ry doors。 The priest advanced in his lilac velvet calotte； threw back his hair； and； with an effort； dropped on his knees。 All the congregation did the same； looking at one another in surprise。 There followed the prayer； which had just been received from the Synod； the prayer for the delivery of Russia out of the hands of the enemy。
“Lord God of our might； God of our salvation；” began the priest in that clear； mild； unemphatic voice； that is only used by the Slavonic priesthood； and has such an indescribable effect on the Russian heart。
“Lord God of might； God of our salvation！ Look in grace and blessing on Thy humble people； and hear with loving…kindness； and spare and have mercy on us。 The foe is confounding Thy land； and is fain to rise up against all the earth and lay it waste。 These lawless men are gathered together to overwhelm Thy kingdom； to destroy Thy holy Jerusalem； Thy beloved Russia： to defile Thy temples； to overturn the altars and violate our holy shrines。 How long； O Lord； how long shall the wicked prevail？ How long shall they wreak their sinful will？
“Almighty God！ Hear us when we pray to Thee； strengthen with Thy might our most gracious and supreme sovereign； Emperor Alexander Pavlovitch。 Be mindful of his truth and mercy； recompense him according to his good deeds； and let them preserve Thy chosen Israel。 Bless his counsels； his undertakings； and his deeds； fortify his kingdom with Thy Almighty hand； and vouchsafe him victory over the enemy； even as Thou gavest Moses victory over Amalek； and Gideon over Midian； and David over Goliath。 Preserve his army； put weapons of brass in the hands that wage war in Thy name； and gird them about with strength for the battle。 Take Thou the lance and shield； and rise up to succour us； and put to shame and to confusion them that devise evil against us； and let them be scattered before the face of Thy faithful armament like dust before the wind； and may Thy mighty angel put them to flight and to confusion。 And let the net ensnare them when they wot not of it； and their plots that they have hatched in secret be turned against them。 And let them be laid low before the feet of Thy servants and vanquished by our hosts。 Lord！ it is nought for Thee to save both great and small。 Thou art God； and man can do nought against Thee！
“God of our Fathers！ Remember Thy mercy and loving…kindness； that are everlasting。 Turn not Thy face away from us； be gracious to our unworthiness； but in the greatness of Thy mercy and the infinity of Thy goodness； overlook our transgressions and our iniquities。 Purify our hearts； and renew the true spirit within us； strengthen us all by faith in Thee； fortify us with hope； breathe into us true love for one another； arm us with unity of spirit in the righteous defence of the heritage Thou hast given us and our fathers； and let not the sceptre of the unrighteous be exalted above the destinies of Thy holy people。
“O Lord our God； in Whom we believe； and in Whom we put our trust； let us not be confounded in our faith in Thy mercy； and give us a sign for our blessing that they that hate us and our holy faith may see it and be put to shame and confusion； and that all lands may know that the Lord is Thy Name； and we are Thy people。 Show Thy mercy upon us this day； O Lord； and grant us Thy salvation。 Rejoice the hearts of Thy servants with Thy mercy； strike down our enemies and trample them swiftly under the feet of Thy faithful。 Thou art the defence； the succour； and the victory of them that put their trust in Thee； and to Thee be the glory； to Father； and to Son； and to Holy Ghost； now and ever has been； for ever and ever。 Amen！”
In Natasha’s religiously impressionable state； this prayer affected her strongly。 She heard every word about Moses’s victory over Amalek； and Gideon’s over Midian； and David’s over Goliath； and about the destruction of Thy Jerusalem； and she prayed to God with all the tenderness and fervour with which her heart was overflowing； but she had no distinct idea what she was asking for in this prayer。 With all her soul she joined in the petition for the true spirit； for the strengthening of hearts with faith and hope； and the breathing into them of love。 But she could not pray for the trampling of her enemies underfoot； when she had only a few minutes before been wishing she had more of them to forgive and pray for。 But yet she could have no doubts of the righteousness of this prayer that had been read by the priest on his knees。 She felt in her heart a thrill of awe and horror at the punishment in store for men’s sins； and especially for her sins； and prayed to God to forgive them all； and her too； and give them all and her peace and happiness。 And it seemed to her that God heard her prayer。
Chapter 19
EVER SINCE THE DAY when Pierre had looked up at the comet in the sky on his way home from the Rostovs’； and recalling Natasha’s grateful look； had felt as though some new vista was opening before him； the haunting problem of the vanity and senselessness of all things earthly had ceased to torment him。 That terrible question： Why？ what for？ which had till then haunted him in the midst of every occupation； was not now replaced by any other question； nor by an answer to the old question； its place was filled by the image of her。 If he heard or talked of trivialities； or read or was told of some instance of human baseness or folly； he was not cast down as of old； he did not ask himself why people troubled； when all was so brief and uncertain。 But he thought of her as he had seen her last； and all his doubts vanished； not because she had answered the questions that haunted him； but because her image lifted him instantly into another bright realm of spiritual activity； in which there could be neither right nor wrong； into a region of beauty and love which was worth living for。 Whatever infamy he thought of； he said to himself； “Well； let so and so rob the state and the Tsar； while the state and the Tsar heap honours on him； but she smiled at me yesterday； and begged me to come； and I love her； and nobody will ever know it；” he thought。
Pierre still went into society； drank as much； and led the same idle and aimless life； because； apart from the hours he spent at the Rostovs’； he had to get through the rest of his time somehow； and the habits and the acquaintances he had made in Moscow drew him irresistibly into the same life。 But of late； since the reports from the seat of war had become more and more disquieting； and Natasha’s health had improved； and she had ceased to call for the same tender pity； he had begun to be more and more possessed by a restlessness that he could not explain。 He felt that the position he was in could not go on for long； that a catastrophe was coming that would change the whole course of his life； and he sought impatiently for signs of this impending catastrophe。 One of his brother masons had revealed to Pierre the following prophecy relating to Napoleon； and taken from the Apocalypse of St。 John。
In the Apocalypse； chapter thirteen； verse seventeen； it is written： “Here is wisdom； let him that hath understanding； count the number of the beast； for it is the number of a man； and his number is six hundred three…score and six。”
And in the fifth verse of the same chapter： “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies； and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months。”
If the French alphabet is treated like the Hebrew system of enumeration； by which the first ten letters represent the units； and the next the tens； and so on； the letters have the following value：—
abcdefghiklmnopqrstuvwxyz
123456789102030405060708090100110120130140150160
Turning out the words l’empereur Napoléon into ciphers on this system； it happens that the sum of these numbers equals 666； and Napoleon is thereby seen to be the beast prophesied in the Apocalypse。 Moreover； working out in the same way the words quarante…deux； that is； the term for which the beast was permitted to continue； the sum of these numbers again equals 666； from which it is deduced that the terms of Napoleon’s power had come in 1812； when the French Emperor reached his forty…second year。 This prophecy made a great impression on Pierre。 He frequently asked himself what would put an end to the power of the beast； that is； of Napoleon； and he tried by the same system of turning letters into figures； and reckoning them up to find an answer to this question。 He wrote down as an answer； l’empereur Alexandre？ La nation russe？ He reckoned out the figures； but their sum was far more or less than 666。 Once he wrote down his own name “Comte Pierre Bezuhov；” but the sum of the figure was far from being right。 He changed the spelling； putting s for z； added “de；” added the article “le；” and still could not obtain the desired result。 Then it occurred to him that if the answer sought for were to be found in his name； his nationality ought surely to find a place in it too。 He tried Le russe Besuhof； and adding up the figure made the sum 671。 This was only five too much； the 5 was denoted by the letter “e；” the letter dropped in the article in the expression l’empereur Napoléon。 Dropping the “e” in a similar way； though of course incorrectly； Pierre obtained the answer he sought in L’russe Besuhof； the letters of which on that system added up to 666。 This discovery greatly excited him。 How； by what connection； he was associated with the great event； foretold in the Apocalypse； he could not tell。 But he did not for a moment doubt of that connection。 His love for Natasha； Antichrist； Napoleon’s invasion； the comet； the number 666； l’empereur Napoléon； and l’russe Besuhof—all he thought were to develop； and come to some crisis together to extricate him from that spellbound； trivial round of Moscow habits； to which he felt himself in bondage； and to lead him to some great achievement and great happiness。
The day before that Sunday on which the new prayer had been read in the churches； Pierre had promised the Rostovs to call on Count Rastoptchin； whom he knew well； and to get from him the Tsar’s appeal to the country； and the last news from the army。 On going to Count Rastoptchin’s in the morning； Pierre found the