Chapter 2
The Rostovs are rich now, due to remortgaging all their property, so Nikolai gets a whole new wardrobe to gad about Moscow in now he's back.
Rostov now considers himself a man, having gone off to war and come home with a Cross of St George, which I had assumed was only an English thing. He's still a little enamoured with the emperor, and has not gone back to Sonya but is cultivating manly pursuits like hanging out with generals, and going to the races.
It's now March, and Count Ilya Rostov is ordering a dinner for Prince Bagration at the English Club, where Nikolai has also been hanging out. This involves much discussion of menu and flowers. Anna Mikhaylovna is still here, and, honestly, I am bored of her. She's going to go bother Pierre, because he has both flowers and a letter from Darling Bory. Apparently, Helene has had an affair with Dolokhov.
In other news, everyone in Russia has been shocked by the defeat at Austerlitz and no one quite knows what to think. Everyone is blaming it on the Austrians and the Polish and French generals. Prince Bagration is considered a hero for being the only man to withdraw his column unbroken. If I recall correctly, that's because they never actually entered the battle. Also, approving of Bagration is a way of showing disapproval to Kutuzov. At the end of the chapter, we finally learn that Bolkonski died. It's possible that that's only what the gossips of Russia believe, since we last saw him wounded and in French custody, but he was very badly wounded.
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