Chapter 5
Both Napoleon and Alexander have men who best express their devotion to their ruler by cruelty. Alexander's is Arakcheev, Napoleon's is Davout. Tolstoy states that these sorts of men naturally appear in organisations, like wolves appear in nature, and offers this as an explanation for why the "chivalrous, noble, and gentle" Alexander has a man like Arakcheev - who once tore out a man's moustache with his bare hands - nearby.
Balashev runs into Davout, who is sitting in the dark and gloomy shed he chose himself, the better to feel put-upon in. Davout demands that Balashev hand over the message. Balashev refuses because he intends to hand it to Napoleon himself. They have a polite little argument over the proper respect due to orders given to the soldiers of the opposite army. Finally, at the end of the chapter, Balashev gains access to Napoleon.
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