ON THE 30TH Pierre returned to Moscow. Almost at the city gates he was met by an adjutant of Count Rastoptchin's.

“Why, we have been looking for you everywhere,” said the adjutant. “The count urgently wants to see you. He begs you to come to him at once on very important business.” Instead of going home, Pierre hailed a cab-driver and drove to the governor's.

Count Rastoptchin had only that morning arrived from his summer villa¹ at Sokolniky. The ante-room and waiting-room in the count's house were full of officials, who had been summoned by him, or had come to him for instructions. Vassiltchekov and Platov had already seen the count, and informed him that the defence of Moscow was out of the question, and the city would be surrendered. Though the news was being concealed² from the citizens, the heads of various departments and officials of different kinds knew that Moscow would soon be in the hands of the enemy, just as Count Rastoptchin knew it. And all of them to escape personal responsibility had come to the governor to inquire how to act in regard to the offices in their charge.

At the moment when Pierre went into the waiting-room, a courier from the army was just coming out from an interview with the count.

The courier waved his hand with a hopeless air at the questions with which he was besieged³, and walked across the room.

While he waited, Pierre watched with weary eyes the various officials—young, old, military, and civilian⁴, important and insignificant— who were gathered together in the room. All seemed dissatisfied and uneasy. Pierre went up to one group of functionaries⁵, among whom he recognised an acquaintance. After greeting him, they went on with their conversation.

“Well, to send out and bring back again would be no harm; but in the present position of affairs there's no answering for anything.”

“But look here, what he writes,” said another, pointing to a printed paper he held in his hand.

“That's a different matter. That's necessary for the common people,” said the first.

“What is it?” asked Pierre.

“The new proclamation.”

Pierre took it and began to read.

“His highness the prince has passed Mozhaisk, so as to unite with the troops that are going to join him, and has taken up a strong position, where the enemy cannot attack him suddenly. Forty-eight

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1 villa
n.别墅，城郊小屋
参考例句：
We rented a villa in France for the summer holidays.我们在法国租了一幢别墅消夏。 We are quartered in a beautiful villa.我们住在一栋漂亮的别墅里。

2 concealed
a.隐藏的，隐蔽的
参考例句：
The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。 I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

3 besieged
包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Paris was besieged for four months and forced to surrender. 巴黎被围困了四个月后被迫投降。 The community besieged the newspaper with letters about its recent editorial. 公众纷纷来信对报社新近发表的社论提出诘问，弄得报社应接不暇。

4 civilian
adj.平民的，民用的，民众的
参考例句：
There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。 He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

5 functionaries
n.公职人员，官员( functionary的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The Indian transmitters were court functionaries, not missionaries. 印度文化的传递者都是朝廷的官员而不是传教士。 来自辞典例句 All government institutions functionaries must implement state laws, decrees and policies. 所有政府机关极其工作人员都必须认真执行国家的法律，法规和政策。 来自互联网

6 cannon
n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮
参考例句：
The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。 The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

7 miscreants
n.恶棍，歹徒( miscreant的名词复数 )
参考例句：
I ordered the miscreants to let me out. 我命令这些土匪放我出去。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Local people demanded that the District Magistrate apprehend the miscreants. 当地人要求地方法官逮捕那些歹徒。 来自辞典例句

8 gallant
adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的
参考例句：
Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。 These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。

9 axe
n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减
参考例句：
Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。 The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

10 consecrate
v.使圣化，奉…为神圣；尊崇；奉献
参考例句：
Consecrate your life to the church.把你的生命奉献给教堂吧。 The priest promised God he would consecrate his life to helping the poor.牧师对上帝允诺他将献身帮助穷人。

11 eyebrows
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。 His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

12 custody
n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留
参考例句：
He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。 He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

13 inquiry
n.打听，询问，调查，查问
参考例句：
Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。 The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

14 investigations
（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究
参考例句：
His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。 He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

15 insolence
n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度
参考例句：
I've had enough of your insolence, and I'm having no more. 我受够了你的侮辱，不能再容忍了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 How can you suffer such insolence? 你怎么能容忍这种蛮横的态度？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 banished
v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He was banished to Australia, where he died five years later. 他被流放到澳大利亚，五年后在那里去世。 He was banished to an uninhabited island for a year. 他被放逐到一个无人居住的荒岛一年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 traitor
n.叛徒，卖国贼
参考例句：
The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。 He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。

18 judgment
n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见
参考例句：
The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。 He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。