandarmsandwithafrightenedhappyfacereadyforrapture, andloveandtendernessforher, strongerandmorevividthanever, , andecstaticpityandloveforthatmanoverflowedhishappyheart.
PrinceAndrewcouldnolongerrestrainhimselfandwepttenderlovingtearsforhisfellowmen, forhimself, andforhisownandtheirerrors.
"Compassion, loveofourbrothers, forthosewholoveusandforthosewhohateus, loveofourenemies; yes, thatlovewhichGodpreachedonearthandwhichPrincessMarytaughtmeandIdidnotunderstand—thatiswhatmademesorrytopartwithlife, !"
