In Which We Discuss War and Peace - Chapter XXV

Chapter XXV

We now move 100 miles away to Bald Hills, the home of Prince Nicholas Andreevich Bolkonski.  I'm not convinced that we've met him before - I had to do a bit of googling.  He is a famed Russian general, and his son, Andrei Bokonsky, is Pierre's friend.  Andrei has a pregnant wife and has just joined the army.  I just checked, and he was in Chapters V-VII, where he was referred to as Andrew and Andre (to be fair, I've switched translations).  You see why I need these summaries?

I like Prince Nicholas, who is a different person from Nikolai Rostov.  He thinks the only evils are idleness and superstition and the only virtues are activity and intelligence.  He would love Don Tillman (of The Rosie Project).  They both keep perfect timetables.  I am in awe.  Prince Nicholas was exiled to Bald Hills by a former ruler.  He can now go back to Moscow but has decided they can all go to him instead.  And they do - every high official "considered it his duty to visit".

Nikolai is very strict and controlling; he's been giving his daughter (Mary/Maria Bolkonskaya) lessons in advanced geometry and algebra, and has arranged her life to the second.  This morning, when she arrives for her lesson, there is a letter for her from someone who appears to be named both Heloise and Julie.  Okay, Julie is Julie Karagina, and she writes in French.  She tells Maria that Maria is very beautiful, and passes on lots of news about politics.  She prays that Russia will beat Napoleon and she fancies Nikolai Rostov.  Pierre is now the Count, the three princesses have received very little, and Prince Vasili has nothing.  Many, many women now recognise what a charming and handsome man Pierre is.

Apparently, people are also pushing Julie towards Pierre.  They've been matchmaking her for the past two years, and this is the best option.  Julie also passes on that Anna Mikhaylovna is trying to set up Maria with Anatole.  I was wondering when Anatole would appear again.  Julie has also included some kind of spiritual book with the package, and asks after Andrei and his wife.

Maria writes back.  She thinks Christianity is better than men, and her father is particularly sound about the Count dying because now he feels like the last of his generation.  She feels sorry for Pierre to be burdened with such riches.  She is very tedious and holier than thou.  She's not going to read the book because Julie said some of it was hard to grasp, and what's the point in wasting time reading something you won't even understand?  She's just going to read the Bible again instead.  What a pious little snit.  She's praising the idea of being dumb and just letting God put thoughts in your mind if he wants them there.  I'm an atheist, but I much prefer the understanding that God gives mysteries not answers, and if we fail to correctly interpret the evidence around us, that's on us.  Maria has not heard that she is to be married to Anatole, but Prince Vasili will be visiting her father, and she will fulfil her marital duties no matter how painful they are.  Anatole can do much better.  Andrei is also on his way, with his wife, whom he will abandon at Bald Hills while he goes to war.

Mademoiselle Bourienne, Maria's companion tells Maria that Prince Nicholas is in a bad mood.  Apparently Maria is too prissy to even accept that information - she considers it a judgement on her father.  I would very much like to slap her, very hard, right in the face.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace - Chapter XXIV

Chapter XXIV

Pierre leaves his dying father's room with Anna Mikhaylovna, and runs into Prince Vasili and 'the princess', I forget which one.  Anna Mikhaylovna is not liked.  Everyone is having tea in a little room where Pierre used to hide during balls.

(Having used that gif, I feel obligated to point out that Perks of Being a Wallflower was an absolutely godawful book.  The central conceit - that it was written by a 16-year-old who is an exceptionally good writer - fell totally flat.  It reads like it was written by an eight-year-old with a mental disorder.  That's not intended as an insult; I literally believed I was reading a book from the point of view of an autistic child, which would have been absolutely fine if that had been intended.  It wasn't, and it's absolutely ridiculous that characters keep lauding the main character's writing skills).

Pierre is hungry, but decides he should keep following Anna, who has returned to Vasili and the other princess (still don't know which one) and is discouraging her from seeing poor dying Uncle Cyril.  Vasili finally tells us that it's Princess Catiche who wants to see Uncle Cyril, and that he thinks she should be allowed to.  Princess Catiche starts talking about the 'real will' on Uncle Cyril's dressing table, in contrast to the the portfolio she has which contains 'just a bit of paper he has forgotten about'.  Claws come out, and Anna and Catiche politely wrestle for the paper.  Anna calls in Pierre, and Catiche accuses her of making a scene outside a dying man's room.  Catiche is not wrong.  Vasili steps in, and Catiche releases the portfolio but Anna does not.  Catiche is able to snatch it back, but then her sister comes out of Uncle Cyril's room, telling them off for making a racket.  Cyril is dead.  Catiche goes to check and comes out, mad at Pierre.  This is, apparently, just what Pierre has been waiting for.  Vasili comes out and decides to make friends with a befuddled Pierre.  So presumably the will leaving Pierre everything is the one that's standing.  Anna finally takes Pierre in to see his dead father, and leaves him alone in the dark, where he is "glad no one could see his face".  He falls asleep, eventually.

(Incidentally, Tumblr has started asking me if I'm okay every time I look for a sad gif to illustrate these recaps).

Anna comes back and confirms that the will hasn't actually been opened, but everyone is pretty sure it's all going to Pierre.  She then goes back to the Rostovs, and tells them a story of a Count Cyril who remembers everyone and offers loving goodbyes, a strong and stoic Pierre, and the shocking behaviour of Vasili and Catiche - the latter as "a great secret".

In Which We Discuss War and Peace - Chapter XXIII

Chapter XXIII

Count Bezukhov - Uncle Cyril - is being given his last rites, in the presence of Pierre, Anna, Prince Vasili, and some princesses (I've lost track of the princesses).  We are predominantly following Pierre's viewpoint; he is out of his depth.  Anna has wrangled herself into helping carry Uncle Cyril around.  Pierre finally gets close to him, and follows Anna's unspoken directions in kissing his father's hand.  He is completely overwhelmed; everyone around him expects something from him, and he is big and clumsy and doesn't know what the rules are.

I like Pierre.  I reached my adult height at twelve, so I spent my formative teenage years towering over everyone around me.  I think he feels like that, but all the time.  Poor woobie.

Uncle Cyril wants to be turned over; Pierre helps the servant to do so, and as they turn Uncle Cyril, his arm flops about because he doesn't have the strength to move it.  When Uncle Cyril sees how much this terrifies Pierre, he puts on a brave smile and Pierre wells up.  Then he falls asleep and Anna takes Pierre away.