In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 9, Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Having heard the whole story of Anatole's attempts to seduce his ex-fiance (from Pierre), Prince Andrew sets off to Moscow after him.  Pierre has also warned Anatole, so he's not there when Andrew arrives.  Andrew chases him to Turkey, but by then he's gone back to Russia.  Andrew spends some time abiding in Turkey.  He can't reclaim the thoughts he had when he looked up at the sky, and the very attempt is anathemous to him.  He intends to start a duel with Anatole as soon as he finds him, but hopes to find another cause to blame, rather than compromise Natasha.

Andrew rejoins the army under Kutuzov to pass the time, and asks to be transferred to the Western Front when the 1812 war with Napoleon breaks out.  On the way, he stops at Bald Hills.  The last three years have led him through so much personal change that it seems odd to find life there going on just the same as always.  He thinks of Mary as useless and joyless which is a bit much when she's literally raising his son.  Amelie is coquettish and self-satisfied, though possibly more smug than previously.  We also get an update on young Nikolai's tutor, who we hadn't actually met previously.  His name is Dessalles, and he's from Switzerland.  Old Nikolai has lost a tooth, but is otherwise the same as before.  Andrew at least deigns to notice that young Nikolai has changed.  He has dark curly hair and the same smile as Lise.  Bald Hills is described as 'eternally sleeping', and I'm not sure how many of the fairy-tale allusions I'm noticing are intentional on the part of Tolstoy or not.  But, if Amelie is Cinderella, Mary is the Beast and Natasha is the little mermaid, who, in the eternally sleeping Bald Hills, is sleeping beauty?  Andrew himself?  Arguably yes, although he was awoken by Natasha before observing that Bald Hills was sleeping. 

Old Nikolai has continued with his attempted seduction of Amelie, and the household is divided with Amelie, old Nikolai, and 'the architect' on one side, and everyone else on the other.  They come together to dine for Andrew's sake, and it's weird for everyone.  When Andrew goes to talk to his father on the first evening, old Nikolai immediately begins complaining about Mary, who, lest we forget, is caring for him and his grandchild with nothing but criticism from all sides.

Old Nikolai knows that he torments Mary, but he also knows that he's old and can't help it.

Honestly, Mary needs to realise that she is both Beauty and the Beast and get the fuck out of this sleeping castle.  It's only when I wrote that that I realised that Beauty and the Beast also has an eternally sleeping castle, or, at least, abandoned until the Beast either escapes or dies.

Anyway, Old Nikolai feels like he needs to defend himself to Andrew because he knows he's in the wrong and that Andrew can see it, but is disquieted by the fact that Andrew hasn't commented on it.  Since Andrew is being made to comment, he says that, whatever has happened, Mary is totally innocent and it's probably Amelie's fault.  Tbh, I think it's Old Nikolai's fault, but at least Mary's getting some credit.  Old Nikolai demands that Andrew leave immediately, but Mary persuades him to stay another day.  Old Nikolai hides in his rooms and keeps asking if Andrew is gone yet.  Andrew has gone to see his son - for the first time in a while - and tells him the story of Bluebeard.  Andrew is quietly worried about the fact that he doesn't feel remorse or regret for his father, but nor does he feel love and tenderness for his son.  It sounds like Andrew is very, very depressed.  It doesn't help that he knows he used to be happy at Bald Hills, sequestered away from life.

Andrew tells Mary that he's moving on, and he's very sorry that she's not able to leave Bald Hills.  Oh my god Andrew, take your son, hire a nursemaid, and let your sister go on a pilgrimage or join a nunnery or whatever she wants while Amelie takes care of old Nikolai.  Andrew calls both Amelie and Anatole 'trash' and, tbh, not disagreeing.  Meanwhile, Mary is finding some comfort in her faith.  Andrew tells her that forgiving and forgetting is for women.  He decides that, if Mary has reached the point of telling him to forgive, then it's long past the time he should have punished Anatole.

Tbh, it's about time someone gave Anatole a smack.  Andrew knows he's likely to meet Anatole at the Western Front.  Maybe he can use him as a shield, put all of Russian society out of their misery.

Mary asks him to stay longer, but Andrew knows that, if he doesn't leave now, his relationship with his father will be irreparably damaged.  Mary lets him go, with a final reminder that all challenges come from God and that men are only his instruments.  Andrew realises that she thinks this because she has no power, and realises that he doesn't seem to have a lot either.  He's tried to forget about challenging Anatole, but hasn't been successful.