WhenPierrereturnedhomehewashandedtwoofRostopchin'sbroadsheetsthathadbeenbroughtthatday.
ThefirstdeclaredthatthereportthatCountRostopchinhadforbiddenpeopletoleaveMoscowwasfalse; onthecontraryhewasgladthatladiesandtradesmen'swiveswereleavingthecity."Therewillbelesspanicandlessgossip," ranthebroadsheet "butIwillstakemylifeonitthatscoundrelwillnotenterMoscow." , thatCountWittgensteinhaddefeatedtheFrench, butthatasmanyoftheinhabitantsofMoscowwishedtobearmed, weaponswerereadyforthematthearsenal: sabers, pistols, .
"ShallIjointhearmyandentertheservice, orwait?" .
"Ifthispatiencecomesout," hesaidtohimselfaftershufflingthecards, holdingtheminhishand, andliftinghishead, "ifitcomesout, itmeans...whatdoesitmean?"
Hehadnotdecidedwhatitshouldmeanwhenheheardthevoiceoftheeldestprincessatthedooraskingwhethershemightcomein.
"ThenitwillmeanthatImustgotothearmy," saidPierretohimself."Comein, comein!" headdedtotheprincess.
Onlytheeldestprincess, theonewiththestonyfaceandlongwaist, wasstilllivinginPierre'.
"Excusemycomingtoyou, cousin," shesaidinareproachfulandagitatedvoice."? ?"
"Onthecontrary, thingsseemsatisfactory, macousine," saidPierreinthebanteringtonehehabituallyadoptedtowardher, alwaysfeelinguncomfortableintheroleofherbenefactor.
"Satisfactory, indeed! Verysatisfactory! ! Andthepeopletooarequitemutinous—theynolongerobey, ', aboveall, theFrenchwillbehereanydaynow, sowhatarewewaitingfor? Iaskjustonethingofyou, cousin," shewenton, ", Ican'tliveunderBonaparte'srule."
