Chapter Summaries: Dole: Prince Vasili's character. His scheme to marry his daughter to Pierre. Pierre appointed gentleman-in-waiting. Pierre in demand. The effect of wealth. Behavior of the longwaisted Katish. Pierre is generous. Prince Vasili manages Pierre's affairs. Keeps some of himself. Pierre warmly received in Petersburg. Another reception at Mlle. Scherer's. Ellen's self-reliance. Pierre's snuff-boxes. Ma tante. Ellen's sensuous beauty. Her power over Pierre. Pierre fits up his Petersburg mansion. Pierre sums up Ellen's character. Ugly stories about her.
Briggs: Prince Vasily and Pierre. Pierre is manoeuvered close to Helene.
Maude (chapters 1-2): Prince Vasili and Pierre. A soiree at Anna Pavlovna's. Helene's nameday. Pierre's marriage
Pevear and Volkhonsky (chapters 1-2): Prince Vassily and Pierre. Pierre well received at Anna Pavlovna's soiree. Helene's nameday party. Pierre gets married.
Translation:
Part the third. I. Prince Vasiliy did not ponder his plans. He still less thought to do evil to people so that to get benefits. He was only a societal person, had time in the world and from habit had this success. In him was a constant look at circumstances, rapprochement with people, forming various plans and considerations, in which he did not give himself a very good report of, but that formed all the interest of his life. Not one or two of these plans and considerations happened in him in one go, but dozens, of which only one began to present to him, another is achieved, a third destroyed. He did not say to himself, for example: “This person is now strong, I should get to his trust and friendship and through it arrange myself an issuing of a lump sum of benefits,” or he did not say to himself: “Here Pierre is rich, I should lure him to marry my daughter and take my necessary 40 thousand”; but the strong person met him, and in that same moment his instinct suggested that this person may be useful, and Prince Vasiliy got closer with him and at the first opportunity, without preparation, by instinct, flattered him, was familiar, spoke about what was needed. Pierre was in his hands in Moscow, and Prince Vasiliy arranged for him an appointment in the office of cadets, that then was equal to the rank of state councilor, and insisted in this so that the young person with him would ride together to Petersburg and stop at his house. As if absentmindedly and together with that undoubted certainty that this must be, Prince Vasiliy did all that was needed so that to marry Pierre to his daughter. If Prince Vasiliy would have pondered forward his plans, he could not have had such outstanding naturalness and such simplicity and familiarity in the intercourse with all people in the higher and lower sets. Something attracted him constantly to people stronger or richer than him, and he was gifted with the rare art of catching that moment when he was needed and could be a use to people. Pierre, made suddenly rich and Count Bezuhov, after recent loneliness and being carefree, felt himself to such an extent surrounded and busy, that he only in bed managed to stay alone with himself. He was needed to sign paperwork, be conducted from public places, the meaning about which he did not have a clear idea, to ask the main manager about something, go near the Moscow estate and take lots of persons, which before would not like to know about his existence, but now were offended and afflicted, if he would not want to see them. All these diverse faces — business, relatives, acquaintances — all were equally good, affectionately arranged to the young heir; all they, obviously and undoubtedly, were convinced of the high merits of Pierre. Incessantly he heard the words: “from your extraordinary kindness” or “in your beautiful heart”, or “you yourself so are pure, count…” or “should he be so smart, as you” and so on, so that he sincerely started to believe in his extraordinary kindness and his extraordinary mind, and more, of how always, in the depth of his soul, it seemed to him that he was really very nice and very smart. Even people, before formerly evil and obviously hostile, were made with him gentle and affectionate. So the angry oldest of the princess, with the long waist, with the smoothed, as in dolls, hair, after the burial came into the room of Pierre. Lowering her eyes and incessantly flashing up, she said to him that she extremely pitied about the formerly between them misunderstandings and that now did not feel that she herself had the right to ask anything, only the permission, after comprehending her blow, to stay for some weeks in the house, which she so loved and where so many brought sacrifices. She could not hold on and cried at these words. Touched by this, that this statue-like princess could so change, Pierre took her behind the arm and requested an apology, himself not knowing for what. From this day the princess began to knit a striped scarf for Pierre and completely changed to him. — Do this for her, mon cher (my dear); all the same she suffered much from the dead man, — said Prince Vasiliy to him, giving a signed paper in favor of the princesses. Prince Vasiliy decided that this bone, a bill of credit of 30 thousand, was needed to all the same be thrown to the poor princess with that, so she could not come up with an interpretation in her head about the participation of Prince Vasiliy in the case of the mosaic portfolio. Pierre signed the bill of credit, and with this the princess became still kinder. The younger sisters also became affectionate to him, in particular the younger, pretty one, with the mole, often embarrassed Pierre with their own smiles and was embarrassed to see them. To Pierre it so naturally seemed that all loved him, so it would seem unnatural if someone would not love him, that he could believe in the sincerity of the people surrounding him. Moreover it was not the time to ask himself about the sincerity or insincerity of these people. He was constantly one, he constantly felt himself in the condition of meek and fun intoxication. He felt himself the center of some important common movements; he felt that from him something constantly awaited; what, he did not understand, he will upset many and will deprive them of the expected, but doing this and that and this and that, all will be okay, — and he did that what was required of him, but this something good all stayed ahead. More than all others in this first time of business for Pierre, was himself controlled by Prince Vasiliy. With the death of Count Bezuhov he was not released from the hands of Pierre. Prince Vasiliy had the view of a man, aggravated by business, tired, tormented, yet out of compassion not mightly, finally, throwing in the arbitrariness of his fate with rogues and this helpless youth, the son of his all the same friend, at the end of the ends,316 and with such a huge fortune. In those few days, which he stayed in Moscow after the death of Count Bezuhov, he called for Pierre to himself or he came to him and prescribed him that what was needed to do, in such a tone of fatigue and confidence, as if he at any time sentenced: “You know, I would bury this business; but this would ruthlessly abandon you so; and you know, — then that I say to you, there is only so much possible.”317 — Well, my friend, tomorrow we will go, finally, — he said to him once, closing his head, sorting out his fingers with his elbows and in such a tone, as if that what he spoke, was a long long time decided between them and could not be decided otherwise. — Tomorrow we will go, I will give you a place on my carriage. I am very glad. Here all our major work is over. But I really for a long time have needed to do it. Here I am receiving from the chancellor. I requested to him about you, and you are credited in the diplomatic corps and made officer cadet. Now the diplomatic road is open to you. Despite all the force of the tone fatigue and confidence with which these words were spoken, Pierre, so long thinking about his career, was wanting to object. But Prince Vasiliy interrupted him by that cooling, bass tone, which excluded the opportunity to interrupt his speech and which was used by him in the case of extremely needed beliefs. But, my dear,— 318 I did this for myself, for my conscience, and there is nothing to thank me for. I never complained about anything, how I loved him too; but then, you are free, though tomorrow can be thrown. Here you all yourself will see Petersburg. And you for a long time can leave from these terrible memories. — Prince Vasiliy sighed. — It is so, my soul. But my valet will let you ride in your carriage. Ah, yes, I had forgotten, — added still Prince Vasiliy, — you know, my friend319 we have calculated with calm, so from Ryazan I will receive and leave: you do not need it. We will count with you. That, what Prince Vasiliy called “from Ryazan”, was a few thousand quitrent, which Prince Vasiliy left to himself. In Petersburg, so the same as in Moscow, the atmosphere was gentle, and affectionate people surrounded Pierre. He could not refuse from places or, rather, the title (because of how he did nothing), which was delivered to him by Prince Vasiliy, but dating, calls and the social activities were so many that Pierre still more than in Moscow, felt the senses of foggy, haste and all upcoming, but not the ongoing which was good. Of his former single society many were not in Petersburg. The guard was left on the trip, Dolohov was demoted, Anatole found in the army, in the provinces, Prince Andrey was abroad, and because Pierre did not manage to spend nights as he had before loved to spend them, or to take somewhere occasionally in his soul a friendly conversation with his senior respected friend. All his time was passed at dinners, balls and predominantly at Prince Vasiliy’s — in the society of fat princesses, his wife, and the beautiful Elen. Anna Pavlovna Sherer, so the same as the others, showed Pierre the change that had occurred in the public glance at him. Before Pierre in the presence of Anna Pavlovna constantly felt that, what he said was indecent, tactless, and not that what was needed; how his speech seemed to him smart, while he prepared it in his imagination, was made foolish as soon as he loudly pronounced it, and how, the opposite, the dumbest speech of Ippolit exited smart and lovely. Now all that he spoke, all came out lovely.320 Should even Anna Pavlovna not have said this, that he saw that she wanted to say this, and she alone, in respect of his modesty, abstained from this. At the beginning of the winters from 1805 to 1806 Pierre received from Anna Pavlovna the usual pink note with an invitation in which was added: “At mine will be the beautiful Elen, which no one is tired of admiring.”321 Reading this place, Pierre for the first time felt that between him and Elen formed something recognized as a relationship to other people, and this idea in one and that same time scared him, as if on him an obligation was imposed which he could not win, and together he liked it as a funny assumption. The evening of Anna Pavlovna was such the same as the first, only the new, which as a treat of Anna Pavlovna to her guests, was now not Mortemar, but a diplomat, arrived from Berlin and bringing the freshest details about the stay of the sovereign Aleksandr in Potsdam and about how the two highest friends swore there in an inextricable union to defend the right business against the enemy of the human family. Pierre was adopted by Anna Pavlovna with a tint of sadness, related, obviously, to the fresh loss that befell the young man, the death of Count Bezuhov (all constantly counted it a duty to assure Pierre that he was very afflicted by the death of his father, whom he almost did not know), — and the sadness exactly the same as that highest sadness, which was expressed in the mentions about the august empress Maria Feodorovna. Pierre felt himself flattered by this. Anna Pavlovna with her ordinary art arranged circles in her living room. The big club, where were Prince Vasiliy and the generals, employed the diplomat. A different club was at the tea table. Pierre wanted to join the first, but Anna Pavlovna, located in the annoyed condition of a commander in the field of battle, now came with a thousand new brilliant thoughts, which barely had time to bring in the entrusted, and Anna Pavlovna saw Pierre, touched him with a finger behind the sleeve. — Wait a moment, to me there are views on you on this evening.322 She looked at Elen and smiled her. —My pretty Elen, you need to do, so as you were kind to my poor aunt, which nourishes your adoration. Stay with her ten minutes.323 For you to not be very bored, here is your sweet count, which does not refuse to follow behind you. The beauty was directed to the aunt, but Pierre and Anna Pavlovna still kept beside themselves, showing the view, as if she needed to do more later in her necessary disposition. — Not really if, is she delightful? — she said to Pierre, pointing at the sailing majestic beauty. — And how she holds herself!324 For such young girls and such tact, such a master skill to keep for themselves! This is going on from the heart! Happy will be those whom she wills! With her the most non-societal husband will unwittingly occupy the most brilliant place in the world. Is it not really? I only wanted to know your opinion, — and Anna Pavlovna let go of Pierre. Pierre with sincerity responded to Anna Pavlovna affirmatively to her question about the art Elen kept herself. Should he now have some thought about Elen, that thought was about her beauty and about her unusual calm skill to be silently worthy in the world. The aunt accepted in her corner the two young people, yet, it seemed, she wanted to hide her adoration for Elen and wanted more to express fear before Anna Pavlovna. She looked at her niece, as if asking what to do with these people. Walking away from them, Anna Pavlovna again touched a finger to the sleeve Pierre and spoke: —I hope that you will not say another time that I miss you,325 — and she looked at Elen. Elen smiled with such a look, which said that she did not allow the opportunity, so that someone could see her and not admire her. The aunt coughed, swallowed drool and in French said that she was very happy to see Elen; then turned to Pierre with that same greeting and with that same look. In the middle of the dull and stumbling conversation Elen looked around at Pierre and smiled at him that smile, clear and beautiful, which she smiled to all. Pierre, so used to this smile, so little did she express it for him that he did not turn to her any attention. The aunt spoke at this time about the collection of snuffboxes, which was at the deceased father of Pierre, Count Bezuhov, and showed her snuffbox. Princess Elen asked to look at the portrait of the husband of aunty which was made on this snuffbox. — This is, rightly, made by Vines, — said Pierre, naming a famous miniaturist, bending down to the table, so to take in his hand the snuffbox, and to listen to the conversation behind the other table. He got up, wished to walk around, but the aunt grabbed the snuffbox through Elen, from behind her. Elen bent over forward, so that to give it its place and, smiling, looked around. She was, as always in evenings, in the quite open then in fashion in front and back dress. Her bust, seeming always marble Pierre, was found in such a close distance from his eyes that he with his own myopic eyes unwittingly distinguished the living beauty of her shoulders and neck, and so close from his lips that he stood a little bent down, so that to touch to her. He heard the heat of her body, the smell of her perfume and her hidden corset’s movement. He saw not her marble beauty, formed one in whole with her dress, he saw and felt all the beauty of her body, which was closed only by clothes. And, in the time of seeing this, he could not see otherwise, as we cannot return to time before the explanation of a deceit. “So you before had still not noticed, how I am beautiful? — as if Elen said. — You have not noticed that I am a woman? Yes, I am a woman, which may belong to everyone and to you too,” said her look. And at that same moment Pierre felt that Elen not only could be, but should be his wife, and that this may not be otherwise. He knew that at this moment so the same was right, as he would know this, standing up under a crown with her. How will this be? And when? He did not know; did not even know whether this would be okay (he even felt that this was something not good), but he knew that this would be. Pierre lowered his eyes, again raised them and again wanted to see her so distant, alien for himself beauty, which he had seen every day before; but he could not now do this. He could not, as a person may not, before watching the fog on a blade of weed grass see the wood, and seeing the blade of grass, again see the wood. She was fearfully close to him. She already had power over him. And between him and her were now no barriers, besides the barriers of his own commitment. — Good, I will leave you in your corner. I see you are good there,326 — said the voice of Anna Pavlovna. And Pierre, with fear not remembering if he did something reprehensible, blushing, turned back around to himself. To him it seemed that all knew, so the same as he did, about what had happened with him. In some time, when he came up to the big circle, Anna Pavlovna said to him: —They say, you are finishing off the Petersburg house.327 (This really was: the architect said that this was needed, and Pierre, himself not knowing what for, trimmed his huge house in Petersburg.) —This is good, but do not cross from Prince Vasiliy. Good to have such a friend. — she said, smiling at Prince Vasiliy. — I know something about this. Is it not really?328 And you are still so young. You need advice. Do not be angry with me, how I use the rights of old women. — She fell silent, as always women keep silent, expected after talking about her age. — If you marry, that is another business. — and she connected them in one look. Pierre did not watch Elen, and she at him. But she was all so the same fearfully close to him. He mumbled something and was red. Returning home, Pierre for long could not fall asleep, thinking about what happened with him. What again happened with him? Nothing. He only got it, that the woman, which he knew as a kid, about which he absent-mindedly spoke: “yes, good,” when he said that Elen was a beauty, he got that this woman may belong to him. “Yet she is stupid, I said myself that she was stupid, — he thought. — Something nasty is in this feeling, which she excited in me, something forbidden. It was said to me that her brother Anatole fell in love with her, and she fell in love with him, and that was the whole story, and that from this Anatole was sent. Her brother — Ippolit... Her father — Prince Vasiliy... This is no good,” he thought; and in that same time as he reasoned so (still this reasoning stayed unfinished), he made a smile to himself and was aware that a different row of reasoning surfaced from behind, first, that he at one and that same time thought about her smallness and dreamed about how she will be his wife, how she may fall in love with him, how she may be really another, and how all that he thought about her and heard may be untruthful. And he again saw her not as the daughter of Prince Vasiliy, but saw all of her body, only covered in a gray dress. “But no, from what again before did not come into my head this idea?” And again he spoke to himself that this is impossible; that something nasty, unnatural to him appeared, and it would be dishonest if he was married. He remembered his former words, the looks and words of those, who had seen them together. He remembered the words and looks of Anna Pavlovna, when she said to him about the house, remembered these thousand hints with the parties of Prince Vasiliy and others, and in him found horror, whether or not he was really tied to something in the performance of such affairs, which, obviously, was no good and which he should not do. But in that same time, as he himself expressed this decision, from different parts of his soul she surfaced with all the form of her feminine beauty. 316. après tout, (after all,) 317. “Vous savez, que je suis accablé d’affaires et que ce n’est que par pure charité, que je m’occupe de vous, et puis vous savez bien, que ce que je vous propose est la seule chose faisable.” (“You know, that I am overwhelmed with business and that it's only out of pure charity that I am occupied with you, and then you know well, that what I am proposing to you is the only feasible thing.") 318. Mais, mon cher, (But, my dear,) 319. mon cher, (my dear,) 320. Charmant (Charming) 321. “Vous trouverez chez moi la belle Hélène, qu’on ne se lasse jamais voir.” (“You will find at my place the beautiful Helene that we never get tired seeing.")
Briggs: Prince Vasily and Pierre. Pierre is manoeuvered close to Helene.
Maude (chapters 1-2): Prince Vasili and Pierre. A soiree at Anna Pavlovna's. Helene's nameday. Pierre's marriage
Pevear and Volkhonsky (chapters 1-2): Prince Vassily and Pierre. Pierre well received at Anna Pavlovna's soiree. Helene's nameday party. Pierre gets married.
Translation:
Part the third. I. Prince Vasiliy did not ponder his plans. He still less thought to do evil to people so that to get benefits. He was only a societal person, had time in the world and from habit had this success. In him was a constant look at circumstances, rapprochement with people, forming various plans and considerations, in which he did not give himself a very good report of, but that formed all the interest of his life. Not one or two of these plans and considerations happened in him in one go, but dozens, of which only one began to present to him, another is achieved, a third destroyed. He did not say to himself, for example: “This person is now strong, I should get to his trust and friendship and through it arrange myself an issuing of a lump sum of benefits,” or he did not say to himself: “Here Pierre is rich, I should lure him to marry my daughter and take my necessary 40 thousand”; but the strong person met him, and in that same moment his instinct suggested that this person may be useful, and Prince Vasiliy got closer with him and at the first opportunity, without preparation, by instinct, flattered him, was familiar, spoke about what was needed. Pierre was in his hands in Moscow, and Prince Vasiliy arranged for him an appointment in the office of cadets, that then was equal to the rank of state councilor, and insisted in this so that the young person with him would ride together to Petersburg and stop at his house. As if absentmindedly and together with that undoubted certainty that this must be, Prince Vasiliy did all that was needed so that to marry Pierre to his daughter. If Prince Vasiliy would have pondered forward his plans, he could not have had such outstanding naturalness and such simplicity and familiarity in the intercourse with all people in the higher and lower sets. Something attracted him constantly to people stronger or richer than him, and he was gifted with the rare art of catching that moment when he was needed and could be a use to people. Pierre, made suddenly rich and Count Bezuhov, after recent loneliness and being carefree, felt himself to such an extent surrounded and busy, that he only in bed managed to stay alone with himself. He was needed to sign paperwork, be conducted from public places, the meaning about which he did not have a clear idea, to ask the main manager about something, go near the Moscow estate and take lots of persons, which before would not like to know about his existence, but now were offended and afflicted, if he would not want to see them. All these diverse faces — business, relatives, acquaintances — all were equally good, affectionately arranged to the young heir; all they, obviously and undoubtedly, were convinced of the high merits of Pierre. Incessantly he heard the words: “from your extraordinary kindness” or “in your beautiful heart”, or “you yourself so are pure, count…” or “should he be so smart, as you” and so on, so that he sincerely started to believe in his extraordinary kindness and his extraordinary mind, and more, of how always, in the depth of his soul, it seemed to him that he was really very nice and very smart. Even people, before formerly evil and obviously hostile, were made with him gentle and affectionate. So the angry oldest of the princess, with the long waist, with the smoothed, as in dolls, hair, after the burial came into the room of Pierre. Lowering her eyes and incessantly flashing up, she said to him that she extremely pitied about the formerly between them misunderstandings and that now did not feel that she herself had the right to ask anything, only the permission, after comprehending her blow, to stay for some weeks in the house, which she so loved and where so many brought sacrifices. She could not hold on and cried at these words. Touched by this, that this statue-like princess could so change, Pierre took her behind the arm and requested an apology, himself not knowing for what. From this day the princess began to knit a striped scarf for Pierre and completely changed to him. — Do this for her, mon cher (my dear); all the same she suffered much from the dead man, — said Prince Vasiliy to him, giving a signed paper in favor of the princesses. Prince Vasiliy decided that this bone, a bill of credit of 30 thousand, was needed to all the same be thrown to the poor princess with that, so she could not come up with an interpretation in her head about the participation of Prince Vasiliy in the case of the mosaic portfolio. Pierre signed the bill of credit, and with this the princess became still kinder. The younger sisters also became affectionate to him, in particular the younger, pretty one, with the mole, often embarrassed Pierre with their own smiles and was embarrassed to see them. To Pierre it so naturally seemed that all loved him, so it would seem unnatural if someone would not love him, that he could believe in the sincerity of the people surrounding him. Moreover it was not the time to ask himself about the sincerity or insincerity of these people. He was constantly one, he constantly felt himself in the condition of meek and fun intoxication. He felt himself the center of some important common movements; he felt that from him something constantly awaited; what, he did not understand, he will upset many and will deprive them of the expected, but doing this and that and this and that, all will be okay, — and he did that what was required of him, but this something good all stayed ahead. More than all others in this first time of business for Pierre, was himself controlled by Prince Vasiliy. With the death of Count Bezuhov he was not released from the hands of Pierre. Prince Vasiliy had the view of a man, aggravated by business, tired, tormented, yet out of compassion not mightly, finally, throwing in the arbitrariness of his fate with rogues and this helpless youth, the son of his all the same friend, at the end of the ends,316 and with such a huge fortune. In those few days, which he stayed in Moscow after the death of Count Bezuhov, he called for Pierre to himself or he came to him and prescribed him that what was needed to do, in such a tone of fatigue and confidence, as if he at any time sentenced: “You know, I would bury this business; but this would ruthlessly abandon you so; and you know, — then that I say to you, there is only so much possible.”317 — Well, my friend, tomorrow we will go, finally, — he said to him once, closing his head, sorting out his fingers with his elbows and in such a tone, as if that what he spoke, was a long long time decided between them and could not be decided otherwise. — Tomorrow we will go, I will give you a place on my carriage. I am very glad. Here all our major work is over. But I really for a long time have needed to do it. Here I am receiving from the chancellor. I requested to him about you, and you are credited in the diplomatic corps and made officer cadet. Now the diplomatic road is open to you. Despite all the force of the tone fatigue and confidence with which these words were spoken, Pierre, so long thinking about his career, was wanting to object. But Prince Vasiliy interrupted him by that cooling, bass tone, which excluded the opportunity to interrupt his speech and which was used by him in the case of extremely needed beliefs. But, my dear,— 318 I did this for myself, for my conscience, and there is nothing to thank me for. I never complained about anything, how I loved him too; but then, you are free, though tomorrow can be thrown. Here you all yourself will see Petersburg. And you for a long time can leave from these terrible memories. — Prince Vasiliy sighed. — It is so, my soul. But my valet will let you ride in your carriage. Ah, yes, I had forgotten, — added still Prince Vasiliy, — you know, my friend319 we have calculated with calm, so from Ryazan I will receive and leave: you do not need it. We will count with you. That, what Prince Vasiliy called “from Ryazan”, was a few thousand quitrent, which Prince Vasiliy left to himself. In Petersburg, so the same as in Moscow, the atmosphere was gentle, and affectionate people surrounded Pierre. He could not refuse from places or, rather, the title (because of how he did nothing), which was delivered to him by Prince Vasiliy, but dating, calls and the social activities were so many that Pierre still more than in Moscow, felt the senses of foggy, haste and all upcoming, but not the ongoing which was good. Of his former single society many were not in Petersburg. The guard was left on the trip, Dolohov was demoted, Anatole found in the army, in the provinces, Prince Andrey was abroad, and because Pierre did not manage to spend nights as he had before loved to spend them, or to take somewhere occasionally in his soul a friendly conversation with his senior respected friend. All his time was passed at dinners, balls and predominantly at Prince Vasiliy’s — in the society of fat princesses, his wife, and the beautiful Elen. Anna Pavlovna Sherer, so the same as the others, showed Pierre the change that had occurred in the public glance at him. Before Pierre in the presence of Anna Pavlovna constantly felt that, what he said was indecent, tactless, and not that what was needed; how his speech seemed to him smart, while he prepared it in his imagination, was made foolish as soon as he loudly pronounced it, and how, the opposite, the dumbest speech of Ippolit exited smart and lovely. Now all that he spoke, all came out lovely.320 Should even Anna Pavlovna not have said this, that he saw that she wanted to say this, and she alone, in respect of his modesty, abstained from this. At the beginning of the winters from 1805 to 1806 Pierre received from Anna Pavlovna the usual pink note with an invitation in which was added: “At mine will be the beautiful Elen, which no one is tired of admiring.”321 Reading this place, Pierre for the first time felt that between him and Elen formed something recognized as a relationship to other people, and this idea in one and that same time scared him, as if on him an obligation was imposed which he could not win, and together he liked it as a funny assumption. The evening of Anna Pavlovna was such the same as the first, only the new, which as a treat of Anna Pavlovna to her guests, was now not Mortemar, but a diplomat, arrived from Berlin and bringing the freshest details about the stay of the sovereign Aleksandr in Potsdam and about how the two highest friends swore there in an inextricable union to defend the right business against the enemy of the human family. Pierre was adopted by Anna Pavlovna with a tint of sadness, related, obviously, to the fresh loss that befell the young man, the death of Count Bezuhov (all constantly counted it a duty to assure Pierre that he was very afflicted by the death of his father, whom he almost did not know), — and the sadness exactly the same as that highest sadness, which was expressed in the mentions about the august empress Maria Feodorovna. Pierre felt himself flattered by this. Anna Pavlovna with her ordinary art arranged circles in her living room. The big club, where were Prince Vasiliy and the generals, employed the diplomat. A different club was at the tea table. Pierre wanted to join the first, but Anna Pavlovna, located in the annoyed condition of a commander in the field of battle, now came with a thousand new brilliant thoughts, which barely had time to bring in the entrusted, and Anna Pavlovna saw Pierre, touched him with a finger behind the sleeve. — Wait a moment, to me there are views on you on this evening.322 She looked at Elen and smiled her. —My pretty Elen, you need to do, so as you were kind to my poor aunt, which nourishes your adoration. Stay with her ten minutes.323 For you to not be very bored, here is your sweet count, which does not refuse to follow behind you. The beauty was directed to the aunt, but Pierre and Anna Pavlovna still kept beside themselves, showing the view, as if she needed to do more later in her necessary disposition. — Not really if, is she delightful? — she said to Pierre, pointing at the sailing majestic beauty. — And how she holds herself!324 For such young girls and such tact, such a master skill to keep for themselves! This is going on from the heart! Happy will be those whom she wills! With her the most non-societal husband will unwittingly occupy the most brilliant place in the world. Is it not really? I only wanted to know your opinion, — and Anna Pavlovna let go of Pierre. Pierre with sincerity responded to Anna Pavlovna affirmatively to her question about the art Elen kept herself. Should he now have some thought about Elen, that thought was about her beauty and about her unusual calm skill to be silently worthy in the world. The aunt accepted in her corner the two young people, yet, it seemed, she wanted to hide her adoration for Elen and wanted more to express fear before Anna Pavlovna. She looked at her niece, as if asking what to do with these people. Walking away from them, Anna Pavlovna again touched a finger to the sleeve Pierre and spoke: —I hope that you will not say another time that I miss you,325 — and she looked at Elen. Elen smiled with such a look, which said that she did not allow the opportunity, so that someone could see her and not admire her. The aunt coughed, swallowed drool and in French said that she was very happy to see Elen; then turned to Pierre with that same greeting and with that same look. In the middle of the dull and stumbling conversation Elen looked around at Pierre and smiled at him that smile, clear and beautiful, which she smiled to all. Pierre, so used to this smile, so little did she express it for him that he did not turn to her any attention. The aunt spoke at this time about the collection of snuffboxes, which was at the deceased father of Pierre, Count Bezuhov, and showed her snuffbox. Princess Elen asked to look at the portrait of the husband of aunty which was made on this snuffbox. — This is, rightly, made by Vines, — said Pierre, naming a famous miniaturist, bending down to the table, so to take in his hand the snuffbox, and to listen to the conversation behind the other table. He got up, wished to walk around, but the aunt grabbed the snuffbox through Elen, from behind her. Elen bent over forward, so that to give it its place and, smiling, looked around. She was, as always in evenings, in the quite open then in fashion in front and back dress. Her bust, seeming always marble Pierre, was found in such a close distance from his eyes that he with his own myopic eyes unwittingly distinguished the living beauty of her shoulders and neck, and so close from his lips that he stood a little bent down, so that to touch to her. He heard the heat of her body, the smell of her perfume and her hidden corset’s movement. He saw not her marble beauty, formed one in whole with her dress, he saw and felt all the beauty of her body, which was closed only by clothes. And, in the time of seeing this, he could not see otherwise, as we cannot return to time before the explanation of a deceit. “So you before had still not noticed, how I am beautiful? — as if Elen said. — You have not noticed that I am a woman? Yes, I am a woman, which may belong to everyone and to you too,” said her look. And at that same moment Pierre felt that Elen not only could be, but should be his wife, and that this may not be otherwise. He knew that at this moment so the same was right, as he would know this, standing up under a crown with her. How will this be? And when? He did not know; did not even know whether this would be okay (he even felt that this was something not good), but he knew that this would be. Pierre lowered his eyes, again raised them and again wanted to see her so distant, alien for himself beauty, which he had seen every day before; but he could not now do this. He could not, as a person may not, before watching the fog on a blade of weed grass see the wood, and seeing the blade of grass, again see the wood. She was fearfully close to him. She already had power over him. And between him and her were now no barriers, besides the barriers of his own commitment. — Good, I will leave you in your corner. I see you are good there,326 — said the voice of Anna Pavlovna. And Pierre, with fear not remembering if he did something reprehensible, blushing, turned back around to himself. To him it seemed that all knew, so the same as he did, about what had happened with him. In some time, when he came up to the big circle, Anna Pavlovna said to him: —They say, you are finishing off the Petersburg house.327 (This really was: the architect said that this was needed, and Pierre, himself not knowing what for, trimmed his huge house in Petersburg.) —This is good, but do not cross from Prince Vasiliy. Good to have such a friend. — she said, smiling at Prince Vasiliy. — I know something about this. Is it not really?328 And you are still so young. You need advice. Do not be angry with me, how I use the rights of old women. — She fell silent, as always women keep silent, expected after talking about her age. — If you marry, that is another business. — and she connected them in one look. Pierre did not watch Elen, and she at him. But she was all so the same fearfully close to him. He mumbled something and was red. Returning home, Pierre for long could not fall asleep, thinking about what happened with him. What again happened with him? Nothing. He only got it, that the woman, which he knew as a kid, about which he absent-mindedly spoke: “yes, good,” when he said that Elen was a beauty, he got that this woman may belong to him. “Yet she is stupid, I said myself that she was stupid, — he thought. — Something nasty is in this feeling, which she excited in me, something forbidden. It was said to me that her brother Anatole fell in love with her, and she fell in love with him, and that was the whole story, and that from this Anatole was sent. Her brother — Ippolit... Her father — Prince Vasiliy... This is no good,” he thought; and in that same time as he reasoned so (still this reasoning stayed unfinished), he made a smile to himself and was aware that a different row of reasoning surfaced from behind, first, that he at one and that same time thought about her smallness and dreamed about how she will be his wife, how she may fall in love with him, how she may be really another, and how all that he thought about her and heard may be untruthful. And he again saw her not as the daughter of Prince Vasiliy, but saw all of her body, only covered in a gray dress. “But no, from what again before did not come into my head this idea?” And again he spoke to himself that this is impossible; that something nasty, unnatural to him appeared, and it would be dishonest if he was married. He remembered his former words, the looks and words of those, who had seen them together. He remembered the words and looks of Anna Pavlovna, when she said to him about the house, remembered these thousand hints with the parties of Prince Vasiliy and others, and in him found horror, whether or not he was really tied to something in the performance of such affairs, which, obviously, was no good and which he should not do. But in that same time, as he himself expressed this decision, from different parts of his soul she surfaced with all the form of her feminine beauty. 316. après tout, (after all,) 317. “Vous savez, que je suis accablé d’affaires et que ce n’est que par pure charité, que je m’occupe de vous, et puis vous savez bien, que ce que je vous propose est la seule chose faisable.” (“You know, that I am overwhelmed with business and that it's only out of pure charity that I am occupied with you, and then you know well, that what I am proposing to you is the only feasible thing.") 318. Mais, mon cher, (But, my dear,) 319. mon cher, (my dear,) 320. Charmant (Charming) 321. “Vous trouverez chez moi la belle Hélène, qu’on ne se lasse jamais voir.” (“You will find at my place the beautiful Helene that we never get tired seeing.")
322. Attendez, j’ai des vues sur vous pour ce soir. (Wait, I have views about you tonight.)
323. Ma bonne Hélène, il faut, que vous soyez charitable pour ma pauvre tante, qui a une adoration pour vous. Allez lui tenir compagnie pour 10 minutes. (My good Hélène, you must be charitable for my poor aunt, who has an adoration for you. Go keep her company for 10 minutes.)
324. Et quelle tenue! (And what an outfit!)
325. J’espère, que vous ne direz plus qu’on s’ennuie chez moi, (I hope you will no longer say that one is bored at my house,)
326. Bon, je vous laisse dans votre petit coin. Je vois, que vous y êtes très bien, (Good, I'll leave you in your little corner. I see, that you are fine there,)
327. On dit que vous embellissez votre maison de Pétersbourg. (They say you beautify your home in Petersburg.)
328. C’est bien, mais ne déménagez pas de chez le prince Basile. Il est bon d’avoir un ami comme le prince, J’en sais quelque chose. N’est-ce pas? (That's good, but don't move from Prince Basil's house. It's good to have a friend like the prince, I know something about it. Is it not?)
Time: In the beginning of the winter of the year 1805 to 1806
Locations: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Anna Pavlovna's drawing-room
Mentioned: Pierre's suburban estate at Moscow (estate near Moscow in Briggs, Maude, and Pevear and Volkhonsky.), Ryazan land (...estate in Dunnigan, Mandelker, and Garnett.), the war is talked about as a place, somewhere in the provinces (interior in Bell. into the province in Dole.), Berlin, Potsdam
Pevear and Volkhonsky Notes: Start of Part Three
Time: In the beginning of the winter of the year 1805 to 1806
Locations: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Anna Pavlovna's drawing-room
Mentioned: Pierre's suburban estate at Moscow (estate near Moscow in Briggs, Maude, and Pevear and Volkhonsky.), Ryazan land (...estate in Dunnigan, Mandelker, and Garnett.), the war is talked about as a place, somewhere in the provinces (interior in Bell. into the province in Dole.), Berlin, Potsdam
Pevear and Volkhonsky Notes: Start of Part Three
We’ve flipped back to the court (after spending all of Part 2 at war and all of Part 1 flipping across Russia in peace but with the threat of war) and Vassily.
Setting up Vassily as not a man with malicious plans but “simply a man of the world” is notable in the context of Tolstoy’s beliefs. Also, his plans are unconscious, he unconsciously and in a perverse way “naturally” floats through life as
Tolstoy describes history moving throughout. Driven by “instinct” (like an animal?).
Tolstoy describes history moving throughout. Driven by “instinct” (like an animal?).
“It had to be so” but also “absentmindedly”. “If Prince Vassily had thought out his plans beforehand, he would not have had such naturalness in his dealings and such simplicity”.
The change of course in Pierre’s life. “He was sincerly beginning to believe in his extraordinary kindness and extraordinary intelligence...he had no time to ask himself about the sincerity or insincerity of these people.”
Pierre, “who had been thinking for so long about his career” has the choice made for him by Vassily. He does nothing at this “job, which is rather a rank.
The connection between him and Helene seems “formed, recognized by other people...an obligation had been laid upon him..”
“Everyone constantly considered it their duty to convicne Pierre that he was very grieved by the death of a father he had hardly known.”
Anna Pavlovna, about Helene: “With her even the most unworldly husband will involuntarily and effortlessly occupy a brilliant place in society.”
The pointless aunt appears again.
The very real “revelation” of Helene’s body to him, it being like an experience one can’t go back from.
“He did not even know whether it would be good (he even felt that it was not good for some reason), but he knew that it would be...She already had power over him. And there were no longer any obstructions between them, except for
the obstruction of his own will...he was at the same time thinking about her worthlessness and dreaming of how she would be his wife..terror came over him at the thought that he might already have bound himself in some way to go
through with something which was obviously not good and which he ought not to do.”
the obstruction of his own will...he was at the same time thinking about her worthlessness and dreaming of how she would be his wife..terror came over him at the thought that he might already have bound himself in some way to go
through with something which was obviously not good and which he ought not to do.”
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 *):
Prince Vasili (is he also “the chief overseer” as in Dole or “chief manager” as in Wiener?)
Pierre (for some reason Bell makes a mistake and calls him “Pierre Bolkonsky”)
Count Bezukhoi
Katerina Semyonovna Mamontof (not by name, but by “sharp-tempered elder sister” and some accompanying description)
Sophie (not by name. Differentiated by younger and by mole)
Olga (not by name. You could argue that she should not count as she isn’t referenced as directly as Sophie is.)
Dolokhof
Anatol
Prince Andrei
Ellen
Anna Pavlovna Scherer (also “the portly princess”, though Dole makes it unclear whether this is her or Vasili’s wife, Maude suggests it is Scherer.)
Prince Vasili’s wife
Ippolit
Mortemart
A diplomat (“who had just arrived from Berlin”)
Czar Alexander (“Emperor Alexander”)
Napoleon Bonaparte (just “the enemy of the human race”)
Friedrich (the Prussian king is alluded to in as the non-Alexander part of the “two distinguished friends” as in Briggs)
Maria Feodorovna (“Her Most August Majesty the Empress Marya Fyodorvna” as in Dunnigan)
Anna Pavlovna’s Aunt
Her husband
Vignesse (as in Wiener, “a famous miniaturist”. Just “V…” in Bell. “Vinnes” in Dole. “Vinesse” in Maude, Dunnigan, and Briggs. “Vines” in Garnett.)
Architect (for Pierre’s Petersburg home. No reason to believe it is the same one from the Bolkonsky story line)
(different individuals who are described as flattering Pierre, also some undifferentiated people at Pavlovna’s party)
Abridged Versions: Dole, start of Part Third, puts line break after Vasili leaves and before “In Petersburg.” Page 245 of Dole is scanned badly and is unreadable.
Start of Book Three for Maude. Start of Part Three for Garnett, Mandelker, Dunnigan, and Edmonds. Start of Part III for Briggs. Start of Vol. II for Bell. Start of Part the Third in Wiener.
Gibian: Start of Book Three: "1805: Dates of Principal Historical Events
Old Style New Style
Nov. 19 Dec. 1 The Council of War at Ostralitz.
Nov. 20 Dec. 2 Battle of Austerlitz."
Line break instead of chapter break at the end.
Fuller: Start of Part Three: Cuts all of the Prince Vasilli set up at the beginning of the chapter and begins with Pierre’s contrast situation. However, all the information about the people’s changed view of Pierre is gone, getting to the
invitation much quicker and by keeping “If Prince Vassily had definitely reflected upon his plans...make use of such persons” we still get that key information that Tolstoy wants to communicate about Vassily. All the political mentions
are removed. This gets to Pavlovna’s plan for Pierre much quicker. However, it removes all of the stuff about the aunt, concentrating on his reaction to Helen. There is a line break before Pierre goes home after the party and reflects
on her. Chapter then ends on line break.
Old Style New Style
Nov. 19 Dec. 1 The Council of War at Ostralitz.
Nov. 20 Dec. 2 Battle of Austerlitz."
Line break instead of chapter break at the end.
Fuller: Start of Part Three: Cuts all of the Prince Vasilli set up at the beginning of the chapter and begins with Pierre’s contrast situation. However, all the information about the people’s changed view of Pierre is gone, getting to the
invitation much quicker and by keeping “If Prince Vassily had definitely reflected upon his plans...make use of such persons” we still get that key information that Tolstoy wants to communicate about Vassily. All the political mentions
are removed. This gets to Pavlovna’s plan for Pierre much quicker. However, it removes all of the stuff about the aunt, concentrating on his reaction to Helen. There is a line break before Pierre goes home after the party and reflects
on her. Chapter then ends on line break.
Komroff: Start of Book Three: The Prince Vassily section at the first of the chapter is shortened, Pierre’s lack of self-reflection based on time is removed. The explicit comparison to Ippolit’s dumb comments is removed, but the meat
of that passage is the same. The rest of the chapter seems preserved and is followed by a line break.
of that passage is the same. The rest of the chapter seems preserved and is followed by a line break.
Kropotkin: Start of Part Third with preface: “The campign of 1805 ends disastrously for the coalition against Napoleon. He has destroyed an entire Austrian army at Ulm in October; he has occupied Vienna in November. On December
2 a concentration of Russian and Austrian forces attack the French at Austerlitz, in Moravia, which turns out to be one of Napoleon’s most famous victories.”
2 a concentration of Russian and Austrian forces attack the French at Austerlitz, in Moravia, which turns out to be one of Napoleon’s most famous victories.”
The Prince Vasili section at the beginning of the chapter is shortened. Most of Vasili and Pierre’s conversation is removed, especially all that follows after he pays the check to the sisters (it cuts straight from there to “In Petersburg”).
Lots of details are thrown out in this version but the overall point is kept, especially in the early Pavlovna section of the chapter. The aunt episode is much shorter but all the focus on Helene is there. End of chapter 1.
Lots of details are thrown out in this version but the overall point is kept, especially in the early Pavlovna section of the chapter. The aunt episode is much shorter but all the focus on Helene is there. End of chapter 1.
Bromfield: Start of Part Three. Pierre writes to Andrei, who writes back “It will be hard for you now, my dear fellow, to look clearly at God’s world, even over the top of your spectacles. Remember that all that is base and sordid will
now crowd up close, and all that is noble will stand aloof.” However, Pierre has the reaction that we see in the other versions of thinking it natural that everyone should like him. No chapter or line break at the end of the chapter.
Simmons: "1805 Book Three" The opening focus on Vasili is severely shortened. Pierre's situation at the beginning of the chapter is also shortened. The soiree is shortened as well, with the focus on the aunt and the political now crowd up close, and all that is noble will stand aloof.” However, Pierre has the reaction that we see in the other versions of thinking it natural that everyone should like him. No chapter or line break at the end of the chapter.
background also removed. No break.
Additional Notes: Garnett: “staring in a fog at a blade of tall steppe grass: Tolstoy uses optical imagery to chart the moral state of his characters. Visual acuity and obtuseness correlate with ethics.”
Norton Critical edition note calls the emperors swearing allegiance before the tomb of Frederick the Great “one of the strangest scenes in history.”
The Kreutzer Sonata (Katz): Page 16: “A beautiful woman says stupid things: you listen and don’t see the stupidity, only the cleverness. She says and does nasty things: you see only nice things. When she doesn’t say anything stupid
or nasty, and is a beautiful woman, you immediately convince yourself that she’s a jewel of intelligence and virtue.”
Tolstoy (Christian): Page 5: I must say in short that Petersburg life has a great and good influence on me: it accustoms me to activity, and is an enforced subsitute for a fixed time-table. Somehow one can’t be idle; everyone is occupied, everyone is busy doing something; you can’t find anyone to lead a dissipated life with, and you can’t do it on your own.”
Crankshaw: Page 219: “when Pierre is first made aware of Helene Kuragin as a women, a passage that strikes with almost numbing force because it is the sole direct reference in the whole of the book, a book teeming with men and women falling in and out of love, to sexuality”
The Kreutzer Sonata (Katz): Page 16: “A beautiful woman says stupid things: you listen and don’t see the stupidity, only the cleverness. She says and does nasty things: you see only nice things. When she doesn’t say anything stupid
or nasty, and is a beautiful woman, you immediately convince yourself that she’s a jewel of intelligence and virtue.”
Tolstoy (Christian): Page 5: I must say in short that Petersburg life has a great and good influence on me: it accustoms me to activity, and is an enforced subsitute for a fixed time-table. Somehow one can’t be idle; everyone is occupied, everyone is busy doing something; you can’t find anyone to lead a dissipated life with, and you can’t do it on your own.”
Crankshaw: Page 219: “when Pierre is first made aware of Helene Kuragin as a women, a passage that strikes with almost numbing force because it is the sole direct reference in the whole of the book, a book teeming with men and women falling in and out of love, to sexuality”
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