In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 9, Chapter 4

Chapter 4

On the 14th of June - at 2am, Tsar Alexander sends Balashev to Napoleon with his letter of peace.  He also instructs Balashev to verbally repeat that Tsar Alexander will not give in so long as a single armed enemy stands upon Russian soil, but doesn't commit to writing that down.  Balashev reaches the French outpost at dawn.  The French army are very rude to a strange Russian soldier strolling past their outpost, and Balashev is quite surprised as he's used to being treated as an honoured friend of Alexander's.  There are also cossacks and a bugler with him, but they're not really doing anything.  Eventually, a French colonel appears to escort them to Napoleon.  Along the way, they run into Joachim Murat, Napoleon's brother-in-law and 'King of Naples'.  Tolstoy seems to imply that he has given himself this title, apropos of very little.  He's been ordered to return to military service despite being a King.  He's very friendly, and observes that it looks like war as if he's saying that it looks like rain.

Balashav calls him "your majesty" a lot, so Murat decides he must help him speak to Napoleon.  Then they disagree on who is the aggressor in the conflict.  Murat is convinced it's Tsar Alexander, who has offended Napoleon by asking him to remove his soldiers from Russia because obviously Napoleon is not planning war and it's insulting to suggest that he is.

They try to be polite to one another anyway, and Murat is hopeful that he'll soon be in front of Napoleon.  He is not.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 9, Chapters 1, 2, and 3

I read the wikipedia entry on Great Comet (the musical) because I was pretty sure Id passed all spoilers.  I had - it covers most of that last book with a few bits from earlier, such as Pierre and Dolokhov's duel.  For some weird reason, Pierre is characterised as an "old man", though I've been under the impression that he's about the same age as Andrew. 

...I've just looked at his wiki page - and accidentally spoiled myself in the process, which is annoying - and he's a "young man" when his father dies, which, in the context of the novel, I would think of as late teens or early twenties, so he may well be around the same age as Andrew or Anatole - certainly not much older.

I also listened to half of the musical album when I went for a walk earlier, and it's pretty good.  Some songs are catchy, especially the prologue.  In terms of stats, I'm now 50% of the way through War & Peace.  I'll currently need to read an average of 5 chapters a day to finish before my birthday.

Chapter 1

War begins in June of 1812, preceded by a long period of everyone surreptitiously collecting their armies together at the Russian border, like in Civilisation when you negotiate open borders for everyone but you, line up your troops near your opponents cities, and then invade all in one go.  Tolstoy describes the war as an event "opposed to human reason and to human nature", in which many crimes are committed.  Everyone has their own idea about how it happens;  Napoleon blames the English, the English blame Napoleon, the Duke of Oldenburg blames the violence done to him, businessmen blame the Continental System which is ruining Europe, and so on.  I've read that this is the war Tolstoy intended to write about, but he realised he needed to go back to the Napoleonic wars to fully explain it.  None of these reasons really seem sufficient to explain why millions of men had to kill one another.  This chapter really feels more like an essay of Tolstoy's thoughts on the war rather than part of the narrative.

Chapter 2

On the 29th of May, Napoleon leaves Dresden with much pomp and ceremony.  Napoleon is writing letters to Alexander begging for peace and so on, but he's also riding out with his army and giving them orders to move towards Russia.  By the 10th of June he's in Poland.  We're back in the war chapters and my attention is flagging already.  40 people drown trying to reach Napoleon because they admire him so much.  Napoleon enrols the colonel - who survived jumping into the river - in his own legion.

Chapter 3

Tsar Alexander is in Vilna and nothing is ready for the upcoming war.  There are three armies with three separate commanders and they can't agree on a plan.  The Tsar refuses to take control and break the truce.  The longer it all goes on, the less interested everybody gets, so they start throwing parties instead.   The aides-de-camp hold a party for the emperor which Helene is invited to.  Darling Bory is also here, having left his wife, Julie Karagina, in Moscow.  He's now rich and high in standing, which is really all he's ever wanted.  He and Helene meet up and dance together at the party while Bory watches the emperor.  While Bory and Helene are dancing, the Tsar gets a message from General Balashev.  It seems to be important, by the way Balashev interrupts the conversation the Tsar is having.  Bory follows them out of the room and so is one of the first to learn that the French have crossed the Russian border and hear the Tsar declaring war.  The Tsar also sends a letter to Napoleon basically saying that Napoleon is being ridiculous and overreacting to an accidental breach in etiquette, and does he really intend to carry on?

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 8, Chapters 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22

I'm staying at my future mother-in-law's again, because I'm effectively homeless until the 1st of July.  This is having a predictable effect on my productivity.  By the time I finish this part I'll be 50% through the book, which is exciting.

Chapter 17

Anatole is all dressed up for his elopement.  He makes a solemn speech of goodbye to his groomsmen, which is just him being dramatic since they're all coming with him, at least to the wedding, which I'm really hoping doesn't happen.

They prepare to go and grab a cloak so that Anatole can scoop up Natasha ad carry her to the sleigh as soon as she appears outside.  The groomsmen have some experience with elopements, and expect that she will appear in whatever she's wearing, and if there's any delay, she'll start doubting her decision, as she should.

They all set off, and arrive at casa de Rostov, where a maid says Natasha will be right out, and that Anatole should come into the courtyard to meet her.   When he gets there, he's greeted by Gabriel, Marya Dmitrievna's gigantic footman, who insists that Anatole comes to see "the mistress".  I'm so glad he's here.  Dolokhov realises they've been betrayed and, having wrestled his way past a porter who was trying to lock the courtyard, grabs Anatole and pulls him back to the troyka (17th century uber).

Chapter 18

Marya Dmitrievna found Sonya weeping in the courtyard, made Sonya reveal everything, and then intercepted and read the note to Natasha.  She calls her a shameless-good-for-nothing, which she is, but, to be fair, how many of us weren't at seventeen?

I feel like Anatole is a deconstruction of the fairy-tale prince.  Mary thought they were doing Beauty and the Beast, with her as the beast.  Amelie thought she was Cinderella and Anatole was Prince Charming, and Natasha seems to think she's Ariel.  I don't know what Helene is - some weird incestuous shit like Cruel Intentions (I know I said Dangerous Liaisons before, but I think the incest was specific to Cruel Intentions).  Anyway, Marya locks Natasha in and sends Gabriel to wait for their "guests".  She's annoyed that they got away, and eventually goes to see Natasha.  Sonya's still sitting in the corridor, sobbing and begging to talk to Natasha.  Natasha is lying in a dramatic swoon, also sobbing and vowing to die.  Marya tells Natasha off, and points out that Count Ilya will probably want to challenge Anatole to a duel, and then where will they be?  I don't think Marya knows it's Anatole because she doesn't actually use his name.

Natasha shouts at Marya for interfering and Marya, fairly, points out that literally no one stopped Anatole walking up to the front door and announcing himself as a suitor.  Even though Natasha was/is engaged (unclear if Andrew got the message), the whole year was a cooling off period.  Natasha starts crying again, "with the despairing vehemence with which people bewail disasters they feel they have themselves occasioned".  Marya tells her off some more - nevermind Ilya, what did she think Nikolai would do? - but eventually points out that they don't need to tell Ilya if Natasha herself agrees to forget the whole thing.  Natasha doesn't respond.

The next day, Count Ilya Rostov comes back in time for lunch, in a good mood.  Marya claims Natasha has been unwell, but a doctor has been called for her.  Natasha is actually sitting and sulking while she pines for Anatole.  She perks up a bit when her father arrives, but only for as long as she thinks it might be Anatole arriving.  She agrees that she's "ill" and says nothing has happened to her betrothed.   Count Ilya works out that something must have happened while he was away, but he can't bear the thought that anything disgraceful might have happened to Natasha, and also values his own "cheerful tranquillity", so he doesn't ask.

Chapter 19

Helene has arrived in Moscow and so Pierre has intended to be elsewhere.  "The effect Natasha has on him" causes him to leave even faster, so he goes to see Joseph Alexeevich's widow, who has some papers for him to inherit.  When he gets back, there's a letter from Marya awaiting him, asking him to come and discuss Andrew and Natasha.  His feelngs for her are stronger than he feels they should be for a friend's fiance, so he's been avoiding her, but here's another way fate is throwing them together.

As Pierre heads to Marya's, he's greeted by Anatole.  Pierre is envious of the way Anatole manages to live completely in the moment and always for his own pleasure, which probably doesn't seem like a holiday to someone as anxious as Pierre.  He goes inside and Natasha is sitting there with a face like a slapped arse.  Tolstoy actually says "thin, pale, and spiteful face" but I think my description works too.  She leaves the room when he walks in.  Marya catches him up on events.  Pierre is shocked, especially since he knows Anatole is already married and also a prat.  He can't quite understand how the Natasha he's known since childhood has become so base and cruel, and realises she's just like Helene.  He feels so bad for Andrew that it magnifies his current disgust for Natasha even further.  He doesn't realise that what she's actually feeling is not contempt and calm dignity, but despair, shame, and humiliation.  She's just got a nasty case of resting bitch face.

Pierre informs Marya that Anatole is already married, and she insists that they must tell Natasha, who is still waiting for Anatole.  She also goes on to explain why she's called Pierre.  Basically, she's still hoping to keep the whole thing a secret and prevent Andrew, Nikolai, or Ilya from challenging Anatole to a duel.    Since Pierre is Anatole's brother-in-law, she's hoping Pierre can tell Anatole to effectively, fuck off out of the city.  He promises that he will.

On Pierre's way to the drawing room, he runs into Count Ilya.  Ilya has been told that Natasha has rejected Andrew, but nothing else.  He's not upset that the marriage won't happen, especially with Old Nikolai's attitude, but he is upset that she didn't speak to either of her parents first.  Sonya interrupts them to tell Pierre that Natasha is asking for him.  When he arrives, it turns out that she is refusing to believe that Anatole is already married and wants Pierre to confirm it in person.  When he does, she asks if Anatole is still hanging around (he is), then asks to be left alone.

Chapter 20

Pierre doesn't stay for dinner, but heads out to look for Anatole.  He can't find him, so heads to the club.  Everyone's gossiping about Anatole's abduction of Natasha, and asks him if it's true.  Pierre, in turn, asks about Anatole.  He hears that Anatole is coming to dine at the club, but he doesn't, so Pierre heads home.  I hope this prompts him to fully divorce Helene, kill two birds with one stone.

Anatole is actually dining with Dolokhov, doing a bit more plotting.  His initial goal is to speak to Natasha.    By the time Pierre gets home, he finds Anatole meeting with Helene, to plot even further.  Pierre marches in, ignoring Helene who he despises even more than previously.  Helene doesn't realise this immediately and starts trying to involve him in their plots, because she's just that much of an idiot, I guess.  Pierre tells her that wherever she is there is vice and evil, and drags Anatole out of the room.  Helene tries to tell him off but gets ignored again.

Pierre accuses Anatole of trying to elope with Natasha, and Anatole says he doesn't care to answer questions in that tone.

Pierre doesn't punch him, but he does shake Anatole until his teeth rattle.  Anatole asks what this is all about, because he is also an idiot,  and Pierre says he doesn't really know what's keeping him from bashing Anatole's head in right now.  I don't either.  It would save a lot of trouble, we're not even halfway through the book.  Pierre takes Natasha's letters off Anatole, and tells him he must get out of Moscow and not breathe a word to anyone about the whole affair.  Then he lectures Anatole on the basics of having a conscience, considering other people, and not ruining the lives of innocent young girls.  He tells Anatole that he should amuse himself with women like Helene who know what they're getting into, which is a bit on the nose considering the incest rumours.  Anatole starts whinging that he's upset that Pierre would dare say such things to him.  He doesn't say that any of it's untrue, just that he doesn't like Pierre categorising it as immoral.

Pierre does apologise and offers Anatole money for the journey, but storms out when Anatole pushes it with a smarmy grin.  Anatole leaves for St Petersberg the next day.

Chapter 21

Pierre goes to tell Marya the good news, only to find that Natasha has poisoned herself with arsenic.  She lost her nerve after the first mouthful and woke Sonya up to get help.  She's safe, but feeling too ill to be moved.  People are still gossiping at the club, but Pierre insists that the only thing that happened was Anatole proposing and Natasha rejecting him.  Pierre is dreading having to explain all this to Andrew on his return.  Old Nikolai, on the other hand, has been hearing all the rumours from Amelie, and has read Natasha's letter to Mary in which she called off the engagement.  Amelie steals it, and it is given to Andrew as soon as he arrives in Moscow.  Old Nikolai also tells him all the rumours about Natasha and Anatole.  Andrew calls for Pierre the next day.

Pierre has been expecting to find Andrew in a similar state to Natasha, but he doesn't seem to be.  Mary is trying to hide how pleased she is, and tells Pierre that Andrew had expected it.  Pierre still holds out hope that the engagement might not be truly over - I guess he thinks Andrew is good for Natasha and vice-versa.  Andrew has been having an animated conversation with his father, but seems stressed as soon as Pierre arrives.  Pierre realises that Andrew is having arguments about Speranski in order to avoid thinking about his own problems, because he does something similar.   When Andrew is finally done with that conversation he takes Pierre aside and asks if the rumours about Anatole and Natasha are true.  He says "both true and untrue", and Andrew gives him Natasha's letter and portrait, asking Pierre to return them.  He learns that Natasha is still here, but at death's door, and that Anatole has left.  He does a nasty laugh when he learns that Anatole was already married, and, tbh, fair enough.  Pierre asks if Andrew is sure they can't start over, and Andrew says he is, and asks that Pierre never speak of Natasha again.

Chapter 22

Pierre returns to the Rostovs with Natasha's letter and portrait.  The count is at the club and Natasha is still in bed, so he goes to talk to Marya.  Sonya comes in to inform them that Natasha insists on seeing Count Peter Kirilovich, whoever that is.  It turns out that that's Pierre and Natasha is being weirdly formal.  She asks Pierre to ask Andrew to forgive her.  She insists that she knows everything is over, she's just sorry.  Pierre feels sorry for her, but has to ask if she loved Anatole.  She says she doesn't know and starts crying again.  I feel bad for her too.   She's just young and stupid, and I think everyone can be accused of that.  Pierre comforts her and asks her to think of him whenever she needs a friend.  She drops a bit too far into self pity again, claiming that everything is over, and Pierre tells her not to be ridiculous.  He tells her that if were the handsomest, cleverest, and best man in the world he would be on his knees begging for her hand right now.

They both burst into tears of tenderness and gratitude (Natasha) or joy (Pierre) and leave the room.  Pierre goes back to his carriage, but is at a loss as to where to go now.  He decides on home, eventually.  He spends the journey gazing up at the sky because everything else seems sordid compared to the feelings he's having.  Here, he sees the comet of 1812.  The comet has been considered a portent for the end of the world and other such unlucky things, but Pierre feels that it understands him.

It has travelled all the way across the galaxy to find itself here.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 8, Chapters 14, 15, and 16

Chapter 14

At breakfast, Natasha is feeling weird and guilty and worried that her family will notice.  They don't.  After breakfast, Marya Dmitrievna tells Natasha and Count Ilya what happened when she went to see Old Nikolai.  Basically, he threw a tantrum and Marya recommends that Natasha go home and wait for Andrew there, rather than remaining in Moscow.  Count Ilya agrees - if Old Nikolai comes round, they can always visit him later, and, if not, the wedding will have to be arranged at Otradnoe, the area where the Rostovs normally live, anyway.  The old Count is sorry that he took Natasha to meet Old Nikolai, but Marya Dmitrievna insists that it was only the polite thing to do, and if Old Nikolai is choosing to behave badly, that's his affair.

Princess Mary has sent Natasha a letter because, as Marya explains, she is afraid that Natasha thinks Mary doesn't like her.  Natasha points out that Mary does, in fact, dislike her, but goes off to read the letter anyway.  Mary writes that she cannot help loving Natasha, as Andrew's chosen one.  I think that, basically, she loves Andrew more than she dislikes Natasha, and also her faith has convinced her its important to make amends and get along with her future sister-in-law.  I do wonder if, also, Mary realised how similar she was being to Old Nikolai on this specific issue, and is trying to be better, though she does claim that old Nikolai feels the same way she does and just came across like he did because he's a crotchety old man.  Natasha tries to write a reply - specifically because Mary has asked for a time when they can meet - but stops herself, because she's half convinced she has to break her engagement because of her feelings towards Anatole.  She goes to hang out with Sonya instead.

Natasha tries again to write back to Mary after dinner, but has the same problem.  She goes back over all her happy daydreams about Andrew and her new ones about Anatole, and believes she cannot ever be happy without both.  While she's doing there, a maid brings her a love letter from Anatole.  Natasha doesn't take in a word, but realises that Anatole must be the man she loves or how could she possibly be having these feelings while betrothed to Andrew, and how could he be writing her love letters?  The narration reveals that Dolokhov wrote the letter for Anatole.  Natasha rereads it.  It says that Anatole knows Natasha's parents would not approve of their love - for mysterious reasons - but if she agreed they could ride off into the sunset together against anyone's wishes, and their love would conquer all.  You may recognise this as the plot to many, many, romance stories.  Natasha feels that she must love him.  She stays at home that night while the rest of the household goes out.

Chapter 15

When Sonya comes back after the household outing, she finds Natasha fully dressed and asleep on the sofa with Anatole's letter beside her.  She is shocked and confused, and knows Anatole is a deceiver and a villain.  I like Sonya now, even though I still think she's too optimistic about Nikolai.  She's also optimistic about Natasha - she manages to convince herself that Natasha opened the letter without knowing who it was from, and is probably quite offended.  That idea dissolves when Natasha wakes up, realises Sonya's read the letter, and excitedly proclaims her and Anatole's love for one another.  She's annoyed that Sonya gets stuck on the question of "what about Andrew?".  Natasha insists that she has no free will, since she's in the throws of love.  Sonya then asks, if Anatole is so loving and honourable, why doesn't he just walk up to the house and announce himself as a suitor?  He says there are secret reasons, but is very vague on what they might actually be.  Sonya insists that she's going to tell Count Ilya, and Natasha screams that she won't be friends with Sonya any more.  Sonya leaves the room, and Natasha finally replies to Mary, informing her that she won't be marrying Andrew after all.

A few days later, Natasha and Sonya attend another party at Julie Karagina's home, and they debrief afterwards.  Natasha has been talking with Anatole, and he gave her an excellent explanation, but she can't quite explain it to Sonya.  Sonya insists that Anatole is a scoundrel and Natasha will be ruined, but Natasha doesn't mind being ruined for Anatole.  Sonya decides to start watching her, to make sure she doesn't do anything (else) stupid.  Through careful observation she realises that signs and letters are reaching Natasha and that she has some dreadful plan for the evening, probably eloping.  Sonya doesn't know what to do.  Ilya is away, she doesn't think Pierre will help if Natasha really has broken off her engagement, and she doesn't want to tell Marya Dmitrievna horrible things about Natasha.  Sonya decides, for love of Nikolai, to sleep outside Natasha's door and keep her there, by force if necessary.

Chapter 16

Anatole has been living with Dolokhov, who has also arranged the plan for Natasha's abduction.

Sonya is right about the timing.  Natasha is to go outside at 10pm that night, where Kuragin will meet her with a 17th century uber to carry her away to a priest who will marry them, and then abroad.  This is all very expensive.  Anatole is pacing the room while the witnesses wait until they're needed.  Dolokhov decides to talk him out of it, which is a bit late considering that Dolokhov organised the whole thing, but Anatole will not be persuaded.  I still want to know why Anatole can't just announce himself as a suitor, especially since Natasha has written to Mary to call off her engagement.  Anyway, Dolokhov's concern is that Anatole will be revealed as a bigamist and sent to prison.  Anatole is firmly convinced of his argument, in the way "dull-witted" people often are of their own conclusions.  He's decided that his marriage in Poland doesn't count, because why would Russians care about what happens in Poland?  Dolokhov's second question is, what happens after the money runs out?  Anatole has no answer and dismisses the concern as nonsense.

The getaway driver, Balaga arrives.  He has joined Anatole and Dolokhov in many schemes over the past six years.  Balaga doesn't really make a profit, since he loses all their money at the gambling parties they take him too, but he likes them anyway because he enjoys their capers.

Also, we learn that Dolokhov's first name is Theodore.  

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 8, Chapters 10, 11, 12, and 13

Chapter 10

Anatole enters Helene's box (innuendo unintended, despite previous rumours of incest) and is introduced to Natasha.  She finds him surprisingly easy to talk to, despite his intimidating good looks.

Anatole invites Natasha to a costume tournament at Julie Karagins, while gazing at Natasha longingly, which she finds both flattering and a little creepy, due to the rampant sexual tension in the air.  She keeps looking at Helene and her father, to try to escape, but they don't seem to notice.  Eventually, she becomes comfortable with the sexual tension, and totally forgets that she's an engaged woman.  She pays even less attention to the fourth act than she did to the first three.  When she gets home, she finally remembers Andrew and feels horrified at what she's done, which is literally just to be looked at by Anatole and helped into her carriage by him.  It's the rampant sexual tension that she's afraid of, having never experienced it before.  Also, I don't think she actually likes Anatole - she's just really attracted to him.  Anyway, she reminds herself that she hasn't actually done anything and tries to calm down, though her love for Prince Andrew is now tainted.  How can it be true love, if she felt like that around Anatole?  Also, she's still daydreaming about Anatole.

Chapter 11

Anatole's in Moscow because he was running up ridiculous debts in St Petersburg, and his father found him a job in Moscow and told him to stay out of trouble and try to marry an heiress, preferably Julie Karagina or Mary Bolkonskaya.  Anatole's staying with Pierre, which Pierre isn't totally happy about, but he's gotten used to it.  Anatole has not improved his behaviour in Moscow, and is rumoured to be having intimate relations with a French actress.  He's been ignoring heiresses because they're all plain, and also he secretly got married a few years ago, while in Poland with his regiment.  He's paying off his father-in-law to not expose him as a married man who's abandoned his wife.  The text also says that the landowner forced him to marry the daughter - possibly for seducing her? - though since he's going along with this deal, it's unclear what he gets out of it except for money.  Anatole feels no guilt or shame whatsoever about any of this, because it really doesn't seem like he's capable of it.  He's firmly convinced of his place in life, so much so that he convinces others to loan him the fortune he hasn't got and never pays back.  Apparently he's the mold Anna Sorokin was cast from.  He's not ambitious, like Andrew or Darling Bory.  Literally, all he cares about is wine, women, and song (paraphrased).  The text describes him as a Rake, which is one of my favourite archetypes because it's a fun word to say.

Anatole and Dolokhov have teamed up, because Anatole admires Dolokhov's cleverness and audacity, and Dolokhov despises Anatole, but hides it well while using his name, position, and connections.  Dolokhov quite enjoys using people and feeling superior to them.  Anyway, we join them while Anatole is talking about his ambition to make love to Natasha (with literally no thought of how anyone else might feel about it or what might happen afterwards).

Anatole says he love innocent young girls (the text is translated as 'little girls', but Natasha is at least sixteen, so I'll give Anatole a pass on that very specific crime) and how they "lose their heads at once".  Dolokhov reminds him he has already been caught by one little girl - his polish wife - and Anatole insists it can't happen twice.  Unsure if he means he won't be forced to marry twice, or if he means, for example, he won't accidentally impregnate another person.  No evidence for the latter scenario, just the first thing I thought of.

Chapter 12

The next day, the Rostovs do nothing very interesting and Natasha waits for Andrew.  The Count and Marya Dmitrievna talk about something they keep secret from her.  As well as pining, she's now having weird feelings about Anatole and some anxiety over her meeting with Andrew's family.

She's now convinced something is going to go wrong, and Andrew will never arrive in Moscow, and also unsure of whether she's actually done anything wrong with Anatole because she really doesn't understand what happened, because the concept of a fuckboi has not yet been invented.

On Sunday, the Rostovs all go to mass with their hostess.   Afterwards, Marya Dmitrievna announces that she is going to speak to old Nikolai (I like to call him that because 'Old Nick' is a nickname for Satan) and tell him off about Natasha.  Meanwhile, Natasha is visited by the dressmaker, and while she's wearing a bodice held together only with pins she hears Helene in the hall.  Helene marches in and insists that Count Rostov bring Natasha and Sonya to a soiree at Mademoiselle George's home, Mademoiselle George being the French actress Anatole is rumoured to be having an affair with.  Then she looks through Natasha's clothes and says flattering things.  Honestly, this is all quite dangerous liaisons, I'm half expecting Helene to propose a threeway.

Natasha is flattered and feels quite loving towards Helene, who is being very nice for someone Natasha was formerly intimidated by.  Helene quite enjoys Natasha and is amused by the thought of bringing her and Anatole together.

Helene had been annoyed with Natasha for drawing darling Bory away, but has completely forgotten about that now.  She tells Natasha that Anatole is in love with her, and that Natasha's fiance would surely prefer that she go into society rather than stay shut up.  Considering Lise was confined to Bald Hills, I would disagree.  Natasha assumes that Helene's approval of an engaged woman going out and flirting is also Pierre's approval, and so it must be okay, if Pierre thinks so.  Also, she really admires Helene.

When Marya Dmitrievna gets back, she's too agitated to discuss what happened with Old Nikolai and says she'll explain tomorrow.  When she's learns about Helene's visit, she advises Natasha to have nothing to do with Helene, but if Natasha has promised, then she should go.

Chapter 13

The Rostovs do go to the soiree, and Count Ilya is not happy to find that it's mostly young men and woman "famous for the freedom of their conduct".  Also, many Frenchmen, including Metivier, that guy Old Nikolai accused of being a spy for Napoleon.  The Count decides he's not going to play cards or let Natasha or Sonya out of his sight, and that they'll leave as soon as they politely can.  Anatole's been waiting for them to arrive and immediately begins following Natasha around, like a sex pest.  When it's time for Mademoiselle George's show, he tries to sit next to her but the Count takes the seat Anatole had pulled out instead, in a masterful move of politeness judo and fatherhood.  When the act has finished, he goes to congratulate Mademoiselle George on her performance, and it's then that Anatole gets a chance to whisper some flattery in Natasha's ear.  The Count quickly whisks her away again.  The Count wants to go home, but Helene leads everyone into the ballroom and begs the Count not to spoil her improvised ball.  She is also a master of politeness judo.  Women will put themselves in very dangerous situations in order to be polite, and Natasha is too young to understand the danger signs she's seeing and doesn't want to be rude enough to escape the situation.

Anatole and Natasha dance, and he spends the entire time holding her close and telling her he loves her.  During the next dance, he only gazes lovingly at her.  She reminds him that she's affianced and loves Andrew, and he shouldn't say such things.  He is unperturbed, and doesn't see what her engagement has to do with his love for her.  They keep dancing together, and though her father begs her to come home, Natasha insists on staying, because being wanted like that can be intoxicating.  When Natasha gets away from Anatole - to rearrange her dress - Helene follows and keeps up the constant insistence of Anatole's love.

As Natasha heads back to the ballroom, Anatole waylays her in a sitting room and begs to see her, because otherwise, he'll like die or something.  She resists, and he kisses her then starts begging again.  Natasha is feeling very confused and flustered.  Helene interrupts, and the Rostov's head home, with Natasha in a state of torment over whether she loves Anatole or Andrew.  Personally, I think this is why most people stopped getting married as teenagers.  She knows she loves Andrew, but she believes she must love Anatole or else how could any of this have happened?  She tells herself she must love him, and therefore he must possess noble qualities that meant she could not help loving him.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 8, Chapters 7, 8, and 9

Chapter 7

The Count takes Natasha to meet old Nikolai, but he's not looking forward to it.  Natasha is - she doesn't believe there's any way they could not like her.  I think this is another song from Great Comet, but I'm trying not to listen to them too much, in case of spoilers.  Also, I just don't like them that much.  They're not terribly catchy.

The servants are perturbed when the Rostovs arrive, and tell them that old Nikolai is not receiving but Mary asked them to come in.  They're met by Amelie, who shows them to Mary's room.  Mary...does not like Natasha at all.

Mary isn't aware that her feelings arise from jealousy of Natasha's youth and beauty, or how much Andrew loves her.  She just thinks Natasha is a flibbertigibbet.   She's also stressed because she's worried old Nikolai will throw another tantrum.  Count Ilya Rostov is worried about the same thing, although he doesn't know how bad old Nikolai can be in private.  He excuses himself to go visit Anna Semenovna, who I don't think we've met yet.  Later, he'll claim it was to allow Mary and Natasha to get to know one another, but he's really running away from the old Prince.  Natasha picks up on this and is mortified, and then annoyed about being mortified.  Mary wants Amelie to leave too, and keeps throwing her uneasy glances, but she won't go, and keeps gossiping about Moscow.  Natasha, for her part, thinks Mary is plain and boring, and feels patronised by her.  This makes Natasha assume an offhand air, which makes Mary dislike her even more.

Old Nikolai comes in then, and insists that he didn't realise Natasha was there, and expected only to see his daughter.  Then he wanders out again.  Amelie keeps talking, and the longer Natasha and Mary sit in silence the more they dislike one another.  When her father finally picks her up, Natasha is annoyed that she hasn't had the chance to talk about Andrew.  Mary has the same regret - neither felt able to discuss him in front of Amelie.  As Natasha leaves the room, Mary calls out to her, and tells her she's glad that Andrew has found happiness.  They both know she's not quite telling the truth, and Natasha guesses that it's because Mary dislikes her.  Natasha gives a snotty reply and walks out, then spends most of the rest of the day sobbing in her room while Sonya tries to soothe her.

At dinner, Marya Dmitrievna, who knows what happened, tries to be cheerful and keep the evening light.

Chapter 8

After dinner the Rostovs go to the opera.  Natasha doesn't want to go, but also doesn't want to be rude.  Natasha looks at herself, all pretty and dressed up to go, and wishes Andrew were there, because everything would be better if he were.  She doesn't know how Sonya can love Nikolai and yet be so sensible about it.  She spends the whole evening longing for Andrew.

They attract a lot of attention at the opera, because Natasha and Sonya are very pretty, and Natasha is making one of the best matches in Russia.  They also catch up on gossip and learn that Darling Bory proposed to Julie Karagina today. Natasha notices them watching her, and believes Bory is having to soothe Julie's jealousy over Natasha's beauty.  She might be right.  Anna Mikhaylovna is looking terribly pleased with herself, and the whole air of a recently engaged couple makes Natasha go right back to thinking about Andrew again.  Honestly, I think she likes the version in her head more than she'd like the real one - he's just not that interesting.  Dolokhov is also here, leading Moscow's most brilliant young men and looking very comfortable.  Apparently, everyone is very impressed with him because there's a story about him killing the brother of a Shah in Persia.  Anatole is also very popular.

Helene turns up, and Natasha admires her beauty and her jewellery before realising who she is.  Count Rostov greets her and asks about Pierre.

Chapter 9

People have now started paying attention to the opera rather than one another.  Natasha doesn't understand it.  She feels first ashamed for the actors and then amused by them - it's all so false and dramatic.  Speaking of dramatic, I suspect this is an intentional case of dramatic irony.  Natasha goes back to looking at the audience to see if anyone else feels the same way, but no one seems to.  Then she gets distracted by all the "seminude" women in the boxes, including Helene.  Anatole Kuragin comes in halfway through, when Natasha is sitting in a daze of boredom.  He looks at Natasha while greeting his sister, Helene, and nods towards her.    He calls Natasha charming, and then goes to sit with Dolokhov.  Shinshin - who is also here, but I didn't know he'd do anything relevant - starts gossiping about Anatole, and Natasha tries to hear because he called her charming.

After the first act, everyone wanders around to gossip some more.  Bory comes to the Rostov's box to be congratulated and to invite Nikolai - via Sonya - to the wedding.  Natasha genuinely doesn't care, despite formerly being in love with Darling Bory (which I had also forgotten about).  Helene is surrounded by distinguished and intellectual men.  The whole time, Anatole and Dolokhov hand around in front of the Rostov's box, and Natasha enjoys the idea that they're talking about her.  Pierre comes to their box, and he looks both sadder and stouter than he did before.  At some point, Natasha and Anatole make eye contact, and Natasha thinks how odd it is that they're basically having eye sex (paraphrased, but the sexual tension jumps off the page) with someone she's not formally acquainted with.

Natasha spends most of the second act looking across at Anatole, who is looking back at her.  After the second act, Helene beckons Count Ilya over and insists that he introduce her to his charming daughters.  Having been introduced, she insists that the count allow her to take Natasha under her wing for the rest of their stay.  Natasha is very flattered by all this, and spends the next act in Helene's box (innuendo not intended).  Natasha still doesn't follow the opera, but Tolstoy gets in a tart remark about one of the dancers, Dupont, being paid 60,000 rubles per year for this art.  Natasha agrees when Helene remarks that he is brilliant.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 8, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6

Chapter 1

Pierre learns of the death of Joseph Alexeevich and of Natasha and Andrew's engagement at the same time, and is suddenly much less enamoured with his new Masonic lifestyle.  He stops keeping his diary, avoids meetings, starts drinking again, and generally begins to live his bachelor life again.  Helene tells him off about it - and, honestly, fuck her - but Pierre goes to Moscow to avoid upsetting her.  Moscow is "warm and dirty" to Pierre, like an old dressing gown.  His purse is always empty, because it's open to everyone, and Moscow society loves and welcomes him for that.  He comes to realise that all of society is hypocritcal, even his masonic brothers who spout ideals but don't act on them, and even himself.  Whatever he tries to do, he sees the essential falsehood and insincerity beneath it.  "Drinking became more and more a physical and also a moral necessity".  Basically, as Terry Pratchett would put it, he's become knurd - so far out of the other side of sober that he needs two stiff drinks just to be comfortable.   He's read that soldiers will often seek some trivial pursuit so they don't need to focus on what they're actually facing, and he thinks everyone is a little bit that way.

Danger walks the deck, we say what the heck We laugh at the perils we're facing!
Every storm we ride is its own reward
And people die by falling overboard
People die by falling overboard!

Chapter 2

It's the beginning of winter and Prince Nikolai Bolkonski - the elder - and Maria move to town.  I'm going to go back to call Maria 'Mary', as the text usually does.  I like the name Maria, so I've been trying, but she really is such a Mary.

Prince Alexander is now less popular, and people are very patriotic and anti-French.  Prince Nikolai is therefore very popular, because he's never like Alexander, or the French, and he's very much a relic of a bygone age, with his big old-fashioned house, gruff manner, religious daughter, and pretty French hanger-on (Amelie Bourienne).  However, he's aged very much and become a little senile.  Also, the visitors are present for only two hours of everyday and don't witness what goes on the other 22, which basically involves Mary getting to do none of the things she enjoys - talking to pilgrims, wandering around Bald Hills in solitude - and having to care for her father, so she doesn't get to experience the joys of city life, like going out to dinners and parties.  I think we're basically at The Private and Intimate Life of the House, from Great Comet.

I think that song's actually set a bit later, but the description is taken from here, sometimes line for line.  Mary no longer as any hope of getting married, having seen how her father treats her possible suitors.  She's no longer friends with Amelie, who has "become unpleasant to her", no other explanation given.  Possible it's the Anatole thing.  She's corresponded with Julie by letter for years, but when they meet in Moscow they don't get along at all.  Julie's now a very rich heiress and surrounded by suitors, and also at the age where she needs to decide who to marry quickly.  They meet every week, but Mary misses having someone to write to, and the conversations aren't the same.  She's supposed to be preparing her father for Andrew's marriage, since the year is almost up, but hasn't been.  The old Prince throws a tantrum every time Natasha Rostova's name is mentioned.  Mary's also finding herself getting irritable with her six-year-old nephew, Nikolai, in a way that reminds her uncomfortably of her father.  They both cry when that happens.  Her father's also become much more cruel, and also more intimate with Amelie Bourienne.  Apparently, he liked the joke he made about marrying her, and has decided to go with it.  One day, Mary tells Amelie off for taking advantage of her father's weakness, but that only prompts her father to show Amelie more favours and force Mary to apologise.  She hates him, but when she sees signs of his age - looking for his spectacles and not seeing them right in front of him, taking a false step and looking round to see if anyone notices, falling asleep at dinner - she feels sorry for him, and hates herself.

Chapter 3

In this chapter, we meet Metivier, a handsome and popular French doctor living in Moscow.  Old Nikolai has also ridiculed medicine, but on Amelie's advice, he receives the doctor as all the best houses do.  On December 6th, which is St Nicholas' day and the prince's name day, all of Moscow tries to visit but he refuses to allow anyone in, except for a select few.  Metivier arrives early, to find the old Prince in one of his worst moods.  Mary's been waiting for the inevitable explosion, but it hasn't happened yet, not until Metivier walks in.  Old Nikolai accuses him of being a spy for Napoleon and chases him out of the house, before directing his rage at poor Mary because Metivier wasn't on the list.  He tells her she must leave, insists that he hasn't said it in anger, and rails to the sky for a fool to marry her.

The invited guests include Pierre and darling Bory.  Bory's had arrived a few days before and impressed the old Prince so well that he broke his rule about receiving bachelors in the house.  Bory is pleased about this because, while the gathering is not fashionable, the other guests are very far above him in social station and those who are invited would not miss it for the world.

The party is mostly gossip, but it's about politics so they don't call it that.  No one approves of anything, but they also don't go as far to directly criticise the Tsar.  Napoleon is claiming more and more land - one guest describes him as a pirate.  A thing called 'the Russian note' which is critical to Napoleon has gone around European, but the guests are not impressed with the phrasing, particularly with how many clerks are in the army.  Old Nikolai gets on to describing how he kicked Metivier out for being a French spy.  Then they do more armchair-generaling and complain about how women these days are not keeping up to the old Russian ways.

Chapter 4

Princess Mary doesn't pay attention to the dinner talk, except to wonder if anyone has noticed her father's hostile attitude.  She doesn't even notice Bory's attempts to court her.  

After the dinner, Pierre asks to stay a little longer, and asks Mary about Bory and whether she likes him.  She says she finds him agreeable, and Pierre points out that, when young men behave as Bory has been doing, he's usually trying to marry an heiress.  Pierre has noticed that Bory appears torn between Julie Karagina and Mary Bolkonskaya.  The whole time, Mary is wondering whether to confide in Pierre about how her father treats her.  When he asks if she would marry Bory, she bursts out that, at times, she would marry anyone, just to get out of the house., and bursts into tears  Pierre is very concerned and tries to get more out of her, but she backpedals, and insists that her only worry is how her father will react to Andrew's second marriage.  There's no way to improve matters now, but she does hope she can be friends with Natasha, and begs Pierre to tell her about her.  Pierre picks up that Mary is hoping he disapproves of Natasha but can only answer that he finds her enchanting but can't explain why.

Chapter 5

Bory has indeed been courting both Julie and Mary.  He likes Mary more, but he finds courting her awkward - he knows she wasn't listening to a word he said at the dinner party.  Things with Julie are going better.  She's now convinced that she's a beautiful woman, which isn't objectively true.  However, she is now very rich, and she's also of an age where bachelors can hang around freely without worrying about offending her virtue or making promises to her.  She's become very melancholy, as if some great tragedy has happened to her, like her lover dying at sea, even though nothing of the sort has.  She likes the men who indulges her melancholia best, and Bory's very good at it.  He draws pictures of tombs and writes mournful French poetry beneath them, which she likes a lot.  I think Julie Karagina might have invented Goth, and Bory is playing the romantic and deep poet.  His mother is also carefully inquiring about Julie's dowry - two large estates - and explaining how sensitive Bory is and that his soul has finally found a home.  The only thing that keeps him from proposing is the fact that he just really doesn't like Julie.

Sometimes, Julie notices that Bory just isn't that into her, but she's still pretty sure she's gorgeous, so she ignores it and convinces herself that Bory is just that shy and sensitive.

Julie decides to make a play for Anatole Kuragin, to make Bory jealous.  Bory is jealous.  He really doesn't like the idea of Julie's estates - the income from which he has already spent, in his mind - falling into someone else's hands, especially Anatole's.  He also doesn't like the idea of wasting all the time he's spent pretending to be a dark and brooding poet.  He resolves to propose to her, but almost loses his nerve looking into her face.  He pushes through - with thoughts of the estates and the idea of not marrying an heiress - and they begin planning the wedding.

Chapter 6

All of that happened in the winter of 1811.  We're now caught up to January 1812, and old Count Rostov is coming to Moscow with Sonya and Natasha.  They're staying with Marya Dmitrievna Akhrosimova, Natasha's godmother, because their Moscow house has not been heated for the winter.  Marya lives alone - her daughter is married and her sons are soldiers.  She reminds me a lot of Old Nikolai - very opinionated, with strict routines.  When the Rostovs arrive, they get on with greeting one another and organising their visit, and Marya catches them up on gossip - mostly fashions and Darling Bory's engagement.  She gets a chance to talk to Natasha alone, and warns her about the old Prince, while also explaining that Mary is looking forward to meeting her, which will happen tomorrow.  Natasha doesn't enjoy the conversation, because she doesn't want mortal concerns around her great love, but she thanks her godmother for her advice.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 7, Chapters 11, 12, and 13

Chapter 11

The Melyukova household seems a little dull - they're busy dropping wax into the snow so they can look at the shadows the shapes will throw on the wall - until the mummers - disguised Rostovs & co - arrive and start dancing.  Natasha takes charge of getting the Melyukova girls' dressed in men's clothes, and then they join the party too.  After an hour or so of dancing and playing games, they get on to talking and telling scary stories.  Nikolai can't look away from this new, masculinely-confident Sonya.  When she goes off to stand in a dark barn by herself to listen for spirits, he chides himself for having been a complete eejit.  In the dark, with the stars and the snow shining, he runs off to a part of the path he knows Sonya will have to cross.

When Sonya arrives, Nikolai looks just as new and different to her, and they run into one another's arms.

Chapter 12

Natasha figures out what's up with Sonya and Nikolai, and arranges the ride home so they're riding together.  Nikolai spends the whole journey gazing at Sonya - even though he's driving - and vowing never to be apart from her again.  They're back to using thees and thous.  Halfway through the journey, Nikolai switches to Natasha's sleigh - by passing his reins to a coachman and running across to climb on the wing - and tells her that he's made up his mind about Sonya.  Natasha is pleased for them, and tells him to run back.  Nikolai notices the same bewitching newness in her disguised face - moustache drawn on - as he did in Sonya's.  This mix of male and female and the change between is another dichotomy, like War and Peace, which causes new revelations within the characters.

When they get home, Natasha and Sonya get changed - but leave the moustaches on - and sit and plan their future weddings and marriages, and how their husbands will be best friends, and so on.  Then they play a fortune-telling game, in which Natasha looks into a mirror by candlelight and tries to see her future husband.  She expects to see either a coffin or Andrew Bolkonski - which are the sort of things she's heard people talk about before - but doesn't manage to see anything except, as she jokes, "someone with a moustache" (herself).  She then gets Sonya to play, and whispers to Dunyasha, her servant, that of course Sonya will see something.  Sonya doesn't see anything, but, not wanting to disappoint Natasha, starts making things up.  She describes seeing Andrew lying down and 'something blue and red', which, despite being complete fiction, I predict will turn to be an actual prophecy, ala Ron Weasley being accidentally right about things all the time.

Chapter 13

Soon after Christmas, Nikolai announces his plans to his mother, who is not best pleased.  It was Darwin who did some experiments with self-crossing plants compared to non-inbred plants and first showed that inbreeding depression could be a problem, so we're well over a hundred years before the countess would be worrying about having two-headed grandchildren from Nikolai marrying his cousin (n.b. - that joke only works under the hopeful monsters theory of evolution, which is not true of our world, but must be true of the X-men and any other universe where genetic mutations leads to dramatic new powers and traits rather than, at best, small, slightly fortuitous changes, and, more often, to no visible change in phenotype or horrible death.  This note courtesy of my genetics degree).  The countess tries to tell the count calmly, but bursts into tears instead, prompting him to begun rebuking Nikolai.  Nikolai refuses to go back on his promise to Sonya (again).  The count is annoyed with Nikolai for not marrying an heiress and saving the family from ruin but is also aware of how he himself contributed to the state of the estate and so can't exactly tell Nikolai off for it, especially since, deep down, he does think Nikolai and Sonya are a good match.

Neither the count nor countess discuss it any further with Nikolai, but the countess does call Sonya to her rooms a few days later and tells her off for being a money-grubbing hussy (paraphrased).  Sonya would genuinely like to please the countess, but can't see how when she can't keep from loving Nikolai and Nikolai wouldn't be happy if she did.  When Nikolai hears of all this, he first seeks his mother's forgives, but, when it can't be won, threatens to elope.  The countess says that, like Andrew, Nikolai is old enough to marry without his parents consent, but she will never accept Sonya as her daughter.  

Natasha interrupts before either says something truly unforgivable, which, the narrations tells us, was about to happen.  Natasha manages to negotiate a truce.  The countess will leave Sonya alone, and Nikolai will not elope.  At the beginning of January, Nikolai returns to his regiment, resolves to retire as soon as he can so he can come back and marry Sonya.  With him gone, the whole household falls into a fit of depression, and the countess falls ill from "mental agitation".  They should be going to Moscow to sell the estate there, but they can't because of the countesses' illness.  Natasha isn't coping well with the continued prolongement of her engagement either.  She's annoyed that her best days are being wasted while Andrew is off doing interesting things and meeting new people.  Eventually, the count can't delay selling the estate any longer, especially not with Natasha's wedding trousseau (collections of linens etc needed to being married life) to be ordered.  Plus, Andrew is expected to be in Moscow for the winter, and Natasha is sure he's already arrived.  So, the count, Natasha, and Sonya set off for Moscow, leaving the countess behind.  

And that's the end of part 7!  I'm still on track to finish before my 31st birthday if read an average of 4 chapters per day.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 7, Chapters 9 and 10

I went to my future-mother-in-laws, which is a magical land where the gin flows like water and I sit around and play videogames on my phone all day while making fun of people on TV, and it turns out that is not conducive to reading War and Peace.

Chapter 9

There are no particularly noteworthy celebrations over Christmas.  We come back in on the third day of Christmas, when Nikolai is napping, the old count is resting, and Sonya is preparing to embroider, while the countess is playing patience.  Natasya Ivanovna, the man-with-a-woman's-name, also described as "the buffoon" is sitting around with two old ladies.  Natasha comes in, has a quick look at what Sonya's doing, then goes to disturb her mother, who asks what she wants.  Natasha says she demands Andrew, at once.  She is not enjoying their separation.  Natasha then wanders around the house, giving the servants random orders.  The butler resists the demand for the samovar - a type a Russian teapot - because he's used to Natasha being a pain for no reason.  She seems to be trying to pick a fight, but all the other serfs are cheerful about it.  She asks Natasya Ivanovna what type of children she, Natasha, will have, and Natasya replies "fleas, crickets, grasshoppers".  Natasha demands a piggyback from her little brother, but gets bored of her and goes to play the guitar instead.  Natasha is getting deja vu, from wandering about the house for far too long.  She asks Sonya to go wake Nikolai because she wants him to come and sing with her.  Basically, she is going stir crazy.

Chapter 10

After dinner, Natasha, Sonya, and Nikolai are sitting and talking.  Natasha asks if Nikolai has ever felt hopeless and despairing.  He tries to tell her about the war, but she interrupts and they start reminiscing about their childhood instead.  When the countess asks, Natasha sings, and Natasha cries a little because she feels like there's something unnatural and dreadful in the impending marriage of Andrew and Natasha.  After some more drama from Natasha - bursting into tears when Petya interrupts her song - they all decide to put on costumes - as the other gender as whatever they normally dress as - and go out.  Sonya is weirdly powerful and interesting when dressed as a man.  They ride out to visit the Melyukovka's, and the world is all snowy and magical.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 7, Chapters 7 and 8

Chapter 7

By evening, the hunting party is so far from home that Nikolai accepts "Uncle's" offer for the hunting party to stay with him.  They do send home for a 'trap' to take Natasha home.  Basically, they've called her an uber.  Uncle's serfs are very surprised to see Natasha being a lady on horseback and come and stare at her.  I think it's employed that Uncle and his housekeeper, Anisya Fedorovna, basically live as man and wife.  Uncle is very trusted around the neighbourhood, and is known not to be a gossip.  He decides family disputes, acts as executor, and resists the public appointments he keeps being offered.

They spend the evening having dinner and listening to someone play the balalayka, and then Uncle playing the guitar.  This is the chapter where we learn that Natasha can dance peasant dances, despite being a little countess, and this juxtaposition, of peasant and noble, mirrors other juxtapositions, such as, indeed, war and peace, according to that essay I started reading the other day.  Anyway, Nikolai pulls a face when Natasha alludes to Andrew, and Natasha thinks it's almost as if Nikolai believes Andrew wouldn't understand the evening, when she knows that he would.  Then she gets distracted by the music again and resolves to learn the guitar instead of the harp.  Petya has been asleep this entire time.

The traps arrive to pick up Natasha and Petya at 9pm.  Nikolai goes with them, and he and Natasha have a nice moment of sibling bonding.

Chapter 8

This chapter explains how the Rostovs are haemorrhaging money.  They have numerous staff or family or people in-between that live with them, they're still spending lots of money on hunting and entertaining, and so on.  Count Rostov enjoys gambling, but is almost as bad at it as Nikolai and his neighbours have noticed.  Count Rostov tries to ignore the problem while his wife tries to come up with a solution.  Her only idea is to have Nikolai marry an heiress, such as Julie Kuragina - that woman Maria is always writing to - who is now rich due to the death of her brothers.  The Countess has written to Julie's mother and has received a favourable response, as long as Julie and Nikolai like one another.   She tries to hint about this to him, but he asks her to tell him straight out and she does.  Wanting to seem noble, he asks "but if I loved a poor girl you wouldn't want me to give her up for money?".   The countess doesn't like the question put like that, and insists she only wants her son to be happy.  I think that's true, she just doesn't see how he can be happy if his family is destitute.  Nikolai is now feeling very loving towards Sonya, presumably because it seems romantic.

The countess doesn't force Nikolai to go to Moscow to visit Julie.  Instead, she watches him and Sonya grow closer.  The countess is very unhappy with Sonya, not least because Sonya is faultless, apart from being poor.  Andrew's return to Russia has been delayed because his wound has reopened.   Natasha begins to have fits of depression and feel very sorry for herself.  Basically, no one's happy.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 7, Chapters 4, 5, and 6

Chapter 4

This chapter is basically all about the hunt.  All of the Rostovs, apart from the Countess and Vera are hunting, including a few distant relatives we've not yet met and their servants.  One hunter is a man who goes by a woman's name, Nastasya Ivanovna.  He's referred to as a cross-dressing old buffoon, but otherwise not commented on.  I found an article on cross-dressing in war and peace - apparently, it comes up again, and I also missed the significance of how Maria's pilgrims were dressed - but I'm going to stop reading it because I already came across a few spoilers.

Chapter 5

This chapter appears to be about what Nikolai is doing at the hunt.  I am really not all that interested.  Nothing terribly important seems to be happening to anyone (except the wolf).  Rostov is feeling unlucky, and sorry for himself, and he's hoping that hunting this poor wolf can be the one thing he's good at.  They tie up the poor wolf - after killing the dogs have killed 5 of her cubs - and drag her back to the group to be shown off.  Poor little wolf.  I feel worse for her than for Andrew, when he lay dying.  I bet she thinks of her children.

Chapter 6

Count Ilya goes home, but it's still early, so the hunt continues, with Natasha and Petya a part of it.  I don't like part 7.  I'm glad it's only 13 chapters.  Now they've got the wolf, they're going after a fox.  A rival hunting party catches it.  It's Illagin's hunting party, who I don't think we've met before, but is apparently a long-standing rival of the Rostovs, and he's infringed on their land on purpose.  However, when Nikolai goes to confront him, he's very sorry about it, and also very flattering to Nikolai.  He also compares Natasha to the goddess Diana, and invites them all to join his hunt.  Now they're going after hares.  Nikolai admires Illagin's dog, which he got by trading three families of house serfs.  You know, most of this book just drives home how little people change, even over centuries, but we're definitely seeing some cultural differences now.  Illagin and Rostov's dogs race for a hare, and honestly, I do not give a fuck.  Apparently a great deal of pride rests on which one wins the race.  Natasha quite enjoys the rivalry - she literally screams at the end of it, when Uncle's dog wins.  'Uncle' is literally just a random Rostov relative that they call Uncle.  Are we done with hunting now?

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 7, Chapters 1, 2, and 3

Chapter 1

This chapter begins with some musings on how Man's state in the garden of Eden was idle, and so we still delight in idleness, but also feel guilty about it since we need to work.  If we could only find a state in which we accomplished our tasks while being in a state of idleness, we could be truly happy.  Tbh, that's how I feel on public transport, especially when I have my kindle and/or Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia to hand.  It's also how Nikolai feels about being in the army, but he hurries back home when his mother sends a message informing him that they will lose their entire estate if he doesn't come and take matters in hand.  He comes home to find nothing much has changed, except his parents and older and snippier, and Sonya is still in love with him, which is cheering.  Petya is now thirteen and his voice is breaking, which is the biggest change, after Natasha, who is mooning about over Andrew.  She's doing it in a dramatic way, and is otherwise as even-tempered, calm, and cheerful as she's ever been, which make Nikolai a bit skeptical about their romance and whether the marriage will actually happen.  He finds that his mother also has doubts.

Chapter 2

On his third day back, Nikolai decides to get the unpleasant business of the accounts over with and goes off to shout at Mitenka, the family's account manager.  It doesn't necessarily start with shouting, but it quickly ends up that way.  Nikolai kicks Mitenka out, calling him a robber and a wretch.  Later, his father explains that Nikolai had misunderstood the accounts, and everyone is embarrassed, including Count Ilya, who knows he's been mismanaging the estate.  Nikolai gives up on managing money and focuses on hunting instead.

Chapter 3

It's winter now, and it's been decided to give the hounds a few days off from hunting, and to start again on the sixteenth of September (In Russia, everything from August onwards is wintry).  Nikolai is about to head out wolf-hunting with Daniel the Huntmaster when Natasha comes in, in a complete state.  She and Petya want to go hunting too, and Petya bellows "no barrier bars a Russian's path!" with all the might of a teenager.  Nikolai tries to put them off, but Natasha sends Daniel to fetch her horse.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 6, Chapters 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26

Chapter 22

Prince Andrew and Natasha are both now firmly convinced that they are in love.  Natasha is pretty sure now that she's been in love with him from the start and that their meeting at the ball was fate.  Pierre is feeling miserable, and is distracting himself with more Masonic things.  Prince Andrew comes to Pierre to discuss this, and Pierre encourages him to marry.  Andrew agrees; he will marry Natasha and either make his father like her or do without his father's goodwill.  While Pierre encourages Andrew's happy mood, it makes his own feel more gloomy.

Chapter 23

Prince Andrew sets out for Bald Hills to try to obtain his father's blessing.  His father is annoyed that anyone would dare change anything while he just wants to live out his days in peace, without further change.  Still, he tries to discuss the matter diplomatically.  It's not a good match regarding birth, wealth, or rank, Prince Andrew is getting old, and is not as strong as he used to be, and he needs to pick a good stepmother for baby Nikolai.  Old Nikolai's final argument is that Andrew should go away for a year to think about it.  Prince Andrew understands that his father is hoping that either Andrew and Natasha will go off each other or that he, old Nikolai, will die before the year is up.  Andrew decides to propose and postpone the wedding for a year.

This whole thing takes three weeks, and then Andrew is back in St Petersburg.  Natasha was expecting him three weeks ago (she didn't know he was going anyway) and did a bit of pining dramatically,.  She's just beginning to recover when Andrew shows up again.  He asks for an audience with the Countess, and both she and Natasha know what it's about.  The Countess gives her consent and tries to begin loving Andrew as a son, which is difficult, because he's still a strange and terrifying man.  The Countess fetches Natasha and sends her to Andrew.  The second Natasha accepts the proposal, agrees she loves Andrew and kisses him, he suddenly cannot find his feeling of love for her.  He's now missing the "poetic and mystic charm of desire", but has found pity for weakness, fear of her devotion, and "an oppressive yet joyful sense of the duty that now bound him to her forever".  That last one is quite strong and serious, which makes up for the lack of poetry.  Natasha is too distracted by the terrifying idea that she now might be an adult and the wife of a man her father respects to listen to the fact that they won't marry for a year.  When it does sink in, she does a few more hysterics, and then, presumably, accepts the romance of the idea and agrees to wait a year.  Bolkonski becomes a frequent visitor to the house.

Chapter 24

No one officially announces the engagement, on Andrew's insistence.  He wants Natasha to be totally free to change her mind.  After a few days everyone, including Natasha, get used to Andrew and begin seeing him as just a man and not some terrifying source of respect.

Natasha and Andrew rarely talk of their future.  Andrew is afraid and ashamed of it, and Natasha shares this feeling, once she picks up on it.   His son won't live with them.

On the eve of Andrew's departure from St Petersburg, he brings Pierre with him.  Andrew insists that Pierre has a heart of gold, and that Natasha and Sonya should turn only to him if they ever need advice or help.  Natasha does more dramatic pining after he's gone.  I suspect she enjoys the drama and romance of it.  After two weeks, she's almost her old self again, but with a change of expression as of a child getting up after a long illness.

Chapter 25

This past year, old Prince Nikolai gets more sick and more irritable and poor Maria has to deal with it.  He makes a particular point of needling her two joys, little Nikolai and religion.  She forgives him because he's her father and he's sick and dying.  When Andrew comes to Bald Hills over the winter, he's "gay, gentle, and more affectionate" than he's been for a long time.  When he leaves, she writes to her friend, Julie Karagina (no relation to the Kuragins) to comfort her about the loss of Julie's brother.  She also talks about seeing Lise die, 5-years-ago.  Honestly, it doesn't seem nearly that long.  Anyway, it convinced her of God's Will, because if Lise had died any older, Andrew would have less perfect memories of her, or something.  She also mentions that Tsar Alexander is the grandson of Catherine the Great, which I did not know.  Her father is annoyed that the Tsar is negotiating with Napoleon as an equal.  Maria doesn't believe at all that Andrew is engaged to Natasha, even though Julie has told her, in a previous letter, than the rumour is all around St Petersburg.  She believes that no one could replace Lise, and certainly not Natasha.

Chapter 26

In the middle of summer, Andrew himself writes to his sister to tell her of his engagement.  He apologies for not telling her the last time he visited.  He didn't want her to try to intercede on his behalf and gain more criticism from their father.  Now, he's writing to ask his father to reduce the year's betrothal by four months, and only asks Maria to make sure their father is in a good mood when he reads the letter.  Old Nikolai does a better line in drama than Natasha, and tells Maria to tell Andrew that he, old Nikolai, is dead, and Andrew is free to do whatever he wants, but if Andrew marries Natasha, old Nikolai will marry Amelie Bourienne.  He's now got a new thing to torment Maria about - the idea of a new stepmother for Nikolai, and of his marrying Amelie.  Maria herself has personal dreams similar to that of Pierre's - to not worry herself too much with earthly things and leave all to her heavenly Father.  She dreams of going on a pilgrimage herself, but the thought of her father and nephew - nicknamed 'little Koko', we learn here - stop her, and then she weeps for being a sinner who loves her family more than God.

That's the end of Part 6, and I do wonder if the next part is the bit Great Comet is based on.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 6, Chapters 19, 20, and 21

Chapter 19

The day after the ball, Andrew catches up with several families, including the Rostovs.  He decides that, contrary to his previous judgements, they are kindly simple folk who do not understand the treasure they have in Natasha.  She sings for him, and he goes home feeling optimistic about the future, and planning to get a tutor for his son.

Chapter 20

Berg goes to see Pierre and invites him and Helene to a housewarming party.  He'd previously asked Helene and she'd refused.  The narration makes it clear that this was needlessly cruel, especially since Berg is willing to go to some trouble to be hospitable.

Waiting for the party to stand, Berg explains his theory of friends to Vera.  You should always try to be friends with people above you, which I'm pretty sure is also the theory espoused by Miracle Morning.  Both Berg and Vera think the other is silly, but at least they agree on waiting to have children.  Pierre arrives, and Vera tries to entertain him with talk of the French Embassy while Berg tries to have a masculine conversation on the question of war with Austria, at the exact same time.  Other guests arrive, including Darling Bory and Count Ilya Rostov and family.  Vera and Berg are pleased with how much their party resembles other housewarming parties.

Chapter 21

Pierre sits down to play boston (from context, a card game) with Count Rostov, a general, and a colonel.  He's directly opposite Natasha, and is suddenly struck by how different she is from how she seemed at the ball.  She's quieter, and almost plain, and seems indifferent to her surroundings.  She's sitting with Vera and Bory.  However, when Prince Andrew arrives, she is lit by the glow of an inner fire, and again the girl at the ball.  When Prince Andrew comes to talk to Pierre, Pierre notices similar changes in him.  He realises something very important is happening between Natasha and Andrew, and is struck by a painful, joyful feeling.  Vera has also noticed and grabs Prince Andrew to discuss his feeling about her sister.  Pierre is released from the card game, and notices that Andrew seems embarrassed by the conversation.  Vera is asking Andrew whether he believes Natasha is capable of true love, and telling him about her childish love affair with Bory.  Andrew quickly grabs Pierre and changes the subject, then leaves him to return to Natasha.  Pierre is then grabbed by Berg.  The only thing missing from this party, as far as Berg can tell, is a loud debate amongst the men of something important and clever.  The general has begun such a discussion, and Berg is taking Pierre to join in.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 6, Chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18

Chapter 13

Natasha and her mother are in the habit of talking in the evenings before the Count comes to bed.  Today, it's about darling Bory.  Natasha can't marry him - even though he's clearly in love with her - because they're related, they're both poor, and Natasha clearly is not in love with him.  Natasha agrees but asks her mother if he can still come round anyway, for fun.  Her mother says no - he's putting off Natasha's other potential suitors, and might be ruining his own match.  She pulls him aside the next day and has a talk with him, that stops his visits.  Pierre also comes up.  Natasha flirts with him, but has given up on him because he's a freemason.

Chapter 14

Now it's new year's eve of 1809 and there's a ball and midnight supper going on.  The Emperor himself is to be present.  It is a very grand affair.  Everyone's waiting for Tsar Alexander to arrive.  The Rostov's are running late because Natasha's been allowed to dress everyone, since it's her first ball, and she's quite particular about it.  They were expecting to pick up Mary Peronskaya - a maid of honour, who is coming with them - at 10pm and arrive at 10:30pm, but they're half an hour late for all of it.  This chapter is basically all pinning up dresses and pomading.

Chapter 15

They're finally in the carriage, on the way to the ball, and Natasha is having her first free moment all day to imagine what it will be like.

...I did a bit of googling and learned, that Natasha is based on Tolstoy's sister-in-law and wife, that she was once played by Audrey Hepburn, that Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 is set in 1812, so quite a bit further in (it's part 5 of volume 2, but my copy isn't divided that way - it's just 17 parts, with chapters), and that the BBC 2016 miniseries appears to condense the book heavily, but with a lot of the same events that seem to be covered in the Great Comet.

Natasha is too nervous to do all the posing she'd meant to do, which is fortunate, because it would have looked dumb.  She seems to be making a good impression on people, as they join the crowd waiting for the Tsar, and that calms her down.  Mary Peronskaya is pointing out important people, including Helene and Anatole Kuragin.  Apparently he and Darling Bory are competing for the same heiress, who is very plain.  Natasha is happy to see Pierre, who has promised to introduce partners to her, but he's interrupted by Andrew Bolkonsky on his way over.  Natasha's mother acknowledges that Andrew is very popular, but he doesn't approve, especially not with them all hanging around with Speranski and ignoring the ladies.

Chapter 16

The emperor arrives!

When everyone's done crowding to get a look at him, they begin to prepare to dance the polonaise.  Natasha is disappointed because it looks like she might not be asked to dance.  Andrew, Anatole, and Darling Bory all pass by, distracted, but Berg and his wife (Vera, Natasha's elder sister - apparently Count Ilya came through with the cash) - who are not dancing - come to join them.

After the first dance, an aide-de-camp comes to tell the Rostov's to move back even closer to the wall, and then another aide-de-camp begins to dance the first waltz with Helene and Natasha is almost ready to cry.  However, elsewhere, Pierre encourages Bolkonski to ask Natasha to dance.  Prince Andrew is talking politics - or rather, being asked about politics, since he's so close to Speranski - so he's pleased to have a reprieve.  Andrew looks over at Natasha, and, remembering it's her debut ball, works out from her face how she's feeling.  They're the second couple to begin to dance, and while Natasha's "shoulders looked thin and her bosom underdeveloped" next to Helene, her fresh-faced delight is much more appealing.  Andrew only asked to escape the shop-talk and because she was recommended, but he's suddenly feeling a lot better.  I am not approving of this development.

Chapter 17

After Prince Andrew, Natasha is asked to dance by Darling Bory and then several others, so many that she doesn't stop dancing all evening and still has some spares for Sonya.  She doesn't even notice the Emperor because, tbh, he's not as interesting as he thinks he is.  Prince Andrew manages to dance with her again and tells her about the night he overheard her.  When she leaves him, he thinks to himself that, if she goes to her cousin first and then to another lady, then she will be his wife.  This happens.  He then tells himself it's nonsense, but that Natasha probably will be married within the month.

Pierre, meanwhile, is feeling humiliated over his wife's position for the first time.  Natasha notices, but can't believe that anyone is failing to have a good time this evening.

Chapter 18

Prince Andrew doesn't think much about the ball the next day, and especially does not think much of Natasha Rostova, but is still distracted at work.  He's not interested in the news of what the emperor has said about reforming the financial system, and has also lost interest in going to an intimate gathering at Speranski's home for the first time, which he was looking forward to.  He still goes, but everything that once appeared mysterious and fascinating about Speranski suddenly seems plain and unattractive.  Most of the guests are talking about how dumb the entire rest of the world is.  Prince Andrew finds it all very irritating.  He leaves early, claiming he has a reception to go to.

On his way home, he thinks about how pointless everything seems.  All these committee meetings seem focused entirely on form and procedure and not on the actual business at hand.  He also thinks the Personal Rights he's been working on are pointless, when he imagines them applied to the peasants on his estates, and is astonished to have wasted to much time.