Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 12

Characters Present:

Natasha Rostova

Nicholas Rostóv

Sonya Rostova

Countess Natalya Rostova

Count Ilya Rostóv

Location:

The Rostóv home

Nicholas makes the resolve to marry Sonya, and everyone is happy except for the Countess, who was evidently hoping for the money from the match with her friend's daughter.  Nicholas returns to his regiment but intends to leave the army as soon as possible.

Natasha is depressed by the letters that she receives from Prince Andrew and resents that he is out enjoying the world, while she lives only for him, waiting for him to return.

Count Ilya Rostóv goes to Moscow with Natasha and Sonya to sell the Moscow townhouse to prepare some kind of dowry for Natasha. 

End of Book 7

Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 11

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Sonya Rostova

the Rostóv family

the Rostóv family servants 

Pelegéya Danílovna Melyukóva (a neighbour to the Rostóvs, widow)

Location:

Pelegéya Danílovna Melyukóva's home

The Rostóvs arrive in great merriment at Pelegéya Danílovna Melyukóva's home, and dance and sing and do performances.  Peelgéya's children join in with the festivities.

Nicholas looks over to Sonya, who he realises is beautiful, and goes outside for some fresh air and to wonder what has been holding him back.  Sonya follows him out, and they kiss.

Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 10

Characters Present:

Natasha Rostova

Sonya Rostova

Nicholas Rostóv

the Rostóv family

Location:

The Rostóv home, Otrádnoe 

It is still Christmas day and the Rostóv children are gathered around, quietly reminiscing about their childhood.

Natasha is still depressed but is convinced to sing. During her performance, the servants come out dressed as mummers, and put on lively performances.

 The Rostóvs also decide to dress up, and then decide to go and visit their neighbours, the Melyukóvas.

Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 9

Characters Present:

Natasha Rostova

the Rostóv family

servants

Location: 

The Rostóv home, Otrádnoe

It is Christmas again and Natasha  is missing Prince Andrew Bolkósnki.

She sulks around the house, being petulant and ordering the servants about like a spoilt child.

Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 8

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Countess Natalya Rostova

Sonya Rostova (discussed)

Julie Karágina (discussed)

Location:

The Rostóv home, Otrádnoe

The Rostóv family are still experiencing great financial difficulty, and Nicholas hears his parents speaking of selling the ancestral home in Moscow.

The countess decides that the only way out of this difficulty is for Nicholas to marry a wealthy heiress.  She writes to the Karágina family, and requests a match between Nicholas and their daughter, Julie.  The match is approved, as long as Julie agrees, and it is suggested that Nicholas travel to Moscow to meet her. 

Nicholas can't decide if he wants to marry for love or if he is still in love with his poor cousin Sonya and doesn't end up going to Moscow, even though it would save the family.

Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 7

Characters Present:

Uncle Rostóv

Nicholas Rostóv

Natasha Rostova

Petya Rostóv

Location: 

Uncle Rostóv's house in a little village called Mikháylovna

It is close to dinner time, and the hunting party find themselves close to Uncle Rostóv's home, and he invites Nicholas, Natasha and Petya for supper.  Uncle Rostóv's serfs marvel at Natasha being on a horse, and carrying hunting equipment.

A delicious supper is prepared the housekeeper, Anísya Fëdorovna, and while eating, Uncle Rostóv and Nicholas remark on Natasha's energy and how admirably manlike it is.  

After dinner, Anísya Fëdorovna plays some Russian folk-songs on guitar, and Natasha dances not like a countess, but like she has the spirit of the Russian people in her.

At 9pm, two traps arrive, sent from the Rostóv home, to bring Natasha, Nicholas and a now sleeping Petya home.

Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 6

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Ilágin

the hunting party

Location:

In the woods on the Rostóv estate

The hunting party come across two other hunters, one of whom is called Ilágin. A fight almost starts, as the  hunters are on the Rostóv land and someones hounds collected a fox that the others hounds had killed.

The misunderstanding is settled, and Ilágin invites the Rostóv hunting party to join them in a hunt for hares on their land.  The Rostóv hunting party accept, and Nicholas and Ilágin exchange compliments regarding the quality of each others hounds.

Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 5

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv
Daniel (no other name or position given)
the hunting party

Location:

In the woods at the Rostóv Estate

Nicholas sits on his horse, listening to the sounds of the hunt.  He can hear wolves howling, but to his ear, it sounds like something has gone horribly wrong.

A few moments pass and an old female wolf comes out of the scrub, not expecting to see him there.  Nicholas' dogs attack, but the wolf gets away.  It is then caught by Daniel's dogs, and he pounces on it. 

Nicholas goes to stab the wolf, but Daniel instead gags it, and they carry it back on the back of a horse.

Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 4

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Count Ilya Rostóv

Natasha Rostova

Pétya Rostóv (the youngest Rostóv)

Uncle Rostóv

others

Location:

In the woods at the Rostóv Estate

The hunt is organised, and the family, groomsmen and gamekeepers set out to hunt a wolf. 

There is great excitement in the air, though Nicholas frowns at Natasha and Petya for being too frivolous. 

They spot a wolf, and the hounds take off after it.

Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 3

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Location:

The Rostóv home

Winter is setting in, and Nicholas has decided to go hunting, which is one of his great passions.  

Natasha runs in while he is planning to insist that he doesn't go.  Nicholas tells her that they are going wolf-hunting, and he goes anyway.

Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 2

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Mítenka (the Rostóv's steward who manages financial affairs)

Count Ilya Rostóv

Location:

The Rostóv home

Nicholas Rostóv arrives home and spends the first few days being sullen, knowing that he will have to look into what he calls "the stupid financial affairs" of the family.

He storms over to the lodge, where the chief steward, Mítenka, is housed, and shouts at him for some time, calling him a liar and a thief, amongst other unflattering things.

Nicholas returns to the house and his father, Count Ilya Rostóv comes to see him.  The count stands up for the steward, and says gently that Nicholas may have made a mistake in not turning the page in the ledger, where he would see that a previously thought missing 700 rubles had appeared.   

Nicholas maintains that Mítenka is not to be trusted but says that perhaps he should not be involved with the family business dealings.

Volume 2: Book 7 - Chapter 1

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

The Rostóv family

Location:

Somewhere with the Pávlograd regiment

Nicholas Rostóv is glad to be back with his regiment, where he has taken over command of the squadron from Denísov, instead of being embroiled in the complications of civilian life.

He receives several letters from his mother, beseeching him to return home, as the family affairs are a mess.

Nicholas resists for a time, until he receives a final letter from his mother saying that things have gotten so bad that they might have to sell the estate.  He immediately takes leave and  returns home.

Volume 2: Book 6 - Chapter 26

Characters Present:

Princess Mary Bolkónskaya

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Old Prince Nicholas Bolkónski

Mademoiselle Bourienne

Location:

Bald Hill Estate

Princess Mary receives a letter from her brother, declaring his engagement to Natasha Rostova, apologising for not telling her earlier.

She shows the letter to their father, who goes off in a rant about how Prince Andrew should only marry once he, Old Prince Nicholas, is dead.  He goes on to exclaim that he would like to marry Mademoiselle Bourienne so that Princess Mary and Prince Andrew could have a step-mother.

Princess Mary feels bit down, and influenced by her religious people, she decides to go on a pilgrimage. She changes her mind the next morning, feeling like a sinner, because she loves her father and her tiny nephew more than God.

End of Book 6