Sonya finally learns that Prince Andrew is amongst the wounded men, and tells Natasha's mother so they can both worry about what Natasha will say. They manage to hide the news from her, but, when they do finally set off, Natasha is fascinated by Andrew's caleche driving ahead of them, even though she doesn't know it's his. A caleche is "a light low-wheeled carriage with a removable folding hood", so basically a convertible.
As they're driving, Natasha spots Pierre, walking by in disguise at a distance (she recognises his gait). It takes them a while to stop because they're in something which is basically the opposite of a traffic jam, but Natasha is eventually able to grab him. He says he's staying in Moscow and Natasha insists that she will too if her mother gives her permission. Her mother ignores her and asks Pierre about the battle, but he doesn't have time to say much because they all need to be getting on.
Chapter 18
Pierre has spent the last few days in a fog of confusion and despair. The final straw was the arrival of Helene's letter, even though he didn't read it, which sent him off to sort through Joseph Bazdeev's papers. If I recall correctly, Bazdeev was the one who introduced him to the Freemasons. He asks Bazdeev's servant to supply him with peasant clothes and a pistol. He was wearing the peasant clothes and on his way to buy the pistol when he ran into Natasha. Also, Bazdeev's insane half-brother Makar Alexeevich is in the house, but he's mostly just glaring at Pierre right now.
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