Saturday 29 August 2020

In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 14, Chapters 8 and 9

 Chapter 8


Dolokhov turns up, and Petya can't take his eyes of him because he's heard so many stories about Dolokhov being badass.  Dolokhov asks someone to come to the French camp with him, and Petya offers.  Denisov tries to stop him, but he will not be stopped.  Denisov and Dolokhov have an argument because Denisov insists no men have died on his watch - his motivation for not wanting Petya to go to the French camp - but Dolokhov points out that that's only because he sends them elsewhere to be killed.  Dolokhov wins the argument.  Petya doesn't fully understand that he's not actually immoral and prides himself on his lack of concern for his own life, so he's pretty happy about this.


Chapter 9


Disguised as French soldiers, Petya and Dolokhov set off.  Petya is very excited.  He insists he won't be taken alive if they're caught because he has a pistol.  Dolokhov do-you-know-who-I-ams his way through a sentinel and this works for a few minutes while they gather information.  They leave and Petya, high on the audacity of having gotten away with it, is even more impressed with Dolokhov.

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