Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 16

Characters Present:

Anatole Kurágin
Fedor Ivanovich Dólokhov

Location:
Location:

Dólokhov's house

Anatole has moved into Dólokhov's house. 

Dólokhov has arranged the details of Natasha's abduction: a driver to take them to Warsaw, passports, a defrocked priest and two gambling associates to act as witnesses to the fake marriage.

Dólokhov asks Anatole to reconsider, but he won't. 

Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 15

Characters Present:

Natasha Rostova
Sonya Rostova

Location:
Location:

Márya Dmítrievna Akhrosímova's house

Sonya finds the letter from Anatole to Natasha and confronts Natasha.  Natasha cannot keep her love for Anatole a secrete from Sonya any longer, and reveals all.

Sonya tells Natasha that she doesn't trust Anatole, and that he is dishonourable, and they have a massive argument.

Natasha sends a letter to Mary Bolkónskaya, refusing her brother, Prince Andrew.

A second letter is delivered from Anatole, and Sonya, listening at the door, learns that Natasha intends to run away to elope with him that very evening.

Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 14

Characters Present:

Natasha Rostova, 

Count Ilya Rostóv
Márya Dmítrievna Akhrosímova


Location:


Márya Dmítrievna Akhrosímova's house

M

Márya reports her visit to Old Prince Nicholas Bolkónski to the Rostóvs. 

After being shouted at by him, she has concluded that the family would best return to Otrádnoe to wait for Prince Andrew's return. 

Márya also delivers a warm, conciliatory letter from Princess Mary to Natasha.  

As Natasha sits to reply, she is brought a love letter from Anátole, and she becomes almost convinced that she must break things off with Prince Andrew.

Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 13

Characters Present:

Countess Hélène Berzúkhova
Natasha Rostova, 
Sonya Rostova

Count Ilya Rostóv
Anatole Kurágin

Location:
Location:

Countess Hélène Berzúkhova's house


The Rostóvs attend the impromptu ball at Hélène's house, and Count Ilya Rostóv wants to leave as soon as possible, due to the loose types that are in attendance.

Natasha is flustered and attracted to Anatole, who dances with her several times, and declares that he is madly in love with her. 

Natasha goes to straighten her dress in a dress straightening room, and Hélène takes her into a little sitting room.  Anatole arrives, Hélène leaves, Anatole once again proclaims his love, and steals a kiss.

Sonya walks in and catches them, and the Rostóvs leave without having the late supper.

Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 12

Characters Present:

Márya Dmítrievna Akhrosímova
Countess Hélène Berzúkhova
Natasha Rostova, 

Location:
Location:

Márya Dmítrievna Akhrosímova's house


The day after the opera, Hélène visits Natasha at Márya Dmítrievna's house. 

Natasha is quite taken with Hélène, and agrees to go to an event in the evening at her house.

It is revealed that Hélène finds it amusing to try and bring Natasha and her brother, Anatole together. Natasha is embarrassed, but thinks it must not be very serious since the matter is being treated so lightly by the countess. 

Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 11

Characters Present:

Anatole Kurágin
Fedor Ivanovich Dólokhov

Location:
Location:

Moscow

Anatole has been sent to Moscow by his father to be an adjutant to a commander-in-chief, as he had been spending too much money drinking and socialising in Petersburg.

The chapter describes Anatole as a rake who only seduces married women now, after being forced to marry a young Polish women a few years before.

Anatole confides in Dólokhov his intentions to sleep with Natasha, and as usual, has no consideration of the consequences of his actions to anyone else.

Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 10

Characters Present:

Natasha Rostova

Countess Hélène Berzúkhova
Anatole Kurágin

Location:
Location:

The Opera

Hélène introduces Anatole to Natasha.  

Natasha and Anatole speak, but the weight of Anatole's gaze on Natasha's face, shoulders and neck makes her intensely uncomfortable.  

Anatole invites Natasha to a costume party, and she does not commit to going.

She is confused about the attraction between them, and feels that she has betrayed Prince Andrew somehow. 

Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 9

Characters Present:

Natasha Rostova

Countess Hélène Berzúkhova

Prince Anatole Kurágin

• 
  

Location:

The Opera


Natasha is at first irritated by the spectacle of scantily clad socialites at the opera, and feels that the singing and costumes on stage are too garish.

She finally settles in and begins to enjoy it, and notices that Prince Anatole Kurágin has arrived.  Natasha notes that he is very handsome, and that he cannot stop staring at her. 

Hélène, who is practically bare-chested at this point, joins Natasha for a conversation.

Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 8

Characters Present:

Natasha Rostova

Count Ilya Rostóv

Sonya Rostova
Countess Hélène Berzúkhova
Boris Drubeskóy
Julia Karagin

• 
  

Location:

The Opera


The Rostóvs go to the opera in the evening, despite Natasha still being upset from earlier events.

The other opera attendees believe that Natasha's beauty is even greater since her time in the country.

The Rostóvs are greeted by Countess Hélène Berzúkhova, and Count Rostóv tells her that he will visit her.

Natasha remarks on Hélène's beauty.

They also see Boris Drubetskóy and Julia Karagina kanoodling. 

Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 7

Characters Present:

Natasha Rostova

Count Ilya Rostóv

Sonya Rostova

Old Prince Nicholas Bolkónski
Princess Mary Bolkónskaya

Location:

Bald Hill Estate


Count Ilya Rostóv takes Natasha to visit Old Prince Nicholas Bolkónski.  

Princess Mary takes a disliking to Natasha as she is young, fashionable and beautiful.  Natasha takes umbridge with Princess Mary, for being old, dry and unfriendly. 

Old Prince Nicholas takes a long time to come down to greet Natasha, and when he eventually does, swears that he had no idea that the Rostóvs were there.

Natasha is upset with the way that she has been received, and wishes that Prince Andrew would arrive.