o be it! But it is not right to take those
also. If at the least I could pay for their happiness!"

The next morning, in spite of his polite inattention, Pierre noticed
vaguely--in actual fact not at once, but after some reflection--the
affectionate tone of his brother with him. And, getting half awake, he
perceived his kind eyes which he had not noticed before. Philip looked
at him with such clarity that Pierre had an impression that this gaze
was scrutinizing him; and awkwardly he hastened at once to push the
shutter over his secret. But Philip smiled, rose, and putting his hand
on his shoulder proposed that they should take a turn in the open.
Pierre could not resist the new confidence which was tendered him and
together they proceeded to the Luxembourg near at hand. The big brother
had kept his hand on the shoulder of the younger and the latter felt
himself proud of the re-established accord. His tongue was loosed. They
talked animatedly of intellectual things, of books, their reflections on
men, their new experiences--of everything except the subject both were
thinking about. It was like a tacit convention. They were happy to feel
themselves intimate, with a secret between them. While chatting Pierre
inquired of himself:

"Does he know? But how could he know?"

Philip observed him as he chattered along and kept on smiling. Pierre
ended by stopping short in the midst of a sentence.

"What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing. I'm just looking at you. I am delighted with you."

They shook hands. While they were returning Philip said:

"Are you happy?"

Without speaking Pierre nodded with his head--yes.

"You are right, my boy. A great, beautiful thing is happiness. Take my
portion...."

In order not to trouble him, Philip during his furlough avoided making
any allusion to the near incorporation of Pierre's class in the army.
But on the day of his departure he could not prevent himself from
expressing his anxiety at seeing his young brother exposed very soon to
the trials which he knew only too well. Scarcely did a shadow cross the
brow of the young lover. He drew his eyebrows a bit together, blinked
with his eyes as if to drive off a troublesome vision, and said:

"Enough! Later on! _Chi lo sa?_"

"We know it only too well," said Philip.

"What in any case I do know," said Pierre, vexed that he should insist,
"is that when I am down there I for my part shall do no killing."

Without contradicting him, P