Briggs: Pierre wants to marry Natasha. He leaves things to Marya.
Pevear and Volokhonsky (18-20): Pierre in love. Dinner with Natasha and Princess Marya. Princess Marya's talk with Pierre. He goes to Petersburg. Happy insanity. Natasha transformed. Hints at future marriages.
Translation:
ХVІІІ.
Pierre for long could not fall asleep on this day; he back and forward went by the room, frowning, pondering in something difficult, then suddenly shrugging his shoulders and with a start, happily smiling.
He thought about Prince Andrey, about Natasha, about their love, and was jealous of her past, then reproached, then forgave himself for this. It was now six in the morning, but he all went by the room.
"Well what again is there to do; really it cannot be without this? What again to do?! I mean so it is needed," — he spoke to himself and hastily undressed, lying down on the bed, happy and excited, but without doubt and indecision.
"I need, how weird, how impossible is this happiness — I need to do all so that to be with her husband and wife," he said to himself.
Pierre still for a few days before this appointed Friday as his departure to Petersburg. When he awoke, on Thursday, Savelich came to him for orders about stacking things for the road.
"How to Petersburg? What such is Petersburg? Who is in Petersburg?" unwittingly, although about himself he asked. "Yes, something such a long time, still before this happened, I for something was going to Petersburg," he remembered. "From what again? And maybe I ride. What a kind, attentive person he is, to remember everything!" he thought, looking at the old face of Savelich. "And how he smiles pleasantly!" he thought.
— What the same, all not wanted in free will, Savelich? — asked Pierre.
— What for me, your excellency, will there be? At the deceased count’s, in the kingdom of heaven, I lived and at yours I have not seen grudges.
— Well, but the children?
— And the children live, your excellency: for such a gentlemen they can live.
— Well, but my heirs? — said Pierre. — Suddenly I marry... because it may happen, — he added with an involuntarily smile.
— And I dare to report: a good business, your excellency.
"How he thinks this is easy," — thought Pierre. "He does not know how this is fearful, how dangerous. Too early or too late...fearful!"
— How again do you please to order? Tomorrow you please go? — asked Savelich.
— No; I a little bit postpone. I so say. You excuse me for the chores, — said Pierre and, looking at the smile of Savelich, thought: "how weird however that he does not know that now there is no Petersburg and that before it was only needed to decide that. However, he rightly knows, but only pretends. To talk with him? How does he think?" thought Pierre. "No, after sometime."
Behind breakfast Pierre informed the princess that he was yesterday at Princess Marya’s and caught there, — may you represent whom? — Natasha Rostova!
The princess made a view that she at this news saw nothing more extraordinary, as in that Pierre saw Anna Semenovna.
— You know her? — asked Pierre.
— I saw the princess, — she answered. — I heard that she is wooed for by the young Rostov. This would very okay for the Rostovs; they say, they really are ravaged.
— No, Rostova, do you know her?
— I heard only about that story. Very pitiful.
"No, she does not understand or pretends," thought Pierre. "Better not speak to her."
The princess so the same prepared provisions for the road for Pierre.
"How they are all kind," thought Pierre, "what for they now, when really for sure this may not be interesting, to do all this. And all for me; here is what is surprising."
On this same day to Pierre had arrived the police chief with a proposal to send trusted to Granovita ward for the reception of things, distributed now to owners.
"Here and this too," thought Pierre, looking at the face of the police chief, "what a nice, kind officer and how nice! Now engaged in such trifles. But still they say that he is not honest and enjoys. What nonsense! However, from what again is he not to use? He was so brought up. And all do so. But such a pleasant, good face, and smiling, looking at me."
Pierre went to dinner at Princess Marya’s.
Driving by the street between the fires of houses, he was surprised by the beauty of these ruins. The stove pipes of houses, fallen off walls, picturesquely reminded him of the Rhine and Coliseum, dragged on, hiding each other, by burnt quarters. Meeting cab drivers and riders, carpenters, chopping log cabins, traders and shopkeepers, all with fun, shining faces, looked at Pierre and as if said: "Ah, here he is! We'll see what comes from this."
At the entrance of the house of Princess Marya in Pierre was found doubt in the justice of how he was here yesterday, saw Natasha and spoke with her. "Maybe, this I invented. Maybe, I enter and will see nobody." Yet he did not have time to march in the room, as now in all the essence of him, by the momentary deprivation of his freedom, he felt her presence. She was in the same black dress with soft folds and so the same combed as yesterday, but she was really another. If she was such yesterday, when he entered in the room, he could not for a moment not know her.
She was such the same whom he knew as almost a kid and then the bride of Prince Andrey. A merry interrogative shine shined in her eyes; on her face was an affectionate and weirdly playful expression.
Pierre dined and would have sat all night; but Princess Marya rode to Vespers, and Pierre left with them together.
On the next day Pierre had arrived early, dined and sat all evening. Despite how Princess Marya and Natasha were obviously glad to have a guest; despite how all the interest of the life of Pierre concentrated now in this house, to the evening they all talked, and the conversation went over incessantly from one worthless subject to another and was often interrupted. Pierre sat up on this night so late that Princess Marya and Natasha looked at each other between themselves, obviously expecting whether or not he would leave soon. Pierre saw this and could not leave. He became heavy, awkward, but he all sat, because of how he could not go up and leave.
Princess Marya, not foreseeing this end, first got up and, complaining of a migraine, began to say goodbye.
— So you tomorrow ride to Petersburg? — she said.
— No, I will not go, — with surprise and as if offended, — hastily said Pierre. — Yes, no, to Petersburg? Tomorrow; only I will not forgive. I will call for commissions, — he said, standing up before Princess Marya, blushing and not going away.
Natasha gave him her hand and exited. Princess Marya, the opposite, instead so to leave, lowered in her chair and her radiant, deep look strictly and carefully looked at Pierre. The fatigue, which she obviously showed before this, now had really passed. She heavily and continuously sighed, as if preparing for a long conversation.
All the embarrassment and awkwardness of Pierre, with the retiring Natasha, instantly disappeared and was replaced by a thrilled revival. He fast pushed a chair close to Princess Marya.
— Yes, I wanted to talk to you, — he said, answering as to the words in her look. — Princess, help me. What am I to do? Can I hope? Princess, my friend, listen to me. I know all. I know that I am not worth her; I know that now it is impossible to speak about this. Yet I want to be her brother. No, not this...I do not want, I cannot...
He stopped and rubbed his face and eye with his hands.
— Well, here, — he continued, apparently making an effort above himself, so that to speak coherently. — I do not know, with what kind I love her. Yet I only loved her all my life and love so that without her I cannot to myself represent life. To ask for her hand now, I cannot decide; but the idea about that, maybe, she could be mine and that I will miss this opportunity... the opportunity...is terrible. Say, can I hope? Say, what am I to do? Pretty princess, — he said, keeping silent a little and touching her behind the arm, so as she had not answered.
— I thought about what you have said to me, — answered Princess Marya. — Here is what I say to you. You are right, that now to speak to her about love... — the princess stopped. She wanted to say: to speak to her about love is now impossible; but she stopped because of how she on the third day saw by the suddenly changed Natasha, that not only would Natasha not be offended, if only to her Pierre expressed his love, but that she only wanted this.
— To speak to her now...cannot be, — all the same said Princess Marya.
— Yet what again is there for me to do?
— Instruct this to me, — said Princess Marya. — I know...
Pierre watched the eyes of Princess Marya.
— Well, well... — he spoke.
— I know that she loves... has fallen in love with you, — mended Princess Marya.
She had not managed to say these words, as Pierre jumped up and with a scared face grabbed behind the arm of Princess Marya.
— From what do you think? You think that I can hope? You think?!...
— Yes, I think, — smiling said Princess Marya. — Write to her parents. And instruct me. I will say to her, when you can. I want this. And my heart feels that this will be.
— No, this may not be! How I am happy! Yet this may not be... How I am happy! No, it may not be! — spoke Pierre, kissing the hand of Princess Marya.
— You ride to Petersburg; this is better. But I will write to you, — she said.
— To Petersburg? To go? Yes, okay, to go. Yet tomorrow I can come to you?
On the next day Pierre arrived to say goodbye. Natasha was less revived than on the former day; but on this day, sometimes looking her in the eyes, Pierre felt that he disappeared, that he or her was no more, but was one feeling of happiness. "Is it really? No, it may not be," he spoke to himself, and at each of her glances, gestures, words, his soul was filled with joy.
When he, saying goodbye with her, took her thin, skinny hand, he unwittingly longer kept her.
"Is it really this hand, this face, these eyes, all this alien to me treasure of female charms, is it really this all will forever be mine, habitual, such the same, how I myself am for her? No, this is impossible!.."
— Farewell, count, — she said to him loudly. — I will very much await you, — she added in a whisper.
And these simple words, the look and expression of the face, accompanying them, for the continuation of two months formed the subject of inexhaustible memories, explanations and happy dreams of Pierre. "I very much will await you... Yes, yes, how did she say it? Yes, I very much will await you. Ah, how I am happy! What such is this, how I am happy!" — spoke to himself Pierre.
Mentioned: several days before on Friday, the night before, to-morrow
Locations:
Mentioned: St. Petersburg, palace (Faceted Palace in Briggs, Mandelker, and Maude. Polygonal Palace in Garnett. Rhine, Coliseum (Coloseum in Pevear and Volokhonsky. Colosseum in Briggs, Garnett, and Maude.)
Pevear and Volokhonsky Notes: We go back to Pierre, who is reflecting on Andrei and Natasha. He offers freedom to his servant Savelyich, but Savelyich doesn't take it. After resolving to make Natasha as his wife, he floats the idea past Savelyich. After a conversation with the princess his cousin and a few other distractions, he goes back to Marya's. Marya tells him that Natasha will love him, but that it is impossible to speak about love right now. When he says goodbye to Natasha in order to go to Petersburg, he realizes how happy he is.
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 (also "your illustriousness" and "count".)
Prince Andrei
Countess Natasha Rostova
Savelyitch (he also mentions his children)
Count Kirill Vladimirovitch Bezukhov ("the late count")
Princess Mariya
The oldest princess
Anna Semyonovna
Nikolai ("young Rostof". The Rostofs are mentioned in general.)
Abridged Versions: No break in Bell.
Gibian: Line break instead of chapter break.
Fuller: We start at Pierre going to Marya's for dinner again, cutting out his reflections, his conversation with his cousin, and the conversation with Savelyitch. The first discussion about going to Petersburg is removed, but the second, the one Pierre has with Marya, is removed. Followed by a line break.
Komroff: Entire chapter is cut.
Kropotkin: Chapter 10: The episode with the older princess is removed. Otherwise preserved.
Simmons: The sections with Savelich, the princess, and the Chief of Police are all removed. Line break instead of chapter break.
Additional Notes:
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