Chapter 7

           

           Nearlytwoyearsbeforethis,in1808,PierreonreturningtoPetersburgaftervisitinghisestateshadinvoluntarilyfoundhimselfinaleadingpositionamongthePetersburgFreemasons.Hearrangeddiningandfunerallodgemeetings,enrollednewmembers,andbusiedhimselfunitingvariouslodgesandacquiringauthenticcharters.Hegavemoneyfortheerectionoftemplesandsupplementedasfarashecouldthecollectionofalms,inregardtowhichthemajorityofmemberswerestingyandirregular.HesupportedalmostsinglehandedapoorhousetheorderhadfoundedinPetersburg.

           Hislifemeanwhilecontinuedasbefore,withthesameinfatuationsanddissipations.Helikedtodineanddrinkwell,andthoughheconsidereditimmoralandhumiliatingcouldnotresistthetemptationsofthebachelorcirclesinwhichhemoved.

           Amidtheturmoilofhisactivitiesanddistractions,however,Pierreattheendofayearbegantofeelthatthemorefirmlyhetriedtorestuponit,themoreMasonicgroundonwhichhestoodgavewayunderhim.Atthesametimehefeltthatthedeeperthegroundsankunderhimthecloserboundheinvoluntarilybecametotheorder.WhenhehadjoinedtheFreemasonshehadexperiencedthefeelingofonewhoconfidentlystepsontothesmoothsurfaceofabog.Whenheputhisfootdownitsankin.Tomakequitesureofthefirmnessoftheground,heputhisotherfootdownandsankdeeperstill,becamestuckinit,andinvoluntarilywadedknee-deepinthebog.

           JosephAlexéevichwasnotinPetersburg—hehadoflatestoodasidefromtheaffairsofthePetersburglodges,andlivedalmostentirelyinMoscow.

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