Briggs: A victory at Borodino is reported. Death of Helene.
Pevear and Volokhonsky: Kutuzov's dispatch from Borodino is received. Festive mood in Petersburg, then suspense. Death of Helene. News of the abandoning of Moscow. The emperor's rescript to Kutuzov.
Translation:
II.
The premonition of Anna Pavlovna was really justified. On the next day, in the time of the prayer in the palace by the occasion of the day of the birth of the sovereign, Prince Volkonsky was summoned from the church, and received an envelope from Prince Kutuzov. This was the report of Kutuzov, written on the day of the battle of Tatarinov. Kutuzov wrote that the Russians did not retreat one step, that the French had lost much more than ours, that he informs in a hurry from the field of the battle, not having time still to gather the last information. It had become this was a victory. And immediately the same, not exiting from the temple, was given to the Creator gratitude for his help for victory.
The premonition of Anna Pavlovna was justified, and in the city all morning reigned a happy festive mood and spirit. All recognized perfect victory and some now spoke about the captivity of Napoleon himself, about his deposition and the election of a new head for France.
Away from the affairs and among the conditions of courtier life it was quite difficult so that events were reflected throughout their completeness and strength. The unwittingly events of the general grouped about some private cases. So now, the main joy of the courtiers concluded so much the same that we conquered, how much in this was that news about this victory had on the day of the birth of the sovereign. This was how succeeded a surprise. In the news of Kutuzov was spoken also about the losses of the Russians and in the number of them were named Tuchkov, Bagration, and Kutaysov. Also the sad side of events unwittingly in the local, Petersburg world, grouped about one event — the death of Kutaysov. He knew all, the sovereign loved him, and he was young and interesting. On this day all were met with words:
— How surprisingly it happened. In the very prayer. But how to lose Kutaysov! Ah, how pitiful!
— What did I say to you about Kutuzov? — spoke now Prince Vasiliy with the pride of a prophet. — I spoke always that he alone is capable of conquering Napoleon.
Yet on the next day did not turn out news from the army, and the common voice began to worry. The courtiers suffered for the misery of suspense in which was found the sovereign.
— What position is the sovereign in! — said the courtiers and now was not extolled as three day ago, but now condemned Kutuzov, the former the cause of the anxiety of the sovereign. Prince Vasiliy on this day now did not boasted more of his protégé Kutuzov, but kept silent, when speech called for about the commander in chief. Besides this to the evening of this day as if all connected so that to topple in alarm and anxiety the Petersburg inhabitants: joined only more terrible news. Countess Elen Bezuhova suddenly died from this scary disease, which so nicely was pronounced. The officials in large societies all said that Countess Bezuhova died from a scary seizure of angina,892 but in intimate circles was told details about how the court medic of the queen of the Spanish893 prescribed Elen with small doses of some medicine, for works of famous action; but how Elen, tormented by that the old count suspected her, and by that, how her husband, to which she wrote (this unhappy bestial Pierre), was not responding to her, suddenly accepted a huge dose of the discharged to her medicine and died in torment, before could be given help. It was told that Prince Vasiliy and the old count took for an Italian; but the Italian showed such notes from the miserable deceased that he was immediately the same let go.
The common conversation focused about three sad events: the suspense of the sovereign, the destruction of Kutaysov and the death of Elen.
On the third day after the reports of Kutuzov, in Petersburg had arrived a landowner from Moscow and by all the city spread news about the surrender of Moscow to the French. This was terrible! What was the position of the sovereign! Kutuzov was a traitor, and Prince Vasiliy in the time of the visiting condolences894 which he was made by the occasion of the death of his daughter, spoke about the before praised by him Kutuzov (he was excused in his sorrows to forget that what he spoke before), he spoke that it cannot be to expect anything other from the blind and lecherous old man.
— I am surprised only how it was to instruct such a person to the fate of Russia.
While this news was still not official, it could still be to doubt it, but on the next day came from Count Rastopchin the following report:
"The adjutant of Prince Kutuzov brought me a letter, in no way he requires from me police officers for escorting the army on the Ryazan road. He speaks that with regret he leaves Moscow. Sovereign! The act of Kutuzov decides the lot of the capitals and your empire. Russia shudders upon learning about the surrender of cities where focuses the greatness of Russia, where is the dust of your ancestors. I follow behind the army. I took all out, I stay to cry about the fate that prepares the fatherland."
Receiving this report, the sovereign sent with Prince Volkonsky the next rescript to Kutuzov:
"Prince Mihail Ilarionovich! From the 29th of August I have no reports from you. Between that from the 1st of September I received through Yaroslav, from the Moscow commander in chief, a sad notice that you decided from the army to leave Moscow. You yourself may imagine the action, what made in me this news, but your silence aggravates my surprise. I send with this general-adjutant Prince Volkonsky, in order to know from you about the position of the army and about the prompting you reasons to such a sad determination."
892 angine pectorale, (pectoral angina,)
893 le médecin intime de la Reine d’Espagne (The Intimate Doctor of the Queen of Spain)
894 visites de condoléance, (condolence visits,)
Mentioned: the day of the battle, two days before, the evening, August 29th
Locations: St. Petersburg
Mentioned: Tatarinovo, Russia (and Russians), France (and French), Spain (Espagne in the French), Italian, Moscow, Ryazan road
Pevear and Volokhonsky Notes: Kutuzov's letter claiming victory arrives to Petersburg. We get a repeat of "Anna Pavlovna's presentiment proved true", playing off the ending of the previous chapter. Petersburg goes into celebration, especially since the news of victory coincides with Alexander's birthday. On the news of the deaths, Petersburg really only laments Kutaisov. Vassily claims he has always thought Kutuzov would defeat Napoleon, but immediately backpedals with no more news comes, which makes everyone anxious.
Meanwhile, Elena Bezukhov has died because the doctor "had prescribed Helene small doses of some medicine to produce a certain effect....she...had suddenly taken a huge dose of the prescribed medicine and had died in agony."
There are some strange short sentences included that seem to show the simplicity of thought in the Petersburg realms when news arrived, such as "This was like a successful surprise." or "This was terrible."
News of Moscow's surrender arrives and the chapter ends with two reports, one from Count Rastopchin and one from Alexander. Rastopchin says he is leaving Moscow and giving up everything. Alexander says he is sending Volkonsky to receive information since he hasn't gotten any reports from him.
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 *):
Anna Pavlovna
Alexander ("emperor" and "sovereign".)
General-Adjutant Prince Volkonsky
Prince Mikhail Iliaronovitch Kutuzof
Napoleon
Tutchkof
Bagration
Kutaisof (also "protege" and "commander-in-chief".)
Prince Vasili
The Countess Elena Bezukhaya (also "Ellen" and "daughter".)
Queen of Spain
Pierre (also "husband")
Count Rostopchin (also "Governor-General of Moscow")
Abridged Versions: No break in Bell.
Gibian: line break instead of chapter break
Fuller: Entire chapter is cut.
Komroff: The only death mentioned is Bagration, with all of Kutaisof's section removed. The two reports at the end are removed, with a line break following Vassily's line about Kutuzov.
Kropotkin: The section about the deaths of Kutaisof, Bagration, and others is removed. Chapter one ends with Vasili's line about Kutuzov.
Bromfield: Chapter 16: Pierre decides not to interfere in the transporting of his possessions and does not want to leave Moscow. The tie between the 666 and his name is mentioned here, but "the most important thing was his desperate desire to show that he couldn't give a damn for all this, to confirm the feeling he head expressed in the Assembly of Nobles." He moves into a small building occupied by his first lover. She dresses him in a kaftan and he goes out to meet the French. He tries to go see Princess Gruzinskaya and this experience, after seeing the French cry "Long Live the Emperor", makes him feel Russian again. Princess Gruzinskaya's conversation replaces the factory worker's conversation about not being able to go along without the police. When Pierre leaves, he runs into Dolokhov, who is setting fire to everything. There are a plethora of small little episodes of Pierre running into different people, none of which appear to be in the latter version. He has a brief conversation with a Frenchman in which he talks about his loves, that is probably the prototype of the Ramballe conversation. Very quickly Pierre sees some people getting arrested and killed, tries to find Dolokhov, watches him kill a Frenchman, and gets arrested himself and placed in a chapel.
Simmons: line break instead of chapter break.
Additional Notes: Garnett: "chronological lapses here. On August 30 the Tsar celebrated his name day rather than his birthday, which fell on December 12 according to the Julian calendar. Moreover, the letters and dispatches to which Tolstoy alludes were not actually sent on the dates he specified."
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