Book 3 Part 1 Chapter 8 (Chapter 172 overall)

Chapter Summaries: Dole: Prince Andrei in search of Anatol. Joins Kutuzof in Moldavia. His zeal. Transferred to the Western army. Visits Luisiya Gorui. Changes. Nikolushka. Strained relations. Plain talk with the old prince. Prince Andrei dismissed. His talk with Princess Mariya. Fate.
Maude: Prince Andrew on Kutuzov's staff in Moldavia. He is sent to Barclay's army. Visits Bald Hills. He talks with his father and Princess Mary
Briggs: Kutuzov sends Andrey to Barclay's army. He calls in at Bald Hills.
Pevear and Volokhonsky: Prince Andrei hunts for Anatole Kuragin. On Kutuzov's staff in Moldavia. Sent as envoy to Barclay de Tolly. Visits Bald Hills. Quarrels with father.

Translation:

VIII. After his meeting in Moscow with Pierre, Prince Andrey left to Petersburg by deeds, as he said to his relatives, but in entities so that to meet there Prince Anatole Kuragin, whom he counted it necessary to meet. Kuragin, about whom he inquired, having arrived in Petersburg, now was not there. Pierre gave knowledge to his brother-in-law that Prince Andrey rode for him. Anatole Kuragin immediately received an appointment from the military minister and left to the Moldavian army. At this same time in Petersburg Prince Andrey met Kutuzov, his former, always located to him general, and Kutuzov proposed to him to go with him together to the Moldavian army, where the old general was appointed commander in chief. Prince Andrey, receiving the appointment to take a place in the staff of the main apartment, left to Turkey. Prince Andrey counted it uncomfortable to write to Kuragin and cause him. Not serving a new occasion to duels, Prince Andrey counted it to call with his parties to compromise Countess Rostov, and because of this he sought a personal meeting with Kuragin, in whom he would find a new occasion to duel. But in the Turkish army he also did not succeed in meeting Kuragin, who soon after the arrival of Prince Andrey in the Turkish army, returned to Russia. In the new country and in the new conditions of life Prince Andrey began to live easier. After the infidelity of his bride, which by that stronger struck him the harder he hid from all the produced in him action, for him heavy were those conditions life, in which he was happy, and still harder were freedom and independence, which he so cherished before. He not only did not think those former thoughts that for the first time came to him when he saw the sky in the Austerlitz field, which he loved to develop with Pierre and which filled his privacy at Bogucharov, and then in Switzerland and Rome; but he even was afraid to remember these thoughts, disclosing endless bright horizons. He was interested now only in the nearest, not related with the same, practical interests for which he gasped with more greed, that were closed from him formerly. As if that endless receding vault of sky standing before above him suddenly turned into the low, defined, crushing him vault, which was all clear, but nothing was eternal and mysterious. Of the presented to him activity, military service was itself simple and familiar to him. Taking a place in the office of duty officer general in the staff of Kutuzov, he stubbornly and diligently occupied business, amazing Kutuzov with his wish to work and neatness. Not finding Kuragin in Turkey, Prince Andrey did not count it necessary to gallop for him again in Russia; but in all this, he knew that how much time would pass, he could not meet Kuragin, despite in all contempt, which he had to him, despite all the evidence that he made for himself, that he was not worth the humiliation a confrontation with him he knew that meeting him would cause him, as a hungry person may not throw out food. And this consciousness of how the insult was still not displaced, that the malice was not poured out, but lying in his heart, poisoned that artificial calm, which saw a troublesome concern and a few ambitious and vain activities arranged by himself by Prince Andrey in Turkey. In the 12th year, when to Bucharest (where for two months lived Kutuzov, carrying day and night at his Wallachian) reached the news about war with Napoleon, Prince Andrey asked Kutuzov for transfer to the western army. Kutuzov, to whom now was bothered by Bolkonsky and his activity, serving him reproach in idleness, Kutuzov quite willingly let him go and gave him a commission to Barclay de Tolly. Before going into the army, located in May at the Drissa camp, Prince Andrey drove in to Bald Mountains, that were on his very way, found three versts from the Smolensk Highway. The last three years in the life of Prince Andrey were so many coups, so much had he changed his mind, felt, saw (he travelled west and east), that to him it was weird and he was suddenly struck at the entrance to Bald Mountains exactly all that same, to the slightest details — exactly that same enduring life. He as a bewitched fallen asleep in a castle entered into an alley and at the stone gate of the Bald Mountains home. That same gravity, that same purity, that same peace and quiet was in this house, those same furniture, those same walls, those same sounds, that same smell and those same timid faces, only a little aged. Princess Marya was all that same timid, not pretty, aging girl, in fear and eternal moral misery, without use and joys residing in the best years of her life. Bourienne was that same happy using every minute of her life and executing the most of her joyful hopes, pleased by herself, flirtatious girl. She had only become more confident, as it seemed to Prince Andrey. The brought from Switzerland educator Desala was dressed in a frock coat of Russian cut, distorting his tongue by speaking Russian with the servants, but was all that same limitedly smart, educated, virtuous and pedantic educator. The old prince changed physically only by that with his sideways mouth had become a noticeable lack of one tooth; morally he was all such the same as before, only with more bitterness and mistrust to the reality of what was happening in the world. Only Nikolushka alone increased, changed, flushed, with overgrown curly, dark hair, and, himself not knowing this, laughing and having fun, lifting the upper lip of his pretty mouth exactly so the same as it was lifted by the deceased small princess. He alone did not listen to the immutable law in this enchanted, sleeping castle. Yet although by appearance all stayed by the old, the internal relationship of all these persons changed from since Prince Andrey had seen them. The members of the family were divided into two camps, alien and hostile between themselves, which converged now only on him, for he changed their usual form of life. To one belonged the old prince, Bourienne and the architect, to another — Princess Marya, Desala, Nikolushka and all the nannies and mothers. In the time of his stay at Bald Mountains, all the homeworkers dined together, but to all it was awkward, and Prince Andrey felt that he was a guest, for which was made an exception, that he embarrassed all with his presence. In the time of dinner on the the first day Prince Andrey, unwittingly feeling this, was silent, and the old prince, noticing the unnaturalness of his state, also sullenly fell silent and now after dinner went to himself. When in the evening Prince Andrey came to him and, trying to to stir him, began telling him about the campaigns of the young count Kamensky, the old prince suddenly started a conversation with him about Princess Marya, condemning her for her superstition, for her dislike for m-lle Bourienne, which, by his words, alone truly betrayed him. The old prince spoke that if he is ill, that only is from Princess Marya; that she on purpose tormented and annoyed him; that her pampering and foolish speeches spoiled the small prince Nikolay. The old prince knew very well that he was tormenting his daughter, that her life was very heavy; but he knew also, that he may not not torment her and that she deserves this. "Why the same Prince Andrey, who sees this, to me speaks nothing about his sister?" thought the old prince. "What the same he thinks that I am the villain or old fool, without causes moving away from my daughter and moving closer to myself the Frenchwoman? He does not understand, and because of this I need to explain to him, I need for him to listen," thought the old prince. And he began to explain the causes of why he could not carry across the stupid character of his daughter. — Should you ask me, — said Prince Andrey, not looking at his father (he for the first time in his life condemned his father), — I did not want to speak; but should you ask me, then I say to you openly my opinion about only this. Should there be misunderstandings and discord between you and Masha, then I in no way cannot blame her — I know, how she loves and respects you. Should you really ask me, — continued Prince Andrey, annoyed because of how he always was ready to be in irritation in the latter time, — then I only can say: should there be misunderstandings, then the cause of them is the insignificant woman who should not be the friend of my sister. The old man first stopped his eyes watching at his son, and unnaturally opened the smile of the new lacking tooth, to which Prince Andrey could not get used to. — How again friend, darling? Ah? Already spoke! Ah? — Father, I did not want to be judge, — said Prince Andrey biliary and in a hard tone, — but you called me, and I said and always say that Princess Marya is not to blame, but to blame... to blame is this Frenchwoman... — Ah, sentenced!.. Sentenced! — said the old man in a quiet voice and, as it seemed to Prince Andrey, with embarrassment, but then suddenly he jumped up and shouted: — Out, out! So that your spirit was not here!.. Prince Andrey wanted to immediately again leave, but Princess Marya begged him to stay another day. On this day Prince Andrey did not see his father, who did not go out and let nobody to himself, besides m-lle Bourienne and Tihon, and asked a few times about whether his son had left. On the next day before departure Prince Andrey went to the half of his son. The healthy, with his mother's curls boy sat down on his knee. Prince Andrey started to tell him a story about Bluebeard, but, not having finished, thought. He thought not about this pretty boy son in that time, as he held him in his lap, but thought about himself. He with horror sought and did not find in himself remorse in that he annoyed his father, or regret about how he (in a quarrel for the first time in his life) went away from him. Only more important to him was that he sought and did not find that previous tenderness to his son, which he hoped to arouse in himself, caressing the boy and having planted him to himself on his knee. — Well, tell me already, — spoke the son. Prince Andrey, not answering him, stripped him off his knee and went from the room. Only as Prince Andrey left his daily lessons, in particular as he alone marched into the former conditions of life, in which he was still when he was happy, the yearning for life swept him with the same force, and he hurried and soon left from these memories and soon found some business. — You resolutely ride, André? — said his sister. — Thank God, that I can go, — said Prince Andrey; — I extremely regret that you cannot. — What for do you speak this! — said Princess Marya. — What for do you speak this now, when you ride to this terrible war, and he is so old! М-lle Bourienne said that he asked about you… — Only as she began to speak about this, her lips started shaking, and tears dripped. Prince Andrey turned away from her and began to walk by the room. — Ah my God! My God! — he said. — And how do you think that — what insignificance may be the cause of the misfortunes of people! — he said with anger, frightening Princess Marya. She understood that talking about the people, whom he called insignificant, he understood not only m-lle Bourienne, doing him a misfortune, but this man, who ruined his happiness. — André, about one thing I beg, I beg you, — she said, touching to his elbow and shiningly through tears her eyes looked at him. — I understand you (Princess Marya her lowered eyes). Do not think of what grief people have done. People — his weapons. — She looked a little taller than the head of Prince Andrey, by that confident, habitual look of someone watching a familiar place of a portrait. — The grief is sent by him, but not people. People — his weapons, they are not to blame. Should you see someone that is to blame before you, forget this and apologize. We do not have the right to punish. And you will understand the happiness to forgive. — If I were a woman, I would have done this, Marie. This is a virtue of a woman. Yet man should not and may not forget and forgive, — he said and, although he before this minute did not think about Kuragin, all unplaced malice suddenly went up to his heart. "Should Princess Marya now persuade me to forgive, that means for a long time I needed to punish," he thought. And, not answering more Princess Marya, he began to think now about that joyful, angry minute, when he met Kuragin, whom (he knew) was in the army. Princess Marya begged her brother to wait another day, talking about how she knew how father will be unhappy, should Andrey leave, not making up with him; but Prince Andrey responded that he probably, soon would come again from the army, that he would indispensably write father and that now the longer he stays, by that the more this discord will be corroded. — Goodbye, Andrey! Remember that misfortunes happen from God, and that people are not there to be blamed.596 — were the last words which he heard from his sister, when saying goodbye with her. "So this must be!" thought Prince Andrey, leaving from the alleys of Bald Mountains to home. "She, a miserable innocent being, stays as the devoured survivor of the mind of the old man. The old man feels that he is to blame, but may not change himself. My boy grows up and rejoices in life, in which he will so the same as all, deceive or be deceived. I go to the army for what? — I myself do not know, and want to meet that man, whom I despise, so that to give him a case kill me and laugh at me!" and before were all those same conditions of life, but before they are all knitted between myself, but now all is crumbled. Only senseless phenomena, without every communication, one behind another presented to Prince Andrey. 596 — Adieu, André! Rappelez vous que les malheurs viennent de Dieu, et que les hommes ne sont jamais coupables, (- Farewell, André! Remember that misfortunes come from God, and men are never guilty,)

Time: the year 1812, May, the first day, the next day
Mentioned: two months

Locations: St. Petersburg, Moldavian, Turkey (also Turkish), Lysyya Gory
Mentioned: Moscow, Russia (also Russian), Austerlitz, Bogucharovo, Switzerland, Rome, Bucharest, Wallachian, West, Drissa, Smolensk, East, Frenchwomen

Pevear and Volokhonsky Notes: Now back to our main characters, with a mention of Pierre and following Prince Andrei leaving for Petersburg in order to meet Anatole. Anatole, thanks to a tip from Pierre, has left and instead Andrei meets Kutuzov, who suggests he join the war in Turkey. This happens very fast with no real internal struggle. Instead, the emphasis comes on Andrei not wanting to “compromise” Natasha and dueling Anatole.

“He was now concerned only with the most immediate, practical interests, unconnected with his former ones, which he grasped at the more eagerly the more closed to him the former ones were.” Essentially, the break of the
engagement undoes basically all of Andrei’s character development thus far in the novel. He is able to get lost in his duties.

Aside on Kutuzov in Bucharest “where Kutuzov had been staying for two months, spending the days and nights with his Wallachian woman”

Kutuzov and Andrei are opposites in drive and mannerisms and Andrei gets sent west. He stops at Bald Hills and realizes that the place is the same, while he has gone through many changes.

“Princess Marya was the same timid, plain, aging maiden, uselessly and joylessly living through the best years of her life in fear and eternal moral suffering.”

“He (Nikolushka) alone did not obey the law of changelessness in this enchanted, sleeping castle.”

Andrei’s father is as paranoid as ever and Andrei goes against him for the first time ever, defending Marya. Andrei now becomes more irritable than ever before.

Line break after the old prince throws him out. He stays another day and has a rare scene with his son, but finds he can’t think about his son, only only himself. Andrei blames Bourienne and Anatole for his unhappiness but
Marya says “Don’t think that grief is caused by people. People are His instruments.”

Andrei believes this is just “woman’s virtue. But a man must not and cannot forget and forgive”.

Andrei’s reflections at the end of the chapter about his family and how things must be remind us of chapter 1 of this part.

“Nothing but meaningless phenomena, without any connection with each other, presented themselves to Prince Andrei one after the other.”

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

Prince Andrei Bolkonsky (also “papa”, “brother”, and “Andre”.)

Prince Anatol Kuragin (also “brother-in-law”)

Kutuzof (also “his former general”, “commander-in-chief”, and “old general”.)

Countess Rostova (meaning Natasha. Also “his betrothed”.)

Napoleon

Barclay de Tolly

Princess Mariya (also “daughter”, “Marie”, “sister”, and “Masha”.)

Mademoiselle Bourienne (also “little Frenchwoman”.)

Dessalles

Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky (“old prince”, “Batyushka”, and “his father”.)

Little Prince Nikolai (also “Nikolushka”, “little lad”, and “his son”.)

Princess Lisa (“the lamented princess, his mother”.)

Mikhail Ivanovitch (“the architect”)

Count Kamiensky

Tikhon

(the minister of war is also mentioned. Also Kutuzof’s “Wallachian mistress”. All the women of the household are referenced as a whole as well. Bluebeard is a reference more than a mention of a character.)

Abridged Versions: Line break after “Don’t dare to come here again!” in Dole. Line break in the same place in Wiener, Briggs, Dunigan, and Bell. Maude, Garnett, and Mandelker use an ellipsis. Edmonds does not put stars
like she usually does for a line break, but has a traditional line break after “rather vain-glorious and ambitious activity.”

Start and end of Chapter 5 in Bell.
Gibian: Chapter 8: line break after "you remain here!...".

Fuller: Some details about Andrei’s inner turmoil and his relationship with the infinite sky of Austerlitz is removed. After Andrei meets Barclay de Tolly, there is a line break.

Komroff: Andrei’s reasons for not challenging Anatole to a duel outright is removed. Everything after the line break is removed.

Kropotkin: Chapter 6: Some of the detail about Andrei’s time with Kutuzof is removed. Chapter is otherwise preserved.

Bromfield: Chapter 9: Andrei’s father is building a new house and is not interested in politics. Andrei has a conversation with the tutor (who is Laborde in this translation) about Nikolai and religion. The tutor says “I see only
one thing in the princess (this is Marya): the purest essence of Christianity without any attachment to forms...she is perfection.” We are told Marya has given up her dream of becoming a pilgrim. Andrei has conversations
with Marya that dives into her character a little more. Andrei also has an almost incomprehensible conversation with his son.

Andrei: “My little boy wants to catch a wolf, and I am going to the army. What for? That’s how it has to be. And it doesn’t matter, it does not matter.”
Simmons: Chapter 8: line break after "you remain here!..." The very end of the chapter is cut, ending with his sister's last words.

Additional Notes:

Herold: Page 329: “The Treaty of Bucharest, signed on May 28, 1812--three weeks before the Grand Army began operations against Russia--was a severe blow to Napoleon, who had counted on Turkey to divert

part of Alexander’s forces to the south….Apart from the cession of Bessarabia to Russia..”

“Tolstoy and the Forms of Life” by Martin Price

Page 239: “In retrospect one sees Prince Andrew’s fluctuations between life and some form of externality--aloofness or detachment or defensiveness--some form, that is, of death.”

Townsend/Gay: Footnote: "Michel Barclay de Tolly (1761?-1818), Russian field marshal of Scottish origin. Born in Livonia. Tolstoy calls him a German, perhaps because at one time Riga, his birthplace, belonged to the

Hanseatic League of N. German cities."