Tolstoy's "War and Peace" chapter by chapter. Description of the third part of the third volume of the novel L

American poster for the film "War and Peace"

Volume one

St. Petersburg, summer 1805. At the evening with the maid of honor Scherer, among other guests, Pierre Bezukhov, the illegitimate son of a wealthy nobleman, and Prince Andrei Bolkonsky are present. The conversation turns to Napoleon, and both friends try to protect the great man from the condemnations of the hostess of the evening and her guests. Prince Andrei is going to war because he dreams of glory equal to the glory of Napoleon, and Pierre does not know what to do, participates in the revelry of St. Petersburg youth (here a special place is occupied by Fyodor Dolokhov, a poor but extremely strong-willed and decisive officer); For yet another mischief, Pierre was expelled from the capital, and Dolokhov was demoted to soldier.

Next, the author takes us to Moscow, to the house of Count Rostov, a kind, hospitable landowner, who is hosting a dinner in honor of the name day of his wife and youngest daughter. A special family structure unites the Rostov parents and children - Nikolai (he is going to war with Napoleon), Natasha, Petya and Sonya (a poor relative of the Rostovs); Only the eldest daughter, Vera, seems alien.

The Rostovs' holiday continues, everyone is having fun, dancing, and at this time in another Moscow house - at the old Count Bezukhov's - the owner is dying. An intrigue begins around the count's will: Prince Vasily Kuragin (a St. Petersburg courtier) and three princesses - all of them distant relatives of the count and his heirs - are trying to steal the briefcase with Bezukhov's new will, according to which Pierre becomes his main heir; Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya, a poor lady from an old aristocratic family, selflessly devoted to her son Boris and everywhere seeking patronage for him, prevents the briefcase from being stolen, and a huge fortune goes to Pierre, now Count Bezukhov. Pierre becomes his own man in St. Petersburg society; Prince Kuragin tries to marry him to his daughter - the beautiful Helen - and succeeds in this.

In Bald Mountains, the estate of Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, the father of Prince Andrei, life goes on as usual; The old prince is constantly busy - either writing notes, then giving lessons to his daughter Marya, or working in the garden. Prince Andrei arrives with his pregnant wife Lisa; he leaves his wife in his father's house, and he goes to war.

Autumn 1805; The Russian army in Austria takes part in the campaign of the allied states (Austria and Prussia) against Napoleon. Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov does everything to avoid Russian participation in the battle - at the review of the infantry regiment, he draws the attention of the Austrian general to the poor uniforms (especially shoes) of the Russian soldiers; right up to the Battle of Austerlitz, the Russian army retreats to unite with the allies and not accept battles with the French. So that the main forces of the Russians can retreat, Kutuzov sends a detachment of four thousand under the command of Bagration to detain the French; Kutuzov manages to conclude a truce with Murat (the French marshal), which allows him to gain time.

Junker Nikolai Rostov serves in the Pavlograd Hussar Regiment; he lives in an apartment in the German village where the regiment is stationed, together with his squadron commander, captain Vasily Denisov. One morning Denisov’s wallet with money disappeared - Rostov found out that Lieutenant Telyanin had taken the wallet. But this misconduct by Telyanin casts a shadow over the entire regiment - and the regiment commander demands that Rostov admit his mistake and apologize. The officers support the commander - and Rostov gives in; he does not apologize, but refuses his accusations, and Telyanin is expelled from the regiment due to illness. Meanwhile, the regiment goes on a campaign, and the cadet's baptism of fire occurs while crossing the Enns River; The hussars must cross last and set the bridge on fire.

During the Battle of Shengraben (between Bagration's detachment and the vanguard of the French army), Rostov was wounded (a horse was killed under him, and when he fell, he suffered a contusion); he sees the approaching French and, “with the feeling of a hare running away from dogs,” throws a pistol at the Frenchman and runs.

For participation in the battle, Rostov was promoted to cornet and awarded the soldier's St. George's Cross. He comes from Olmutz, where the Russian army is camped in preparation for the review, to the Izmailovsky regiment, where Boris Drubetskoy is located, to see his childhood comrade and pick up letters and money sent to him from Moscow. He tells Boris and Berg, who lives with Drubetsky, the story of his injury - but not as it really happened, but as they usually tell about cavalry attacks (“how he cut right and left,” etc.) .

During the review, Rostov experiences a feeling of love and adoration for Emperor Alexander; this feeling only intensifies during the Battle of Austerlitz, when Nicholas sees the Tsar - pale, crying from defeat, alone in the middle of an empty field.

Prince Andrei, right up to the Battle of Austerlitz, lives in anticipation of the great feat that he is destined to accomplish. He is irritated by everything that is dissonant with this feeling of his - the prank of the mocking officer Zherkov, who congratulated the Austrian general on yet another defeat of the Austrians, and the episode on the road when the doctor’s wife asks to intercede for her and Prince Andrei collides with the transport officer. During the Battle of Shengraben, Bolkonsky notices Captain Tushin, a “small, stooped officer” with an unheroic appearance, commander of the battery. The successful actions of Tushin's battery ensured the success of the battle, but when the captain reported to Bagration about the actions of his artillerymen, he was more timid than during the battle. Prince Andrei is disappointed - his idea of ​​the heroic does not fit either with the behavior of Tushin, or with the behavior of Bagration himself, who essentially did not order anything, but only agreed with what the adjutants and superiors who approached him suggested.

On the eve of the Battle of Austerlitz there was a military council, at which the Austrian General Weyrother read the disposition of the upcoming battle. During the council, Kutuzov openly slept, not seeing any use in any disposition and foreboding that tomorrow's battle would be lost. Prince Andrei wanted to express his thoughts and his plan, but Kutuzov interrupted the council and invited everyone to disperse. At night, Bolkonsky thinks about tomorrow's battle and about his decisive participation in it. He wants fame and is ready to give everything for it: “Death, wounds, loss of family, nothing scares me.”

The next morning, as soon as the sun came out of the fog, Napoleon gave the sign to begin the battle - it was the day of the anniversary of his coronation, and he was happy and confident. Kutuzov looked gloomy - he immediately noticed that confusion was beginning among the Allied troops. Before the battle, the emperor asks Kutuzov why the battle does not begin, and hears from the old commander-in-chief: “That’s why I don’t start, sir, because we are not at the parade and not in Tsaritsyn Meadow.” Very soon the Russian troops, finding the enemy much closer than they expected, broke ranks and fled. Kutuzov demands to stop them, and Prince Andrei, with a banner in his hands, rushes forward, dragging the battalion with him. Almost immediately he is wounded, he falls and sees a high sky above him with clouds quietly creeping across it. All his previous dreams of fame seem insignificant to him; His idol, Napoleon, traveling around the battlefield after the French had completely defeated the allies, seems insignificant and petty to him. “This is a wonderful death,” says Napoleon, looking at Bolkonsky. After making sure that Bolkonsky is still alive, Napoleon orders him to be taken to a dressing station. Among the hopelessly wounded, Prince Andrei was left in the care of the residents.

Volume two

Nikolai Rostov comes home on vacation; Denisov goes with him. Rostov is accepted everywhere - both at home and by friends, that is, by all of Moscow - as a hero; he becomes close to Dolokhov (and becomes one of his seconds in the duel with Bezukhov). Dolokhov proposes to Sonya, but she, in love with Nikolai, refuses; at a farewell party arranged by Dolokhov for his friends before leaving for the army, he beats Rostov (apparently not quite honestly) for a large sum, as if taking revenge on him for Sonin’s refusal.

In the Rostov house there is an atmosphere of love and fun, created primarily by Natasha. She sings and dances beautifully (at a ball given by Yogel, the dance teacher, Natasha dances a mazurka with Denisov, which causes general admiration). When Rostov returns home in a depressed state after a loss, he hears Natasha singing and forgets about everything - about the loss, about Dolokhov: “all this is nonsense ‹…› but this is the real thing.” Nikolai confesses to his father that he has lost; When he manages to collect the required amount, he leaves for the army. Denisov, delighted with Natasha, asks for her hand, is refused and leaves.

Prince Vasily visited Bald Mountains in December 1805 with his youngest son, Anatoly; Kuragin's goal was to marry his dissolute son to a rich heiress - Princess Marya. The princess was unusually excited by Anatole's arrival; the old prince did not want this marriage - he did not love the Kuragins and did not want to part with his daughter. By chance, Princess Marya notices Anatole hugging her French companion, Mlle Bourrienne; to her father's delight, she refuses Anatole.

After the Battle of Austerlitz, the old prince receives a letter from Kutuzov, which says that Prince Andrei “fell a hero worthy of his father and his fatherland.” It also says that Bolkonsky was not found among the dead; this allows us to hope that Prince Andrei is alive. Meanwhile, Princess Lisa, Andrei's wife, is about to give birth, and on the very night of the birth Andrei returns. Princess Lisa dies; on her dead face Bolkonsky reads the question: “What have you done to me?” - the feeling of guilt before his late wife no longer leaves him.

Pierre Bezukhov is tormented by the question of his wife’s connection with Dolokhov: hints from friends and an anonymous letter constantly raise this question. At a dinner at the Moscow English Club, organized in honor of Bagration, a quarrel breaks out between Bezukhov and Dolokhov; Pierre challenges Dolokhov to a duel, in which he (who cannot shoot and has never held a pistol in his hands before) wounds his opponent. After a difficult explanation with Helen, Pierre leaves Moscow for St. Petersburg, leaving her power of attorney to manage his Great Russian estates (which makes up the majority of his fortune).

On the way to St. Petersburg, Bezukhov stops at the postal station in Torzhok, where he meets the famous freemason Osip Alekseevich Bazdeev, who instructs him - disappointed, confused, not knowing how and why to live further - and gives him a letter of recommendation to one of the St. Petersburg masons. Upon arrival, Pierre joins the Masonic lodge: he is delighted with the truth revealed to him, although the ritual of initiation into the Masons itself somewhat confuses him. Filled with the desire to do good to his neighbors, in particular his peasants, Pierre goes to his estates in the Kyiv province. There he very zealously begins reforms, but, lacking “practical tenacity,” he turns out to be completely deceived by his manager.

Returning from a southern trip, Pierre visits his friend Bolkonsky at his estate Bogucharovo. After Austerlitz, Prince Andrei firmly decided not to serve anywhere (in order to get rid of active service, he accepted the position of collecting the militia under the command of his father). All his worries are focused on his son. Pierre notices the “extinct, dead look” of his friend, his detachment. Pierre's enthusiasm, his new views contrast sharply with Bolkonsky's skeptical mood; Prince Andrei believes that neither schools nor hospitals are needed for the peasants, and that serfdom should be abolished not for the peasants - they are accustomed to it - but for the landowners, who are corrupted by unlimited power over other people. When the friends go to Bald Mountains, to visit Prince Andrei’s father and sister, a conversation takes place between them (on the ferry during the crossing): Pierre expresses to Prince Andrei his new views (“we do not live now only on this piece of land, but we have lived and will live forever there, in everything"), and Bolkonsky for the first time since Austerlitz sees the “high, eternal sky”; “something better that was in him suddenly joyfully awakened in his soul.” While Pierre was in Bald Mountains, he enjoyed close, friendly relations not only with Prince Andrei, but also with all his relatives and household; For Bolkonsky, from the meeting with Pierre, a new life began (internally).

Returning from leave to the regiment, Nikolai Rostov felt at home. Everything was clear, known in advance; True, it was necessary to think about what to feed the people and horses - the regiment lost almost half of its people from hunger and disease. Denisov decides to recapture the transport with food assigned to the infantry regiment; Summoned to headquarters, he meets Telyanin there (in the position of Chief Provision Master), beats him and for this he must stand trial. Taking advantage of the fact that he was slightly wounded, Denisov goes to the hospital. Rostov visits Denisov in the hospital - he is struck by the sight of sick soldiers lying on straw and on greatcoats on the floor, and the smell of a rotting body; in the officer's chambers he meets Tushin, who has lost his arm, and Denisov, who, after some persuasion, agrees to submit a request for pardon to the sovereign.

With this letter, Rostov goes to Tilsit, where a meeting between two emperors - Alexander and Napoleon - takes place. At the apartment of Boris Drubetskoy, enlisted in the retinue of the Russian emperor, Nikolai sees yesterday's enemies - French officers with whom Drubetskoy willingly communicates. All this - the unexpected friendship of the adored tsar with yesterday's usurper Bonaparte, and the free friendly communication of the retinue officers with the French - all irritates Rostov. He cannot understand why battles and severed arms and legs were necessary if the emperors are so kind to each other and award each other and the soldiers of enemy armies with the highest orders of their countries. By chance, he manages to deliver a letter with Denisov’s request to a general he knows, and he gives it to the tsar, but Alexander refuses: “the law is stronger than me.” The terrible doubts in Rostov’s soul end with the fact that he convinces the officers he knows, like him, who are dissatisfied with the peace with Napoleon, and most importantly, himself, that the sovereign knows better what needs to be done. And “our job is to chop and not think,” he says, drowning out his doubts with wine.

Those enterprises that Pierre started and could not bring to any result were carried out by Prince Andrei. He transferred three hundred souls to free cultivators (that is, freed them from serfdom); replaced corvee with quitrent on other estates; peasant children began to be taught to read and write, etc. In the spring of 1809, Bolkonsky went on business to the Ryazan estates. On the way, he notices how green and sunny everything is; only the huge old oak tree “did not want to submit to the charm of spring” - Prince Andrei, in harmony with the appearance of this gnarled oak tree, thinks that his life is over.

For guardianship matters, Bolkonsky needs to see Ilya Rostov, the district leader of the nobility, and Prince Andrei goes to Otradnoye, the Rostov estate. At night, Prince Andrei hears a conversation between Natasha and Sonya: Natasha is full of delight at the beauty of the night, and in the soul of Prince Andrei “an unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes arose.” When - already in July - he drove through the very grove where he saw the old gnarled oak tree, it was transformed: “succulent young leaves broke through the hundred-year-old hard bark without knots.” “No, life is not over at thirty-one,” Prince Andrei decides; he goes to St. Petersburg to “take an active part in life.”

In St. Petersburg, Bolkonsky becomes close to Speransky, the Secretary of State, an energetic reformer close to the emperor. Prince Andrei feels a feeling of admiration for Speransky, “similar to what he once felt for Bonaparte.” The prince becomes a member of the commission for drawing up the military regulations. At this time, Pierre Bezukhov also lives in St. Petersburg - he became disillusioned with Freemasonry, reconciled (outwardly) with his wife Helen; in the eyes of the world he is an eccentric and a kind fellow, but in his soul the “difficult work of internal development” continues.

The Rostovs also end up in St. Petersburg, because the old count, wanting to improve his financial affairs, comes to the capital to look for a place of service. Berg proposes to Vera and marries her. Boris Drubetskoy, already a close person in the salon of Countess Helen Bezukhova, begins to visit the Rostovs, unable to resist Natasha’s charm; in a conversation with her mother, Natasha admits that she is not in love with Boris and does not intend to marry him, but she likes that he travels. The Countess talked to Drubetsky, and he stopped visiting the Rostovs.

On New Year's Eve there should be a ball at Catherine's nobleman's house. The Rostovs are carefully preparing for the ball; At the ball itself, Natasha experiences fear and timidity, delight and excitement. Prince Andrei invites her to dance, and “the wine of her charm went to his head”: after the ball, his activities in the commission, the sovereign’s speech in the Council, and Speransky’s activities seem insignificant to him. He proposes to Natasha, and the Rostovs accept him, but according to the condition set by the old Prince Bolkonsky, the wedding can only take place in a year. This year Bolkonsky is going abroad.

Nikolai Rostov comes to Otradnoye on vacation. He tries to put his business affairs in order, tries to check the accounts of the clerk Mitenka, but nothing comes of it. In mid-September, Nikolai, the old count, Natasha and Petya with a pack of dogs and a retinue of hunters go on a big hunt. Soon they are joined by their distant relative and neighbor (“uncle”). The old count and his servants let the wolf pass, for which the hunter Danilo scolded him, as if forgetting that the count was his master. At this time, another wolf came out to Nikolai, and Rostov’s dogs took him. Later, the hunters met their neighbor, Ilagin, hunting; The dogs of Ilagin, Rostov and the uncle chased the hare, but the uncle’s dog Rugai took it, which delighted the uncle. Then Rostov, Natasha and Petya go to their uncle. After dinner, uncle began to play the guitar, and Natasha went to dance. When they returned to Otradnoye, Natasha admitted that she would never be as happy and calm as she is now.

Christmas time has arrived; Natasha languishes with longing for Prince Andrei - for a short time she, like everyone else, is entertained by a trip to the neighbors with mummers, but the thought that “her best time is wasted” torments her. During Christmas time, Nikolai felt especially keenly his love for Sonya and announced it to his mother and father, but this conversation upset them very much: the Rostovs hoped that their property circumstances would be improved by Nikolai’s marriage to a rich bride. Nikolai returns to the regiment, and the old count leaves for Moscow with Sonya and Natasha.

Old Bolkonsky also lives in Moscow; he has noticeably aged, become more irritable, his relationship with his daughter has deteriorated, which torments both the old man himself and especially Princess Marya. When Count Rostov and Natasha come to the Bolkonskys, they receive the Rostovs unkindly: the prince - with calculation, and Princess Marya - herself suffering from awkwardness. This hurts Natasha; to console her, Marya Dmitrievna, in whose house the Rostovs were staying, bought her a ticket to the opera. At the theater, the Rostovs meet Boris Drubetsky, now the fiancé of Julie Karagina, Dolokhov, Helen Bezukhova and her brother Anatoly Kuragin. Natasha meets Anatole. Helen invites the Rostovs to her place, where Anatole pursues Natasha and tells her of his love for her. He secretly sends her letters and is going to kidnap her in order to get married secretly (Anatole was already married, but almost no one knew this).

The kidnapping fails - Sonya accidentally finds out about it and confesses to Marya Dmitrievna; Pierre tells Natasha that Anatole is married. Prince Andrei, who arrives, learns about Natasha’s refusal (she sent a letter to Princess Marya) and about her affair with Anatole; Through Pierre, he returns Natasha’s letters. When Pierre comes to Natasha and sees her tear-stained face, he feels sorry for her and at the same time he unexpectedly tells her that if he were “the best man in the world,” he would “beg on his knees for her hand and love.” He leaves in tears of “tenderness and happiness.”

Volume three

In June 1812, the war begins, Napoleon becomes the head of the army. Emperor Alexander, having learned that the enemy had crossed the border, sent Adjutant General Balashev to Napoleon. Balashev spends four days with the French, who do not recognize for him the importance that he had at the Russian court, and finally Napoleon receives him in the very palace from which the Russian emperor sent him. Napoleon listens only to himself, not noticing that he often falls into contradictions.

Prince Andrei wants to find Anatoly Kuragin and challenge him to a duel; for this he goes to St. Petersburg, and then to the Turkish army, where he serves at Kutuzov’s headquarters. When Bolkonsky learns about the start of the war with Napoleon, he asks to be transferred to the Western Army; Kutuzov gives him an assignment to Barclay de Tolly and releases him. On the way, Prince Andrei stops by Bald Mountains, where outwardly everything is the same, but the old prince is very irritated with Princess Marya and noticeably brings Mlle Bourienne closer to him. A difficult conversation takes place between the old prince and Andrei, Prince Andrei leaves.

In the Dris camp, where the main headquarters of the Russian army was located, Bolkonsky finds many opposing parties; At the military council, he finally understands that there is no military science, and everything is decided “in the ranks.” He asks the sovereign for permission to serve in the army, and not at court.

The Pavlograd regiment, in which Nikolai Rostov, now a captain, still serves, retreats from Poland to the Russian borders; none of the hussars thinks about where and why they are going. On July 12, one of the officers tells in the presence of Rostov about the feat of Raevsky, who led two sons to the Saltanovskaya dam and went on the attack next to them; This story raises doubts in Rostov: he does not believe the story and does not see the point in such an act, if it actually happened. The next day, near the town of Ostrovna, Rostov’s squadron attacked the French dragoons who were pushing back the Russian lancers. Nicholas captured a French officer with a “little face” - for this he received the St. George Cross, but he himself could not understand what was bothering him in this so-called feat.

The Rostovs live in Moscow, Natasha is very sick, doctors visit her; At the end of Peter's fast, Natasha decides to fast. On July 12, Sunday, the Rostovs went to mass at the Razumovskys’ home church. Natasha is very impressed by the prayer (“Let us pray to the Lord in peace”). She gradually returns to life and even begins to sing again, something she hasn’t done for a long time. Pierre brings the Emperor's appeal to the Muscovites to the Rostovs, everyone is moved, and Petya asks to be allowed to go to war. Having not received permission, Petya decides the next day to go meet the sovereign, who is coming to Moscow to express to him his desire to serve the fatherland.

In the crowd of Muscovites greeting the Tsar, Petya was almost run over. Together with others, he stood in front of the Kremlin Palace when the sovereign went out onto the balcony and began throwing biscuits to the people - one biscuit went to Petya. Returning home, Petya resolutely announced that he would certainly go to war, and the old count went the next day to find out how to settle Petya somewhere safer. On the third day of his stay in Moscow, the tsar met with the nobility and merchants. Everyone was in awe. The nobility donated militia, and merchants donated money.

Old Prince Bolkonsky is weakening; despite the fact that Prince Andrey informed his father in a letter that the French were already at Vitebsk and that his family’s stay in Bald Mountains was unsafe, the old prince laid out a new garden and a new building on his estate. Prince Nikolai Andreevich sends manager Alpatych to Smolensk with instructions, he, having arrived in the city, stops at an inn with a familiar owner, Ferapontov. Alpatych gives the governor a letter from the prince and hears advice to go to Moscow. The bombing begins, and then the fire of Smolensk begins. Ferapontov, who previously did not want to hear about the departure, suddenly begins distributing bags of food to the soldiers: “Get everything, guys! ‹…› I’ve made up my mind! Race!" Alpatych meets Prince Andrei, and he writes a note to his sister, suggesting they urgently leave for Moscow.

For Prince Andrei, the fire of Smolensk “was an era” - the feeling of bitterness against the enemy made him forget his grief. In the regiment they called him “our prince,” they loved him and were proud of him, and he was kind and gentle “with his regimental men.” His father, having sent his family to Moscow, decided to stay in Bald Mountains and defend them “to the last extreme”; Princess Marya does not agree to leave with her nephews and remains with her father. After Nikolushka’s departure, the old prince suffers a stroke and is transported to Bogucharovo. For three weeks, paralyzed, the prince lies in Bogucharovo, and finally he dies, asking his daughter for forgiveness before his death.

Princess Marya, after her father’s funeral, is going to leave Bogucharovo for Moscow, but the Bogucharovo peasants do not want to let the princess go. By chance, Rostov turns up in Bogucharovo, easily pacifying the men, and the princess can leave. Both she and Nikolai think about the will of providence that arranged their meeting.

When Kutuzov is appointed commander-in-chief, he calls Prince Andrey to himself; he arrives in Tsarevo-Zaimishche, at the main apartment. Kutuzov listens with sympathy to the news of the death of the old prince and invites Prince Andrei to serve at the headquarters, but Bolkonsky asks for permission to remain in the regiment. Denisov, who also arrived at the main apartment, hurries to outline to Kutuzov the plan for the partisan war, but Kutuzov listens to Denisov (like the report of the general on duty) clearly inattentively, as if “with his experience of life” despising everything that was said to him. And Prince Andrei leaves Kutuzov completely reassured. “He understands,” Bolkonsky thinks about Kutuzov, “that there is something stronger and more significant than his will - this is the inevitable course of events, and he knows how to see them, knows how to understand their meaning ‹…› And the main thing is that he is Russian "

This is what he says before the Battle of Borodino to Pierre, who came to see the battle. “While Russia was healthy, it could be served by a stranger and had an excellent minister, but as soon as it is in danger, it needs its own, dear person,” Bolkonsky explains the appointment of Kutuzov as commander-in-chief instead of Barclay. During the battle, Prince Andrey is mortally wounded; he is brought into the tent to the dressing station, where he sees Anatoly Kuragin on the next table - his leg is being amputated. Bolkonsky is overwhelmed by a new feeling - a feeling of compassion and love for everyone, including his enemies.

Pierre's appearance on the Borodino field is preceded by a description of Moscow society, where they refused to speak French (and even fined for a French word or phrase), where Rastopchinsky posters, with their pseudo-folk rude tone, are distributed. Pierre feels a special joyful “sacrificial” feeling: “everything is nonsense in comparison with something,” which Pierre could not understand for himself. On the way to Borodin, he meets militiamen and wounded soldiers, one of whom says: “They want to attack all the people.” On the field of Borodin, Bezukhov sees a prayer service in front of the Smolensk miraculous icon, meets some of his acquaintances, including Dolokhov, who asks Pierre for forgiveness.

During the battle, Bezukhov found himself at Raevsky's battery. The soldiers soon get used to him and call him “our master”; When the charges run out, Pierre volunteers to bring new ones, but before he could reach the charging boxes, there was a deafening explosion. Pierre runs to the battery, where the French are already in charge; the French officer and Pierre simultaneously grab each other, but a flying cannonball forces them to unclench their hands, and the Russian soldiers who run up drive the French away. Pierre is horrified by the sight of the dead and wounded; he leaves the battlefield and walks three miles along the Mozhaisk road. He sits down on the side of the road; After some time, three soldiers make a fire nearby and call Pierre to dinner. After dinner, they go together to Mozhaisk, on the way they meet the guard Pierre, who takes Bezukhov to the inn. At night, Pierre has a dream in which a benefactor speaks to him (that’s what he calls Bazdeev); the voice says that you must be able to unite in your soul “the meaning of everything.” “No,” Pierre hears in a dream, “not to connect, but to pair.” Pierre returns to Moscow.

Two more characters are shown in close-up during the Battle of Borodino: Napoleon and Kutuzov. On the eve of the battle, Napoleon receives a gift from Paris from the Empress - a portrait of his son; he orders the portrait to be taken out to show it to the old guard. Tolstoy claims that Napoleon’s orders before the Battle of Borodino were no worse than all his other orders, but nothing depended on the will of the French emperor. At Borodino, the French army suffered a moral defeat - this is, according to Tolstoy, the most important result of the battle.

Kutuzov did not make any orders during the battle: he knew that the outcome of the battle was decided by “an elusive force called the spirit of the army,” and he led this force “as far as it was in his power.” When adjutant Wolzogen comes to the commander-in-chief with news from Barclay that the left flank is upset and the troops are fleeing, Kutuzov furiously attacks him, claiming that the enemy has been repulsed everywhere and that tomorrow there will be an offensive. And this mood of Kutuzov is transmitted to the soldiers.

After the Battle of Borodino, Russian troops retreat to Fili; The main issue that military leaders are discussing is the issue of protecting Moscow. Kutuzov, realizing that there is no way to defend Moscow, gives the order to retreat. At the same time, Rostopchin, not understanding the meaning of what was happening, ascribes to himself a leading role in the abandonment and fire of Moscow - that is, in an event that could not have happened by the will of one person and could not fail to happen in the circumstances of that time. He advises Pierre to leave Moscow, reminding him of his connection with the Freemasons, gives the merchant son Vereshchagin to the crowd to be torn to pieces and leaves Moscow. The French enter Moscow. Napoleon stands on Poklonnaya Hill, awaiting the deputation of the boyars and playing out magnanimous scenes in his imagination; they report to him that Moscow is empty.

On the eve of leaving Moscow, the Rostovs were preparing to leave. When the carts were already packed, one of the wounded officers (the day before several wounded had been taken into the house by the Rostovs) asked permission to go further with the Rostovs in their cart. The Countess initially objected - after all, the last fortune was being lost - but Natasha convinced her parents to give all the carts to the wounded, and leave most of the things. Among the wounded officers who were traveling with the Rostovs from Moscow was Andrei Bolkonsky. In Mytishchi, during the next stop, Natasha entered the room where Prince Andrei was lying. Since then, she looked after him on all vacations and overnight stays.

Pierre did not leave Moscow, but left his home and began to live in the house of Bazdeev’s widow. Even before his trip to Borodino, he learned from one of the Freemason brothers that the Apocalypse predicted the invasion of Napoleon; he began to calculate the meaning of the name of Napoleon (“the beast” from the Apocalypse), and the number was equal to 666; the same amount was obtained from the numerical value of his name. This is how Pierre discovered his destiny - to kill Napoleon. He remains in Moscow and prepares for a great feat. When the French enter Moscow, officer Rambal and his orderly come to Bazdeev’s house. Bazdeev's crazy brother, who lived in the same house, shoots Rambal, but Pierre snatches the gun from him. During dinner, Rambal openly tells Pierre about himself, about his love affairs; Pierre tells the Frenchman the story of his love for Natasha. The next morning he goes to the city, no longer really believing his intention to kill Napoleon, saves the girl, stands up for the Armenian family, which is being robbed by the French; he is arrested by a detachment of French lancers.

Volume four

St. Petersburg life, “concerned only with ghosts, reflections of life,” went on as before. Anna Pavlovna Scherer had an evening at which a letter from Metropolitan Plato to the sovereign was read and the illness of Helen Bezukhova was discussed. The next day, news was received about the abandonment of Moscow; after some time, Colonel Michaud arrived from Kutuzov with news of the abandonment and fire of Moscow; During a conversation with Michaud, Alexander said that he himself would stand at the head of his army, but would not sign peace. Meanwhile, Napoleon sends Loriston to Kutuzov with a peace proposal, but Kutuzov refuses “any deal.” The Tsar demands offensive action, and, despite Kutuzov’s reluctance, the Battle of Tarutino was given.

On an autumn night, Kutuzov receives news that the French have left Moscow. Until the very expulsion of the enemy from the borders of Russia, all of Kutuzov’s activities are aimed only at keeping troops from useless offensives and clashes with the dying enemy. The French army melts as it retreats; Kutuzov, on the way from Krasny to the main apartment, addresses the soldiers and officers: “While they were strong, we did not feel sorry for ourselves, but now we can feel sorry for them. They are people too." Intrigues against the commander-in-chief do not stop, and in Vilna the sovereign reprimands Kutuzov for his slowness and mistakes. Nevertheless, Kutuzov was awarded George I degree. But in the upcoming campaign - already outside Russia - Kutuzov is not needed. “The representative of the people's war had no choice but death. And he died."

Nikolai Rostov goes for repairs (to buy horses for the division) to Voronezh, where he meets Princess Marya; he again has thoughts about marrying her, but he is bound by the promise he made to Sonya. Unexpectedly, he receives a letter from Sonya, in which she returns his word to him (the letter was written at the insistence of the Countess). Princess Marya, having learned that her brother is in Yaroslavl, with the Rostovs, goes to see him. She sees Natasha, her grief and feels closeness between herself and Natasha. She finds her brother in a state where he already knows that he will die. Natasha understood the meaning of the turning point that occurred in Prince Andrei shortly before her sister’s arrival: she tells Princess Marya that Prince Andrei is “too good, he cannot live.” When Prince Andrei died, Natasha and Princess Marya felt “reverent tenderness” before the mystery of death.

The arrested Pierre is brought to the guardhouse, where he is kept along with other detainees; he is interrogated by French officers, then he is interrogated by Marshal Davout. Davout was known for his cruelty, but when Pierre and the French marshal exchanged glances, they both vaguely felt that they were brothers. This look saved Pierre. He, along with others, was taken to the place of execution, where the French shot five, and Pierre and the rest of the prisoners were taken to the barracks. The spectacle of the execution had a terrible effect on Bezukhov, in his soul “everything fell into a heap of meaningless rubbish.” A neighbor in the barracks (his name was Platon Karataev) fed Pierre and calmed him down with his gentle speech. Pierre forever remembered Karataev as the personification of everything “Russian good and round.” Plato sews shirts for the French and several times notices that among the French there are different people. A party of prisoners is taken out of Moscow, and together with the retreating army they walk along the Smolensk road. During one of the transitions, Karataev falls ill and is killed by the French. After this, Bezukhov, at a rest stop, has a dream in which he sees a ball, the surface of which consists of drops. Drops move, move; “Here he is, Karataev, spilled over and disappeared,” Pierre dreams. The next morning, a detachment of prisoners was repulsed by Russian partisans.

Denisov, the commander of a partisan detachment, is going to unite with a small detachment of Dolokhov to attack a large French transport with Russian prisoners. A messenger arrives from a German general, the head of a large detachment, with an offer to join for joint action against the French. This messenger was Petya Rostov, who remained for the day in Denisov’s detachment. Petya sees Tikhon Shcherbaty, a man who went to “take the tongue” and escaped pursuit, returning to the detachment. Dolokhov arrives and, together with Petya Rostov, goes on reconnaissance to the French. When Petya returns to the detachment, he asks the Cossack to sharpen his saber; he almost falls asleep and dreams of music. The next morning, the detachment attacks a French transport, and during a shootout Petya dies. Among the captured prisoners was Pierre.

After his release, Pierre is in Oryol - he is sick, the physical deprivations he experienced are taking their toll, but mentally he feels a freedom he has never experienced before. He learns about the death of his wife, that Prince Andrei was alive for another month after being wounded. Arriving in Moscow, Pierre goes to Princess Marya, where he meets Natasha. After the death of Prince Andrei, Natasha became isolated in her grief; She is brought out of this state by the news of Petya’s death. She does not leave her mother for three weeks, and only she can ease the countess’s grief. When Princess Marya leaves for Moscow, Natasha, at the insistence of her father, goes with her. Pierre discusses with Princess Marya the possibility of happiness with Natasha; Natasha also awakens in love for Pierre.

Epilogue

Seven years have passed. Natasha marries Pierre in 1813. The old Count Rostov dies. Nikolai retires, accepts the inheritance - there are twice as many debts as estates. He, along with his mother and Sonya, settles in Moscow, in a modest apartment. Having met Princess Marya, he tries to be reserved and dry with her (the thought of marrying a rich bride is unpleasant to him), but an explanation occurs between them, and in the fall of 1814 Rostov marries Princess Bolkonskaya. They move to Bald Mountains; Nikolai skillfully manages the household and soon pays off his debts. Sonya lives in his house; “she, like a cat, has taken root not with people, but with the house.”

In December 1820, Natasha and her children visited her brother. They are waiting for Pierre's arrival from St. Petersburg. Pierre arrives and brings gifts for everyone. In the office, a conversation takes place between Pierre, Denisov (he is also visiting the Rostovs) and Nikolai, Pierre is a member of a secret society; he talks about bad government and the need for change. Nikolai does not agree with Pierre and says that he cannot accept the secret society. During the conversation, Nikolenka Bolkonsky, the son of Prince Andrei, is present. At night he dreams that he and Uncle Pierre, wearing helmets, as in Plutarch’s book, are walking ahead of a huge army. Nikolenka wakes up with thoughts of her father and future glory.

Retold

From the end of 1811, increased armament and concentration of forces in Western Europe began, and in 1812 these forces - millions of people (counting those who transported and fed the army) moved from West to East, to the borders of Russia, to which, in the same way, In 1811, the forces of Russia were gathering. On June 12, the forces of Western Europe crossed the borders of Russia, and war began, that is, an event contrary to human reason and all human nature took place...

On May 29, Napoleon left Dresden, where he stayed for three weeks, surrounded by a court made up of princes, dukes, kings and even one emperor... He rode in a road carriage drawn by six, surrounded by pages, adjutants and an escort, along the highway to Posen, Thorn, Danzig and Königsberg. In each of these cities, thousands of people greeted him with awe and delight.

The army moved from west to east, and the variable gears carried him there. On June 10, he caught up with the army and spent the night in the Vilkovysy forest, in an apartment prepared for him, on the estate of a Polish count. The next day, Napoleon, having overtaken the army, drove up to the Neman in a carriage and, in order to inspect the area of ​​the crossing, changed into a Polish uniform and went ashore...

Seeing the Cossacks and the spreading steppes "..." on the other side, Napoleon, unexpectedly for everyone and contrary to both strategic and diplomatic considerations, ordered an offensive, and the next day his troops began to cross the Neman...

Meanwhile, the Russian emperor had already lived in Vilna for more than a month, making reviews and maneuvers. Nothing was ready for the war that everyone expected and for which the emperor came from St. Petersburg to prepare. There was no general plan of action... The longer the emperor lived in Vilna, the less and less they prepared for war, tired of waiting for it. All the aspirations of the people surrounding the sovereign seemed to be aimed only at making the sovereign, while having a pleasant time, forget about the upcoming war.

In June, one of the Polish adjutant generals decided to give lunch to the Tsar. The Emperor agreed, and on the day when Napoleon gave the order to the troops to cross the Neman and his advanced troops, pushing back the Cossacks, crossed the Russian border, Alexander spent the evening in the country house of Count Bennigsen, a landowner of the Vilna province. Helen Bezukhova was present at the ball. She was honored to dance with the sovereign and attracted his attention. Boris Drubetskoy, leaving his wife in Moscow, took an active part in preparing the ball. Boris by this time had become a rich man who occupied a strong position in society and in the service.

At the height of the celebration, Adjutant General Balashev, one of the Russian emperor’s close associates, arrived at the ball with the news that the French had crossed the Russian border. Boris accidentally heard that Napoleon entered Russia without declaring war. The next day, Alexander sent a letter to the French emperor, in which he expressed the hope that he would come to his senses and withdraw his troops from Russia.

Balashev entered a small reception room, from which there was one door to an office, the very office from which the Russian emperor sent him. Balashev stood there for about two minutes, waiting. Hasty steps were heard outside the door. Both halves of the door quickly opened, the chamberlain who opened it stopped respectfully, waiting, everything became quiet, and other, firm, decisive steps sounded from the office: it was Napoleon. He just finished his riding toilet...

He nodded his head, responding to Balashev’s low and respectful bow, and, approaching him, immediately began to speak like a man who treasures every minute of his time and does not deign to prepare his speeches, but is confident in what he will always say good and what needs to be said... It was obvious that he was not at all interested in Balashev’s personality. It was clear that only what was happening in his soul was of interest to him. Everything that was outside of him did not matter to him, because everything in the world, as it seemed to him, depended only on his will.

In a conversation with Balashev, Napoleon, with his characteristic harshness, said that he did not want and does want war, but he was forced into it. After this, he clearly and briefly stated the reasons for his dissatisfaction with the actions of the Russian government.

Judging by the moderately calm and friendly tone with which the French emperor spoke, Balashev was firmly convinced that he wanted peace and intended to enter into negotiations...

Having expressed everything that was ordered to him, Balashev said that Emperor Alexander wants peace, but will not begin negotiations except on the condition that the French troops retreat beyond the Neman.

You say that they require me to retreat beyond the Neman to begin negotiations; but they demanded of me in exactly the same way two months ago to retreat beyond the Oder and the Vistula, and, despite this, you agree to negotiate... Such proposals as clearing the Oder and the Vistula can be made to the Prince of Baden, and not to me , - completely unexpectedly for himself, Napoleon almost screamed. - If you had given me St. Petersburg and Moscow, I would not have accepted these conditions. Are you saying I started the war? Who came to the army first? - Emperor Alexander, not me. And you offer me negotiations when I have spent millions, while you are in an alliance with England and when your position is bad - you offer me negotiations! What is the purpose of your alliance with England? What did she give you? - he said hastily...

To each of Napoleon’s phrases, Balashev wanted and had something to object to; He constantly made the movement of a man who wanted to say something, but Napoleon interrupted him.

Know that if you shake Prussia against me, know that I will erase it from the map of Europe,” he said with a pale face distorted with anger, striking the other with an energetic gesture of one small hand. - Yes, I will throw you beyond the Dvina, beyond the Dnieper and will restore against you that barrier that Europe was criminal and blind for allowing to be destroyed. Yes, that’s what will happen to you, that’s what you won by moving away from me,” he said and silently walked around the room several times, trembling his thick shoulders.

After everything that Napoleon told him, Balashev was sure that Napoleon would not want to see him, but on the same day he was invited to dinner with the emperor.

The letter brought by Balashev was Napoleon's last letter to Alexander. All the details of the conversation were conveyed to the Russian emperor, and the war began.

After a meeting with Pierre in Moscow, Prince Andrei went to St. Petersburg. He told his family that he was going on business, but in fact he was going to find Anatole and challenge him to a duel. However, Kuragin had already left St. Petersburg, having received an appointment to the Moldavian army.

In the 12th year, when news of the war with Napoleon reached Bukarest (where Kutuzov lived for two months, spending days and nights with his Wallachian), Prince Andrei asked Kutuzov to transfer to the Western Army. Kutuzov, who was already tired of Bolkonsky with his activities, which served as a reproach for his idleness, Kutuzov very willingly let him go and gave him an assignment to Barclay de Tolly.

Before going to the army, which was in the Drissa camp in May, Prince Andrei stopped at Bald Mountains, which were on his very road, being three miles from the Smolensk highway... Princess Marya was still the same timid, ugly, aging girl, in fear and eternal moral suffering, living the best years of her life without benefit and joy... Only Nikolushka grew up, changed, became flushed, acquired curly dark hair and, without knowing it, laughing and having fun, raised the upper lip of his pretty mouth just like that the same way the deceased little princess raised her...

The old prince said that if he was sick, it was only because of Princess Marya; that she deliberately torments and irritates him; that she spoils little Prince Nikolai with self-indulgence and stupid speeches. The old prince knew very well that he was torturing his daughter, that her life was very hard, but he also knew that he could not help but torment her and that she deserved it...

Andrei arrived at army headquarters at the end of June. Everyone was dissatisfied with the general course of military affairs in the Russian army, but no one thought about the danger of a French invasion into the center of Russia. Having toured the fortified camp, Andrei got an idea of ​​the current situation in the army. At headquarters there were about a dozen parties with divergent views on the war. The first party was represented by Pfuel and his followers, theorists who “believe that there is a science of war and that this science has its own immutable laws.” The second game was the opposite of the first. Its members, on the contrary, demanded that nothing be drawn up in advance, but believed that it was necessary to get involved in a fight and decide everything as events unfolded. The third group included the Russians - Bagration, Ermolov, who was beginning to rise, and others. They were convinced that “we must not think, not prick the map with needles, but fight, beat the enemy, not let him into Russia, and not let the army lose heart.”

Of all these parties, one stood out, which included old, sensible, “state-experienced” people. They believed that everything bad comes mainly from the presence of a sovereign with a military court attached to the army. Representatives of this group wrote a letter to the sovereign, which Balashev (a close associate of the sovereign, who delivered Alexander’s letter to Napoleon) and Arakcheev agreed to sign. The sovereign complied with their request and drew up a manifesto containing an appeal to the people, after which he left the post of commander-in-chief.

Before the opening of the campaign, Rostov received a letter from his parents, in which, briefly informing him about Natasha’s illness and about the break with Prince Andrei (this break was explained to him by Natasha’s refusal), they again asked him to resign and come home. Nikolai, having received this letter, did not try to ask for leave or resignation, but wrote to his parents that he was very sorry about Natasha’s illness and breakup with her fiancé and that he would do everything possible to fulfill their wishes. He wrote to Sonya separately.

Having returned from vacation, Nikolai was promoted to captain and received his former squadron.

The campaign began, the regiment was moved to Poland, double pay was given, new officers, new people, horses arrived; and, most importantly, that excited and cheerful mood that accompanies the beginning of war spread; and Rostov, aware of his advantageous position in the regiment, completely devoted himself to the pleasures and interests of military service, although he knew that sooner or later he would have to leave them.

The troops retreated from Vilna for various complex state, political and tactical reasons... For the hussars of the Pavlograd regiment, this entire retreat campaign, in the best part of summer, with sufficient food, was the simplest and most fun thing...

On July 13, the Pavlograd residents had to deal with a serious matter for the first time... On the night of July 12, the night before the matter, there was a strong storm with rain and thunderstorms... At three o'clock no one had yet fallen asleep when the sergeant appeared with the order to march to the town of Ostrovna... The officers hastily began to gather... Half an hour later the formed squadron stood on the road.

Previously, Rostov, going into business, was afraid; Now he did not feel the slightest sense of fear. It was not because he was not afraid that he was accustomed to fire (you can’t get used to danger), but because he had learned to control his soul in the face of danger... He was now riding next to Ilyin between the birch trees, occasionally tearing leaves from the branches... All lit up and sparkled. And along with this light, as if answering it, gun shots were heard ahead.

Before Rostov had time to think about and determine how far these shots were, the adjutant of Count Osterman-Tolstoy galloped up from Vitebsk with the order to trot along the road... Rostov, with his keen hunting eye, was one of the first to see these blue French dragoons pursuing our lancers. The lancers and the French dragoons pursuing them moved closer and closer in upset crowds... Rostov looked at what was happening in front of him as if he were being hunted...

He touched his horse, gave the command, and at the same moment, hearing behind him the sound of the stomping of his deployed squadron, at full trot, he began to descend towards the dragoons down the mountain. As soon as they went downhill, their trot gait involuntarily turned into a gallop, which became faster and faster as they approached their lancers and the French dragoons galloping behind them. The dragoons were close. The front ones, seeing the hussars, began to turn back, the rear ones stopped. With the feeling with which he rushed across the wolf, Rostov, releasing his bottom at full speed, galloped across the frustrated ranks of the French dragoons. One lancer stopped, one foot fell to the ground so as not to be crushed, one horse without a rider got mixed up with the hussars. Almost all the French dragoons galloped back. Rostov, having chosen one of them on a gray horse, set off after him. On the way he ran into a bush; a good horse carried him over, and, barely able to cope in the saddle, Nikolai saw that in a few moments he would catch up with the enemy whom he had chosen as his target. This Frenchman was probably an officer - judging by his uniform, he was bent over and galloping on his gray horse, urging it on with his saber. A moment later, Rostov’s horse hit the rear of the officer’s horse with its chest, almost knocking it down, and at the same moment Rostov, without knowing why, raised his saber and hit the Frenchman with it.

The instant he did this, all the animation in Rostov suddenly disappeared. The officer fell not so much from the blow of the saber, which only slightly cut his arm above the elbow, but from the push of the horse and from fear. Rostov, holding back his horse, looked for his enemy with his eyes to see whom he had defeated. The French dragoon officer was jumping on the ground with one foot, the other was caught in the stirrup. He, squinting in fear, as if expecting a new blow every second, wrinkled his face and looked up at Rostov with an expression of horror.

In a hurry, he wanted and could not untangle his leg from the stirrup and, without taking his frightened blue eyes off, looked at Rostov. The hussars jumped up and freed his leg and put him on the saddle. Hussars from different sides fiddled with the dragoons: one was wounded, but, with his face covered in blood, did not give up his horse; the other, hugging the hussar, sat on the croup of his horse; the third climbed, supported by the hussar, onto his horse. The French infantry ran ahead, shooting. The hussars hastily galloped back with their prisoners. Rostov galloped back with the others, experiencing some kind of unpleasant feeling that squeezed his heart. Something unclear, confusing, which he could not explain to himself, was revealed to him by the capture of this officer and the blow he dealt him.

Count Osterman-Tolstoy met the returning hussars, called Rostov, thanked him and said that he would tell the sovereign about his brave deed and would ask for the St. George Cross for him... Rostov still felt awkward and ashamed of something... He still I thought about this brilliant feat of mine, which, to his surprise, bought him the St. George Cross and even made him a reputation as a brave man - and he just couldn’t understand something.

The Rostovs were in Moscow at that time. The Countess, having received news of Natasha's illness, moved with her entire family to Moscow, and the whole family moved from Marya Dmitrievna to their own house. Natasha was seriously ill, and all other problems, in particular her action and the break with her fiancé, receded into the background. Everyone was thinking only about how to help her. Doctors constantly observed Natasha, and in the summer of 1812 the Rostovs did not go to the village.

The signs of Natasha's illness were that she ate little, slept little, coughed and never perked up. The doctors said that the patient could not be left without medical care, and therefore they kept her in the stuffy air in the city... Despite the large number of swallowed pills, drops and powders from jars and boxes, despite the absence of the usual village life, youth took its toll: grief Natasha began to be covered with a layer of impressions from the life she had lived, it stopped lying with such excruciating pain on her heart, it began to become a thing of the past, and Natasha began to physically recover...

Natasha was calmer, but not more cheerful. She not only avoided all external conditions of joy: balls, skating, concerts, the theater; but she never laughed so hard that tears could not be heard from her laughter. She couldn't sing. As soon as she began to laugh or tried to sing to herself alone, tears choked her: tears of repentance, tears of memories of that irrevocable, pure time; tears of frustration that she had ruined her young life, which could have been so happy, for nothing. Laughter and singing especially seemed to her a blasphemy over her grief... But she had to live.

At the beginning of July, rumors spread in Moscow about the war and the arrival of the sovereign from the army to Moscow. The manifesto and appeal drawn up by Alexander were received on July 11, and before that the rumors were greatly exaggerated. The Rostovs went to church on Sunday. Natasha, gradually returning to life, prayed for all her neighbors.

In the middle of the service, the priest began to read a prayer for the salvation of Russia from enemy invasion, which he had just received from the Synod. This prayer had a strong effect on Natasha. She listened to every word and felt tremulous horror of the punishment that befell people for their sins, and asked God to give everyone and her happiness and peace in life.

From the very time when Pierre saw the comet and felt that something new was opening up for him, the eternal question about the meaning of life, “about the futility and madness of everything earthly” ceased to occupy him. This question, which he had previously thought about during any activity, was now “replaced for him by the idea of ​​her (Natasha).”

Whether he heard or carried on insignificant conversations, whether he read or learned about the meanness and senselessness of people, he was not horrified as before; did not ask himself why people were fussing when everything was so brief and unknown, but he remembered her in the form in which he had seen her for the last time, and all his doubts disappeared, not because she answered the questions that presented themselves to him , but because the idea of ​​her transported him instantly to another, bright area of ​​mental activity, in which there could be no right or wrong, to the area of ​​beauty and love, for which it was worth living. No matter what everyday abomination presented itself to him, he said to himself:

“Well, let such and such rob the state and the tsar, and the state and the tsar give him honors; and yesterday she smiled at me and asked me to come, and I love her, and no one will ever know this,” he thought.

Pierre still went out into society, drank a lot and led an idle life. But in recent days, when increasingly alarming rumors about the progress of military operations came to Moscow, when Natasha’s health began to improve and he no longer felt the same feeling of pity for her, Pierre began to feel an incomprehensible feeling of anxiety. He felt that the situation in which he now found himself could not last long, that a catastrophe was approaching that would change his whole life, and he impatiently looked for signs of this catastrophe.

Pierre, on the eve of that Sunday on which the prayer was read, promised the Rostovs to bring them from Count Rostopchin, with whom he was well acquainted, both an appeal to Russia and the latest news from the army. In the morning, having stopped by Count Rastopchin, Pierre found him having just arrived a courier from the army.

The courier was one of the Moscow ballroom dancers Pierre knew.

For God's sake, can you make me feel better? - said the courier, - my bag is full of letters to my parents.

Among these letters was a letter from Nikolai Rostov to his father. Pierre took this letter. In addition, Count Rastopchin gave Pierre the sovereign’s appeal to Moscow, just printed, the latest orders for the army and his latest poster. Having looked through the orders for the army, Pierre found in one of them, between the news of the wounded, killed and awarded, the name of Nikolai Rostov, awarded George 4th degree for his bravery in the Ostrovnensky case, and in the same order the appointment of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky as commander of the Jaeger regiment. Although he did not want to remind the Rostovs about Bolkonsky, Pierre could not resist the desire to please them with the news of his son’s award and, leaving with him the appeal, poster and other orders, in order to bring them to dinner himself, he sent a printed order and a letter to Rostov.

One of the Freemason brothers, after Napoleon’s entry into Russia, told Pierre that the Apocalypse says: “a beast in human form will come and its number will be 666, and its limit is set at 42.” If all French letters are designated in alphabetical order by numbers (from 1 to 10, and then in tens - 20; 30; 40, etc.), then by writing “Emperor Napoleon” in French, substituting numbers instead of letters and adding them up, it will be 666. If we write “forty-two” in French and also add the sum of the numbers, replacing the letters with them, we will also get 666. In 1812, Napoleon turned 42 years old, it turns out that the Antichrist is Napoleon, and his end will come precisely in 1812. Lost in thought, Pierre tried to calculate the sum of the numbers in his own first and last name, but did not get 666. After a long adjustment, he still succeeded - Pierre wrote “Russian Bezukhov” in French, substituted the article in violation of grammar and got the required result.

Having achieved what he was striving for, Pierre began to think about his destiny, that this coincidence was not accidental and that it was he who was destined to become the liberator of the world from the Antichrist, that is, from Napoleon. Pierre had long wanted to enlist in military service, but the beliefs of the Freemasons, who preached eternal peace and the abolition of war, prevented this. In addition, many Muscovites took a similar step, and Pierre was for some reason ashamed to act like everyone else. However, he was convinced that the sum of the numbers in the phrases “Russian Bezukhov” and “Emperor Napoleon” is equal to 666, everything is predetermined, which means that nothing needs to be done, you just have to wait until the destiny is fulfilled.

At the Rostovs', as always on Sundays, some of their close acquaintances dined. Pierre arrived earlier to find them alone. Pierre had gained so much weight this year that he would have been ugly if he had not been so tall, large in limbs, and so strong that he obviously carried his weight easily.

The first face he saw from the Rostovs was Natasha. Even before he saw her, he, taking off his cloak in the hall, heard her. She sang solfege in the hall. He knew that she had not sung since her illness, and therefore the sound of her voice surprised and delighted him. He quietly opened the door and saw Natasha in her purple dress, which she had worn at mass, walking around the room and singing. She walked backwards towards him when he opened the door, but when she turned sharply and saw his fat, surprised face, she blushed and quickly approached him.

“I want to try singing again,” she said. “It’s still a job,” she added, as if apologizing.

And great.

I'm so glad you came! I'm so happy today! - she said with the same animation that Pierre had not seen in her for a long time. - You know, Nicolas received the St. George Cross. I'm so proud of him.

Well, I sent an order. Well, I don’t want to disturb you,” he added and wanted to go into the living room.

Natasha stopped him.

Count, is it bad that I sing? - she said, blushing, but without taking her eyes off, looking questioningly at Pierre.

No... Why? On the contrary... But why are you asking me?

“I don’t know myself,” Natasha quickly answered, “but I wouldn’t want to do anything that you wouldn’t like.” I believe you in everything. You don’t know how important you are to me and how much you have done for me!.. - She spoke quickly and not noticing how Pierre blushed at these words. - I saw in the same order he, Bolkonsky (she said this word quickly, in a whisper), he is in Russia and is serving again. “Do you think,” she said quickly, apparently in a hurry to speak because she was afraid for her strength, “will he ever forgive me?” Will he have any ill feelings against me? How do you think? How do you think?

I think... - said Pierre. - He has nothing to forgive... If I were in his place... - Through the connection of memories, Pierre’s imagination instantly transported him to the time when, comforting her, he told her that if he were not him, but a better person in peace and free, then he would be on his knees asking for her hand, and the same feeling of pity, tenderness, love would overcome him, and the same words would be on his lips. But she didn't give him time to say them.

Yes, you, you,” she said, pronouncing this word you with delight, “is another matter.” I don’t know a kinder, more generous, better person than you, and there cannot be one. If you had not been there then, and even now, I don’t know what would have happened to me, because... - Tears suddenly poured into her eyes; she turned, raised the notes to her eyes, began to sing and began to walk around the hall again...

After dinner, the count sat quietly in a chair and with a serious face asked Sonya, famous for her reading skills, to read (the manifesto)...

Natasha sat stretched out, searchingly and directly looking first at her father, then at Pierre.

Pierre felt her gaze on him and tried not to look back... Having read about the dangers threatening Russia, about the hopes placed by the sovereign on Moscow, and especially on the famous nobility, Sonya, with a trembling of her voice, which came mainly from the attention with which they listened to her, I read the last words...

Pierre was confused and indecisive. Natasha's unusually brilliant and animated eyes, constantly turning to him more than affectionately, brought him into this state.

No, I think I'll go home...

Why are you leaving? Why are you upset? Why?..” Natasha asked Pierre, looking defiantly into his eyes.

“Because I love you!” - he wanted to say, but he didn’t say it, he blushed until he cried and lowered his eyes.

Because it’s better for me to visit you less often... Because... no, I just have business.

From what? no, tell me,” Natasha began decisively and suddenly fell silent. They both looked at each other in fear and confusion. He tried to grin, but could not: his smile expressed suffering, and he silently kissed her hand and left. Pierre decided not to visit the Rostovs with himself anymore.

Petya Rostov, who had already turned fifteen, on the day when Sonya read the manifesto, announced that he, like his brother, wanted to go to war, but his parents resolutely refused him. On this day, the emperor arrived in Moscow, and several of the Rostov courtyards decided to go and see the king. Petya also wanted to go to where the sovereign was and announce to some chamberlain his desire to serve in the army. The entire area was occupied by people. When the emperor appeared, the crowd moved forward, and Petya was squeezed from all sides so that he could not breathe.

Petya, not remembering himself, gritting his teeth and brutally rolling his eyes, rushed in front, working with his elbows and shouting “Hurray!”, as if he was ready to beat himself and everyone at that moment, but exactly the same brutal faces climbed from his sides with the same shouts of “hurray!”...

The crowd ran after the sovereign, accompanied him to the palace and began to disperse. It was already late, and Petya had not eaten anything, and sweat poured from him like hail; but he did not go home and, together with a diminished, but still quite large crowd, stood in front of the palace, during the sovereign’s dinner, looking out the windows of the palace, expecting something else and equally envying the dignitaries who were driving up to the porch - for the sovereign’s dinner, and the cameras -the footmen who served at the table and flashed through the windows.

No matter how happy Petya was, he was still sad to go home and know that all the pleasure of that day was over. From the Kremlin, Petya did not go home, but to his comrade Obolensky, who was fifteen years old and who also joined the regiment. Returning home, he resolutely and firmly announced that if they didn’t let him in, he would run away. And the next day, although he had not yet completely given up, Count Ilya Andreich went to find out how to settle Petya somewhere safer.

Three days later, a meeting of the large Assembly of Nobility took place. Pierre listened to the arguments of those present, trying to interject that although he was ready to donate money to the militia, he would like to find out from the military or from the sovereign himself what the proposed campaign plan was, in what condition the troops were, etc. Pierre was hit by a flurry of indignation from those gathered, and he was forced to remain silent. In the midst of the controversy, the emperor appeared. He addressed those present with a speech about the danger the state was in and the hopes he had for the nobility. When the sovereign fell silent, enthusiastic exclamations were heard from all sides. Moved by the speech, the members of the meeting unanimously began to donate. From the hall of the nobility the king moved to the hall of the merchants. Pierre, succumbing to the general impulse, heard that one of the counts was donating a regiment, and announced that he was giving “a thousand people and their maintenance.” Old Rostov, who was also present at the meeting, returned home, agreed to Petya’s request and himself went to enroll him in the army. The next day the sovereign left, and all the nobles present at the meeting gave orders to the managers about the militia.

PART ONE

I

From the end of 1811, increased armament and concentration of forces in Western Europe began, and in 1812 these forces - millions of people (counting those who transported and fed the army) moved from West to East, to the borders of Russia, to which, in the same way, In 1811, the forces of Russia were gathering. On June 12, the forces of Western Europe crossed the borders of Russia, and war began, that is, an event contrary to human reason and all human nature took place. Millions of people committed each other, against each other, such countless atrocities, deceptions, betrayals, thefts, forgeries and the issuance of false banknotes, robberies, arson and murders, which for centuries will not be collected by the chronicle of all the courts of the world and for which, during this period of time, people those who committed them did not look at them as crimes.

What caused this extraordinary event? What were the reasons for it? Historians say with naive confidence that the reasons for this event were the insult inflicted on the Duke of Oldenburg, non-compliance with the continental system, Napoleon's lust for power, Alexander's firmness, diplomatic mistakes, etc.

Consequently, it was only necessary for Metternich, Rumyantsev or Talleyrand, between the exit and the reception, to try hard and write a more skillful piece of paper, or for Napoleon to write to Alexander: Monsieur mon frere, je consens a rendre le duche au duc d "Oldenbourg, [ My lord brother, I agree to return the dukedom to the Duke of Oldenburg . ] - and there would be no war.

It is clear that this was how the matter seemed to contemporaries. It is clear that Napoleon thought that the cause of the war was the intrigues of England (as he said on the island of St. Helena); It is clear that it seemed to the members of the English House that the cause of the war was Napoleon’s lust for power; that it seemed to the Prince of Oldenburg that the cause of the war was the violence committed against him; that it seemed to the merchants that the cause of the war was the continental system that was ruining Europe, that it seemed to the old soldiers and generals that the main reason was the need to use them in business; legitimists of the time that it was necessary to restore les bons principes [ good principles ] , and to the diplomats of that time that everything happened because the alliance of Russia with Austria in 1809 was not skillfully hidden from Napoleon and that memorandum No. 178 was awkwardly written. It is clear that these and countless more, an infinite number of reasons, the number which depended on countless differences in points of view, it seemed to contemporaries; but for us, our descendants, who contemplate the enormity of the event in its entirety and delve into its simple and terrible meaning, these reasons seem insufficient. It is incomprehensible to us that millions of Christian people killed and tortured each other, because Napoleon was power-hungry, Alexander was firm, England’s politics were cunning and the Duke of Oldenburg was offended. It is impossible to understand what connection these circumstances have with the very fact of murder and violence; why, due to the fact that the duke was offended, thousands of people from the other side of Europe killed and ruined the people of the Smolensk and Moscow provinces and were killed by them.

For us, descendants - not historians, not carried away by the process of research and therefore contemplating the event with unobscured common sense, its causes appear in innumerable quantities. The more we delve into the search for reasons, the more of them are revealed to us, and every single reason or a whole series of reasons seems to us equally fair in itself, and equally false in its insignificance in comparison with the enormity of the event, and equally false in its invalidity ( without the participation of all other coincident causes) to produce the accomplished event. The same reason as Napoleon’s refusal to withdraw his troops beyond the Vistula and give back the Duchy of Oldenburg seems to us to be the desire or reluctance of the first French corporal to enter secondary service: for, if he did not want to go to service, and another would not, and a third , and the thousandth corporal and soldier, there would have been so many fewer people in Napoleon’s army, and there could have been no war.

If Napoleon had not been offended by the demand to retreat beyond the Vistula and had not ordered the troops to advance, there would have been no war; but if all the sergeants had not wished to enter secondary service, there could not have been a war. There also could not have been a war if there had not been the intrigues of England, and there had not been the Prince of Oldenburg and the feeling of insult in Alexander, and there would have been no autocratic power in Russia, and there would have been no French Revolution and the subsequent dictatorship and empire, and all that , which produced the French Revolution, and so on. Without one of these reasons nothing could happen. Therefore, all these reasons - billions of reasons - coincided in order to produce what was. And, therefore, nothing was the exclusive cause of the event, and the event had to happen only because it had to happen. Millions of people, having renounced their human feelings and their reason, had to go to the East from the West and kill their own kind, just as several centuries ago crowds of people went from East to West, killing their own kind.

The actions of Napoleon and Alexander, on whose words it seemed that an event would happen or not happen, depended as little as arbitrary as the action of each soldier who went on a campaign by lot or recruitment. This could not be otherwise because in order for the will of Napoleon and Alexander (those people on whom the event seemed to depend) to be fulfilled, the coincidence of countless circumstances was necessary, without one of which the event could not have happened. It was necessary that millions of people, in whose hands there was real power, soldiers who fired, carried provisions and guns, it was necessary that they agreed to fulfill this will of individual and weak people and were brought to this by countless complex, varied reasons.

• Natalia Rostova– in this part, this heroine is shown as a selfless girl who, seeing the situation of the wounded, convinces her parents to sacrifice carts for them. When, due to the war, the Rostov family was forced to leave Moscow, Natasha found out that in one of the huts in the village of Mytishchi, where they were temporarily staying, there was a wounded Andrei Bolkonsky - and began to selflessly look after him.
• Andrey Bolkonsky- this part describes the case of how, after being wounded on the Borodino field, Andrei first ends up at a dressing station, then in the village of Mytishchi. He asks for the Gospel and thinks about the love of God. Here Natalya finds Andrey and selflessly takes care of her loved one.
• Pierre Bezukhov- in this part of the novel “War and Peace” is shown as a person who, having found himself in a war, on the one hand, experiences fear, wanting to be in normal conditions, on the other hand, wants to do, as he believes, a good deed for his Fatherland, destroying main enemy - Napoleon. He fails in this plan. During a fire in Moscow, Pierre Bezukhov participates in the rescue of a three-year-old girl, yielding to the tearful pleas of her mother. He stood up for an Armenian girl, fighting with a Frenchman who was trying to rob her, for which he was captured.
• Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov - the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, who takes care of preserving his army, for the purpose of which, during the Patriotic War of 1812, he orders the retreat of Russian troops from Moscow.
• Count Rastopchin- Moscow Governor General. Under the guise of caring about the people, he simply plays the role of “leader of popular feeling.” Having received an order from Kutuzov to freely conduct the retreat of Russian troops through Moscow, he was unable to organize anything.

Chapter first

In this chapter, Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy talks about the absolute continuity of movement, which is incomprehensible to the human mind.

Chapter two

The goal of the movement of the French army is Moscow, and it rushes towards it with the force of swiftness. The Russian army is forced to retreat, but as it retreats, its bitterness against the enemy grows. When Kutuzov and his entire army were already confident that the Battle of Borodino had been won, news began to arrive about large losses in the detachments of fighters.

Chapter Three

The Russian troops who had retreated from Borodino stood at Fili. Suddenly, Ermolov, who had gone to inspect the positions, informed Kutuzov that there was no way to fight in this position, to which the field marshal reacted with irony, doubting Ermolov’s health.

Kutuzov, getting out of the carriage, sat down on a bench on the edge of the road. He was surrounded by generals, and many made their proposals for protecting Moscow from the enemy. The commander-in-chief, listening to the opinions of those close to him, clearly understood that there was no physical opportunity to protect Moscow from the enemy in the full meaning of these words, and now under no circumstances should one enter into battle, otherwise confusion would occur.

“Did I really allow Napoleon to reach Moscow, and when did I do it?” - Kutuzov worried and suffered from this question, which he so often asked himself. He clearly understood that the Russian troops must leave Moscow, retreat, and the order must be given at all costs.

Chapter Four

In this chapter, the author describes a military council that took place not in a spacious house where generals gathered, but in a simple, albeit the best hut of an ordinary peasant Andrei Savastyanov. His granddaughter, six-year-old Malasha, watched with all her eyes as one by one the generals came to them and sat down under the icons. Kutuzov also came here.

The council still did not begin, because everyone was waiting for Benisgen, who was late under the pretext of inspecting the positions, although in fact the general was having lunch. Finally, he arrived, and Kutuzov, standing up, asked everyone present a question: “Should we leave the sacred and ancient capital of Russia without a fight, or defend it?” Is it necessary to risk the army or give up Moscow without a fight? Debate began, but no consensus was reached. The commander-in-chief ordered a retreat.

Chapter Five

In circumstances that were more important than the retreat of the Russian army - the abandonment of Moscow and the burning of the city after the Battle of Borodino - Rastopchin acted completely differently from Kutuzov. In all the cities of Russia, the people waited with some carelessness for the enemy, without rioting or worrying. As soon as the enemy approached the city, the rich left, abandoning their property, the poor, although they remained, burned everything they had acquired. “It is a shame to run from danger; only cowards are fleeing Moscow,” they were told, but those who understood the situation left, realizing that this was now necessary. Count Rastopchin in this case acted contradictorily: “either he accepted the glory of burning Moscow, then he renounced it, then he ordered the people to catch all the spies and bring them to him...”

Chapter Six

Helen Bezukhova faced a strange task: to maintain close relations with both the nobleman whom she met in St. Petersburg, and with the young prince from abroad - they met in Vilna. She found a way out of the situation, acting not by cunning, but by putting herself in the position of being right, and making others feel guilty. When the foreigner began to reproach her, she proudly declared: “This is the selfishness and cruelty of men! I didn't expect anything better. The woman sacrifices herself to you; she suffers, and this is her reward. Your Highness, what right do you have to demand from me an account of my affections and friendly feelings? This is a man who was more than a father to me...” The young foreigner persuaded Bezukhova to accept the Catholic faith, taking her to church, where she performed certain initiation rites.

Chapter Seven

Helen was afraid that the secular authorities would condemn her conversion to Catholicism, and therefore decided to arouse the jealousy of the nobleman by saying that the only way to gain the right to her was through marriage.

A rumor spread throughout St. Petersburg about which of the two applicants Helen wanted to marry, however, attention was not focused on the fact that before that she would have to divorce her husband. Only Maria Dmitrievna, who came to St. Petersburg, dared to express an opinion that was contrary to the entire society.

Helen’s mother, Princess Kuragina, also doubted the legality of the decision being made regarding the upcoming marriage, but she presented her arguments carefully.

Dear readers! We suggest you read it chapter by chapter.

Having finally made her choice, Helen wrote a letter to Pierre Bezukhov, where she said that she had converted to the Catholic faith and intended to divorce him in order to subsequently marry.

Chapter Eight

Pierre Bezukhov, when he got to the dressing station, saw the blood and heard the groans and screams of the wounded, he was confused. The only thing he wanted now was to be in normal living conditions and fall asleep in his bed.

Having walked about three miles along the big Mozhaisk road, Pierre sat down on the edge of it. Lost in thought, he fell behind his men, but saw soldiers who, having lit a fire, were cooking lard. Taking advantage of the offer to eat, Pierre happily ate what was poured out of the cauldron (the dish was called “kavardachok”). Then the soldiers took him to Mozhaisk and helped him find his own. There was no room in the inn hotels, and so Bezukhov had to lie down in his carriage.

Chapter Nine

As soon as Pierre Bezukhov laid his head on the pillow, it seemed to him that shots of cannons and shells were heard and the groans of the wounded were heard. He realized that, fortunately, it was only a dream. There was silence in the yard. Pierre fell asleep again, and he imagined the words of his benefactor from the Masonic lodge, then Anatole and Dolokhov, who were loudly shouting and singing... The voice of the rider woke him up: “We need to harness, it’s time to harness, your Excellency!”

It turned out that the French had advanced to Mozhaisk and they needed to retreat. Pierre walked through the city on foot and everywhere he saw the suffering of the wounded left behind. On the way, he learned that his brother-in-law had died.

Chapter Ten

When Pierre Bezukhov returned to Moscow, he was met by Count Rastopchin's adjutant, who said that they were looking for him everywhere. Pierre obeyed and, without stopping home, took a cab and went to the commander-in-chief.

In the count's house, both the reception room and the hallway were full of officials. Everyone already knew that it was impossible to defend Moscow and that it would be surrendered to the enemy, and they discussed this topic. While waiting in the reception area to be called, Pierre talked with those present, who expressed their opinions about what was happening.

Chapter Eleven

Finally, Pierre was called to the commander-in-chief. The conversation with Rastopchin was unpleasant, because he gave the example of a certain Klyucharyov, who, under the guise of building a temple, is destroying “the temple of his fatherland.” Rastopchin insisted that Pierre end relations with such people and leave as soon as possible.

Bezukhov left Rastopchin very angry and immediately headed home. There were petitioners waiting for him who wanted to resolve their issues. Reluctantly accepting several of them, Pierre went to bed. The next morning a police official came and asked whether Bezukhov had left or was leaving. Ignoring the people waiting for him in the living room, Pierre quickly got dressed and walked out the back porch through the gate. His family never saw him again.

Chapter Twelve

Until the first of September, that is, until the time when the enemy occupied Moscow, the Rostovs remained in the city. The Countess Mother was very worried about her sons, Petya and Nikolai, who served in the army. The thought that they could die scared the poor woman. And in her dreams she imagined her murdered sons. To reassure Rostov, the count helped ensure that Petya was transferred to Bezukhov’s regiment, which was being formed near Moscow. The Countess hoped that her beloved boy would be closer to home and in duty stations where there was no battle. It seemed to the mother that she did not love any of the children as much as Petya.

Although everyone had already left Moscow, Natalya did not want to hear anything until her treasure returned. But when he arrived on August twenty-eighth, he deliberately treated his mother coldly and avoided her tenderness, so as not to allow himself to be pitied. Petya stayed in the company of his sister Natalya, for whom he had tender brotherly feelings. “From the twenty-eighth to the thirty-first of August, all of Moscow was in trouble and movement. Every day, thousands of wounded in the Battle of Borodino were brought to the Dorogomilovskaya outpost and transported around Moscow, and thousands of carts, with residents and property, went to other outposts...” The Rostovs, who were in trouble and on the move, were also preparing for departure. Sonya was busy putting things away, but was especially sad when she learned that Nikolai had mentioned Princess Marya in his letter. But the Countess was sincerely happy, seeing God’s providence in this and being confident that her son and Marya would unite their destinies.

Petya and Natasha did not help their parents get ready for the trip, but on the contrary, they disturbed everyone. They were cheerful - Petya was in anticipation of new, in his opinion, interesting events related to the battles; Natasha had been sad for too long, but now she had recovered, and there was no more reason for sadness.

Chapter Thirteen

On the last day of August, there was a bustle in the Rostov house associated with the upcoming departure. The doors were opened wide, the furniture was taken out, the paintings were taken down. Natasha could not concentrate on any task, her soul was not in anything.

Natasha, instantly assessing the situation, approached the major and asked permission for the wounded to stay with them. He agreed, but his father’s consent was also needed. Count Rostov reacted absent-mindedly to his daughter’s request, allowing the wounded to be with them, but at the same time insisting on the urgent departure of his family.

Petya Rostov announced at dinner that there would be a big battle on the “Three Mountains” and told him to get ready, which caused great upset to his mother, who did not want her son to go to war again, but could not prevent him in any way, realizing that Petya’s sense of patriotism prevailed even over love for family. He will not want to listen to any arguments.

Chapter fourteen

Countess Rostova's fear was further aggravated by stories about the atrocities that were happening in the city.

After lunch, the Rostovs began to pack their things, preparing for their imminent departure. Everyone took part in this - the adults, Petya, Sonya, and even Natasha, who believed that there was no need to take old dishes and carpets. Because of this, there was a disagreement during the training camp.

No matter how much the Rostovs were in a hurry, the departure had to be postponed until the morning, because not everything was collected by nightfall.

Chapter fifteen

The last day of Moscow was Sunday. It would seem that everything was as before, and only exorbitantly high prices indicated that trouble was approaching and the city would be surrendered to the enemy.

Thirty loaded carts belonging to the Rostovs arrived from the villages, which seemed like enormous wealth to those around them. They even offered huge amounts of money for them. But this was not as important as the fact that servants and orderlies came from wounded officers, asking for help in getting carts to take them out of Moscow. The butler categorically refused, and did not even want to inform the count about this; The countess, having learned that they wanted to take advantage of their carts, began to grumble, reproaching Ilya Andreevich: “they don’t give anything for the house, and now you want to destroy all our children’s fortunes...” This conversation was heard by the countess’s daughter, Natasha Rostova.

Chapter sixteen

On September 1, just before the Rostovs left Moscow, Berg, Vera’s husband, arrived from the army. Running into the living room, he greeted his relatives and asked about his mother-in-law’s health, but the count, seeing his son-in-law, asked how things were going on the military front. “What troops? Are they retreating or will there be another battle? – asked Ilya Andreevich. A dialogue ensued between them.

Meanwhile, Natasha Rostova, having learned about the difficult situation of the wounded, immediately took the situation into her own hands, tearfully and even indignantly asking her parents to assist in the officer’s request for carts in order to transport them to a safe place. “Mama, this is impossible; look what's in the yard! - she screamed. - They remain! The girl was very worried. And suddenly, under such pressure, the countess gave in, saying: “Do what you want.” Ilya Andreevich was glad that his daughter ensured that the wounded would not remain in Moscow, because he himself wanted to help the unfortunate. Having asked permission to make arrangements for the placement of the wounded on carts, Natasha began to actively act in this direction. The family helped the kind girl.

Chapter Seventeen

Everything was ready to leave; carts with the wounded left the yard one after another. Suddenly Sonya Rostova drew attention to the stroller, in which there was a familiar face. It turned out that it was the wounded Andrei Bolkonsky. “They say they are dying,” they said about him. Sonya conveyed the sad news to the countess, and she began to cry and thought about how to tell Natasha about this, because she had foreseen in advance the reaction of the sensitive and impulsive girl to the news about her ex-fiancé.

We invite you to read L. N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace.”

Finally, everyone set off. They have not yet admitted to Natasha that Andrei Bolkonsky is dying and is going with them.

Suddenly, when they were driving around the Sukharev Tower, Natasha, among the people who were walking and riding on carts, noticed Pierre Bezukhov and joyfully cried out: “Look, it’s him.”

However, Pierre did not share Natasha’s joy; moreover, his face was sad, and it turned out that he was staying in Moscow. Count Bezukhov answered questions absentmindedly and asked that they not ask him anything. Leaving behind the carriage, Pierre stepped onto the sidewalk.

Chapter Eighteen

While Pierre’s acquaintances were worried about where he had disappeared from home, Bezukhov lived for two days in the empty apartment of the late Bezdeev. What was the reason for his sudden disappearance? Firstly, the urgent advice of Rostopchin, who ordered to leave the city as quickly as possible; secondly - and this was the last straw - Bezukhov was informed that a Frenchman was waiting for him in the reception room, who had brought a letter from his wife Elena Vasilievna. Pierre promised to meet with the Frenchman, and, taking his hat, he went out through the back door of the office.

Having found Bezdeev’s house, which he had not been to for a long time, Bezukhov asked Sofya Danilovna and, having learned that she had left for the Torzhovo village, he still entered under the pretext that he needed to sort out the books.

Having warned the servant Gerasim not to say under any circumstances who he was, Pierre asked to buy a peasant dress and a pistol. It was when Bezukhov and Gerasim went to buy a pistol that he met the Rostovs.

Chapter nineteen

On September 1, at night, Kutuzov gave the order for the Russian troops to retreat from Moscow to the Ryazan road.

“How could it be otherwise?” - thought Napoleon, believing that the Russian capital was already at his feet. After breakfast, the French emperor again stood on Poklonnaya Hill, thinking and coming up with a speech with which he would address the boyars.

Suddenly the emperor, feeling that the majestic moment was going on too long, made a sign with his hand, and after the cannon signal was heard, the troops moved into the city.

Chapter Twenty

Moscow was empty, despite the fact that a certain percentage of its inhabitants still remained. Restless and tired, Napoleon, wanting to observe the rules of decency, awaited the deputation. Finally, he ordered the carriage to be brought, and, getting into the carriage, with the words “The denouement of the theatrical performance failed,” he drove to the suburbs.

Chapter twenty one

The Russian army, passing through Moscow, carried away the last residents and wounded. There was a stampede while the troops were moving. On the Moskvoretsky Bridge, strong screams were heard from a large crowd, and some woman screamed terribly. It turns out that this happened because General Ermolov, having learned that the soldiers were scattering, ordered the guns to be removed and said that he would shoot at the bridge, which was filled with people.

Chapter twenty two

The city itself was deserted. There were no sounds of passing carts, and the footsteps of pedestrians were very rare. It was also quiet in the Rostov yard. Of the Rostov household, only a child remained - the Cossack Mishka, who was Vasilyevich’s grandson, the janitor Ignat, Mavra Kuzminichna and Vasilyevich.

Suddenly an officer approached the gate and began to ask to be allowed to talk to Ilya Andreevich Rostov. Upon learning that the owners had left, the officer was upset. It turned out that this was a relative of the count, and Mavra Kuzminichna, immediately noticing this, decided to help the poor man in worn-out boots and gave him twenty rubles.

Chapter twenty three

In an unfinished house on Varvarka, in a drinking establishment, drunken screams and songs were heard. About ten factory workers sang discordantly, in drunken voices. Suddenly, blows were heard, and a fight broke out in the doorway between the kisser and the blacksmith, who was killed during the brawl.

Another, small group of people gathered near the wall of Kitai-Gorod and listened to a man who read the decree of August thirty-first. To make sure that the truth was written in the decree, wanting to serve for the good of the Fatherland, the people moved to the police chief, but he, frightened, ran away from the crowd by leaps and bounds.

Chapter twenty-four

Indignant and upset that he was not invited to the military council, Count Rastopchin returned to Moscow. After dinner, he was awakened by a courier who brought a letter from Kutuzov, in which he asked to send police officials in order to lead troops through the city. Although Rostopchin knew that Moscow would be abandoned, this request, stated in writing, irritated him. In the future, in his notes, he described the reasons for his attitude to what was happening: thousands of residents were deceived by the fact that Moscow would not be surrendered, the Moscow shrine, grain reserves, even weapons had not been removed.

There was no reason for the people’s revolt, the residents had left, the retreating troops filled the city, but for some reason Rastopchin was worried. It turned out that this man did not know the people he led at all, he simply played a beautiful role that he liked. But as soon as the event took on real, historical proportions, there was no longer a need for Rastopchin’s role, this game turned out to be meaningless.

All night, the very irritated Count Rastopchin gave orders, ordering the release of the fire brigade, the prisoners from the prison, and even the madmen from the yellow house. Hearing that Vereshchagin had not yet been executed, Rostopchin ordered to bring him to him.

Chapter twenty-five

The time came when no one asked the count's orders: everyone remaining in the city decided for themselves what to do. Rastopchin, gloomy and dissatisfied, left for Raskolniki. The chief of police and the adjutant came in to tell him that the horses were ready, but also announced that a huge crowd of people was waiting outside the count’s door. Rastopchin went to the window to see the people gathered. Then, ignoring the police chief’s suggestion about what to do with so many people, the count thought: “Here it is, people, these scum of the population, the plebeians whom they raised with their stupidity! They need a victim." And, going out, greeting the people, he set the enraged people against his enemy Vereshchagin, accusing the poor man of treason. After such words, reprisals followed the victim, whom Rostopchin ordered to kill. The tall fellow who had the imprudence to grab Vereshchagin’s neck also died. After the anger of the crowd was satisfied, Count Rastopchin got into the carriage and drove away. Arriving at the country house and busying himself with household chores, he completely calmed down, drowning out the reproaches of his conscience. After some time, Rastopchin left Sokolniki and went to the Yauzovsky Bridge to meet Kutuzov there, to whom he wanted to express angry words. On the way, he met a madman, who, seeing him, ran next to the carriage, uttering absurd words: “They killed me three times, three times I rose from the dead. They stoned me, crucified me... I will rise again... I will rise again... I will rise again.”

Rastopchin nevertheless achieved his intended goal. He met Kutuzov near the Yauzovsky Bridge and reproached him for allegedly saying that he would not surrender Moscow without a battle, but deceived him. And suddenly the Commander-in-Chief quietly said: “I will not give up Moscow without fighting.” These words caused a strange reaction in Rastopchin: he hastily walked away from Kutuzov and suddenly, taking a whip in his hands, began shouting to disperse the assembled carts.

Chapter twenty-six

At noon, Murat's troops entered Moscow. A small crowd of residents remaining in Moscow gathered around this “long-haired boss” and wondered who it was. Murat, turning to the translator, asked where the Russian troops were. A French officer reported to him that the gates to the fortress were sealed and, perhaps, there was an ambush there. Murat ordered the gates to be shot with light guns. A shootout began between the French and those outside the gates. Nobody knew who these people were, but they were all killed.

When the soldiers of the army, exhausted and exhausted, went to their apartments, they could not refrain from plundering what the owners had acquired.

On the same day, the French commanders issued orders to, firstly, prohibit troops from dispersing around the city, and secondly, to stop all looting and oppression of residents, but they could not keep the hungry soldiers from looting. As a result of the outrages, fires began. The city was destroyed. Moscow burned down.

Chapter twenty seven

Pierre Bezukhov was close to madness in his solitude. Looking for a quiet refuge, he found it in the office of the late Joseph Alekseevich. Thinking that he would defend Moscow, Pierre bought a caftan and a pistol. He was haunted by a persistent thought - to kill Napoleon and thereby either die or “end the misfortune of all of Europe.” He drank vodka, slept on a rough bed, on dirty linen, and was in a state that looked like insanity.

But in an even more terrible state was Makar Alekseich, who, being drunk, saw Pierre’s pistol on the table, grabbed it and began shouting: “To arms! Aboard!" They tried to calm him down.

In this form, two mounted Frenchmen found them approaching the house.

Chapter twenty-eight

The French soldiers entered the dwelling and were glad that they found themselves in such a good apartment. They began to talk with Gerasim and Pierre, but the first did not know French, the second pretended that he did not know - until the drunken Makar Alekseich shot at the French officer. Thank God, there were no casualties, because Pierre defended the Frenchman in time, snatching the pistol from the insane Makar. Next, Bezukhov, forgetting about his intention not to reveal his knowledge of a foreign language, turned to the Frenchman with the words: “Are you not wounded?” He began to beg the officer not to deal with Makar Alekseich, convincing him that he did it in madness. Hearing that Pierre spoke French fluently, the officer thought that he was French and was convinced of this even when Bezukhov admitted that he was in fact Russian. Grateful for saving his life, the officer pardoned Makar Alekseich, ordering his release.

Chapter twenty-nine

No matter how Pierre assured the captain that he was not French, the officer did not want to hear anything. He convinced Bezukhov that he was forever connected with him, because he was very grateful for saving his life. In this man Pierre saw so much nobility, so much good nature that he involuntarily shook the outstretched hand. “Captain Rambal, Thirteenth Light Regiment, Knight of the Legion of Honor for the cause of the seventh of September,” he introduced himself, smiling. In a conversation with this cheerful, kind officer, Pierre felt a sense of satisfaction.

Food was brought, and Rambal invited Pierre, who happily agreed, because he was very hungry. They talked during the meal in French, but suddenly the conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Morel, who came to tell the captain that the Wirtemberg hussars had arrived and wanted to place their horses in the same yard where the captain’s horses stood. He asked the senior non-commissioned officer on what basis they were occupying an apartment that was already occupied. Finally, the German, whose speech Pierre was translating, surrendered and took his soldiers away.

Pierre was tormented by the consciousness of his own weakness. He understood that now he would not be able to kill Napoleon.

Suddenly the captain's cheerful conversation, previously amusing for Bezukhov, became disgusting to him. He wanted to leave, but continued to sit in the same place. Rambal opened up with him and talked about his childhood and youth. Pierre also suddenly, unexpectedly for himself, told the Frenchman that he loved Natasha Rostova, but she could not belong to him. Finally, he revealed to the officer both his position and his real title. The Frenchman was surprised how a man, being so rich, remains in Moscow and tries to hide his rank and even his name.

A fire started on Petrovka, but it was very far away, so there was no cause for concern yet.

Chapter Thirty

The Rostovs left very late and were forced to stay in one of the huts located in Mytishchi, because the train only took them to this place.
In the autumn darkness of the night, the groans of the wounded man, who was in the hut next to the Rostovs and was experiencing severe pain due to a broken hand, sounded terrible.

Suddenly everyone saw another fire that started in Moscow, and they were already scared. There was no one to put it out. Frightened people sighed, prayed, but could not do anything.

Chapter thirty one

Returning, the valet reported to Count Ilya Andreevich that fires had started in Moscow. All the Rostovs were horrified by this news: Countess Natalya began to cry, Sonya was frightened, Natasha drooped and turned pale. Struck by the news of Andrei Bolkonsky’s injury, she now spoke at random and could concentrate her attention on little. She sat motionless, some kind of decision was visible in her eyes, but what exactly, her family could not understand.

At first, Natalya pretended to be asleep, and then, under the cover of darkness, when all her relatives had fallen asleep, she went out into the hallway, and from there into the courtyard. The girl pursued the goal of seeing Andrei Bolkonsky. And she found her beloved in the hut, among the wounded. “He was the same as always; but the inflamed color of his face, his sparkling eyes, fixed enthusiastically on her, and especially the tender child’s neck protruding from the folded collar of his shirt, gave him a special, innocent, childish look, which, however, she had never seen in Prince Andrei.” Seeing Natalya, he extended his hand to her.

Chapter thirty two

After Prince Andrei Bolkonsky woke up at the dressing station, which was located on the Borodino field, he was almost constantly unconscious. The wound seemed so serious that he should have died very soon. However, contrary to predictions, on the seventh day Andrei ate bread and drank tea. The doctor noticed that the patient's condition had improved. But when Bolkonsky was transported to Mytishchi, finding himself in a hut, due to severe pain caused by movement, he lost consciousness again. Having come to his senses, he demanded tea. The patient’s pulse improved, and the doctor, being convinced that this wounded man had very little time left to live, even became upset, suggesting that Andrei would still die, but even in greater suffering than now.

After drinking tea, Andrei asked for the Gospel, but not in order to read it. He wanted to join this Holy Book, and, feeling it nearby, he thought about God’s love for humanity. “Love your neighbors, love your enemies. To love everything - to love God in all manifestations, thought Andrei. – You can love a dear person with human love; but only the enemy can be loved with Divine love.” “God’s love cannot change,” Bolkonsky rejoiced in his soul.

Then he began to remember Natasha, looking through in his memory the events associated with his refusal to her, realizing the cruelty of the breakup, understanding her shame and remorse about what happened. And suddenly, to his immense surprise, Andrei saw a real, living Natasha Rostova near his bed. She knelt, kissed his hand and asked for forgiveness. “I love you,” said Andrei, “I love you more, better than before.”

The doctor, awakened by what was happening, made a stern remark to the lovers, ordering Natasha to leave. Countess Rostova had already discovered her daughter’s disappearance and, guessing where she might be, sent Sophia after her. Natasha returned to the hut and fell onto her bed, sobbing. Since then, she has constantly cared for the wounded Bolkonsky. The Countess did not resist her daughter, despite the fact that Andrei could die at any moment in her arms.

Chapter Thirty Three

On September 3, Pierre Bezukhov woke up exhausted, with a terrible headache and an incomprehensible feeling of guilt for himself. The reason was yesterday's communication with Rambal.

It was already eleven in the morning, and Bezukhov remembered what he had to do that day. He was in a hurry to carry out his plans. Taking the pistol in his hands, Pierre was about to leave, when suddenly a thought occurred to him: was he doing the right thing by carrying a weapon without carefully hiding it. He thought whether it would be better to destroy the main enemy of Russia - with a pistol or with a dagger. After some thought, he quickly took the dagger he had bought the day before and hid it under his vest.

The fire that Pierre saw yesterday has intensified significantly. The Count decided to go to the place where he was going to implement his plan. The streets and alleys were deserted, and the smell of burning and smoke was everywhere.

Pierre was afraid that he would not be able to carry out his intention, but at the same time he did not know that Napoleon Bonaparte was already in the Kremlin and, sitting in the royal office, being in a gloomy mood, gave orders.

Bezukhov approached Povarskaya Street, but the fire in this place became stronger and stronger, the fire flared up more and more. As if not realizing the full danger of the situation, Pierre walked forward. Suddenly he heard the desperate cry of a woman and, stopping, raised his head. To the side of the road, on a pile of household belongings, sat a family of fire victims. An already middle-aged woman, crying heavily, was saying something, little dirty, very poorly dressed girls looked at their mother with silent horror, in the arms of an old nanny, a frightened boy of about seven was crying angrily, a dirty barefoot girl, scorched by a fire, was pulling out her burnt hair in horror. sitting on a chest. Nearby, a short man dressed in a uniform, with a stone face, was raking through chests, looking for at least some clothes from there.

It was the father of the family. The woman, seeing Pierre, ran up to him and, falling to her knees, began tearfully begging for help. Crying and wailing, she said that in the fire they lost their youngest daughter, Katenka, who they did not have time to snatch from the fire. Compassionate Pierre hurried to help, to where a girl named Aniska took him. The entire street was covered with black acrid smoke. Approaching the house, Pierre began asking the French who were there if they had seen the child. They pointed him to a circle where a little three-year-old girl was lying under a bench. Bezukhov grabbed her in his arms and ran back to give the biting and struggling child to the desperate mother.

Chapter thirty-four

In the short time that Pierre was taking measures to save the girl, the appearance of Povarskaya Street changed for the worse: everything was filled with people fleeing and their belongings pulled out. Pierre carried the girl, who sat in his arms and, like a wild animal, looked around. He was looking for Katya's mother, but for some reason he did not find this family, which had recently been here.

Suddenly he noticed an Armenian family, and most of all he paid attention to a beautiful young woman who was looking at the ground with large black eyes, as if afraid of her beauty.

Pierre and the child were noticed and began to ask who he was looking for. Having found out whose child it was, Bezukhov wanted to go give the child back, when he suddenly saw how two French soldiers first approached the Armenian family, and then one of them began to loot, forcibly removing an expensive necklace from the beautiful Armenian woman. Bezukhov, seeing this chaos, quickly gave the child to one woman, and began to stand up for the girl, having a fight with the Frenchman. For this he was captured and placed under strict guard, because he seemed the most suspicious of the remaining indigenous residents of Moscow, who were also captured.

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1805, St. Petersburg.

At the party in the house of the maid of honor Scherer, all the nobility of St. Petersburg gathered. During the general conversation, the conversation turns to Napoleon, and all the guests are divided into two camps - some, including the hostess, are opposed to him, while others, including Pierre Bezukhov, the illegitimate son of a wealthy Moscow nobleman, and Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, admire Napoleon . Bolkonsky dreams of the glory that Napoleon gained, and therefore is going to war. And Pierre Bezukhov has not yet decided on his future, and for now he spends time in the company of St. Petersburg rakes, in which the ringleader is Fedor Dolokhov. Another prank of the young people leads to Pierre being expelled from St. Petersburg, and Dolokhov being stripped of his officer rank and sent to the army as a soldier.

Moscow. House of Count Rostov. A dinner party in honor of the name day of the count's wife and daughter.

While in the Rostovs' house, where all the count's children have gathered - Nikolai, who dreams of going into the army to fight Napoleon, Natasha, Petya, the eldest daughter Vera, who does not take part in the general fun, as well as the Rostovs' relative Sonya, are celebrating, in the house of Count Bezukhov grief - the owner dies, and a real hunt begins for the count's will, according to which his entire fortune passes to Pierre. Distant relatives of the Bezukhovs, including Prince Kuragin, are trying to steal the will, but Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya prevents this. As a result, all the wealth goes to Pierre, he becomes a count, enters high society in St. Petersburg and marries Kuragin’s daughter Helen.

Bolkonsky estate, Bald Mountains.

Andrei’s father, Nikolai Andreevich, and his sister Marya live here. For the elder Bolkonsky, life goes according to an established schedule, which he is trying to teach his daughter to do. And he is not very happy that changes will have to be made to this schedule, since a new person appears in the house - Prince Andrei, going to war, left his pregnant wife Lisa on the estate.

Autumn 1805.

The Russian army retreats to Austerlitz to join the Allied forces - the armies of Austria and Prussia. Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov strives by all means to avoid the participation of his army in the battle, since he believes that it is not ready for this. To gain time, he sends Bagration’s detachment to meet the French, and also concludes a truce agreement with the French Marshal Murat.

Junker Nikolai Rostov also takes part in the battle. During the battle, a horse is killed under him, he himself is wounded in the arm, and, seeing that the French are approaching him, he throws his pistol at them and runs away. But no one sees this, Nikolai was awarded the St. George Cross for his participation in the battle, and he tells his comrades about how he bravely fought the enemy.

At Austerlitz, the Russian army is still forced to give battle to the French. All the characters are overwhelmed by different feelings. Prince Andrei is looking forward to the battle, dreaming of feat and glory, but Kutuzov at the military council before the battle does not show any interest in the upcoming battle, predicting in advance that it will be lost, since the army is not only Russian, but also the army of the Allies - I’m not ready for him. The battle took place on the anniversary of Napoleon's coronation; he confidently threw his troops forward. But panic immediately arose in the Allied army; the Russian soldiers, seeing the French too close, ran away from them. Bolkonsky accomplishes a feat - with a banner in his hands, he carries the soldiers along with him, but almost immediately falls wounded. He lies on the battlefield and thinks about how small all his previous dreams of glory and heroism were. There, on the battlefield, Napoleon sees him, in whom Andrei was also disappointed. Napoleon orders Bolkonsky to be taken to a dressing station and leaves him along with other seriously wounded people with local residents.

Nikolai Rostov comes to his father’s house on vacation along with his friend and commander Vasily Denisov. In Moscow, everyone considers him a real hero, including his new acquaintance, Dolokhov, who asks Nikolai to become a second in his duel with Pierre. Sonya falls in love with Nikolai and refuses Dolokhov, who proposed to her. Dolokhov goes to the army, and before that he beats Nikolai at cards for a large sum. Nikolai admits to his father that he lost, and he collects the required amount, and Nikolai, having repaid the debt, goes to the army. Denisov also returns there after he falls in love and proposes to Natasha Rostova, but is rejected by her.

December 1805. Bald Mountains.

Prince Kuragin comes here with his son Anatoly. Kuragin wants to marry his son profitably, and Princess Marya seems to him the best option. Old Prince Bolkonsky is not happy about this visit, since he does not want to part with his daughter, and he does not really respect the Kuragins. But Marya, on the contrary, is very excited about this visit. But she accidentally sees Anatole hugging her companion Mlle Bourrienne, and refuses him.

Old Prince Bolkonsky receives a letter from Kutuzov, which describes Andrei’s feat and says that he died during the battle. But at the same time, Kutuzov writes that Andrei’s body was not found on the battlefield, so the prince hopes that his son is alive. His hope is destined to come true - Andrei returns just on the night when his wife gives birth. During childbirth, Lisa dies, and Bolkonsky feels guilty before his wife.

Pierre Bezukhov also does not experience happiness in his marriage. He is tormented by suspicions about his wife’s connection with Dolokhov - he receives an anonymous letter that directly states this. Quarrelling with Dolokhov over this, he challenges him to a duel and wounds him, although he had never held a pistol in his hands before. Having explained himself after the duel with Helen, Pierre leaves Moscow for St. Petersburg, and leaves her power of attorney to manage most of his fortune.

On the way to St. Petersburg, Pierre meets the freemason Bazdeev and upon arrival joins the Masonic lodge. He is bursting with a desire to change the lives of the peasants, and Pierre goes to his estate near Kiev, where he begins all sorts of reforms. But it was not possible to achieve a good result from the reforms - Pierre knows nothing about managing the estate, and the manager is deceiving him. Pierre returns home, and on the way he stops by the estate of Andrei Bolkonsky in Bogucharovo, who, after the Battle of Austerlitz, became so disillusioned with his ideals that he decided to abandon military service. Andrei seems generally disappointed in everything - his whole life is focused on his son. Pierre travels to Bald Mountains with Andrey, and on the way he tells him about his new views on life. And it is this conversation that helps Andrey understand that life goes on. He successfully carries out the reforms that Pierre tried to implement on his estate. Going on business to the Rostov estate, he meets Natasha. On New Year's Eve, the Rostovs go to a ball, which was the first “adult” ball for Natasha. There she dances with Bolkonsky, who proposes to her after the ball. The Rostovs accept the proposal, but the old Prince Bolkonsky insists that the wedding take place only in a year. Andrey is leaving abroad.

Nikolai Rostov comes on vacation to his father’s estate in Otradnoye. He feels that he loves Sonya, which he announces to his parents. But they are not happy about this recognition - they dream of a more profitable marriage for their son.

Natasha and her father go to the Bolkonskys' Moscow house, but they are not very friendly to them - the prince does not like the youth of his son's bride, and Princess Marya is forced to do as her father tells her. In the opera, Natasha meets Anatol Kuragin, who begins to pursue her, talking about his love, bombarding her with letters of confession and proposals to secretly get married. Natasha decides to escape with Anatole, and only the intervention of Sonya and Princess Marya helps prevent this act. Pierre, who has arrived, tells Natasha that Anatole is already married. Natasha sends Princess Marya a letter in which she refuses to marry Andrei. Andrei, having arrived from abroad, learns about Natasha’s affair with Kuragin. Pierre confesses to Natasha that if he were worthy of her, he would ask for her hand.

June 1812. A war begins with the French, led by Napoleon.

Prince Andrei serves at Kutuzov’s headquarters, but upon learning about the start of the war, he asks to be transferred to the army. Nikolai Rostov still serves in the Pavlogradsky Hussar Regiment, which is retreating from Poland to the Russian borders. One day his squadron met with French dragoons, Nikolai captured one of them, for which he received the St. George Cross.

The Rostov family lives in Moscow. Natasha is sick, but attending church services, and especially one of the prayers (“Let us pray to the Lord in peace”) makes such a strong impression on her that she gradually begins to return to life. Petya Rostov asks his father to allow him to go to the army, but his father does not agree - Petya is still too young for war. But Petya is very persistent - and the count nevertheless decides to find out how he can fulfill his son’s request and at the same time make sure that he is safe.

The old Prince Bolkonsky lives with his daughter on his estate, from where he refuses to leave, despite his son’s letters asking him to go to Moscow. The prince sends all his household to Moscow, including his son Andrei Nikolenka, and he himself remains in Bald Mountains with Princess Marya, who refuses to leave her father. Soon the prince suffers a stroke; he, paralyzed, is transported to Bogucharovo, where he dies three weeks later, asking his daughter for forgiveness before his death. After the death of her father, Princess Marya decides to go to Moscow, but the peasants do not let her out of Bogucharovo, and only the intervention of Nikolai Rostov, who happened to be there, helps her leave the estate.

Before the Battle of Borodino, Pierre Bezukhov comes to the army, wanting to see with his own eyes what will happen there. During the battle, Prince Andrei receives a mortal wound, and at the dressing station on the next bed he sees the man whom he had been looking for for a long time, wanting revenge - Anatoly Kuragin, whose leg was amputated at that moment.

During the battle, Pierre is at the Raevsky battery, where he provides all possible assistance to the soldiers. But he is horrified by what he saw and therefore leaves the battlefield, walking towards Mozhaisk.

After the battle, the Russian army retreats to Fili. At the council, Kutuzov gives the order for a further retreat, realizing that the army cannot defend Moscow. The French enter Moscow. Napoleon on Poklonnaya Hill is waiting for a Russian delegation with the keys to the city, but they report to him that there is no one in Moscow. Fires are breaking out everywhere in the city.

The Rostovs, together with all the nobles, leaving Moscow, gave part of their carts to the wounded. Among them was Andrei Bolkonsky. Natasha finds out about this and begins to care for him. Pierre remains in Moscow, dreaming of killing Napoleon. But he is arrested by French lancers.

And in St. Petersburg, life still goes on the same way - dinner parties, balls, evenings. News arrives that Moscow has been abandoned, and Alexander decides to stand at the head of his army himself. Kutuzov refuses to make peace with the French. Alexander insists on the Battle of Tarutino.

Kutuzov receives news that the French have left Moscow. From this moment on, the French retreat outside Russia begins, and now Kutuzov’s goal is to keep his army from unnecessary attacks on the melting French army. Kutuzov refuses to lead the army as soon as the troops cross the country's border. He was awarded the Order of George, 1st degree.

In Voronezh, Nikolai Rostov meets Princess Marya. He wants to marry her, but his word to Sonya holds him back. And then he receives a letter from Sonya, written at the insistence of Countess Rostova, in which she writes that he is free from his word given to her.

Princess Marya goes to Yaroslavl, where the Rostovs live, having learned that Andrei is with them. But she arrives at the moment when Andrei is close to death. The common grief brings Natasha closer to the princess.

Pierre Bezukhov is sentenced to execution, but by order of Marshal Davout, he, already brought to the place of execution, is left alive. As a prisoner, he moves with the French army along the Smolensk road, where a detachment of prisoners is recaptured from the French by partisans. In this battle, Petya Rostov, who arrived to the partisans from the headquarters of the German general with a proposal for unification, dies.

The sick Pierre is brought to Orel, where he learns the latest news about his loved ones - his wife died, and Prince Andrei was alive for a whole month after being wounded, but then he also died. Pierre comes to Moscow in Princess Marya to express his condolences. There he meets Natasha, who is so withdrawn into herself that she does not notice anything around her - and only the news of her brother’s death saves her. A meeting with Pierre, conversations with him stimulate a new feeling in her soul - a feeling of love for this person.

Much has changed over time - Natasha married Pierre, they have 4 children, the old Count Rostov died, Nikolai Rostov married Princess Marya, and skillfully manages her estates. Pierre becomes a member of a secret society. During Nikolai and Pierre’s conversation about the future of Russia, Andrei’s son Nikolenka is also present, who, like his father in his time, begins to dream of fame.

The Russian army retreats to Austerlitz to join the Allied forces - the armies of Austria and Prussia. Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov strives by all means to avoid the participation of his army in the battle, since he believes that it is not ready for this. To gain time, he sends Bagration’s detachment to meet the French, and also concludes a truce agreement with the French Marshal Murat.