Volume1: Book 1 - Chapter 24

Characters Present:

Pierre Bezukhov

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya

Prince Vasíli Kurágin

Count Bezukhov´s horrid daughters

Location: 

The tea room at Count Berzúkhov´s house.

Everyone, except for one of the daughters, is in the tea room having refreshments after the previous night.

The missing daughter appears holding a portfolio which contains a forgotten version of the count´s will. Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya attempts to take the portfolio off the daughter, who keeps a tight grip on it. There is an argument between them which Prince Vasíli Kurágin breaks up. News that the count has died is then delivered into the tea-room.

Book 1 - Chapter 23

Characters Present:

Pierre Bezukhov

Count Cyril Bezukhov

A scattering of servants

A couple of priests

Setting: Count Bezúkhov´s bedroom.

Pierre finds Count Bezukhov partially upright in a chair holding a candle, assisted by a servant. The count is given sacrament and is then moved back to his bed.

Pierre goes to sit as his side, realises how close to death his father is and sheds some tears. The count falls asleep and everyone leaves.

Book 1 - Chapter 22

Characters Present:

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya

Pierre Bezukhov
Prince Vasíle Kurágin

Location:  

Count Bezúkhov´s house

Anna insists on accompanying Pierre to his dying fathers house. She constantly reassures him that he is like a son to her and that she will help him through it all.

They arrive and while walking through a hall, they catch a glimpse of Vasíle and and one of the Count's daughters scheming. The daughter gets up and slams the door.

Pierre composes himself and is about to go into his fathers chambers.

Book 1 - Chapter 21

Characters Present:

Prince Vasíli Kurágin

Princess Catish Semënovna (The dying Count Bezúkhov´s eldest daughter)

Location:

Count Bezukhov´s house.

While the party is happening at the Rostov´s, Count Bezukhov has his sixth stroke and it is not expected that he will live through the night.

Vasíli goes to Catish's rooms and they have a heated discussion about the will and the inheritance. Apparently Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya went to the house during the previous year and told horrid stories about all three of the counts daughters. It was at this time that the Count changed his will so that his illegitimate son, Pierre Bezukhov would inherit everything.

Vasíli and Catish start to scheme about how they will challenge Pierre´s claim to the fortune.

Book 1 - Chapter 20

Characters Present:

Sonya Rostova

Natasha Rostova

Location: 

At the Rostóv´s house.

The dinner party finished and the guests have moved into the two drawing rooms. Natasha notices that Sonya is missing and goes to find her.

She discovers Sonya crying, and upon asking why, finds out that Nicholas Rostóv has received his papers to leave for the army the following week. Sonya is also upset because she thinks that he is becoming keen on Julie Karagina , and that they will have trouble marrying because they are cousins. 

Natasha reassures Sonya that it shouldn´t be a problem, because their Uncle Shinshín´s brother didn´t have any problems when he married his first cousin.

Volume 1: Book 1 - Chapter 19

Characters Present:

Count Ilya Rostóv

Countess Natalya Rostova

Random Rostov children

Pierre Bezukhov

A German Colonel

Shinshín

Márya Dmítrievna

Other nameless guests.

Location:

 At the Rostóv´s - the dinner has begun

The colonel tells everyone that a declaration of war has already arrived in Petersburg and a copy had already been forward to the Commander in Chief. Shinshín asks why they would bother fighting Napoleon as he had already beaten Austria.

Pierre agrees with him and the youngest Rostóv daughter, Natasha, starts screaming for ice cream, which the guests find amusing.

Book 1 - Chapter 18

Characters Present:

Count Ilya Rostov
Shinshín (also called Peter Nikolávich)
Lieutenant Alphonse Karlovich Berg (German)

Other nameless guests.

Location:

Count Rostov´s drawing room.

The dinner party at the Rostóv´s will soon begin, only they are waiting on the attendance of one Márya Dmítrievna, who is also referred to as le terrible drangon on account of her sharp tongue.

The conversation in the drawing room is based solely around the upcoming war that had been announced in the manifesto, though nobody had actually seen the manifesto.

Shinshín, who is an older gentleman but dressed in a rather young fashion, is questioning Lieutenant Berg about his choice to join the guard instead of the cavalry. Shinshín puts forth that Berg´s career would be furthered more if he were to join the cavalry. Berg responds that he will get paid more being in the guard.