Book 2 Part 3 Chapter 23 (Chapter 126 Overall)

Chapter Summaries: Dole: Prince Andrei visits his father. The old prince refuses his sanction. Natasha's dejection. Prince Andrei's unexpected arrival. His proposal. A secret engagement.
Briggs: The old prince insists on a year's delay for the wedding. Natasha is shocked.
Maude: Prince Bolkonski insists on postponement of his son's marriage. Natasha's distress at Prince Andrew's absence. He returns and they become engaged
Pevear and Volkhonsky: Before proposing, Prince Andrei goes to Bald Hills to ask his father's consent. The old prince's stern conditions. Prince Andrei returns and proposes.

Translation:

XXIII.

For marriage consent from his father was needed, and for this on the next day Prince Andrey left to his father.

The father with external calmness, but internal malice accepted the message of his son. He could not understand that someone wanted to change their life, to bring into it something new, when life for him had already run out. —"Would only life be given so as I want and then would do what they would like," the old man spoke to himself. With his son however he used that diplomacy which he used in important cases, accepting a calm tone discussing all the business.

First, the marriage was not brilliant in regards to kinship, wealth and nobility. Secondly, Prince Andrey was not in the first youth and had fragile health (the old man especially overloaded on this), but she was very young. Third was his son, whom it was a pity to give to a girl. Fourth, finally, — said the father, mockingly looking at his son, "I beg you, put off the business for a year, go for abroad, heal, find, as you want, a German for Prince Nikolay, and then, if you really love in passion and stubbornness want that so greatly, then marry. — And this is my last word, you know the last..." — finished the prince in such a tone which showed that nothing would force him to change his decision.

Prince Andrey clearly saw that the old man hoped that his feeling for his future bride would not withstand the trials of the year, or that he himself, the old prince, would die in this time, and decided to perform the will of his father: to make a proposal and to put aside the wedding for a year.

Three weeks after his last evening at the Rostovs, Prince Andrey returned to Petersburg.

—————

On the next day after her explanations with her mother, Natasha was waiting the whole day for Bolkonsky, but he had not arrived. On the next day, on the third day was that very same. Pierre also did not come, and Natasha, not knowing that Prince Andrey left to his father, could not explain the lack of him.

So passed three weeks. Natasha wanted to leave for nowhere and as a shadow, idle and sad, went by rooms, at night secret from all cried and did not appear in the evenings to her mother. She incessantly blushed and was annoyed. To her it seemed that all knew about her disappointment, and were laughing and pitying about her. Throughout the strength of internal grief, this conceited grief intensified her misfortune.

Once she had come to the countess, wanting to say something to her, and suddenly cried. Her tears were the tears of an offended child, which herself did not know for what she was punished.

The countess began to calm Natasha. Natasha, listening at first to the words of her mother, suddenly interrupted her:

— Stop, Mama, I do not think, and do not want to think! So, he traveled and ceased, and ceased...

Her voice was trembling, she for a little bit did not cry, but recovered and calmly continued:

— And really I do not want to exit to get married. And I am afraid of him; I now have really, really, calmed down...

On the next day after this conversation Natasha put on that old dress, which was for her especially known for delivering to her mornings of hilarity, and from morning began that former form of life of which she was at after the ball. She drank tea, went into the hall, which she especially loved for its strong resonance, and began to sing her solfege (exercises of singing). Graduating from the first lesson, she stopped in the middle of the hall and repeated one musical phrase, especially liked by her. She listened happily to those (as if unexpected for her) charms, from which these overflowing sounds filled all the emptiness of the halls and slowly froze, and she suddenly became funny. "What about this think many and so well," she said to herself and began to back and forward walk by the hall, stepping not by the simple steps of the ringing parquet, but in every step stepping over with heels (on her were her new, favorite shoes) in socks, and so the same happy, as to the sounds of her voice listening to that measured stomp of her heel and squeaky socks. Passing by the mirror, she peeked into it. —"Here she is!" as if talking to the expression of her face in seeing herself. —"Well, and okay. And nobody needs me."

A lackey wanted to enter so to remove something in the hall, but she would not let him, again shutting behind him the door, and continuing her walk. She returned on this morning again to her beloved condition of love to herself and admiration before herself. —"What is behind the beauty of this Natasha!" she said again about herself words of some third, collective, male face. —”A good voice, young, and she does not prevent anyone, leaving only her alone." Yet how many would leave her alone, she now could not be calm and immediately again felt this. At the front opened a door at the entrance, someone asking: Whether they are at home? And was heard someone’s steps. Natasha looked at the mirror, but she did not see herself. She listened to the sounds in the front. When she saw herself, her face was pale. This was he. She knew this was right, although she little heard the sound of his voice from the shut doors.

Natasha, pale and scared, ran into the living room.

— Mama, Bolkonsky has arrived! — she said. — Mama, this is terrible, this is unbearable! — I do not want... to suffer! What again do I do?...

Still the countess did not manage to answer her as Prince Andrey with a disturbing and severe face entered into the living room. Only as he saw Natasha did his face come out. He kissed the hand of the countess and Natasha and sat down beside the couch.

— For a long time now we have not had the pleasure... — was beginning the countess, but Prince Andrey interrupted her, answering her question and obviously in a hurry saying that what was needed.

— I was not at you all this time because of how I was at my father’s: I needed to talk with him about a quite important case. I only yesterday at night returned, — he said, looking at Natasha. — I need to talk with you, countess, — he added after a minute of silence.

The countess, heavily sighing, lowered her eyes.

— I am at your services, — she spoke.

Natasha knew that she needed to leave, but she could not do this: something squeezed her throat, and she disrespectfully to all, with open eyes watched Prince Andrey.

"Now? This moment!... No, this may not be!" she thought.

He again looked at her, and this look convinced her that she was not mistaken. — Yes, now, this moment decided her fate.

— Go, Natasha, I will call you, — said the countess in a whisper.

Natasha with scared, pleading eyes looked at Prince Andrey and at her mother, and exited.

— I have arrived, countess, to ask for the hand of your daughter, — said Prince Andrey.

The face of the countess broke out, but she said nothing.

— Your proposal... — powerfully beegan the countess. He kept silent, looking her in the eye. — Your proposal... (she was embarrassed) is nice to us, and... I take your proposal, I am happy to. And my husband... I hope... but from her most will depend...

— I will tell her so when I will have your consent... if you now give it to me? — Prince Andrey said.

— Yes, — said the countess and handed him her hand and with mixed feelings of alienation and tenderness snuggled lips to his forehead when he bent down above her hand. She wanted to love him as a son; but felt that he was foreign and terrible for her person.

— I am sure that my husband will agree, — said the countess, — but your father...

— My father, to whom I informed of my plans, indispensablely placed a condition of consent place so that the wedding was not earlier than a year. And this is what I wanted to report to you, — said Prince Andrey.

— Really, Natasha is still young, but — for so long!

— This could not be otherwise, — with a sigh said Prince Andrey.

— I will send her to you, — said the countess and exited from the room.

— Lord, have mercy on us, — she hardened, looking for her daughter. Sonya said that Natasha was in her bedroom. Natasha sat on her bed, pale, with dry eyes, watched an image and, fastly crossing, whispered something. Seeing her mother, she jumped up and threw to her.

— What, Mama?... What?

— Go, go to him. He asks for your hand, — said the countess coldly, as it seemed to Natasha... — Go... go, — spoke her mother with sadness and reproachfulness following her fleeing daughter, and heavily sighed.

Natasha did not remember how she entered into the living room. Entering in the door and seeing him, she stopped. "Is it really this foreign person made now all for me?" she asked herself and instantly answered: "Yes, all: he alone is now dear for me alone in the world." Prince Andrey came up to her, lowering her eyes.

— I loved you from that minute as I saw you. Can I hope?

He looked at her, and the serious passionate expression on her face struck him. Her face said: "What for is there to ask? What for is there to doubt in what cannot be known? What for is there to speak when it cannot be for words to express what is felt."

She approached to him and stopped. He took her hand and kissed her.

— Whether you love me?

— Yes, yes, — as if with annoyance spoke Natasha, loudly sighing another time, more often and more often, and sobbing.

— About what? What is with you?

— Ah, I am so happy, — she answered, smiling through tears, bending over nearer to him, thinking a second, as if asking herself whether she could do this, and kissed her.

Prince Andrey held her hand, watched her eyes, and did not find in his soul the previous love to her. In his soul suddenly turned something: it was not the previous poetic and mysterious charms of willingness, but was pity to her female and childish weakness, fear before her dedication and credulity, heavy and together with the joyful consciousness of the debt forever bound to him with her. The present feeling, although it was not so light and poetic as before, was more serious and stronger.

— Whether your maman (mama) told you that this may not be earlier than a year? — said Prince Andrey, who had to look in her eyes.

"Is it real that I, this girl child (all so talk about me) — thought Natasha, — is it real that I now am from this minute a wife equal to another, a sweetheart, a smart human, respected even by my father? Is it really this real? Is it really real that now already I cannot be a joke in life, now really I am big, now really lies on me a liability for all my business and words? Yes, what is he asking me?"

— No, — she answered, but she did not understand what he asked.

— Forgive me, — said Prince Andrey, — but you are so young, and I already have so much experienced life. I am fearful or you. You do not know yourself.

Natasha with focused attention listened, trying to understand the meaning of his words and did not understand.

— How heavy for me will be this year, delaying my happiness, — continued Prince Andrey, — On this term you believe me. I beg you in a year to do me happiness; but you are free: our engagement will remain secret and, if you would make sure that you do not love me, or would fall in love... — said Prince Andrey with an unnatural smile.

— What for do you speak this? — Natasha interrupted him. — You know that from the day as you for the first time arrived at Otradnoe, I fell in love you, — she said, firmly sure that she said the truth.

— In a year you will recognize yourself...

— A wh — ole year! — suddenly said Natasha, only now realizing that the wedding was delayed for a year. — And from what a year? From what a year?.. — Prince Andrey began to explain to her the causes of this deferral. Natasha did not listen to him.

— And it cannot be otherwise? — she asked. Prince Andrey did not reply, but on his face was put the impossibility of changing this decision.

— This is terrible! No, this is terrible, terrible! — suddenly began talking Natasha and again sobbing. — I will die, waiting for a year: this cannot be, this is terrible. — She looked at the face of her groom and saw on it the expression of compassion and perplexity.

— No, no, I will do all, — she said, suddenly stopping tears, — I am so happy!

The father and mother entered into the room and blessed the groom and bride.

From this day Prince Andrey as a groom began to ride to the Rostovs.

Time: the following day, Three weeks after his last evening at the Rostovs,
Mentioned: a year, whole day, next day, three days later, the following day

Locations: (Bald Hills is implied, since Andrei goes to see his father, but not explicitly stated), St. Petersburg, the Rostovs
Mentioned: German, Otradnoe

Pevear and Volokhonsky Notes:

Now Andrei, who said last chapter he would do it whether or not his father consented, goes to try to get his father's consent for marrying Natasha.

His father "could not understand why anyone would want to change his life, to introduce something new into it, when for him life was already over."

The most significant objection Prince Bolkonsky gives is for Andrei to delay the marriage a year (hoping the love will fade or that he will die before then).

Line break after "Prince Andrei returned to Petersburg." and we flip to Natasha, waiting the three weeks for Bolkonsky to come. Again, the emotional paranoia, "It seemed to her that everyone knew about her disappointment,
was laughing at her, and pitied her."

She goes back to her own routine and decides that things are good the way they are, but the feeling is insincere. Again, fear is the main emotion when Bolkonsky reappears. Countess Rostov when he asks for consent:
"She wished to love him as a son; but she felt that for her he was an alien and frightening man."

"can it be that this moment on I'm a wife, equal to this strange, dear, intelligent man, whom even my father respects? Can it be true? Can it be true that now there is to be no more toying with life, that I'm grown up now, that
responsibility is laid upon me now for my every deed and word?"

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 Andrei Bolkonsky

Nikolai Bolkonsky ("his father" and "the old prince")

Nikolai Bolkonsky ("his son" and "Prince Nikolai")

Natasha

Pierre

Countess Rostova ("countess", "maman", and "mamma")

Count Rostov ("husband")

Sonya

(also a "lackey on the point of coming in")

Abridged Versions: Briggs has a line break after "Prince Andrey returned to Petersburg." Edmonds, Dunnigan, Wiener, Garnett, and Dole have one in the same spot.

Chapter 8 in Bell. No break.
Gibian: Chapter 14: line break after "Prince Andrew returned to Petersburg."

Fuller: Other than a couple minor details removed, the chapter is preserved.

Komroff: The line break is preserved, some of the countess and Andrei's conversation is shortened in order to avoid the repeat (the double revealing of the necessary waiting of a year to both Natasha and her mother) and
then another line break before Andrei speaks to Natasha is added. The chapter also ends slightly early with "I'm so happy." Followed by a line break.

Kropotkin: Chapter 12: Chapter is preserved.
Simmons: Chapter 14: line break after "Prince Andrew returned to Petersburg." Natasha's moping is shortened and the moment where she imagines someone else talking about her is removed.

Edmundson: Act Two Scene 21: The count is more involved in the engagement and makes a promise to Andrei about her not changing her mind.

Act Two Scene 22: Pierre tells his wife they must part in a version of the separation after the duel.

Act Two Scene 23: Natasha tells Andrei she wishes she didn't have to wait for a year and then we cut to Pierre to end the act with "Death and nothingness."

Additional Notes:

"Tolstoy and the Forms of Life" Martin Price:

Page 240: “If Andrew fluctuates between two forms of life--between withdrawal into asceticism and expansion into incautious love--his father tries to impose the pattern of life now denied him, in exerting his command

upon his plain, unloved, and pious daughter...

Eugene Onegin (Johnson/Bailey): Page 18: "He (Pushkin) portrays both as typical young persons of their class, more at home in the French than in the Russian language (Tatyana's love-letter to Onegin is in French) and

goes out of his way to emphasize that the sensibility of both is moulded by European Romantic models."

Page 24: "Pushkin's instinctive novelist's knowledge that the only real characters in fiction are those about whom there can be discussion but no verdict."