.
Itwasjustthenthathereceivedaletterfromhiswife, whoimploredhimtoseeher, tellinghimhowgrievedshewasabouthimandhowshewishedtodevoteherwholelifetohim.
AttheendofthelettersheinformedhimthatinafewdaysshewouldreturntoPetersburgfromabroad.
FollowingthisletteroneofthemasonicBrotherswhomPierrerespectedlessthantheothersforcedhiswayintoseehimand, turningtheconversationuponPierre'smatrimonialaffairs, bywayoffraternaladviceexpressedtheopinionthathisseveritytohiswifewaswrongandthathewasneglectingoneofthefirstrulesofFreemasonrybynotforgivingthepenitent.
Atthesametimehismother-in-law, PrinceVasili'swife, , andinthemoodhethenwas, , andundertheinfluenceofthedepressionthatpossessedhimhevaluedneitherhislibertynorhisresolutiontopunishhiswife.
"Nooneisrightandnooneistoblame; soshetooisnottoblame," hethought.
Ifhedidnotatoncegivehisconsenttoareunionwithhiswife, , , wasitnotamatterofindifferencewhetherhelivedwithhiswifeornot?
Withoutreplyingeithertohiswifeorhismother-inlaw, :
Moscow, 17thNovember
