Book 1 Part 1 Chapter 24

Chapter Summaries: Dole: Arrival of Prince Andrei and his wife. Meeting of Liza and Mariya. Prince Andrei's annoyance. Prince Andrei and his father. The old prince dressing.
Briggs: Prince Andrey arrives with Lise.
Maude (chapters 26-27): Prince Andrew at Bald Hills.
Pevear and Volkhonsky (chapters 23-24): Prince Andrei brings the pregnant little princess to Bald Hills. The old prince's discourse on "Buonaparte."

Translation:

XXIII.
The gray haired valet sat, dozing and listening to the snoring of the prince in the huge office. From afar the parties at home, from behind shut doors, heard for the twentieth time the repeated difficult passages of Dussek sonatas.

At this time drove to the porch the coach and chaise, and out of the carriage got out Prince Andrey, dropping off his little wife and letting her go forward. Gray haired Tihon, in a wig, leaning out from the official door, whisperingly reported that the prince was resting, and hastily shut the door. Tihon knew that the arrival of the son and no extraordinary events were to violate the order of the day. Prince Andrey, apparently, already knew this as well as Tihon; he looked at his watch, as if for understanding, so to believe, whether the habits of his father had not changed for that time in which he had not seen him, and, making sure that they not changed, turned to his wife.

— In twenty minutes he will get up. Let’s go to Princess Marya, — he said.

The small princess had become fat in this time, yet the eye and short lip with the mustache and the smile still rose funny and nice when she began talking.

— And this palace!— she said to her husband, looking back around with that expression of how she spoke to praise the host of a ball. —Well, rather, quickly!...221 — she, looking back, smiled at Tihon, her husband, and the waiter escorting them.

Marie is practicing? Go slowly, so that she will not see us.— 222

Prince Andrey was walking behind her with a courteous and sad expression.

— You have aged, Tihon, — he said, passing the old man, kissing his hand.

Before the room in which was heard the clavichord, from the side door jumped out a pretty blonde Frenchwoman. M-lle Bourienne seemed insane from delight.

— Ah, what a joy for the princess!— she began talking. —At last! I need to warn her. 223

— No, no, please... mademoiselle Bourien; I already am familiar with that friendship which you have with my sister-in-law.— said the princess, kissing her. — She is not awaiting us!224

They came up to the door and the sofa from which was heard again and again the repeating passages. Prince Andrey stopped and grimaced as if expecting something unpleasant.

The princess entered. The passages broke off in the middle; a shout was heard, the heavy feet of Princesses Marya and the sounds of kisses. When Prince Andrey entered, the princesses, the only time in the short time since the wedding of Prince Andrey, clasping hands, snuggled up  firm lips to the places, in which they hit at the first moment. M-lle Bourienne stood about them, pressed her hand to her heart and smiled, obviously already finished crying, and laughing very much. Prince Andrey shook shoulders and grimaced as the frown of lovers of music, hearing a false note. Both women let go of each other; then again, as if fearing being late, grabbed each other by the hand, kissed and let go of their hands and then again kissed each other on the face, and completely suddenly for Prince Andrey both cried and again kissed. M-lle Bourienne also cried. Prince Andrey felt, obviously, awkward; but for the two women it seemed so natural that they cried; it seemed, they did not suppose that it could otherwise take place in this appointment.

— Ah, pretty!.. ah, Marie!..— suddenly both women began speaking and laughing. —And I see in dreams. —So you did not await us?.. Ah, Marie, you so lost weight. —And you are so much more plump...225

— I immediately recognized the princess,226 — put in m-lle Bourien.

— But I did not suspect it!..— exclaimed Princess Marya. Ah, Andrey, I did not see you.— 227

Prince Andrey kissed his sister’s hands and said to her that she was the same crybaby,228 as she always was. Princess Marya turned to her brother, and through tears of love, and a warm and gentle look on her beautiful at that moment, large radiant eyes stopped on the face of Prince Andrey.

The princess spoke incessantly. The short top lip with the mustache and in the business of the moment flew downwards, touched, when it was needed, to the rosy lower lip, and again opened brilliantly with teeth and the eyes of a smile. The princess told the business which was with them in Spasskaya’s grief, threatening her danger in her position, and now again after this was reported, how she left all her dresses in Petersburg and here will walk in God knows what, and that Andrey had really changed, and that Kitty Odyntsova had exited to get married to an old man, and that there is a fiance for Princesses Marya present,229 but that about this they would talk after. Princess Marya all the more silently watched her brother, and in her beautiful eyes were love and sadness. It was seen that in her was established now a move in her thought, independent from the speeches of her sister-in-law. She in the middle of her story about the last holiday in Petersburg turned to her brother:

— And you resolutely are going to the war, André? — she said, sighing.

Lise sighed too.

— Even tomorrow, — was the response of the brother.

— He leaves me here, and God know what for, as he could get a raise...230

Princess Marya did not listen and, in a thread of her thoughts, turning to her sister-in-law, with affectionate eyes pointed to her stomach:

— For sure? — she said.

The face of the princess changed. She sighed.

— Yes, for sure, — she said. — Ah! This is extremely fearful...

The lip of Lise lowered. She brought closer her face to the face of her sister-in-law and again suddenly cried.

— She needs to relax, — said Prince Andrey, grimacing. — Really not, Liza? Bring her down to yourself, but I will go to father. What is he, all the same?

— That same, very much the same; I do not know how in your eyes, — answered the happy princess.

— And those same times, and walks by the alleys? The machine? — asked prince Andrey with a little bit of a noticeable smile, showing that despite in all his love and respect to his father, he understood his weakness.

— Those same times and the machine, still mathematics and my lessons of geometry, — happily answered Princess Marya, as if her lessons of geometry were one of the most joyful impressions of her life.

When passed those twenty minutes that were needed for the term of getting up the old prince, Tihon came to call the young prince to his father. The old man made an exception in his lifestyle in honor of the arrival of his son: he told him to be let in during the time of dressing before dinner. The prince went by the old, in caftans and powder. And in that time as Prince Andrey (not with that grouchy expression in face and manners that he allowed in himself in living rooms, but with that busy face which was in him when he talked with Pierre) entered to his father, the old man sat in the dressing room in the wide, Morrocan-leather upholstered armchair, in powder leaving the hands hands Tihon to his head.

— Ah! A warrior! Want Bonaparte to conquer? — said the old man and shook the powdered head, with how much was allowed in this braid of hair, located in the hands of Tihon. — Though you accept him very well, he soon will write us as his own subjects. — Great! — and he put up his cheek.

The old man found himself in a good location of spirit after the pre-dinner sleep. (He said that after dinner is silver sleep, but before dinner it is golden.) He happily from below his thick looming eyebrows squinted at his son. Prince Andrey came up and kissed his father on the indicated place. He was not responding in the favorite topic of conversation of his father — teasing the upper current military people, but especially Bonaparte.

— Yes, I have arrived to you, father, and with my pregnant wife, — said prince Andrey, keeping busy and respectful eyes for the movement of each of the features of his father’s face. — How is your health?

— Unhealthy, brother, are only fools and libertines, but you know me: from morning to the evening busy, abstained, well and healthy.

— Thank God, — said the son, smiling.

— God is not here. Well, tell me, — he continued, returning to his beloved hobby, — how do your Germans with Bonaparte fight by your new science, strategy called and taught.

Prince Andrey smiled.

— Give me a round, father, — he said with a smile, showing that the weakness of his father did not hinder his respect and love of him. — Because I still have not settled down.

— Lie, lie, — shouted the old man, shaking a pigtail, so if to test hard whether it was braided, and grabbing his son behind the arm. — The house for your wife is ready. Princess Marya will bring her and will show with her three boxes of blabbing. This is their native business. I am glad for her. Sit and talk. Mihelson’s army I understand, too thick... a one-time landing... the southern army what will they do? Prussia, neutrality... this I know. Austria what? — he spoke, getting up from the chair and going by the room to run and give parts of clothes to Tihon. — Sweden what? How will they get over the Pomerania?

Prince Andrey, seeing the urgency of the demands of his father, first reluctantly, but then all the  more and more perking up and unwittingly in the middle story, by habit, going from Russian to the French tongue, starting to set out the operating plan of the alleged campaigns. He told how a ninety thousand army was threatening Prussia, so that to bring her out of neutrality and draw her into war, as part of these troops should be in Stralsund to connect with Swedish troops, as two hundred twenty thousand Austrians, in connection with one hundred thousand Russians that must act in Italy and on the Reine, and as fifty thousand Russians and fifty thousand English will land in Naples, and how in result a five hundred thousand army should with different parties to attack the French. The old prince not showing the slightest interest in the story, as if not listening to it, and, must go on dressing, three times suddenly interrupted him. One time he stopped him and shouted:

— White! White!

This meant that Tihon gave him not the vest that he wanted. At a different time he stopped, asking:

— And soon she will give birth? — and, with a shake of reproach of his head, said: — No good! Go on, go on.

On the third time, when Prince Andrey finished his description, the old man sang in a false and senile voice: Malbrook on a trip went, God knows when he will return..231

The son only smiled.

— I do not speak that this is a plan which I approve of, — said the son, — I  only told you what is. Napoleon already made up his plan not worse than this.

— Well, new to me you said nothing. — and the old man thoughtfully spoke about himself in a patter: — “Dieu sait quand reviendra” (God knows when he will return). —Go into the dining room.

221. Mais c’est un palais, Allons, vite, vite! (But it is a palace, Come, hurry, hurry!)
222. C’est Marie qui s’exerce? Allons doucement, il faut la surprendre. (Is this Marie practicing? Let's go slowly, we must surprise her.)
223. Ah! quel bonheur pour la princesse, Enfin! Il faut que je la prévienne. (Ah! what happiness for the princess, Finally! I must warn her.)
224. Non, non, de grâce... Vous êtes m-lle Bourienne, je vous connais déjà par l’amitié que vous porte ma belle-soeur, Elle ne nous attend pas! (No, no, please...You are Miss Bourienne, I already know you through the friendship that my sister-in-law has with you, She is not waiting for us!)
225. Ah! chère!... Ah, Marie!...J’ai rêvé cette nuit...Vous ne nous attendiez donc pas?... Ah! Marie, vous avez maigri... Et vous avez repris… (Ah! dear! Ah, Marie!...I dreamed last night...So you weren't expecting us?...Ah! Marie, you have lost weight...And you have reprised...)
226. J’ai tout de suite reconnu madame la princesse, (I immediately recognized Misses Princess,)
227. Et moi qui ne me doutais pas!...Ah! André, je ne vous voyais pas. (And I, who had no doubts!...Ah! André, I did not see you.)
228. Pleurnicheuse (Crybaby)
229. pour tout de bon (for all the good)
230. Il m’abandonne ici, et Dieu sait pourquoi, quand il aurait pu avoir de l’avancement… (He abandons me here, and God knows why, when he could have advanced...)
231. “Malbroug s’en va-t-en guerre. Dieu sait quand reviendra” (“Malbroug is going to war. God knows when will return")

Time: See previous chapter.

Locations: see previous chapter. His immense cabinet, the sofa-room, and the toilet-room (dressing-room in Maude, Garnett, and Bell. "room....at his toilet" in Dole.).
Mentioned: Spasskaya Hill (Spaskaya Gora in Dole. Spasskaia-Gora in Bell. Spassky Hill in Dunnigan, Briggs, and Mandelker. Spasskoe hill in Garnett and Pevear and Volkhonsky (who capitalizes Hill).), St. Petersburg, the war is talked about as a place, Princess Marya's room, Germans, the South (southern in Maude, Mandelker and Dunnigan (the latter capitalizes).), Prussia, Austria, Sweden, Pomerania, Stralsund, Russians, Italy, Rhine, English, Naples, French, and the dining-room.

Pevear and Volkhonsky Notes: Again on the emphasis on the routine over everything Nikolai Bolkonsky. Prince Andrei, “polite and sad”, first time the princess is at the house. The women are happy but Andrei can do nothing but wince, “as music lovers wince when they hear a false note” “Prince Andrei obviously felt awkward; but for the two women it seemed natural to weep”

The little princess goes on and on, and that is when the connection stops between the two, instead Marya and Andrei reform that natural connection, they are more similar to each other than the little princess. Andrei (and the narrator
it seems) views the heavy routine of his father as his “weaknesses.” However, the narrator makes it clear that Andrei is different around his father, that he is like Pierre, he is authentic with him.

His father’s “favorite subject--poking fun at the present-day military, and especially at Bonaparte.” Makes fun of German strategy. His misogyny.

“Mikhelson...Tolstoy...Sweden...Pomerania: Wintzingerode’s complex general plan...involved attacking the French from several sides, with armies led by Mikhelson with the east, P.A. Tolstoy from the north, and Kutuzov from the south.
The coalition of Swedish, English, and Russian troops led by Tolstoy was to cross from Sweden to Pomerania (a region on the Baltic, formerly part of Germany, now of Poland) and on through Hanover.”

Andrei switches from French to Russian, “out of habit.” Probably intentionally confusing explanation that the father shows no actual interest in.

“Napoleon has already put together a plan no worse than this one.” “Well, you haven’t told me anything new.”

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 *):

Tikhon (should be understand as the old servant from the previous chapter and the “gray-haired man-servant” at the first of the chapter. Interestingly, it is a different word at the first of the chapter (Dole had “servant” in last chapter,
“man-servant” here. “Valet” here in Wiener, Briggs, and Garnett, “man-servant” in Bell). “Tihon” in Garnett)

Prince Andrei (called “Andre” in the dialogue in Wiener, Mandelker, and in the French)

Lisa Meinen (“wife”, “little princess”, and “Lisa” Andrei also calls her “Lise” in French dialogue)

Prince Nikolai Andreyevitch Bolkonsky (“prince”, “Father”, Dole keeps “batyushka” for father in dialogue)

Princess Mariya (called “Marie” in dialogue)

Footman (an additional servant early in the chapter with Tikhon)

Mlle. Bourienne

Kitty Oduintsova (as in Dole, “....Odyntsova” in Dunnigan and Maude, “...Odyntsov” in Edmonds and Briggs, “...Odyntsev” in Wiener, “...Odintzow” in Bell, “...Odintsov” in Garnett, “...Ordyntseva” in Mandelker. Also reference to an
old man she married)

Pierre

Napoleon Bonaparte (Maude has Nikolai Bolkonsky using “Buonaparte” (see previous chapters))

Michelson (as in Dole and Bell, “Mikhelson” in Wiener, Dunnigan, and Briggs, “Mihelson” in Garnett, “Mikhelsen” in Mandelker)

Tolstoi (as in Dole, “Tolstoy” in Edmonds, Maude, and Wiener)

(An oblique reference to Anatol, as the little princess says she has a suitor for for Marya, but I am not counting it because it is not explicit. Explicit reference to the baby, rather than the princess being pregnant, which seems to
be a first, in this chapter, but I'm not counting him until he is born because even if a fetus is considered a human, it certainly has no agency or independent activity, unlike say the bear or the dog in previous chapters, and thus
cannot be considered a character. Even animals and servants have independent movements in Tolstoy)

Abridged Versions: No chapter break in Bell
Gibian: Start of chapter 15 followed by a line break.

Fuller: The kissing of the princesses is shortened, the babbling of the princess and Marya’s reaction to it is removed, but the rest of the chapter is preserved

Komroff: The princess’s babbling is shortened a little, such as the reference to Kitty is removed, but the chapter is basically preserved in its entirety

Kropotkin: Chapter 19: They get to Princess Marya a little quicker (Mlle. Bourienne becomes a victim of abridged versions here), talking less, the princess’s babbling is removed, rest of chapter preserved. I find it interesting
how all these abridged versions are keeping the strategy section. No chapter break, just a line break.

Bromfield: Chapter 34: Little bit of additional dialogue between Princesses and Andrei establish the baby is due in two months. Chapter break after she mentions her geometry lessons. Chapter 35: same, but no break going
to the information that covers Chapter 25 in the “regular” version.
Simmons: Chapter 15: The specifics of what Lise talks about is cut. The information about the campaign at the end of the chapter is significantly whittled down. Line break at end.

Edmundson: Act One Scene 7 is the Dolohov window drinking scene in a move of material out of order. Act One Scene 8: Marya is in the chapel praying when she learns Andrei has come. The scene ends with Andrei telling

them he has to leave tonight (leaving out the scenes with his father).

Additional Notes:

Maude (the Wordsworth edition claims “no relative of Leo Tolstoy”): “three members of the Tolstoy family distinguished themselves in the Napoleonic wars. The reference here is to Count Pyotr Alexandrovich Tolstoy (1761-
1844), who fought under Suvorov in Poland and Turkey. In 1797 he rose to the rank of general-adjutant
and was sent to Paris in 1807 on diplomatic duty, from whence he sought to convince the Tsar that war with France was inevitable. Alexander Ivanovich Tolstoy (1770-1857), sometimes refereed to as Ostermann-Tolstoy, was
one of the most highly regarded generals in the wars against Napoleon. He fought bravely at the battles
of Pultusk, Eylau, Guttstadt, and Borodino. He was severely wounded and almost died at the battle of Guttstadt, but demonstrated great military brilliance at Borodino, where he suffered from shell-shock and had to be removed
from the field. He lost his arm achieving the victory at Kulm. Count Feodor Ivanovich Tolstoy (1782-1846),
who also fought well in the Napoleonic wars, was by all accounts a wild and scandalous character who became the black sheep of the family after he married a gipsy singer.”

“old Bolkonsky’s enquiries about the war relate to the plan Wintzingerode had taken to Vienne for final settlement, which involved attacking the French from three sides....The central European blow was to be dealt by Austrians
and Russians...which was to advance and operate along the Danube…”

Garnett: (Pomerania) “Region in northwest central Europe, on the Baltic Sea’s southern coast...After Napoleon’s 1812 invasion, the then Swedish sector was ceded to Denmark.”

“General Ivan Ivanovitch Mihelson (1740-1847)”

Roberts: Page 580: “Napoleon crossed the River Niemen at 5 a.m. on June 24, 1812...He hummed the children’s song ‘Malbrough s’en va-t’’en guerre’ to himself. (‘Marlborough is going to war, / who knows when he’ll be back?’)”

Gogol/Meyers/Garnett: Page 75: “The barrel-organ played not unpleasantly, but something seemed to go wrong with it in the middle, for the mazurka ended up with the song, “Marlbrook s’en va-t-en guerre,”* * “popular song about the battles of the English general the Duke of Marlborough in the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714), when King Louis XIV sought to extend France’s powers.”

Fremont-Barnes: Page 6: "If Napoleon gambled supremely in the campaign of 1805, he generally gambled correctly, partly benefitting from his own well-developed plan, as well as by the errors committed by his opponents." 

Book 1 Part 1 Chapter 23

Chapter Summaries: Dole: Prince Nikolai A. Bolkonsky at home. His character and notions. The prince at his lathe. His lesson to his daughter. His praise of mathematics. Julie Karagina's letter to Princess Mariya. Julie's description of Nikolai Rostof. Mariya's reply. Conflicting ideas of Pierre.
Briggs (chapter 22): Bald Hills. Old Prince Nikolay Bolkonsky and his daughter, Princess Marya.
Maude (chapter 25): Bald Hills. Prince Bolkonski. Princess Mary's correspondence with Julie Karagina.

Translation:

XXII.
At Lysyh Gorah (Bald Mountains), the estate of Prince Nikolay Andreevich Bolkonsky awaited every afternoon the arrival of young Prince Andrey with the princess; but the expectation did not violate the slim order to which life went on in the house of the old prince. General in chief Prince Nikolay Andreevich, by nickname in society the Prussian king,212 from the time of Paul was exiled to a village, and lived without a break at Bald Mountains with his daughter, Princess Marya, and her companion, mademoiselle Bourien.213 And in the new reign, although he was allowed entry in the capitals, he also continued without a break to live in the village, saying that should someone need him, from Moscow was a one hundred and fifty verst ride to Bald Mountains, but that he needed nobody and nothing. He said that there were only two sources of human vice: idleness and superstition, and that there were only two virtues: activity and mind. He occupied himself with the education of his daughter and, so that to develop in her both cardinal virtues, gave her lessons of algebra and geometry and distributed all her life in continuous exercises. He himself was constantly busy writing his memoirs, calculations of higher mathematics, turning snuffboxes on a machine tool, working in the garden and the observation of building, which did not stop on his estate. So as the main condition of these activities was order, that order in his lifestyle was led to the last extent of accuracy. His exits from the table were committed alone and with those same invariable conditions, and not only alone and in that same hour, but in that moment. With the people surrounding him, from the daughter to servants, the prince was harsh and invariably demanding, and because, not being cruel, he excited to himself fear and respectfulness, the kind not easy for the most cruel person to get. Despite that he was retired and had now no meaning to state deeds, every chief of the provinces where the estate of the prince was counted it as his duty to go to him and exactly the same as the architect, gardener, or Princess Marya, waiting for the designated hour of the exit of the prince to the high official. And every official felt that same sense of respectfulness and even fear at that time as the enormous high door of the office opened and appeared in a powdered wig the short figure of an old man, with small dry hands and gray hanging eyebrows, sometimes, as if he was mocking, stiffening the shine of a smart and young brilliant eye.

On the day of the arrival of the young, in the morning, as usual, Princess Marya on the lesson hour entered the morning greetings of the waiter and with fear crossed and read an internal prayer. Every day she entered and every day prayed about this, so this daily appointment would go off safely.

Sitting was a waiter, a powdered old man-servant, with a quiet movement got up and whisperingly reported: “Welcome.”

From behind the door was heard the uniform sounds of the machine tool. The princess timidly and easily pulled and smoothly opened the door and stopped at the entry. The prince worked behind the machine and, looking back, continued his business.

The huge office was filled with things, obviously, incessantly consumed. The big table, on which lied books and plans, a high glass cabinets library with keys in the doors, a tall table for writing in a standing up position, on which lied an open notebook, a turning machine, with spread out tools and scattered around shavings, — all showed constant, diverse and decent activity. By small movements of legs in a shod in Tartar and sewn in silver boot, the hard layered sinewy, lean hand visible was the prince’s still stubborn and still withstanding fresh power in old age. Doing a few circles, he stripped off his leg from the pedals of the machine, wiped the chisel, threw it in a leather pocket, attached it to the machine, and, coming up to the table, called upon his daughter. He never blessed his children and only placing his bristly, still now unshaved cheek, speaking, strictly and together with that careful and tender look at her:

— Healthy?... Well, so sit down!

He took the notebook of geometry, written in his hand, and moved his foot to the chair.

— For tomorrow! — he said, quickly looking for the page and the paragraph to mark with a hard fingernail.

The princess ducked to the table above the notebook.

— Wait, a letter for you, — suddenly said the old man, getting from attached above the table a pocket envelope, inscribed in a female hand, and throwing it on the table.

The face of the princess covered with red specks at seeing the letter. She hastily took it and ducked to him.

— From Eloise? — asked the prince, a cold smile showing still strong and yellowish teeth.

— Yes, from Juli, — said the princess, timidly looking and timidly smiling.

— Still two letters I’ll miss, but the third I will read, — strictly said the prince, — I’m afraid, much nonsense is written. The third I will read.

— Read through this, father,214 — answered the princess, blushing more and more and giving him the letter.

— The third, I said, the third, — shortly shouted the prince, pushing away the letter, and, leaning on the table, pushed the notebook with the drawings of geometry.

— Well, madam, — started the old man, crouching close to his daughter above the notebook and placing one hand on the backrest of the chair on which sat the princess, so that the princess felt herself all surrounded by that tobacco and the old caustic smell of her father which she had for so long known. — Well, madam, these triangles are similar; please see, corners abc..

The princess scaredly looked close at the brilliant eyes of her father; red spots overflowed her face, and it was seen that she understood nothing and was so afraid that the fear disturbed her understanding and all further interpretations from her father, as they would be clear or had been. Whether the blame was the teacher or the blame was the student, every day repeated one and the same: in the princess’s muddied eyes, she saw nothing, heard nothing, only felt close beside her the dry face of her strict father, felt his breaths and smell and only thought about how she would leave soon from the office and in herself in open space understand the problem. The old man went out from himself: with a clatter pushed back and pushed the chair in which he sat, made some efforts for himself so that he would not get hot, and almost any time he got excited, he swore but sometimes threw a notebook.

The princess was mistaken in the answer.

— Well, as again a fool! — shouted the prince, pushing back the notebook and quickly turning away, yet immediately again got up, walked, touching his hands to the hair of the princess and again sat down.

He moved forward and continued the interpretation.

— Cannot be, princess, cannot be, — he said, when the princess, taking and closing the notebook with the given lessons, now prepared to go away, — mathematics is a great business, my madam. But so that you were similar to our stupid mistresses, I do not want. Tolerate, falling in love. — he patted her hand by cheek. — Nonsense out of heads will pop out.

She wanted to exit, he stopped her with a gesture and took out from the high desk a new, uncut book.

— Here is something more, Key to the Sacrament, your Eloise sends. Religious. But I in faith do not interfere... I looked. Take. Well, go on, go on!

He patted her on the shoulder and he locked the door behind her.

Princess Marya returned in her room with a sad, scared expression, which seldom left her and made her ugly, painful face still more ugly and sitting behind her writing table, laden with miniature portraits and littered with both notebooks and books. The princess was so the same in disorder as her father was in order. She placed the notebook of geometry and impatiently unsealed the letter. The letter was from the nearest childhood friend of the princess; this friend was that Juli Karagina herself, which was at the name day at the Rostovs:

Juli wrote:

Dear and priceless friend, what a terrible, terrible thing is parting! How much I do hold myself that half of my existence and my happiness is in you, despite the distance which tears us apart, our hearts are connected by an inextricable bond, my heart is outraged against fate, and, despite the pleasure and scattering which I am surrounded by, I cannot crush this unhidden sadness, which tests in the depth of our hearts in the time of separation. For why are we not together, as in the past summer, in your big office, on the blue couch, on the couch of “confessions”? For why can I not, as three months back, draw fresh moral forces in
your glance, meek, calm and insightful, which I so loved and which I saw before myself in that minute as I am writing to you?215

Reading to this place, Princess Marya sighed and looked around at the dressing table, which stood to the right of her. The mirror reflected an ugly weak body and thin face. Her eyes, always sad, now especially hopelessly looked at herself in the mirror. “She flatters me”, thought the princess, turning away and continuing to read. Juli, however, was not flattering her friend: really, the eyes of the princess were large, deep and radiant (as if rays of warm light sometimes exited out of them in shafts), and were so good that very often, despite the ugliness in her face, these eyes were made a more attractive beauty. But the princess never saw the good expression of her eyes, these expressions which they took in those minutes when she was not thinking about herself. As in all people, her face took a tightly unnatural, evil expression as soon as she looked in the mirror. She continued to read:

All Moscow only speaks about war. One of my brothers have already left for abroad, another with the guard, which comes forward on a trip to the border. Our dear Sovereign leaves Petersburg and, as to suggest, finds himself the subject of his precious existence by chance in war. Give God, so that the Corsican monster, which outraged the calm of Europe, to be overthrown by an angel, whose omnipotence in his goodness put over us as sovereign. I’ve spoken already about my brothers, this war has deprived me of every relationship of the most loved ones in my heart. I speak about young Nikolay Rostov, who, in his enthusiasm, could not carry across inaction and left university, so to go into the army. I confess to you, pretty Marie, that despite his extraordinary youth, his departure to the army was for me a big grief. In the young man about whom I spoke to you in the past summer, has so much nobleness, true youth, which you meet so seldom in our century between our twenty-years-olds! He is special in so much frankness and heart. He is so pure and full of poetry that my relationship with him, and his thorough fleetingness, were from the most sweet joy of my poor heart, which already so much suffered. I will tell you some more about our parting and everything that was spoken at parting. All of this is much too fresh... ah! Dear friend, you are happy that you do not know these burning pleasures, these burning sorrows. You are happy because what lasts usually stronger is the first. I very well know that Count Nikolay is too young for this, so that to become for me something besides a friend. But this sweet friendship, this so poetic and so pure relationship were needed by my heart. But enough about this.

“The main news, occupying all of Moscow, — the death of old Count Bezuhov and his inheritance. Imagine yourself, the three princesses received little, Prince Vasiliy nothing, but Pierre — is heir in total and excess, recognized as a legal son of Count Bezuhov and the owner of a huge state in Russia. They say that Prince Vasiliy played a very nasty role throughout this story, and that he left Petersburg very embarrassed. I confess to you, I very badly understand all  these affairs on spiritual wills; I know only that with this young person, whom we all knew under the name as simply Pierre, is made Count Bezuhov and the single owner of one of the best states of Russia, — I am having a fun observation over the change of tone in Mama, in which there is daughter to bride, and most young ladies in regarding to this lord, which (in parenthesis it is said) always seemed to me very insignificant. So as already two year everyone has been having fun by saying I seek out grooms, which I for the most part do not know, then the marriage chronicler of Moscow makes me Countess Bezuhova. But you understand that I don't want any of this. By the way, about marriage. Do you know that recently the universal aunt Anna Mihaylovna trusted me, under the greatest secret, designed to arrange your matrimony. This is neither more, neither less than the son of Prince Vasiliy, Anatole, who wants to be attached and married to a rich and noble girl, and on you he fell when choosing parents. I do not know how you look at this business, but I considered it my duty to notify you. He, they say, is very good and a big rake. That’s everything that I could know about him.

But I will be chatting. I finished my second leaflet, and Mama sent for me, so to go to dinner to the Apraksins.

Read the mystical book which I sent to you; it has been a huge success. Although in it there are things, which are difficult to understand in the weak mind of humanity, but this is an excellent book; reading it calms and elevates the soul. Farewell. My reverence to your father and my greetings to mademoiselle Bourien. I embrace you with total heart. Juli.

PS. Notify me about your brother and about his lovely wife. 216

The princess thought, smiled thoughtfully (moreover her face, lighted with radiant eyes, completely transformed), and, suddenly standing up, heavily stepping, went over to the table. She got a paper, and her hand quickly began to move by her. She wrote in answer:

Dear and priceless friend. Your letter from the 13th delivered a big joy. You are all the more my love, my poetic Juli. The parting about which you speak so much evil, it is seen, has not had on you its ordinary influence. You complain about separation the same I should say, if I would dare, — I am deprived of all those whom I hold dear. Ah, if it was not for our consolation in religion, life would be very sad. Why do you attribute to me a strict look, when speaking about your propensities to a young person? In this regard I am strict only to myself. I understand these feelings in others, and if I cannot approve of them, not having experienced them, then I do not condemn them. It seems only that Christian love to neighbor, love to enemies, more worthy, more pleasing and better, than those feelings which may be inspired by the beautiful eyes of a young man or young girl, as poetic and affectionate as you.

News about the death of Count Bezuhov reached us before your letter, and my father was very touched by it. He said that this was the penultimate agent of the great century, and that now it’s his turn for it, but that he does all, dependent on him, so that this turn comes as late as possible. Save us God from this misfortune!

I cannot share your opinions about Pierre, who I knew more as a kid. It seemed to me that in him was an always beautiful heart, but this is the quality which I totally appreciate in people. What concerns his inheritance and the role which was played in this by Prince Vasiliy, then this is very sad for both. Ah, dear friend, the words of our Divine Savior that it is easier for a camel to take a needle in the ear, than the rich to enter in the kingdom of God, — these words are fearfully correct! I regret Prince Vasiliy and much more Pierre. So young to be weighed down by this huge fortune, — how many temptations will need to be taken back! If you asked me, what do I want most in the world, — I would say: I want to be poorer myself, poorest of the poor. I thank you a thousand times, dear friend, for the book, which you sent to me and which makes so much in you. However, as you say to me that in it between many good things there are such, which may not be comprehended by the weak mind of a human, then it seems to me redundant to engage in incomprehensible reading which could not bring any use. I cannot understand the passion, which some persons have, confusing themselves in thoughts, addicted to mystical books, which excite only doubt in their minds, annoying their imagination and giving them character exaggerations, completely horrid to the simplicity of Christian. Will be better to read the Apostles and Gospels. It will not be to try to penetrate what is in these books that are mysterious, for how we are miserable sinners, knowing scary and sacred secrets of Providence until we carry on ourselves that carnal shell which is erected between us and the Eternal impenetrable curtain? Limited to better learning the great rules, which our Divine Savior left us for our guides here, on the earth; will be to try follow them and try to make sure that the less we will be give revelry to our mind, the more pleasant we will be to God, which rejects all knowledge, not outgoing from him, and that the less we go deeper in what he hid from us, by rather giving us this opening to his divine mind.

Father to me has said nothing about the groom, but said only that he received a letter and awaits a visit from Prince Vasiliy; that concerns to a plan of regarding my matrimonial, I say to you, dear and priceless friend, that marriage, to me, is a divine institution, to which needs to be obeyed. As it would be too heavy for me, but if the omnipotent will is to impose on me the responsibilities of spouses and mothers, I will enforce them as right as I can, not taking care about studying his feelings regarding who he will give me as a spouse.

I received a letter from my brother, which announced his arrival with his wife at Bald Mountains. This joy will be short as he will leave us so that to accept participation in this war in which we are drawn in for God knows how and what for. Not only in you, in the center of affairs and the world, but here, among this field work and silence, which townspeople usually present themselves in the village, echoes of war are heard and give me a heavy feeling. My father only speaks about marching and transitions, in which I understand nothing, and on the third day, I did my usual walk on the street of the village, I saw a tearing apart of the soul scene. This was a party of recruits, recruited from us and sent into the army. You needed to see the state, in which I found the mothers, wives and kids of those who were going away, and hear the sobbing of those and others! You would think that humanity forgot the laws of his Divine Savior, that taught us love and forgiveness of resentment, and that it believes the main thing of his dignity is in the art of killing each other.

Farewell, dear and kind friend. And save you our Divine Savior and his Most Holy Mother under his saints and powerful cover.

Marie.217

— And, you are sending a letter, I already sent mine. I wrote my poor mother,218 — began talking with a fast enjoyable, juicy voice smiling m-lle Bourienne, mispronouncing the r and bringing herself into the focused, sad and overcast atmosphere Princess Marya a really other, frivolously merry and complacent world.

— Princess, I should notify you — she added, lowering her voice, — le prince a eu une altercation, — altercation, (the prince had an altercation, — altercation,)— she said, especially lisping and with pleasure listening to herself, — the prince parsed Mihail Ivanytch. He is very much not in the spirit, very glum. I’m warning you, so you know...219

— Ah, my dear friend!— answered Princess Marya, —I’ve requested you to say nothing to me about the location of the spirit of my father. I do not let myself judge him and would not have wished that others did this.220

The princess looked at the watch and noticing that she had already missed by five minutes that time which she should have used to play on the clavichord, with a scared look went to the sofa. Between hours 12 and 2, according to the wound up order of the day, the prince rested, but the princess played on the clavichord.

212. le roi de Prusse, (the King of Prussia,)
213.m-lle Bourienne. (Miss Bourienne.)
214. mon père (my father)
215. “Chère et excellente amie, quelle chose terrible et effrayante que l’absence! J’ai beau me dire que la moitié de mon existence et de mon bonheur est en vous, que malgré la distance qui nous sépare, nos coeurs sont unis par des liens indissolubles; le mien se révolte contre la destinée, et je ne puis, malgré les plaisirs et les distractions qui m’entourent, vaincre une certaine tristesse cachée que je ressens au fond du coeur depuis notre séparation. Pourquoi ne sommes-nous pas réunies, comme cet été dans votre grand cabinet sur le canapé bleu, le canapé à confidences? Pourquoi ne puis-je, comme il y a trois mois, puiser de nouvelles forces morales dans votre regard si doux, si calme et si pénétrant, regard que j’aimais tant et que je crois voir devant moi, quand je vous écris.” ("Dear and excellent friend, what a terrible and frightening thing is absence! I tell myself well that half of my existence and of my happiness is in you, that despite the distance that separates us, our hearts are united by indissoluble links; mine revolts against destiny, and I cannot, despite the pleasures and distractions that surround me, overcome a certain hidden sadness that I feel in the bottom of my heart since our separation. Why aren't we reunited, like this summer in your large office on the blue sofa, the sofa of confidences? Why can't I, like three months ago, draw new moral forces in your look so sweet, so calm and so penetrating, the look that I loved so much and which I believe I see in front of me, when I write to you.”)
216. "Tout Moscou ne parle que guerre. L’un de mes deux frères est déjà à l’étranger, l’autre est avec la garde, qui se met en marche vers la frontière. Notre cher empereur a quitté Pétersbourg et, à ce qu’on prétend, compte lui-même exposer sa précieuse existence aux chances de la guerre. Dieu veuille que le monstre corsicain, qui détruit le repos de l’Europe, soit terrassé par l’ange que le Tout-Puissant, dans Sa miséricorde, nous a donné pour souverain. Sans parler de mes frères, cette guerre m’a privée d’une relation des plus chères à mon coeur. Je parle du jeune Nicolas Rostoff, qui avec son enthousiasme n’a pu supporter l’inaction et a quitté l’université pour aller s’enrôler dans l’armée. Eh bien, chère Marie, je vous avouerai, que, malgré son extrême jeunesse, son départ pour l’armée a été un grand chagrin pour moi. Le jeune homme, dont je vous parlais cet été, a tant de noblesse, de véritable jeunesse qu’on rencontre si rarement dans le siècle ou nous vivons parmi nos vieillards de vingt ans. Il a surtout tant de franchise et de coeur. Il est tellement pur et poétique, que mes relations avec lui, quelque passagères qu’elles fussent, ont été l’une des plus douces jouissances de mon pauvre coeur, qui a déjà tant souffert. Je vous raconterai un jour nos adieux et tout ce qui s’est dit en partant. Tout cela est encore trop frais. Ah! chère amie, vous êtes heureuse de ne pas connaître ces jouissances et ces peines si poignantes. Vous êtes heureuse, puisque les dernières sont ordinairement les plus fortes! Je sais fort bien, que le comte Nicolas est trop jeune pour pouvoir jamais devenir pour moi quelque chose de plus qu’un ami, mais cette douce amitié, ces relations si poétiques et si pures ont été un besoin pour mon coeur. Mais n’en parlons plus. La grande nouvelle du jour qui occupe tout Moscou est la mort du vieux comte Bezuhov et son héritage. Figurez-vous que les trois princesses n’ont reçu que très peu de chose, le prince Basile rien, est que c’est M. Pierre qui a tout hérité, et qui par-dessus le marché a été reconnu pour fils légitime, par conséquent comte Bezuhov et possesseur de la plus belle fortune de la Russie. On prétend que le prince Basile a joué un très vilain rôle dans toute cette histoire et qu’il est reparti tout penaud pour Pétersbourg.

"Je vous avoue, que je comprends très peu toutes ces affaires de legs et de testament; ce que je sais, c’est que depuis que le jeune homme que nous connaissions tous sous le nom de M. Pierre tout court est devenu comte Bezuhov et possesseur de l’une des plus grandes fortunes de la Russie, je m’amuse fort à observer les changements de ton et des manières des mamans accablées de filles à marier et des demoiselles elles-mêmes à l’égard de cet individu, qui, par parenthèse, m’a paru toujours être un pauvre sire. Gomme on s’amuse depuis deux ans à me donner des promis que je ne connais pas le plus souvent, la chronique matrimoniale de Moscou me fait comtesse Bezuhova. Mais vous sentez bien que je ne me soucie nullement de le devenir. A propos de mariage, savez-vous que tout dernièrement la tante en général Anna Mihaylovna, m’a confié sous le sceau du plus grand secret un projet de mariage pour vous. Ce n’est ni plus ni moins, que le fils du prince Basile, Anatole, qu’on voudrait ranger en le mariant à une personne riche et distinguée, et c’est sur vous qu’est tombé le choix des parents. Je ne sais comment vous envisagerez la chose, mais j’ai cru de mon devoir de vous en avertir. On le dit très beau et très mauvais sujet; c’est tout ce que j’ai pu savoir sur son compte.

"Mais assez de bavardage comme cela. Je finis mon second feuillet, et maman me fait chercher pour aller dîner chez les Apraksines. Lisez le livre mystique que je vous envoie et qui fait fureur chez nous. Quoiqu’il y ait des choses dans ce livre difficiles à atteindre avec la faible conception humaine, c’est un livre admirable dont la lecture calme et élève l’âme. Adieu. Mes respects à monsieur votre père et mes compliments à m-elle Bourienne. Je vous embrasse comme je vous aime.

Julie."

"P. S. Donnez-moi des nouvelles de votre frère et de sa charmante petite femme."

(All of Moscow speaks only of war. One of my two brothers is already in a foreign place, the other is with the guard, which marches to the frontier. Our dear emperor has left Petersburg and, so it is claimed, himself intends to expose his precious existence to the chances of war. God wills that the Corsican monster, who destroys the rest of Europe, be struck down by the angel whom the Almighty, in His mercy, gave us for sovereign. Not to talk of my brothers, this war has deprived me of a relationship dearest to my heart. I am talking of the young Nicolas Rostoff, who with his enthusiasm could not support inaction and left university to enroll in the army. Well, dear Marie, I will confess to you that, despite his extreme youth, his departure for the army was a great sorrow for me. The young man, whom I was telling you about this summer, has so much nobility, of true youth that we so rarely encounter in the century when we live among our twenty year olds. He especially has so much frankness and heart. He is so pure and poetic that my relationship with him, however passing they were, was one of the sweetest pleasures of my poor heart, which has already suffered so much. I will tell you one day our farewells and all that was said in the parting. All of this is still too fresh. Ah! dear friend, you are happy not to know these pleasures and these so painful sorrows. You are happy because the latter are ordinarily the strongest! I know very well that Count Nicholas is too young to ever be able to become anything more than a friend to me, but this sweet friendship, these so poetic and so pure relations were a need for my heart. But no more talk of it. The big news of the day that occupies all of Moscow is the death of old Count Bezuhov and his inheritance. Imagine that the three princesses have received very little, Prince Basil nothing, it is Mr. Pierre who inherited everything, and who on top of that has been recognized as a legitimate son, in consequence Count Bezuhov and possessor of the finest fortune in Russia. It is claimed that Prince Basil played a very villainous part in this whole story and that he left shamefaced for Petersburg.

"I confess, that I understand very little about all these affairs of legacies and wills; what I know is that since the young man we all knew by the name of Mr. Pierre quite simply became Count Bezuhov and owner of one of the greatest fortunes in Russia, I have been amused watching the changes in tone and manner of mothers overwhelmed with daughters to be married off and with the young ladies themselves in regards to this individual, who, by the way, always seemed to me to be a poor sir. It has been amusing for those who have been giving me promises for two years of what I most often do not know of, as the matrimonial chronicle of Moscow makes me Countess Bezuhova. But you sense well that I don't worry at all about the future. In regards to marriage, did you know that most recently the aunt in general Anna Mihaylovna, has confided to me in the seal of the greatest secrecy a wedding project for you. It is no more and no less than the son of Prince Basil, Anatole, that he would like to tidy up by marrying him to a rich and distinguished person, and on you fell the choice of the parents. I do not know how you will envisage the thing, but I believed it was my duty to advise you. He is said to be very beautiful and a very bad subject; that's all I could find out about him.

"But enough of chatter like that. I finished my second page and mom sends for me to go and dine with the Apraksines. Read the mystical book I am sending you and which does fury with us. While there are things in this book that are difficult to reach with the weak conception of a human, it is an admirable book whose reading calms and uplifts the soul. Goodbye. My respects to the mister your father and my compliments to Miss Bourienne. I embrace you as I love you.

Julie."

"P. S. Tell me the news of your brother and his charming little wife.")

217. "Chère et excellente amie. Votre lettre du 13 m’a causé une grande joie. Vous m’aimez donc toujours, ma poétique Julie. L’absence, dont vous dites tant de mal, n’a donc pas eu son influence habituelle sur vous. Vous vous plaignez de l’absence — que devrai-je dire moi, si j’osais me plaindre, privée de tous ceux qui me sont chers? Ah! si nous n’avions pas la réligion pour nous consoler, la vie serait bien triste. Pourquoi me supposez-vous un regard sévère, quand vous me parlez de votre affection pour le jeune homme? Sous ce rapport je ne suis rigide que pour moi. Je comprends ces sentiments chez les autres et si je ne puis approuver ne les ayant jamais ressentis, je ne les condamne pas. Il me paraît seulement que l’amour chrétien, l’amour du prochain, l’amour pour ses ennemis est plus méritoire, plus doux et plus beau, que ne le sont les sentiments que peuvent inspirer les beaux yeux d’un jeune homme à une jeune fille poétique et aimante comme vous.

"La nouvelle de la mort du comte Bezuhov nous est parvenue avant votre lettre, et mon père en a été très affecté. Il dit que c’était l’avant-dernier représentant du grand siècle, et qu’à présent c’est son tour; mais qu’il fera son possible pour que son tour vienne le plus tard possible. Que Dieu nous garde de ce terrible malheur! Je ne puis partager votre opinion sur Pierre que j’ai connu enfant. Il me paraissait toujours avoir un coeur excellent, et c’est la qualité que j’estime le plus dans les gens. Quant à son héritage et au rôle qu’y a joué le prince Basile, c’est bien triste pour tous les deux. Ah! chère amie, la parole de notre divin Sauveur qu’il est plus aisé à un chameau de passer par le trou d’une aiguille, qu’il ne l’est à un riche d’entrer dans le royaume de Dieu, cette parole est terriblement vraie; je plains le prince Basile et je regrette encore davantage Pierre. Si jeune et accablé de cette richesse, que de tentations n’aura-t-il pas à subir! Si on me demandait ce que je désirerais le plus au monde, ce serait d’être plus pauvre que le plus pauvre des mendiants. Mille grâces, chère amie, pour l’ouvrage que vous m’envoyez, et qui fait si grande fureur chez vous. Cependant, puisque vous me dites qu’au milieu de plusieurs bonnes choses il y en a d’autres que la faible conception humaine ne peut atteindre, il me paraît assez inutile de s’occuper d’une lecture inintelligible; qui par là même ne pourrait être d’aucun fruit. Je n’ai jamais pu comprendre la passion qu’ont certaines personnes de s’embrouiller l’entendement, en s’attachant à des livres mystiques, qui n’élèvent que des doutes dans leurs esprits, exaltant leur imagination et leur donnent un caractère d’exagération tout-à-fait contraire à la simplicité chrétienne. Lisons les Apôtres et l’Evangile. Ne cherchons pas à pénétrer ce que ceux-là renferment de mystérieux, car, comment oserions-nous, misérables pécheurs que nous sommes, prétendre à nous initier dans les secrets terribles et sacrés de la Providence, tant que nous portons cette dépouille charnelle, qui élève entre nous et l’Eternel un voile impénétrable? Bornons-nous donc à étudier les principes sublimes que notre divin Sauveur nous a laissé pour notre conduite ici-bas; cherchons à nous y conformer et à les suivre, persuadons-nous que moins nous donnons d’essor à notre faible esprit humain et plus il est agréable à Dieu, Qui rejette toute science ne venant pas de Lui; que moins nous cherchons à approfondir ce qu’il Lui a plu de dérober à notre connaissance, et plutôt Il nous en accordera la découverte par Son divin esprit.

"Mon père ne m’a pas parlé du pretendant, mais il m’a dit seulement qu’il a reçu une lettre et attendait une visite du prince Basile. Pour ce qui est du projet de mariage qui me regarde, je vous dirai, chère et excellente amie, que le mariage, selon moi, est une institution divine à laquelle il faut se conformer. Quelque pénible que cela soit pour moi, si le Tout-Puissant m’impose jamais les devoirs d’épouse et de mère, je tâcherai de les remplir aussi fidèlement que je le pourrai, sans m’inquiéter de l’examen de mes sentiments à l’égard de celui qu’il me donnera pour époux. J’ai reçu une lettre de mon frère, qui m’annonce son arrivée à Bald Mountains avec sa femme. Ce sera une joie de courte durée, puisqu’il nous quitte pour prendre part à cette malheureuse guerre, à laquelle nous sommes entraînés Dieu sait comment et pourquoi. Non seulement chez vous au centre des affaires et du monde on ne parle que de guerre, mais ici, au milieu de ces travaux champêtres et de ce calme de la nature, que les citadins se représentent ordinairement à la campagne, les bruits de la guerre se font entendre et sentir péniblement. Mon père ne parle que marche et contremarche, choses auxquelles je ne comprends rien; et avant-hier en faisant ma promenade habituelle dans la rue du village, je fus témoin d’une scène déchirante... C’était un convoi des recrues enrolés chez nous et expédiés pour l’armée... Il fallait voir l’état dans lequel se trouvaient les mères, les femmes, les enfants des hommes qui partaient et entendre les sanglots des uns et des autres! On dirait que l’humanité a oublié les lois de son divin Sauveur, Qui prêchait l’amour et le pardon des offenses, et qu’elle fait consister son plus grand mérite dans l’art de s’entretuer.

"Adieu, chère et bonne amie, que notre divin Sauveur et Sa très Sainte Mère vous aient en Leur sainte et puissante garde.

Marie."

("Dear and excellent friend. Your letter of the 13th has caused me great joy. You still love me, my poetic Julie. The absence, which you say is so bad, has not therefore had its usual influence on you. You complain about the absence - what should I say if I dared to complain, deprived of all who are dear to me? Ah! if we did not have the religion to console us, life would be very sad. Why do you suppose I look severely, when you tell me of your affection for the young man? In this connection I am only rigid for myself. I understand these sentiments in others and if I can not approve never having felt them, I do not condemn them. It only seems to me that Christian love, love of neighbor, love for one's enemies is more meritorious, sweeter and more beautiful, than are the sentiments that can inspire the beautiful eyes of a young man to a poetic and loving young girl like you.

"The news of the death of Count Bezuhov reached us before your letter, and my father was very affected by it. He says he was the penultimate representative of the great century, and now it's his turn; but that he will do what's possible to get his turn to come as late as possible. May God guard us from this terrible misfortune! I cannot share your opinion of Pierre, whom I knew as a child. He always seemed to me to have an excellent heart, and this is the quality that I esteem most in people. As for his inheritance and the role played in it by Prince Basil, this is very sad for both of them. Ah! dear friend, the word of our divine Savior that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God, this word is terribly true; I pity Prince Basil and I regret it even more for Pierre. So young and overwhelmed by these riches, how many temptations he will have to undergo! If I was asked what I would most desire in the world, that would be to be poorer than the poorest beggar. A thousand thanks, dear friend, for the work you have sent me, and which is such a big fury for you. However, since you tell me that in the midst of many good things there are others that the weak conception of a human cannot achieve, it seems to me enough not to worry about reading the unintelligible; which by the same could not have any fruit. I have never been able to comprehend the passion that certain people have for entangling their understanding by attaching themselves to mystical books, which only elevate doubts in their spirits, exhalating their imagination and giving them a character of exaggeration quite contrary to Christian simplicity. Read the Apostles and the Gospel. Let us not seek to penetrate what this mysterious contains, because, how would we dare, miserable sinners that we are, claim to initiate us into the terrible and sacred secrets of Providence, as long as we wear this fleshly body, who elevates between us and the Eternal an impenetrable veil? Let us limit ourselves therefore to studying the sublime principles which our divine Savior left us for our conduct here below; let us try to conform to them and follow them, let us be persuaded that the less we develop our weak human spirit and the more we agree with God, Who rejects all science not coming from Him; that the less we seek to deepen what it pleased Him to conceal from our knowledge, and rather He will grant us the discovery of it by His divine spirit.

"My father did not tell me about the suitor, but he only told me only that he received a letter and was expecting a visit from Prince Basil. As for the marriage project that looks at me, I will tell you, dear and excellent friend, that marriage, according to me, is a divine institution to which one must conform. However painful it may be for me, if the Almighty ever imposes on me the duties of wife and mother, I will try to fulfill them as faithfully as I can, without worrying about examining my sentiments with regard to the one whom he will give to me as a husband. I received a letter from my brother announcing his arrival in Bald Mountains with his wife. It will be a joy short lived, since he is leaving us to take part in this unfortunate war, to which we are entering for God knows how and why. Not only with you in the center of business and the world we speak of nothing but war, but here, in the midst of this rural work and from that calm of nature, which townspeople ordinarily represent the country, the sounds of war are heard and felt painfully. My father only talks about marches and countermarches, things of which I comprehend nothing of; and the day before yesterday while making my usual walk in the street of the village, I witnessed a heartbreaking scene...It was a convoy of recruits enlisted with us and expedited for the army...You should have seen the state in which the mothers were, the women, the children of the men who were leaving and heard the sobs of each of them! It seems that humanity has forgotten the laws of its divine Savior, Who preached love and the pardoning of offenses, and it consists in the greatest merit in the art of killing.

"Farewell, dear and good friend, may our divine Savior and His Most Holy Mother have you in Their holy and saintly guard.

Marie.")

218. Ah, vous expédiez le courrier, princesse, moi j’ai déjà expedié le mien. J’ai écris à ma pauvre mère, (Ah, you are sending the mail, Princess, I have already sent mine. I wrote to my poor mother,)

219. Princesse, il faut que je vous prévienne, une altercation avec Michel Ivanoff. Il est de très mauvaise humeur, très morose. Soyez prévenue, vous savez… (Princess, I must warn you of an altercation with Michel Ivanoff. He is in a very bad humor, very morose. Be warned, you know...)

220. Ah! chère amie, je vous ai prié de ne jamais me prévenir de l’humeur dans laquelle se trouve mon père. Je ne me permets pas de le juger, et je ne voudrais pas que les autres le fassent (Ah! Dear friend, I begged you never to warn me of the humor in which my father is. I don't permit myself to judge him, and I wouldn't want others to do it)

Time: The actual date is undefined. Between twelve and two o'clock, at the end of the chapter after being in the morning early in the chapter.
Mentioned: reign of Paul and new reign (of Alexander), tomorrow, Natasha's name-day, the 13th, also Princess Mariya's childhood and the day before yesterday.

Locations: Various translations of “Bald Hills” (Pevear and Volkhonsky, Maude, Edmonds, and Dunnigan): “Lissy-Gory” in Bell, “Lysyya Gory” in Wiener, “Luisiya Gorui, (Bald Hills)” in Dole, “Bleak Hills” in Garnett). Also referred to as his village (his estate in Briggs, Bell, and Dole (plural in the latter). country estate in Pevear and Volkhonsky.). His "officiating" room (lofty anteroom in Dunnigan and Briggs. lofty waiting-room in Garnett. antechamber in Maude and Mandelker. high-ceilinged waiting room in Pevear and Volkhonsky. lofty hall in Dole. great hall in Bell.). Also his enormous cabinet and Princess Marya's room.
Mentioned: Prusse ("Prussia" in Dunnigan, Maude, and Bell.), Moscow, Tartar, the Rostovs', St. Petersburg, Corsican, Europe, Russia

How different translations handle distances: Pevear and Volkhonsky, Mandelker, Maude, Edmonds, and Briggs just convert to miles, Dole, Bell, Wiener, and Dunnigan keep versts with no notes, Garnett keeps versts and converts to
miles in footnote, which would probably be my choice.

Pevear and Volkhonsky Notes:

Big setting and character transition. “Harmonious order in which life went on in the old prince’s house”, definite contrast with the “disorder” of the last chapter. “Banished to his country estate”

“Anyone who needed him could travel the hundred miles…he himself needed no one and nothing. He used to say that there were only two sources of human vice: idleness and superstition...two virtues: activity and intelligence”

“He occupied himself personally with his daughter’s upbringing”, contrast with Pierre, think about Tolstoy’s remarks on sending kids off for education. He “portioned out her whole life”, contrast this with Tolstoy’s views on voluntary
education.

“The construction work that never ceased on his estate. As the main condition for activity was order…” “without being cruel, inspired a fear and respect..”

Princess Marya “fearfully…..timidly...so afraid that fear would prevent her from understanding...sad, frightened expression which rarely left her and made her unattractive”

"Heloise: The old prince is referring sarcastically to the epistolary novel Julie ou la Nouvelle Heloise (1761), by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, which had considerable influence on the evolution of sensibilities in the later eighteenth century.
Tolstoy based the letters of Princess Marya and Julie Karagin on a large collection of similar letters exchanged by two young ladies, M.A. Volkov and B.I. Lanskoy, which he read with great interest in 1863.”

“Mathematics is a great thing, my lady. And I don’t want you to be like our stupid women here. Much patience, much pleasure.”

“Key to the Mystery: The occult treatise A Key to the Mysteries of Nature, by Bavarian-born Karl von Eckartshausen (!752-1803), was widely read in Europe during the later eighteenth century and was translated into Russian several
times. It was especially popular in Masonic circles. Eckartshausen was a prolific writer on such spiritual topics as magic, alchemy, and number mysticism.”

Julie writes: “Read the mystical book I am sending you and that is causing a furor here. Though there are things in this book that are hard to grasp with weak human understanding,it is an admirable book, the reading of which calms
and elevates the soul.”

Marya writes: “it would seem to me rather useless to occupy myself with unintelligible reading material which by that very fact cannot be of any fruit...totally contrary to Christian simplicity. Let us read the Apostles and the Gospel...
Let us limit ourselves...rejects all science that does not come from him…”

See the problem of French and then English in the footnotes in this letter, as you just end up reading the footnotes. Mandelker’s version has some legitimate formatting issues here.

Julie writes that she (could) “draw new moral strength from your look, so gentle, so calm, so penetrating…” Contrasted with what Marya sees when she looks in the mirror, which matches what the narrator said earlier. The narrator
now gives us the caveat of her eyes, “those eyes were more attractive than beauty...As with all people, the moment she looked in the mirror, her face assumed a strained, unnatural, bad expression.”

The religious patriotism of Julie in the letter. Also the personal feeling for Julie of being deprived of Nikolai (contrast Marya, “this wretched war into which we are being dragged God knows how or why...heartrending scene...a
convoy of recruits...being sent off to the army...the mothers, the wives, the children...and heard the sobs on both sides!...humanity has forgotten the laws of its divine Savior”). Of course, we know Marya will end up marrying him.
This letter is also how we get the news that Pierre inherited everything, Vassily nothing, and the princesses very little. Some rumors (perhaps untrue considering the last chapter) of Vassily playing “a very nasty role.” Again the
significance of the name change from Pierre to Count Bezukhov. The letter also tells, via Anna Mikhailovna, Marya about the Anna Pavlovna plan to get Marya married to Anatole.

Marya: “if we did not have religion to console us, life would be quite sad.”

On Pierre: “He always seemed to me to have an excellent heart, and that is the quality I esteem the most in people...So young and burdened with such wealth, what temptations he will have to endure! If I were asked what I would
like most in the world, it would be to be poorer than the poorest beggar.”

The death of Bezukhov and inheritance of Pierre is the end of an era, the passing of one generation to another, which Prince Bolkonsky is fighting heavily, but Marya and Andrei are now having their turn.

Weird that the Bolkonsky’s speak French so since they are outsiders?

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 Nikolai Andreyevitch Bolkonsky (as in Dole, “...Andreyevich…” in Edmonds and Dunnigan, “...Andreevich…” in Mandelker, “Nikolay Andreivitch Bolkonsky” in Garnett, “Nikolay Bolkonsky” in Briggs, “Nikolay Andreevich
Bolkonski” in Wiener, “Nicolas Andreevitch Bolkonsky” in Bell, “Nicholas Andreevich Bolkonski” in Maude. Also referred to as Maryna’s father, and “The king of Prussia")

Emperor Paul (as in Dole, Bell, and Mandelker, just “Paul” in Garnett and Briggs)

Prince Andrei Bolkonsky

Lisa Meinen (just referenced as Andrei’s wife)

Princess Mariya (as in Dole, previously “Princess Mary Bolkonsky” in this book. “Marie” in Wiener, “Mary” in Maude, “Maria” in Edmonds, “Marya” in Dunnigan, Briggs, and Garnett. Called “Marie” in letter by Julie in Dole, Briggs,
and Garnett as we have the French versus the Russian version of her name. Bell, Maude, Wiener, Mandelker, Edmonds, and Dunnigan, do not use different names to denote this.)

Mlle. Bourienne (as in Dole and Wiener, “her hired companion.” “Mademoiselle....” in Mandelker, Edmonds, and Maude, “her companion.” (also this in Wiener). Bell has “Mlle. Bourrienne” as “her paid companion.”)

Old servant (“in a powdered wig” in Dole and Wiener, “old powdered man-servant” in Mandelker, Maude and Bell (the latter using a comma between “old” and “powdered”))

Julie Karagina (While not present in the chapter, she speaks in the form of a letter and we learn a lot about her outlook and character, unlike previous chapters, so I consider her “in” this chapter rather than just being mentioned.
Mockingly referred to as “Heloise” by Nikolai Bolkonsky)

Napoleon Bonaparte (just “the Corsican monster”)

Czar Alexander (just “emperor” and “angel”)

Nikolai Rostov

Count Kirill Vladimirovitch Bezukhoi (just “Count Bezukhoi”)

Prince Vasili

Pierre (“Monsieur Pierre”)

Anna Mikhailovna (referred to as “la tante en general” or “aunt in general” as in Bell, “universal aunt” in Wiener, Garnett, and Edmonds, “universal auntie” in Maude and Dunnigan)

Anatol (defined by being Prince Vasili’s son)

Apraksins (as a name, not just the princess)

Marya Lvovna Karagin (just “mamma” in Dole, Wiener, and Briggs, “mama” in Mandelker)

Mlle. Bourriene’s Mother

Mikhail Ivanof (as in Dole, “Michael Ivanow” in Bell, “Michael Ivanovich” in Maude, “Mihail Ivanov” in Edmonds and Garnett, “Mikhail Ivanych” in Dunnigan, “Mikhail Ivanovich” in Briggs and Mandelker. The French dialogue (in
which he is mentioned) has “Michel Ivanoff”, which is what Wiener keeps.)

(in a general way “every nachalnik of the government”, as in Dole, “official” in Dunnigan, “high official” in Garnett, Maude, and Mandelker, “senior figure” in Briggs, “chief of the Government” (in a plural sense, with “every” before
it) in Wiener, “dignitaries” in Bell, is referenced to visit Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky in what might be described as a hypothetical or circular scene, as are “the architect or the gardener”. His “menial”, as in Dole, “serfs” in Edmonds,
“servants” in Dunnigan, Garnett, and Briggs (singular in the latter) are also referenced in general.)

(Julie mentions her two brothers, who are not differentiated. The Rostovs are mentioned in general as well. Sophie, Olga, and Katerina are referenced as the “three princesses”))

Abridged Versions:
Gibian: Chapter 14.
Fuller: Cuts the old servant and the break between the letter where we get a lot of description of Marya and the perspective of looking in the mirror. The Nikolai part of the letter is shortened, as is the third
part of the letter, the Count Bezukhov section and the mention of Anatol and the potential marriage set up (as is the mention of the book) is removed. After Julie’s letter ends, the rest of the chapter is cut and there is a line break.

Komroff: Interestingly removes Heloise reference and just has prince Bolkonsky call her Julie. The letter and her immediate reaction to the letter is preserved, but it cuts to the next chapter (with a line break) before she writes
her letter or has her interaction with Mlle. Bourienne.

Kroptokin: Chapter 18: The description about the daily failure of Maria’s education is shortened. The reference to the book is removed and the first second and third section of the letter (the war and Nikolai sections) are severely
shortened. The Bezukhov part of the letter and Anatol is preserved, but the letter doesn’t even quite end before the chapter ends.

Bromfield: Chapter 32: Same, chapter ends with Nikolai Bolkonsky leaving the room. Chapter 33 beginning with Marya sitting down to read the letter, with a little bit of extra information on their relationship: “Marya Dmitrievna
Akhrosimova’s (obviously the original alternative name) estate bordered on Prince Bolkonsky’s and she spent two months of the summer in the country. The prince respected Marya Dmitrievna, although he made fun of her.
Marya Dmitrievna addressed nobody but the prince with formal politeness, and she held him as an example to all modern-day people.”

The rest of this chapter plays out the same and ends the chapter.
Simmons: Chapter 14: Chapter is preserved except the conversation between Mary and Bourienne at the end.

Edmundson: Act One Scene 5: The focus is entirely on the mathematics lesson and Andrei arriving soon.

Act One Scene 6: The entire scene is Marya at prayer where she mentions what she saw in the preparations for war and then there is a strange moment where she prays for freedom from temptations and a man enters and

leaves (obviously symbolizing her thoughts about a potential husband).

Additional notes: Maude: “the King of Prussia, meaning Frederick II (1712-86), who was a strict military disciplinarian with the habit of personally overseeing every detail of his private and official life. He was meticulous,
exacting, and extremely domineering.”

Garnett: Paul I: “pro-Napoleon and anti-British policy”

“An ardent Voltairean, the prince disliked Rousseau”

Maxim Gorky: Lev Tolstoi: Page 377: “Frederick the Great...was a queer man--the Germans regarded him as their best emperor, and yet he could not bear them, he did not even like Goethe and Wieland…”

Roberts: Page 13: Rousseau’s La Nouvelle Heloise...argued that one should follow one’s authentic feelings rather than society’s norms..”

Davis: Page 607: “The novel Julie ou la nouvelle Heloise (1761), a love story set amid Rousseau’s native Alps, forged an unprecedented link between passion, moral sentiment, and untamed nature.”