Some French soldiers arrive at Bazdéev’s house seeking lodging. Pierre tackles the crazy old man before he can shoot the French officer.
Some French soldiers arrive at Bazdéev’s house seeking lodging. Pierre tackles the crazy old man before he can shoot the French officer.
Book 11, Chapter 28
Some French soldiers arrive at Bazdéev’s house seeking lodging. Pierre tackles the crazy old man before he can shoot the French officer.
Summary:
Two French soldiers come into the Bazdéev house saying they are looking for quarters. No one in the house speaks French except Pierre, and he pretends not to understand them. While this is going on Bazdéev’s brother, who still has the pistol, comes into the room and points it at the French officer. Pierre sees this just in time and tackles the crazy old man. The old man fires the pistol but misses the officer. Pierre stops pretending he doesn’t speak French and asks the officer if he is ok. The French officer wants to punish the old man, but Pierre explains that the old man is not mentally competent. Out of appreciation to Pierre, the officer agrees not to punish the old man. Then the soldiers settle in to dine on the food they find in the kitchen.
quote from the chapter:
at that moment he saw Makár Alexéevich appearing at the open kitchen door with the pistol in his hand. With a madman’s cunning, Makár Alexéevich eyed the Frenchman, raised his pistol, and took aim.
Board them! yelled the tipsy man, trying to press the trigger. Hearing the yell the officer turned round, and at the same moment Pierre threw himself on the drunkard. Just when Pierre snatched at and struck up the pistol Makár Alexéevich at last got his fingers on the trigger, there was a deafening report, and all were enveloped in a cloud of smoke. The Frenchman turned pale and rushed to the door.
Forgetting his intention of concealing his knowledge of French, Pierre, snatching away the pistol and throwing it down, ran up to the officer and addressed him in French.
You are not wounded? he asked.
I think not, answered the Frenchman, feeling himself over. But I have had a lucky escape this time,
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