Chapter 1
That battle took place - if I recall correctly - in October or so of 1805. It's now early in 1806 and Nikolai Rostov is on leave, on his way home to Moscow to see his family. He's invited Denisov, but Denisov has drunk 3 bottles of wine and is having a little snooze in the cab as Nikolai gets more and more excited about being home. He forgets Denisov entirely when he reaches his house and his family try to smother him with hugs and kisses. Sonya - his cousin and girlfriend - is now sixteen, very pretty, and gazing at him lovingly. Anna Mikhaylovna, mother of Darling Bory is also there because apparently she doesn't have a home to go to. Denisov comes in as Nikolai's mother is sobbing all over his Hussar's uniform and wipes his eyes at the sight. Denisov - whose first name is also Vasili, which I am sure will not be confusing at all - is introduced to the family, and Natasha calls him "Darling Denisov!", leaps on him and kisses him, which is confusing for all. No one wants to let Rostov out of their sight. Rostov is happy, but kept expecting to feel happier.
Rostov and Denisov sleep in until 10am the next, when Rostov's family can bear it no longer and the servants start bustling around getting them ready for the day. Petya, Nikolai's little brother, is obsessed with the weapons they've brought home. As soon as Nikolai is up and dressed, Natasha leaps on him again, constantly talking, laughing, and admiring his moustache.
Sonya ran away as soon as she saw Nikolai, which confuses him. He asks Natasha about it, and she ignores the question and asks if he's going to refer to Sonya with 'thou' (intimate form) or you (more formal). He says "as may happen" and Natasha insists that he use 'you' and she'll explain why later, so clearly there is some juicy gossip here.
Apparently, Sonya has nobly decided to renounce Nikolai, even though she will love him forever, because she doesn't want him bound by childhood promises. Nikolai insists that he would rather like to be bound by that promise, and Natasha says they knew he'd say that, but they've decided.
Nikolai thinks it over for a minute, and while Sonya is very lovely and also in love with him, and he realises he has a lot of interests other than just being married and decides to just go with it for now. They move on to talking about whether Natasha is true to Darling Bory and she laughs at the very idea. She says "I don't think about him or anyone else and I don't want anything of the kind". Now she's got a crush on a dancer called Dupont, which seems fair enough for a fifteen-year-old girl. Better than ending with a gold digger like Pierre did with Helene.
Natasha has decided she is going to be single forever and become a dancer.
At breakfast, Nikolai isn't sure how to act around Sonya and he's convinced that everyone is looking at them. They exchanged detailed looks, indicating that, firstly, she will always love him and is sorry of reminding him of his promise, and, secondly, he will always love her but he is grateful for his freedom. The eldest sister, Vera, comments on how oddly they're behaving and that they've changed their form of you, and everyone feels uncomfortable, even Nikolai and Vera's mother. She's glad they're not getting married, she wants a better match for Nikolai. Denisov finally turns up to breakfast and is the perfect gentleman, which is a bit of a surprise for Nikolai.
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