Book Five: 1806-07 - Chapter III

by Leo Tolstoy

　　On reaching Petersburg Pierre did not let anyone know of hisarrival, he went nowhere and spent whole days in reading Thomas aKempis, whose book had been sent him by someone unknown. One thinghe continually realized as he read that book: the joy, hithertounknown to him, of believing in the possibility of attainingperfection, and in the possibility of active brotherly love among men,which Joseph Alexeevich had revealed to him. A week after his arrival,the young Polish count, Willarski, whom Pierre had known slightly inPetersburg society, came into his room one evening in the official andceremonious manner in which Dolokhov's second had called on him,and, having closed the door behind him and satisfied himself thatthere was nobody else in the room, addressed Pierre.

　　"I have come to you with a message and an offer, Count," he saidwithout sitting down. "A person of very high standing in ourBrotherhood has made application for you to be received into our Orderbefore the usual term and has proposed to me to be your sponsor. Iconsider it a sacred duty to fulfill that person's wishes. Do you wishto enter the Brotherhood of Freemasons under my sponsorship?"

　　The cold, austere tone of this man, whom he had almost alwaysbefore met at balls, amiably smiling in the society of the mostbrilliant women, surprised Pierre.

　　"Yes, I do wish it," said he.

　　Willarski bowed his head.

　　"One more question, Count," he said, "which beg you to answer in allsincerity- not as a future Mason but as an honest man: have yourenounced your former convictions- do you believe in God?"

　　Pierre considered.

　　"Yes... yes, I believe in God," he said.

　　"In that case..." began Willarski, but Pierre interrupted him.

　　"Yes, I do believe in God," he repeated.

　　"In that case we can go," said Willarski. "My carriage is at yourservice."

　　Willarski was silent throughout the drive. To Pierre's inquiriesas to what he must do and how he should answer, Willarski only repliedthat brothers more worthy than he would test him and that Pierre hadonly to tell the truth.

　　Having entered the courtyard of a large house where the Lodge hadits headquarters, and having ascended a dark staircase, they entered asmall well-lit anteroom where they took off their cloaks without theaid of a servant. From there they passed into another room. A man instrange attire appeared at the door. Willarski, stepping toward him,said something to him in French in an undertone and then went up toa small wardrobe in which Pierre noticed garments such as he had neverseen before. Having taken a kerchief from the cupboard, Willarskibound Pierre's eyes with it and tied it in a knot behind, catchingsome hairs painfully in the knot. Then he drew his face down, kissedhim, and taking him by the hand led him forward. The hairs tied in theknot hurt Pierre and there were lines of pain on his face and ashamefaced smile. His huge figure, with arms hanging down and with apuckered, though smiling face, moved after Willarski with uncertain,timid steps.

　　Having led him about ten paces, Willarski stopped.

　　"Whatever happens to you," he said, "you must bear it all manfullyif you have firmly resolved to join our Brotherhood." (Pierre noddedaffirmatively.) "When you hear a knock at the door, you will uncoveryour eyes," added Willarski. "I wish you courage and success," and,pressing Pierre's hand, he went out.

　　Left alone, Pierre went on smiling in the same way. Once or twice heshrugged his and raised his hand to the kerchief, as if wishing totake it off, but let it drop again. The five minutes spent with hiseyes bandaged seemed to him an hour. His arms felt numb, his legsalmost gave way, it seemed to him that he was tired out. Heexperienced a variety of most complex sensations. He felt afraid ofwhat would happen to him and still more afraid of showing his fear. Hefelt curious to know what was going to happen and what would berevealed to him; but most of all, he felt joyful that the moment hadcome when he would at last start on that path of regeneration and onthe actively virtuous life of which he had been dreaming since hemet Joseph Alexeevich. Loud knocks were heard at the door. Pierre tookthe bandage off his eyes and glanced around him. The room was in blackdarkness, only a small lamp was burning inside something white. Pierrewent nearer and saw that the lamp stood on a black table on whichlay an open book. The book was the Gospel, and the white thing withthe lamp inside was a human skull with its cavities and teeth. Afterreading the first words of the Gospel: "In the beginning was theWord and the Word was with God," Pierre went round the table and saw alarge open box filled with something. It was a coffin with bonesinside. He was not at all surprised by what he saw. Hoping to enter onan entirely new life quite unlike the old one, he expectedeverything to be unusual, even more unusual than what he was seeing. Askull, a coffin, the Gospel- it seemed to him that he had expected allthis and even more. Trying to stimulate his emotions he looked around."God, death, love, the brotherhood of man," he kept saying to himself,associating these words with vague yet joyful ideas. The door openedand someone came in.

　　By the dim light, to which Pierre had already become accustomed,he saw rather short man. Having evidently come from the light into thedarkness, the man paused, then moved with cautious steps toward thetable and placed on it his small leather-gloved hands.

　　This short man had on a white leather apron which covered hischest and part of his legs; he had on a kind of necklace above whichrose a high white ruffle, outlining his rather long face which was litup from below.

　　"For what have you come hither?" asked the newcomer, turning inPierre's direction at a slight rustle made by the latter. "Why haveyou, who do not believe in the truth of the light and who have notseen the light, come here? What do you seek from us? Wisdom, virtue,enlightenment?"

　　At the moment the door opened and the stranger came in, Pierrefelt a sense of awe and veneration such as he had experienced in hisboyhood at confession; he felt himself in the presence of one sociallya complete stranger, yet nearer to him through the brotherhood of man.With bated breath and beating heart he moved toward the Rhetor (bywhich name the brother who prepared a seeker for entrance into theBrotherhood was known). Drawing nearer, he recognized in the Rhetora man he knew, Smolyaninov, and it mortified him to think that thenewcomer was an acquaintance- he wished him simply a brother and avirtuous instructor. For a long time he could not utter a word, sothat the Rhetor had to repeat his question.

　　"Yes... I... I... desire regeneration," Pierre uttered withdifficulty.

　　"Very well," said Smolyaninov, and went on at once: "Have you anyidea of the means by which our holy Order will help you to reachyour aim?" said he quietly and quickly.

　　"I... hope... for guidance... help... in regeneration," said Pierre,with a trembling voice and some difficulty in utterance due to hisexcitement and to being unaccustomed to speak of abstract matters inRussian.

　　"What is your conception of Freemasonry?"

　　"I imagine that Freemasonry is the fraternity and equality of menwho have virtuous aims," said Pierre, feeling ashamed of theinadequacy of his words for the solemnity of the moment, as hespoke. "I imagine..."

　　"Good!" said the Rhetor quickly, apparently satisfied with thisanswer. "Have you sought for means of attaining your aim in religion?"

　　"No, I considered it erroneous and did not follow it," saidPierre, so softly that the Rhetor did not hear him and asked himwhat he was saying. "I have been an atheist," answered Pierre.

　　"You are seeking for truth in order to follow its laws in your life,therefore you seek wisdom and virtue. Is that not so?" said theRhetor, after a moment's pause.

　　"Yes, yes," assented Pierre.

　　The Rhetor cleared his throat, crossed his gloved hands on hisbreast, and began to speak.

　　"Now I must disclose to you the chief aim of our Order," he said,"and if this aim coincides with yours, you may enter our Brotherhoodwith profit. The first and chief object of our Order, the foundationon which it rests and which no human power can destroy, is thepreservation and handing on to posterity of a certain importantmystery... which has come down to us from the remotest ages, even fromthe first man- a mystery on which perhaps the fate of mankind depends.But since this mystery is of such a nature that nobody can know or useit unless he be prepared by long and diligent self-purification, noteveryone can hope to attain it quickly. Hence we have a secondary aim,that of preparing our members as much as possible to reform theirhearts, to purify and enlighten their minds, by means handed on tous by tradition from those who have striven to attain this mystery,and thereby to render them capable of receiving it.

　　"By purifying and regenerating our members we try, thirdly, toimprove the whole human race, offering it in our members an example ofpiety and virtue, and thereby try with all our might to combat theevil which sways the world. Think this over and I will come to youagain."

　　"To combat the evil which sways the world..." Pierre repeated, and amental image of his future activity in this direction rose in hismind. He imagined men such as he had himself been a fortnight ago, andhe addressed an edifying exhortation to them. He imagined to himselfvicious and unfortunate people whom he would assist by word anddeed, imagined oppressors whose victims he would rescue. Of thethree objects mentioned by the Rhetor, this last, that of improvingmankind, especially appealed to Pierre. The important mysterymentioned by the Rhetor, though it aroused his curiosity, did not seemto him essential, and the second aim, that of purifying andregenerating himself, did not much interest him because at that momenthe felt with delight that he was already perfectly cured of his formerfaults and was ready for all that was good.

　　Half an hour later, the Rhetor returned to inform the seeker ofthe seven virtues, corresponding to the seven steps of Solomon'stemple, which every Freemason should cultivate in himself. Thesevirtues were: 1. Discretion, the keeping of the secrets of the Order.2. Obedience to those of higher ranks in the Order. 3. Morality. 4.Love of mankind. 5. Courage. 6. Generosity. 7. The love of death.

　　"In the seventh place, try, by the frequent thought of death," theRhetor said, "to bring yourself to regard it not as a dreaded foe, butas a friend that frees the soul grown weary in the labors of virtuefrom this distressful life, and leads it to its place of recompenseand peace."

　　"Yes, that must be so," thought Pierre, when after these words theRhetor went away, leaving him to solitary meditation. "It must beso, but I am still so weak that I love my life, the meaning of whichis only now gradually opening before me." But five of the othervirtues which Pierre recalled, counting them on his fingers, he feltalready in his soul: courage, generosity, morality, love of mankind,and especially obedience- which did not even seem to him a virtue, buta joy. (He now felt so glad to be free from his own lawlessness and tosubmit his will to those who knew the indubitable truth.) He forgotwhat the seventh virtue was and could not recall it.

　　The third time the Rhetor came back more quickly and asked Pierrewhether he was still firm in his intention and determined to submit toall that would be required of him.

　　"I am ready for everything," said Pierre.

　　"I must also inform you," said the Rhetor, "that our Orderdelivers its teaching not in words only but also by other means, whichmay perhaps have a stronger effect on the sincere seeker afterwisdom and virtue than mere words. This chamber with what you seetherein should already have suggested to your heart, if it is sincere,more than words could do. You will perhaps also see in your furtherinitiation a like method of enlightenment. Our Order imitates theancient societies that explained their teaching by hieroglyphics. Ahieroglyph," said the Rhetor, "is an emblem of something notcognizable by the senses but which possesses qualities resemblingthose of the symbol."

　　Pierre knew very well what a hieroglyph was, but dared not speak. Helistened to the Rhetor in silence, feeling from all he said that hisordeal was about to begin.

　　"If you are resolved, I must begin your initiation," said the Rhetorcoming closer to Pierre. "In token of generosity I ask you to giveme all your valuables."

　　"But I have nothing here," replied Pierre, supposing that he wasasked to give up all he possessed.

　　"What you have with you: watch, money, rings...."

　　Pierre quickly took out his purse and watch, but could not managefor some time to get the wedding ring off his fat finger. When thathad been done, the Rhetor said:

　　"In token of obedience, I ask you to undress."

　　Pierre took off his coat, waistcoat, and left boot according tothe Rhetor's instructions. The Mason drew the shirt back from Pierre'sleft breast, and stooping down pulled up the left leg of histrousers to above the knee. Pierre hurriedly began taking off hisright boot also and was going to tuck up the other trouser leg to savethis stranger the trouble, but the Mason told him that was notnecessary and gave him a slipper for his left foot. With a childlikesmile of embarrassment, doubt, and self-derision, which appeared onhis face against his will, Pierre stood with his arms hanging down andlegs apart, before his brother Rhetor, and awaited his furthercommands.

　　"And now, in token of candor, I ask you to reveal to me your chiefpassion," said the latter.

　　"My passion! I have had so many," replied Pierre.

　　"That passion which more than all others caused you to waver onthe path of virtue," said the Mason.

　　Pierre paused, seeking a reply.

　　"Wine? Gluttony? Idleness? Laziness? Irritability? Anger? Women?" Hewent over his vices in his mind, not knowing to which of them togive the pre-eminence.

　　"Women," he said in a low, scarcely audible voice.

　　The Mason did not move and for a long time said nothing after thisanswer. At last he moved up to Pierre and, taking the kerchief thatlay on the table, again bound his eyes.

　　"For the last time I say to you- turn all your attention uponyourself, put a bridle on your senses, and seek blessedness, not inpassion but in your own heart. The source of blessedness is notwithout us but within...."

　　Pierre had already long been feeling in himself that refreshingsource of blessedness which now flooded his heart with glad emotion.