Chapter Summaries: Dole: The Fraternity. The ceremony.
Briggs: At the conclusion of the ceremony Pierre feels like a new man.
Translation:
IV. Soon after this in the dark temple came for Pierre now not the former rhetor, but the guarantor Villarsky, which he found out by voice. In the new questions about the hardness of his intentions, Pierre responded: — Yes, yes, I agree, — and with a shining children's smile, with an open, fat breast, uneven and timidly stepping with one shoeless and one shoed foot, went forward and put against Villarsky’s sword his nude breast. From the room he was led by the corridor, turning back and forward, and finally brought to the door of the lodge. Villarsky coughed, he answered the masonic knocking hammers, and the door opened before them. Someone in a bass voice (the eyes of Pierre were all tied up) made questions about who he was, where he was, and when he was born. And so on and then he again was led somewhere, not untying his eyes, and in the time of walking he was told the allegories about the works of his travels, about sacred friendship, about the eternal Builder of peace, and about the courage with which he should carry across proceedings and dangers. In the time of these travels Pierre saw that he was called the seeker, the afflicted, the required, and pounded differently at these hammers and swords. At that time as he was led down to some subject, he saw that confusion and disarray happened between his leaders. He heard as in a whisper the surrounding people argued between themselves and one insisted for him to be conducted by some carpet. After this they took his right hand, placed it on something, but the left they ordered him to put against the compass to his left breast, and made him, repeating words which were read by another, reading the pledge of allegiance to the laws of the Order. Then they put out candles, lit alcohol, as heard and smelled Pierre, and said that he will see a little light. From him they took off a blindfold, and Pierre as in a dream saw in the weak light of the alcohol fire a few people which were in these same aprons as the rhetor standing against him and holding swords directed at his chest. Between them stood a person in a white bloodied shirt. Seeing this, Pierre’s breast moved forward at the swords, wishing for them to pierce him. But the swords pulled back from him and he immediately again put on the blindfold. — Now you saw a little light, — said some voice to him. Then again lighting candles, they said that he needs to see the full light, and again took off the blindfold and more than ten voices suddenly said: so passes the thanking world.421 Pierre little by little began to come to himself and looked around the room where he was and the people that were in it. Around a long table, covered in black, sat twelve people, all in those same robes, as those which he saw before. Some Pierre knew by Petersburgian society. In the presiding location sat an unfamiliar young person, in a special cross on his neck. By the right arm sat the Italian abbot, which Pierre saw two years to that backwards at Anna Pavlovna’s. Also here was one quite important dignitary and one Swiss governor who lived before at the Kuragins. All solemnly were silent, listening to the words of the chairman, holding onto his hand a hammer. In the wall was made a burning star; with one part of the table was a small carpet with various images, from another was something on a kind of altar with the Gospel and skull. Around the table were seven large, of a church kind, candlesticks. Two of the brothers let down Pierre to the altar, put his legs in a rectangular position and ordered him to lie down, saying that he was plunged to the gates of the temple. — He should get the shovel before, — said in a whisper one of the brothers. — Ah! Completeness please, — said another. Pierre’s bewildered, myopic eyes, not obeying, turned back around himself, and suddenly found himself in doubt. "Where am I? What am I doing? Whether they are not laughing at me? Whether this will not shame me to remember this?" Yet this doubt went on only one moment. Pierre turned back in a serious face to the surrounding him people, remembered everything that he had already passed, and got that he could not stay in half roads. He was terrified at his doubt and, trying to cause in himself the former feeling of affection, plunged to the gates of the temple. And really the feeling of affection, still stronger than before, was found in him. When he lay for some time, he was ordered to get up, and put on him such the same white leather apron that were on the others, gave him in his hand a shovel and three pairs of gloves, and then the great master turned to him. He said to him that he should try to not tarnish the whiteness of this apron, presenting strength and purity; then about the obscure shovel said for him to labor by it to clean his heart from vices and indulgently by it smooth his heart. Then about the first male gloves said that their meanings he not may know, yet should keep them, about the other male gloves said that he should put them on in gatherings and finally about the third women gloves said: — Kind brother, and these women gloves are your identified crux. Give them to that woman, whom you will esteem more than all. For this assure in the purity of your heart that, whom you choose for yourself is worthy of a mason. — Keeping silent for some time, adding: — yet observe, kind brother, and do not decorate these gloves with unclean hands. — At that time as the great master uttered these last words, to Pierre it seemed that the chairman was embarrassed. Pierre was embarrassed still more, red to tears, as blush children, anxiously beginning to look back and happened an awkward silence. This silence was interrupted by one of the brothers, which, letting down Pierre to the carpet, started from the notebooks to read him an explanation of all the depicted to him figures: the sun, moon, hammer, plumb, shovels, wild and cubic stone, pillars, three windows and etc. Then Pierre was appointed to his place, was shown the signs of the lodges, was told the entrance word and finally allowed to sit. The great master started to read regulations. The regulations were very long, and Pierre from joy, excitement and shame was not in the condition to understand what was read. He listened only to the last words of the regulations which he remembered. "In our temples we do not know other degrees, — was reading the great master, — besides those which find themselves between vagrant and vice. Guard from some powerful distinction that upsets equality. Fly in helping your brother, whoever he is, instruct the mistaken, lift the falling and do not feed the anger or hostility of your brother. Be affectionate and affable. Stir up in all hearts the fire of virtues. Divide happiness with your neighbor, and yes never outrage the envy of this pure enjoyment. "Say goodbye to your enemy, do not revenge him, only do him good. Carry out the way of the higher law, you will find the traces of ancient, lost to you majesties," he finished and standing up hugged Pierre and kissed him. Pierre, with tears of joy in his eyes, watched around himself, not knowing what to respond to in congratulations and the renewal of meeting with which surrounded him. He did not recognize the meeting; in all these people he saw only brothers, with which he burned out impatiently to take for business. The great master banged a hammer, all sat down by their places, and one read a teaching about the need for humility. The great master proposed to perform the last duty, and the important dignitary who carried the rank of alms gatherer, had begun to go around the brothers. Pierre wanted to write down on the sheet of alms all the money which he had, yet he was afraid by this to express pride, and wrote down the same as much as the others wrote down. The meeting was over, and by returning home, to Pierre it seemed that he had arrived from some far travels, where he spent dozens of years, completely changed and behind from the former order and habitual life. 421 sic transit gloria mundi.
Time: See previous chapter
Locations: See previous chapter
Mentioned: St. Petersburg, Italian, Swiss
Pevear and Volkhonsky: Continuing the ceremony
Briggs: At the conclusion of the ceremony Pierre feels like a new man.
Translation:
IV. Soon after this in the dark temple came for Pierre now not the former rhetor, but the guarantor Villarsky, which he found out by voice. In the new questions about the hardness of his intentions, Pierre responded: — Yes, yes, I agree, — and with a shining children's smile, with an open, fat breast, uneven and timidly stepping with one shoeless and one shoed foot, went forward and put against Villarsky’s sword his nude breast. From the room he was led by the corridor, turning back and forward, and finally brought to the door of the lodge. Villarsky coughed, he answered the masonic knocking hammers, and the door opened before them. Someone in a bass voice (the eyes of Pierre were all tied up) made questions about who he was, where he was, and when he was born. And so on and then he again was led somewhere, not untying his eyes, and in the time of walking he was told the allegories about the works of his travels, about sacred friendship, about the eternal Builder of peace, and about the courage with which he should carry across proceedings and dangers. In the time of these travels Pierre saw that he was called the seeker, the afflicted, the required, and pounded differently at these hammers and swords. At that time as he was led down to some subject, he saw that confusion and disarray happened between his leaders. He heard as in a whisper the surrounding people argued between themselves and one insisted for him to be conducted by some carpet. After this they took his right hand, placed it on something, but the left they ordered him to put against the compass to his left breast, and made him, repeating words which were read by another, reading the pledge of allegiance to the laws of the Order. Then they put out candles, lit alcohol, as heard and smelled Pierre, and said that he will see a little light. From him they took off a blindfold, and Pierre as in a dream saw in the weak light of the alcohol fire a few people which were in these same aprons as the rhetor standing against him and holding swords directed at his chest. Between them stood a person in a white bloodied shirt. Seeing this, Pierre’s breast moved forward at the swords, wishing for them to pierce him. But the swords pulled back from him and he immediately again put on the blindfold. — Now you saw a little light, — said some voice to him. Then again lighting candles, they said that he needs to see the full light, and again took off the blindfold and more than ten voices suddenly said: so passes the thanking world.421 Pierre little by little began to come to himself and looked around the room where he was and the people that were in it. Around a long table, covered in black, sat twelve people, all in those same robes, as those which he saw before. Some Pierre knew by Petersburgian society. In the presiding location sat an unfamiliar young person, in a special cross on his neck. By the right arm sat the Italian abbot, which Pierre saw two years to that backwards at Anna Pavlovna’s. Also here was one quite important dignitary and one Swiss governor who lived before at the Kuragins. All solemnly were silent, listening to the words of the chairman, holding onto his hand a hammer. In the wall was made a burning star; with one part of the table was a small carpet with various images, from another was something on a kind of altar with the Gospel and skull. Around the table were seven large, of a church kind, candlesticks. Two of the brothers let down Pierre to the altar, put his legs in a rectangular position and ordered him to lie down, saying that he was plunged to the gates of the temple. — He should get the shovel before, — said in a whisper one of the brothers. — Ah! Completeness please, — said another. Pierre’s bewildered, myopic eyes, not obeying, turned back around himself, and suddenly found himself in doubt. "Where am I? What am I doing? Whether they are not laughing at me? Whether this will not shame me to remember this?" Yet this doubt went on only one moment. Pierre turned back in a serious face to the surrounding him people, remembered everything that he had already passed, and got that he could not stay in half roads. He was terrified at his doubt and, trying to cause in himself the former feeling of affection, plunged to the gates of the temple. And really the feeling of affection, still stronger than before, was found in him. When he lay for some time, he was ordered to get up, and put on him such the same white leather apron that were on the others, gave him in his hand a shovel and three pairs of gloves, and then the great master turned to him. He said to him that he should try to not tarnish the whiteness of this apron, presenting strength and purity; then about the obscure shovel said for him to labor by it to clean his heart from vices and indulgently by it smooth his heart. Then about the first male gloves said that their meanings he not may know, yet should keep them, about the other male gloves said that he should put them on in gatherings and finally about the third women gloves said: — Kind brother, and these women gloves are your identified crux. Give them to that woman, whom you will esteem more than all. For this assure in the purity of your heart that, whom you choose for yourself is worthy of a mason. — Keeping silent for some time, adding: — yet observe, kind brother, and do not decorate these gloves with unclean hands. — At that time as the great master uttered these last words, to Pierre it seemed that the chairman was embarrassed. Pierre was embarrassed still more, red to tears, as blush children, anxiously beginning to look back and happened an awkward silence. This silence was interrupted by one of the brothers, which, letting down Pierre to the carpet, started from the notebooks to read him an explanation of all the depicted to him figures: the sun, moon, hammer, plumb, shovels, wild and cubic stone, pillars, three windows and etc. Then Pierre was appointed to his place, was shown the signs of the lodges, was told the entrance word and finally allowed to sit. The great master started to read regulations. The regulations were very long, and Pierre from joy, excitement and shame was not in the condition to understand what was read. He listened only to the last words of the regulations which he remembered. "In our temples we do not know other degrees, — was reading the great master, — besides those which find themselves between vagrant and vice. Guard from some powerful distinction that upsets equality. Fly in helping your brother, whoever he is, instruct the mistaken, lift the falling and do not feed the anger or hostility of your brother. Be affectionate and affable. Stir up in all hearts the fire of virtues. Divide happiness with your neighbor, and yes never outrage the envy of this pure enjoyment. "Say goodbye to your enemy, do not revenge him, only do him good. Carry out the way of the higher law, you will find the traces of ancient, lost to you majesties," he finished and standing up hugged Pierre and kissed him. Pierre, with tears of joy in his eyes, watched around himself, not knowing what to respond to in congratulations and the renewal of meeting with which surrounded him. He did not recognize the meeting; in all these people he saw only brothers, with which he burned out impatiently to take for business. The great master banged a hammer, all sat down by their places, and one read a teaching about the need for humility. The great master proposed to perform the last duty, and the important dignitary who carried the rank of alms gatherer, had begun to go around the brothers. Pierre wanted to write down on the sheet of alms all the money which he had, yet he was afraid by this to express pride, and wrote down the same as much as the others wrote down. The meeting was over, and by returning home, to Pierre it seemed that he had arrived from some far travels, where he spent dozens of years, completely changed and behind from the former order and habitual life. 421 sic transit gloria mundi.
Time: See previous chapter
Locations: See previous chapter
Mentioned: St. Petersburg, Italian, Swiss
Pevear and Volkhonsky: Continuing the ceremony
Again, “childish smile”.
There is some confusion and disagreement among the masons about the ceremony.
Pierre recognizes people from society, including the abbe.
All this causes Pierre to have doubts and lose his pleasant feeling.
The three pair of gloves, the most important being the woman gloves. As this causes embarrassment (childish embarrassment) for everyone, since the woman who wears them must be “clean”.
Long reading of rules that Pierre was unable to understand (compare the long German orders before the battle).
After the reading: “He did not recognize any acquaintances; in all these people he saw only brothers and he burned with impatience to start working with them”.
End of chapter: it seemed to Pierre that he had come back from some distant journey, where he had spent dozens of years, had changed completely, and had detached himself from the former order and habits of his life.”
Characters (characters who do not appear, but are mentioned are placed in italics. First appearances are in Bold. First mentions are underlined. Final appearance denoted by *):
Pierre
Villarsky
Smolyaniof (“Rhetor”)
Anna Pavlovna
L’abbe Morio (“the Italian abbate”)
The Grand Master (Garnett opts not to capitalize)
(there are other attendants in the lodge, including a man with a bloody shirt, “another very important dignitary...who bore the appellation of “Collector of Alms”, and a “Swiss, who had once been a tutor at the Kuragins” as well as a
“presiding officer”, or as in Briggs, “Worshipful Master”.)
“presiding officer”, or as in Briggs, “Worshipful Master”.)
Abridged Versions: No break in Bell.
Simmons: Entire chapter is cut.
Simmons: Entire chapter is cut.
Fuller: entire chapter is cut.
Komroff: Chapter is preserved other than a few details. Followed by a line break.
Kropotkin: Chapter 4: Entire chapter is cut.
Bromfield: No corresponding chapter.
Gibian: End of chapter 2.
Gibian: End of chapter 2.
Additional Notes: Maude: “Tolstoy has here run rather ahead of the actual course of events. The Bartenstein treaty between Russia and Prussia here spoken of, and to which Austria was invited to adhere, was not concluded till
April 1807, after some actions had taken place, including the Battle of Eylau (mentioned on page 290) in which Napoleon had so little success that he seemed inclined for peace. Alexander wished to avail himself of this disposition,
and in the proposed treaty the Allies made certain stipulations, but Vienna considered it hopeless to propose conditions to Napoleon - who would be sure to reject them. Matters dragged on till May, when Napoleon’s victory at
Friedland put a fresh aspect on affairs. The Bartenstein treaty did not come into operation, but a peace to suit Napoleon was concluded at Tilsit.”
April 1807, after some actions had taken place, including the Battle of Eylau (mentioned on page 290) in which Napoleon had so little success that he seemed inclined for peace. Alexander wished to avail himself of this disposition,
and in the proposed treaty the Allies made certain stipulations, but Vienna considered it hopeless to propose conditions to Napoleon - who would be sure to reject them. Matters dragged on till May, when Napoleon’s victory at
Friedland put a fresh aspect on affairs. The Bartenstein treaty did not come into operation, but a peace to suit Napoleon was concluded at Tilsit.”
Davis: Page 633: “The compass and square, the apron and gloves, and the circle on the floor are obviously designed to encourage belief in the movement’s medieval guild origins.”
Ridley: Page 159: Alexander I's attitude to Freemasonry in Russia was affected by the position in Poland. The first Freemasons' lodge in Poland was formed in 1735; but the Freemasons were immediately attacked by the Jesuits
and the Roman Catholic Church, which was influential in Poland, and in 1738 King Augustus II issued a decree suppressing the. His successor, King Stanislaus Augustus Poniatovsky, was sympathetic to the Freemasons.
He allowed the first Polish Grand Lodge to be formed in 1767, and ten years later he himself became a Freemason. The partition of Poland between Catherine the Great, Frederick the Great and Maria Theresia in 1772, was
followed by the further partitions of 1793 and 1796, which eliminated Poland as a country. It was a black day for the Polish Freemasons. Only Frederick the Great and his successors in Prussia tolerated them; they were
suppressed in Austrian Poland in 1795 and in Russian Poland in 1797. Some of the leaders of the Polish resistance, whose fight against the invading Russian armies aroused the admiration of Liberals throughout the world,
were Freemasons; but the most famous of all the heroes of Polish independence, Tadeusz Kosciuszko, was not a Freemason, though he was a personal friend of La Fayette. When Napoleon defeated the Russians at Eylau
and Friedland, and established the Grand Duchy of Warsaw under French protection in 1807, he permitted and encouraged the Freemasons, and in March 1810 the Grand Orient of Poland was established. After the defeat
of Napoleon, Alexander I did not ban the Freemasons in that part (Page 170) of Poland which again came under Russia. When he visited Warsaw in November 1815 he was entertained at a banquet by the Polish Freemasons,
and was made a member of the Polish Grand Orient. In 1816 General Alexander Rojnezky became Deputy Master of the Polish Grand Orient, and he drafted a new constitution for the Freemasons which brought the organization
to a considerable extent under the control of the Russian government. This aroused the resentment of patriotic Poles who did not like the Russians. In 1819 Major Victor Lukacinsky formed a rival masonic organization. It was
free from Russian control and only Poles were admitted. This development in Poland was probably one of the factors which persuaded Tsar Aexander to change his attitude towards Freemasonry; though another was his general
shift towards a reactionary policy which followed the formation of the Holy Alliance against revolution between Russia, Austria and Prussia. He asked Lieutenant General Egor Alexandrovich Kushelev, who was a senator and
himself a prominent Freemason, to report to him on the masonic lodges in Russia. Kushelev's report, in June 1821, staed that although tree Freemasons wre loyal subjects and their ideals and activities were praiseworthy,
masonic lodges could be used as a cover for revolutionary activities, as they had been in the Kingdom of Naples; and the same was happening in Russia, especially in three of the St Petersburg lodges."
Confession: Page 91: “The acceptance of equality between all men is a necessary and fundamental characteristic of alll religions. Since in no place, and at no time, has this equality ever existed in reality, nor will it ever, what has happened is that as soon as a new religious teaching appeared (including as always a recognition of equality between all men) those for whom inequality was more advantageous have immediately tried to conceal this basic feature, thereby misconstruing the actual doctrine. This has always and everywhere happened whenever a new religious teaching has appeared. On the whole it has been done unconsciously, because those for whom inequaity is advantageus, the rulers and the rich, have tried to justify themselves in the eye of the new religious teaching without having to alter their own position by using every possible means to instil a meaning into the doctrine that admits inequality. This distortion of religion in such a way as to enable those who rule over others to feel justified in doing so, when passed on to the masses naturally gave them the idea that their submission to their masters was demanded by the religion they professed.”
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