Chapter 17
So Natasha is less miserable, but also really bored, and can't sing any more (because she's still a bit sad). At least she's sad with regret about making stupid decisions and ruining her life, which is quite a sensible thing to be sad about in the circumstances. She misses her innocent, carefree days, which she can't seem to recapture, and she can't find anything to look forward to. Ironically, Andrew could probably empathise with this. She's stopped leaving the house, and the only visitor she's happy to see is Pierre. He's very kind to her, but she just assumes he's like that to everyone, and doesn't attribute anything special to it. She feels such a moral barrier between them - the complete antithesis of what she felt with Anatole - that she can't imagine their relationship ever becoming romantic. She does remember that Pierre once told her that, if he were free, he would beg for her hand, but she assumes that's just something he said to be comforting.
A country neighbour, Agrafena Ivanovna Belova, comes to visit, and suggests that Natasha fasts and prepares for Holy Communion. She does, mostly because it's something to do. Normally, the Rostovs would prepare with private worship at home, but this time Natasha goes to church every day, three times a day, for a week. I think it does her good just to get out of the house. Also, she learns some humility. She feels a lot better, and the doctors take credit for it.
Chapter 18
Moscow is hearing more and more about the war,much of it rumours, none of it good. It's now July of 1812. Most of the families who would normally leave for the summer have not. Natasha is also hearing rumours about herself, but she's imaging some of that. She's enjoying being pretty a lot less than she used to, and she's starting to get bored of her new church routine now. On this particular day, however, she is deeply moved by the words of the priest, and mentally begs him to tell her how to live her life - something Pierre can definitely relate to. The prayer also helps her - she prays for her brother and Denisov at war, for Andrew at sea, for her family who have been so good to her, and for Anatole and her family's debtors as enemies.
Chapter 19
We're now back to Pierre. Seeing the Great Comet of 1812 has helped him get over his preoccupation with material things, because now he's entirely preoccupied with Natasha. He's still doing all the same things he did before, but now he feels spiritual about it. However, as she recovers, his feeling of pity becomes one of restlessness. He feels that a catastrophe is coming.
The Freemasons have a prophecy about Napoleon, linked to 666 and the beast, and so on. They believe that 42, his age, and, which in French and with numerology applied sums to 666, is the year he will be defeated.
Pierre is quite interested in this, and tries to use numerology to figure out exactly what will bring about the end of Napoleon's reign. With lots of lots of fudging of the numbers, he works out that his own name can be made to equal 666, if he includes his nationality, leaves off his first name, and deletes a random 'e'. All of this snark is implicit in the text by the way, I'm not adding to it. Pierre is pretty sure that all these prophecies and his feelings for Natasha are all bound together, in such a way that will rocket him out of his mundane life. The day after Natasha's religious revelation, Pierre is visiting the Rostovs with news. On the way, a courier hands him a letter from Nikolai to Count Ilya. I have a foreboding feeling about this letter. Pierre is also handed a copy of the emperor's appeal to Moscow, and the last army orders. The army orders detail Nikolai's award of the St George's Cross, and also state that Andrew has been promoted. Pierre passes on Nikolai's letter and the orders, and keeps the bulletin to tell the Rostov's about at dinner.
Pierre has been considering entering the army, but the great destiny promised by the prophecy stops him.
Chapter 20
It's a Sunday, so a few intimate friends are dining with the Rostovs today. Pierre arrives early, so he can deliver his news. He's gained some weight, but he's tall enough to pull it off. His coachman doesn't bother to weight - Pierre is in the habit of staying at the Rostov's until midnight.
Today, Natasha is finally singing again, which surprises and delights Pierre. She blushes when he arrives, and asks if singing is wrong, because she wouldn't like to do anything he would disapprove of. At least she's starting going directly to the source now, instead of listening to Helene. She also wants to know if Pierre thinks Andrew will ever forgive her. Pierre immediately thinks of proposing to her, but she interrupts before he can. Then Petya runs in, completely ruining the mood. It occurs to me that Pierre and Petya are variations on the same name. Anyway, Petya is now fifteen, and had been planning to enter university. Before that, he is going to join the Hussars and wants to ask Pierre's advice. The narration refers to Pierre as Petya's namesake, so the similarity is intentional. The Count then appears to get the update on how the war is going. Pierre manages a coherent update, but is otherwise totally distracted by Natasha. The biggest news that it is now dangerous to speak French. When we started the book it was fashionable, and people have kept dropping into random French throughout. I've not been mentioning it because my French is only slightly better than my Russian (I can say 'hello' in Russian and 'I'm very sorry, I don't speak very good French' in French). There's talk of a draft, to force young men to join the army, and Ilya points out that Pierre will have to go if that happens. The Count also becomes very patriotic, but dials it back when Petya announces his own plan to sign up.
The Count invites Pierre to smoke, but Pierre is suddenly feeling an urgent need to go home. The Count points out that Natasha only brightens up when Pierre is around, but it doesn't persuade him. Pierre needs to go home because he loves Natasha, but he knows she doesn't love him. He vows not to visit the Rostovs any more.
Chapter 21
Petya has been solidly refused permission to join the Hussars, and so is weeping in his room like the 15-year-old boy he is.
The next day, Petya sets off to the palace, having decided to go see the Emperor, speak to one of the gentlemen-in-waiting that he imagines the Emperor is always surrounded with, and offer his services as a soldier. His fine plans are soon hindered by being crushed in the crowd outside the Tsar's residence (Tsar and Emperor are used interchangeably, but we've been talking about Alexander this whole time). Everyone's there to see the Tsar. Petya is knocked so hard at one point that he loses consciousness. This turns out to be lucky, as it gets him carried a lot closer to the front of the route the Emperor is taking. Petya no longer hopes to petition Alexander, but does hope to see him. He doesn't, but now he's even more determined to become a Hussar.
Petya hangs around a bit longer, and the Tsar eventually comes out to his balcony and starts throwing bread rolls at the crowd. Petya knocks an old woman to the ground to get one, and then goes to see his friend, Obolenski, who also intends to become a Hussar. When he finally gets home, he tells his father that he will run away to join up if he has to. Count Ilya capitulates, and begins to inquire on the safest possible place his son can serve.
No comments:
Post a Comment