Sunday 6 October 2019

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 11 Chapters 21 and 22

Chapter 21

We're now back with the Russian troops evacuating Moscow.  Some of them begin looting on the way out.  The shopkeepers ask the officers for help - some of them pointing out that there's no point defending their goods from the Russians when the French will be along in a minute - but everything's chaotic.

Chapter 22

Apart from all that, the city is deserted.  The Rostov's house is entirely empty except for the yard poter, Ignat, and the page boy, Mishka, who's playing with the harpsichord in the drawing room.  They've remained with some of the other servants.  A strange officer turns up with "familiar Rostov features" and asks for Count Ilya.  The housekeeper, Mavra Kuzminicha, has to tell him that he's missed the family, but gives him some money to be getting on with,  I have no idea who he can be - Mavra would recognise Nikolai or Petya, and I don't think we've been introduced to other young Rostovs.

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