Briggs: Pierre meets Natasha again, much changed. She is pleased to see him.
Pevear and Volokhonsky (chapters 15-17): Pierre arrives in Moscow. Goes to visit Princess Marya. Natasha. She tells him about Prince Andrei's death. Pierre tells his story. Natasha and Princess Marya talk of him after he leaves.
Translation:
XV.
At the end of January Pierre had arrived in Moscow and stayed in the surviving wing. He went to Count Rastopchin, to some familiars returning in Moscow and was going on the third day to go to Petersburg. All the triumph of victory; all boiled with life in the ravaged and reviving capital. To Pierre all were glad; all wanted to see him, and all questioned him about that what he saw. Pierre felt himself especially friendly located to all people whom he met; but unwittingly now he held himself with all people alert, so that to not bundle up himself with something. To all questions that were made to him, — important or the most insignificant, — whether it was asked to him: where will he live? Whether he will build? When will he ride to Petersburg and whether he will take and bring a box? He responded: yes, maybe, I think, and etc.
About the Rostovs he heard that they were in Kostroma, and the idea about Natasha seldom came to him. If it came, then only as a pleasant memory of a long time past. He felt himself not only free from everyday conditions, but from this feeling, which he as it seemed to him, intentionally let go in himself.
On the third day of his arrival in Moscow, he found out from Drubetskoy that Princess Marya was in Moscow. The death, misery, and last days of Prince Andrey often occupied Pierre, and now, with new vividness, came to his head. Upon learning, behind dinner that Princess Marya was in Moscow and lived in her not burnt out house in Vzdvizhenka, he in that same night went to her.
On the road to Princess Marya, Pierre, not ceasing, thought about Prince Andrey, about his friendship with him, about the institutions of his meetings and in particular about the last one at Borodino.
"Is it really he died in that spiteful mood in which he was then? Was it really not opened to him before his death the explanation of life?" thought Pierre. He remembered about Karataev, about his death, and unwittingly began to compare these two people, such institutions, and, together with that, so similar by the love which he had to both, and because of how both lived and both died.
In this very serious location of spirit Pierre drove to the home of the old prince. This house survived. In it were visible traces of destruction, but the character of the home was the same. Meeting Pierre was an old waiter with a strict face, as if wishing to give the feeling to the guest that the absence of the prince did not violate the order of the home, saying that the princess deigned to take in their room and accept on Sundays.
— Report; maybe, I will be accepted, — said Pierre.
— I am listening, — was the response of the waiter; — please to the portrait.
In a few minutes to Pierre came out the waiter and Desala. Desala from the name of the princess delivered to Pierre that she was very happy to see him and asked if he excused her for her unceremoniousness, and to enter upstairs to her room.
In the low little room, lighted by one candle, sat the princess and someone else with her, in a black dress. Pierre remembered that the princess always had companions, but who such was this companion, Pierre did not know and did not remember. "This is one of the companions," he thought, looking at the lady in the black dress.
The princess fast got up towards him and handed him her hand.
— Yes, — she said, peering at his changed face after he kissed her hand, — here how we are meeting with you. — He in the last time often spoke about you, — she said, transferring her eyes with Pierre to the companion with a shyness, which at the moment struck Pierre.
— I was so happy, upon learning about your salvation. This was the only joyful news which we have received from a long-standing time. — Again still anxiously the princess looked around at the companion and wanted to say something; but Pierre interrupted her.
— You may yourself represent that I knew nothing about, — he said. — I counted him killed. All that I found out, I found out from others, through third hand. I know only that he hit to the Rostovs... How is fate!
Pierre spoke fast and lively. He looked a time at the face of her companion, saw carefully the affectionate, loving look, aspiring in him, and as this often is in the time of conversation, he for some reason felt for that this companion in a black dress — the sweet, good, glorious being, who had not disturbed his sincere conversation with Princess Marya.
Yet when he said the last words about the Rostovs, the confusion in the face of Princess Marya expressed still stronger. She again ran across her eyes from the face of Pierre to the face of the lady in the black dress and said:
— You don’t recognize her?
Pierre looked another time at the pale, thin, with black eyes and strange mouth, face of the companion. Something familiar, a long time forgotten and more than sweet looked at him from these attentive eyes.
"But no, this may not be," he thought. "This strict, thin and pale, aged face? This may not be her. This is only a memory." Yet at this time Princess Marya said: "Natasha." And the face, with attentive eyes with labor, with effort, as opens a rusted door, — smiled, and from this dissolved door suddenly smelled and doused Pierre with that long time forgotten happiness, about which, in particular now, he had not thought. The smell swept and swallowed him. When she smiled, now there could be no doubt: this was Natasha, and he loved her.
In the first moment Pierre already, unwittingly, to her and Princess Marya, and the main thing mostly to himself, said an unknown to him secret. He was red from happiness and painful suffering. He wanted to hide his excitement. but the more he wanted to hide it, by that clearer, — clearer, than the most certain words, — he to himself, her, and to Princess Marya spoke that he loved her.
"No, this is from surprise," thought Pierre. Yet only as he wanted to continue the began conversation with Princess Marya, he again looked at Natasha, and a still stronger color covered his face, — and the still strongest excitement of joy and fear swept his soul. He was confused in his words and stopped in the middle of speech.
Pierre did not see Natasha, because of how he in no way did not see her here, but he did not find her out because of what had occurred in her since he had not seen her, the turn was immense. She had lost weight and become pale. Yet this did not make her unrecognizable: she could not be known in the first moment, as he entered, because of how on that face, in the eyes of which before always glowed the hidden smile of the joys of life, now, when he entered and for the first time looked at her, was not the shadows of a smile; were only eyes, attentive, kind, and sadly-interrogative.
The embarrassment of Pierre was not reflected in Natasha’s embarrassment, but only the pleasure, a little bit noticeably illuminating all of her face.
Mentioned: Sundays
Locations: Moscow, Pierre's house, Princess Marya's house in Vzdvizhenka
Mentioned: St. Petersburg, Kostroma, the last days of Prince Andrey, Borodino
Pevear and Volokhonsky Notes: Pierre arrives in Moscow and visits Princess Marya. He sees a lady in a black dress and doesn't know who it is before realizing that it is Natasha. He realizes how much she has changed and how much he loves her.
Characters (characters who do not appear, but are mentioned are placed in italics. First appearances are in Bold. First mentions are underlined. Final appearance denoted by *):
Pierre
Count Rostopchin
Natasha (the Rostofs are also mentioned in general. Also called "the kompanyonka" or companion.)
Prince Andrei
Princess Mariya
Karatayef
Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky ("old prince", in the context of his house and his head lackey.)
Dessalles
Abridged Versions: Start of Chapter 18 in Bell. No break at the end.
Gibian: Line break instead of chapter break.
Fuller: Some of the detail about Pierre taking in visitors and his friendship towards others is removed. Chapter is followed by a line break.
Komroff: Chapter dramatically changes when Pierre gets in the room, as he realizes it is Natasha much more quickly, realizes he loves her and Part Fifteen immediately ends.
Kropotkin: Chapter 8: Chapter is preserved but no break.
Simmons: The section where Pierre has to wait to be received is removed. Line break instead of chapter break.
Edmundson: Act 4 Scene 25: After being called in by the attendant, Pierre meets with Maria and eventually recognizes Natasha and tells Little Nikolai that Andrei was his dearest friend.
Additional Notes:
Additional Notes:
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