Chapter 33
Pierre wakes up determined to assassinate Napoleon and ashamed of getting distracted by his pleasant conversation with a French officer the previous day. He picks up a dagger, since his pistol has been fired, despite the fact that he'd previously decided that the last assassination effort failed because the culprit tried to use a dagger. He's also not taken into account the fact that Napoleon has left Moscow, likely because he doesn't know.
On the way, Pierre is distracted by the need to rescue a child from a house set on fire and currently being looted by the French.
Chapter 34
Pierre has saved the little girl and is attempting to reunite her with her family when he is distracted, by an Armenian family being bothered by the French. He asks some of the crowd that has built up to return the child to her family while he protects the family, which includes an 'Oriental beauty'. Pierre does this by beating up the Frenchman, which gathers quite a lot of cheers. It does not go well for him when the other French soldiers turn up. He is taken away to be court-martialled. I'm not sure how they can do that when he's not a member of their army, but perhaps it's a translational or cultural issue. He's basically being taken in because they're pretty sure he's an 'incendiary'.
...and that's the end of Part 11! The remaining 6 books are much shorter, at 20 chapters max, and the average chapter length is shorter too.
Friday, 8 November 2019
Wednesday, 6 November 2019
In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 11 Chapter 32
Chapter 32
It's been a week since Andrew was wounded at Borodino, and he's been delirious for most of it. He's become a little obsessed with getting ahold of a copy of the gospels and with Natasha, so he's quite pleased that she's come to see him once he understands that she's really there. The doctor has been convinced that Andrew will die within the week, and is sad to see him recover since that normally means he'll die in more pain later, so Andrew dying may still be on the table. Natasha spends the next few days nursing him through the nights, and while her mother hopes that they will renew their engagement, they don't speak of it at all.
It's been a week since Andrew was wounded at Borodino, and he's been delirious for most of it. He's become a little obsessed with getting ahold of a copy of the gospels and with Natasha, so he's quite pleased that she's come to see him once he understands that she's really there. The doctor has been convinced that Andrew will die within the week, and is sad to see him recover since that normally means he'll die in more pain later, so Andrew dying may still be on the table. Natasha spends the next few days nursing him through the nights, and while her mother hopes that they will renew their engagement, they don't speak of it at all.
Tuesday, 5 November 2019
In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 11 Chapters 30 and 31
Chapter 30
We're back with the Rostovs, who have made almost no progress in leaving Moscow, since they set off so half-cocked in the first place and then were beset by further delays. This means that they're in a prime position to watch the first fire start in Moscow on the second of September.
Chapter 31
Natasha is told about the fire but doesn't care because Sonya has told her about Andrew, specifically the fact that he's wounded and with them. Natasha has vowed to see him, despite being terrified because she knows he's injured and is having horrible visions about what that might mean. Her mother spends the day distracting her, but she finally manages to get into his room that evening. The chapter ends with him reaching out a hand to her.
We're back with the Rostovs, who have made almost no progress in leaving Moscow, since they set off so half-cocked in the first place and then were beset by further delays. This means that they're in a prime position to watch the first fire start in Moscow on the second of September.
Chapter 31
Natasha is told about the fire but doesn't care because Sonya has told her about Andrew, specifically the fact that he's wounded and with them. Natasha has vowed to see him, despite being terrified because she knows he's injured and is having horrible visions about what that might mean. Her mother spends the day distracting her, but she finally manages to get into his room that evening. The chapter ends with him reaching out a hand to her.
Monday, 4 November 2019
In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 11 Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Pierre spends the evening drinking with the French officer, even translating some German for him when another officer arrives. When he finally gets a minute to himself, he has a bit of a break-down because he's realised that he can't assassinate Napoleon. He tries to leave immediately, but finds he cannot, and stays as the French officer tells him of noble deeds and love stories. This makes him think of Natasha, whom he has, at some point, realised he feels romantic love for. He confesses who he really is - which greatly impresses the French officer - and says that he felt he couldn't confess his love to Natasha when he had nothing. As we know, when he became rich, things became very complicated. Pierre feels weirdly good about the world, except when he remembers that Russia is at war and that he must kill Napoleon. The chapter ends with him sleeping off the wine.
Pierre spends the evening drinking with the French officer, even translating some German for him when another officer arrives. When he finally gets a minute to himself, he has a bit of a break-down because he's realised that he can't assassinate Napoleon. He tries to leave immediately, but finds he cannot, and stays as the French officer tells him of noble deeds and love stories. This makes him think of Natasha, whom he has, at some point, realised he feels romantic love for. He confesses who he really is - which greatly impresses the French officer - and says that he felt he couldn't confess his love to Natasha when he had nothing. As we know, when he became rich, things became very complicated. Pierre feels weirdly good about the world, except when he remembers that Russia is at war and that he must kill Napoleon. The chapter ends with him sleeping off the wine.
Sunday, 27 October 2019
In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 11 Chapter 28
My Masters project started and I began applying for PhDs, both of which knocked me for a loop, hence the delays. I've gotten things a little more under control now, so we'll see how this goes.
Chapter 28
Pierre has decided to disguise his identity and pretend he doesn't speak French, at least until he gets a chance to kill Napoleon. He'd intended to hide from the French knocking at the door entirely, but he's too curious. The French officer comes in, compliments the decour (in French) and complains about the Russians not speaking any French.
Chapter 28
Pierre has decided to disguise his identity and pretend he doesn't speak French, at least until he gets a chance to kill Napoleon. He'd intended to hide from the French knocking at the door entirely, but he's too curious. The French officer comes in, compliments the decour (in French) and complains about the Russians not speaking any French.
Makar Alexeevich tries to shoot him, but is stopped by Pierre. In all the excitement, Pierre forgets not to speak French, because he's a big dumb kitten who is absolutely terrible at all this.
(The joke there is that Josh Groban plays Pierre in Great Comet). Pierre pleads with the Officer not to punish Makar because he's a drunk who doesn't know what he's doing. The officer concludes that Pierre must be French because, from his point of view, only the French can perform noble deeds.
Pierre tries to convince him otherwise, but the officer just winks at him and says they can tell that to others. He hails Pierre as a brother, and Pierre gives up on convincing him otherwise. To be fair, Pierre was raised in France and has a French name, so he can't really go around objecting when people assume he's French. The soldiers move in comfortably and start preparing their lunch.
Friday, 11 October 2019
In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 11 Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Pierre is still in Moscow, and the French invasion manages to reach him by the 2nd of September. It's spiralling outwards in a relaxed manner. Pierre has also managed to gather something of a relaxed manner, by sorting through Joseph Alexeevich's study. He's having a bit of a crisis and has decided to remain in Moscow so he can either assassinate Napoleon or die himself - he doesn't seem terribly concerned as to which. I presume he succeeds in neither, since I'm under this impression this is not an alternate-universe telling of the history of the French invasion, and I've heard some spoilers about future plot elements which I'm trying not to think about, but which imply that Pierre lives a little longer. Pierre is feeling truly Russian, and as driven as he was to get to Borodino (before he learned what a battlefield is really like). He also can't back down, because he's told the Rostov's he's remaining and he feels like he would lose face if he didn't. He's pretty sure he's going to die, but he's okay with the romance of that. The servants are subduing a drunken rampage by Makar Alexeevich - Joseph's brother, who is also trying to kill Napoleon, but is too drunk to know who or what Napoleon is - when the French knock at the door.
Pierre is still in Moscow, and the French invasion manages to reach him by the 2nd of September. It's spiralling outwards in a relaxed manner. Pierre has also managed to gather something of a relaxed manner, by sorting through Joseph Alexeevich's study. He's having a bit of a crisis and has decided to remain in Moscow so he can either assassinate Napoleon or die himself - he doesn't seem terribly concerned as to which. I presume he succeeds in neither, since I'm under this impression this is not an alternate-universe telling of the history of the French invasion, and I've heard some spoilers about future plot elements which I'm trying not to think about, but which imply that Pierre lives a little longer. Pierre is feeling truly Russian, and as driven as he was to get to Borodino (before he learned what a battlefield is really like). He also can't back down, because he's told the Rostov's he's remaining and he feels like he would lose face if he didn't. He's pretty sure he's going to die, but he's okay with the romance of that. The servants are subduing a drunken rampage by Makar Alexeevich - Joseph's brother, who is also trying to kill Napoleon, but is too drunk to know who or what Napoleon is - when the French knock at the door.
Thursday, 10 October 2019
In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 11 Chapter 26
Chapter 26
The French enter Moscow - with a translator, to ask where the army is - and cease being an army and become marauders. Even after leaving Moscow, they are never an army again, after looting Moscow. Tolstoy theories that Moscow is different from other occupied cities because it was abandoned by the inhabitants first, rather than welcoming the invaders, and so it burnt because it was in a position in which a city must burn.
The French enter Moscow - with a translator, to ask where the army is - and cease being an army and become marauders. Even after leaving Moscow, they are never an army again, after looting Moscow. Tolstoy theories that Moscow is different from other occupied cities because it was abandoned by the inhabitants first, rather than welcoming the invaders, and so it burnt because it was in a position in which a city must burn.
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