In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 12 Chapters 3, 4, and 5

Chapter 3

The Tsar receives Kutuzov's letter explaining that he had chosen to sacrifice Moscow to win the war and eventually gain Moscow back, rather than defending it, losing the war, and then losing Moscow anyway.  The Tsar is dramatic about this.

Chapter 4

This is another of Tolstoy's historical essay-style chapters.  He explains that, while it might seem to a modern audience that people living through historic events were probably thinking about it the whole time, very few of them actually were.  They were mostly concerned with their own business.  Those who tried to think of the big picture and be self-sacrificing and so on tended not to have a large effect on events, while those who just carried on with the task in front of them sometimes ended up playing large roles.  The regiment Pierre raised ends up looting and barely playing a part in the war, while Nikolai Rostov, who is just minding his own business, hoping to be promoted someday, and leaving the bigger concerns to the Tsar and generals is playing a larger role in the scheme of things. Shortly before the battle of Borodino, he was sent to Voronezh to buy remounts for his regiments.  It's not that he wants to leave the army, but he does quite enjoy seeing normal people going about their daily business while not in an active warzone.  While buying horses, he meets with the Governor of Voronezh, who is a friend of his mother's.  He invites Nikolai to visit with them later in the evening.  The towns have become livelier this year, because that's where all the people from the cities went.  They are all very pleased to see a nice, clean-shaven Nikolai in his dress uniform, and he quite enjoys parading around.  Many of the older guests determine that they're going to get him married.  Nikolai decides, instead, to flirt with the wife of one of the men there, who doesn't enjoy it as much as Nikolai expects.

Chapter 5

We're still at the party with Nikolai.  He's still flirting with the blonde wife, but gets called away to see Mary Bolkonskaya's aunt, Anna Ignatyevna Malvintseva.   Aunt Anna has heard all about Nikolai rescuing Mary.  They talk a little, and it's clear that Aunt Anna doesn't think much of old Count Nick Bolkonski or of Andrew.  The governor's wife offers to set Nikolai up to marry Mary, but he objects on two counts.  Firstly, that he has never liked the idea of marrying for money, and secondly, Sonya.  He says he would also object because of Natasha's engagement to Andrew, but that's over now.  Still, he allows himself to be persuaded.