Volume 3: Book 12 - Chapter 15

Characters Present:

Princess Mary Bolkonskaya
Natasha Rostova
Prince Andrew Bolkónski
Young Prince Nicholas - now 7 years old.

Location: 

Yaroslávl

Mary discovers Andrew in a cold state of calm, which is very upsetting to her.  He has found some kind of holy existence in the knowledge that he will soon die. 

His son Nicholas is brought to him, and Mary cries at the thought of Nicholas not having a father. Andrew tries to warm up and be compassionate, but with great difficulty.

Nicholas takes a liking to Natasha.

Volume 3: Book 12 - Chapter 14

Characters Present:

Princess Mary Bolkonskaya
Sonya Rostova
Natasha Rostova
Countess Natalya Rostova

Location: 

Yaroslávl


Mary travels with determination to see her brother.  She is met at the door by Sonya, who gives her big fake smiles, though Mary doesn't know why. 

Natasha comes running from Andrew's sickbed, and she and Mary cry on each others shoulders. Despite not liking her much before, Mary forgets this, and sees that Natasha is only sorrowful for her and her brother. 

Andrew's condition has taken a turn for the worse.

Volume 3: Book 12 - Chapter 8

Characters Present:

Sonya Rostova
Countess Natalya Rostova
Natasha Rostova
Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Location: 

Tróitsa Monastery

Sonya has been asked by Natalya to break off her engagement with Nicholas, as the family really could do with the money that will be gained if he marries Princess Mary instead.

Sonya refuses to promise, and after witnessing Natasha and Andrew being thrown back together, decides that God will somehow prevent Princess Mary and Nicholas getting married.  So, with a serene confidence that God will aid her marriage to Nicholas, she sends him a letter, breaking off the engagement. 

Natasha spends all of her time with Prince Andrew, who seems to be getting better.

Volume 3: Book 12 - Chapter 7

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv
Princess Mary Bolkónskaya

Location: 

A church


Nicholas goes to church, and sees Mary praying with her whole being, and feels more in love with her than before.

Mary has heard that her brother, Prince Andrew, has been wounded, and is about to set off to be with him.

Nicholas is depressed as he continues to stand by his childhood promise to marry his cousin, Sonja Rostova, and prays to god to release him from the promise.  God works super quickly on this one, and Nicholas receives a letter from Sonya about ten minutes after his prayer.  Sonya has released him from his promise.

Volume 3: Book 11 - Chapter 17

Characters Present:

Pierre Bezukov

Countess Natalya Rostova
Sonya Rostova
Natasha Rostova
Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Location:

Moscow 

Sonya discovers that one of the wounded officers is Prince Andrew, who is mortally wounded.  She tells the family, who are saddened by the news, but none of them tell Natasha the news when she asks. 

The Rostóv's are finally ready to leave, and join the procession of carts leaving the city.  Natasha keeps an eye on the cart carrying Prince Andrew, even though she doesn't know that it carries him. 

Natasha spots Pierre, who  seems to be disguised as a commoner, and when they speak, he is despondent. 

Volume 3: Book 11 - Chapter 16

Characters Present:

Berg

Countess Natalya Rostova
Sonya Rostova
Natasha Rostova
Count Ilya Rostóv
Petya Rostóv

Location:

Moscow 

Berg, who is the Rostóv's son-in-law by virtue of being married to their daughter Vera, takes leave from the army and visits the Rostóv home.  

Berg asks for a set of drawers that is on one of the carts, to give to Vera, and Ilya goes off in a temper.  Natasha explains to Petya and Berg that their parents are fighting as Ilya wants to carry wounded soldiers, but Natalya wants to carry belongings.

Natasha goes and shouts at her mother, and it is agreed that all of their belongings shall be unloaded and put in storage, so that no wounded soldiers get left behind.

The servants approach this task with renewed energy, but Sonya tries to make sure that some belongings are brought along.

Volume 2: Book 9 - Chapter 20

Characters Present:

Natasha Rostova
Count Pierre Bezukhov
Uncle Shinshín
Natasha Rostova
Count Ilya Rostóv
Sonya Rostova
Countess Natalya Rostova
Petya Rostóv

Location: 

A small dinner party at the Rostóv home

Pierre arrives at the Rostóv's, and enters to find Natasha singing alone.  They have a conversation full of unspoken words and blushing.

They join the rest of the family, who are discussing the war. Petya, who is now 15, begs his father to join the army, but is told that he is too young.

Pierre becomes agitated by Natasha's stares at him, and leaves. Natasha follows him out, asking if she has upset him, and he only manages to kiss her softly before leaving, intending not to return. 

Volume 2: Book 9 - Chapter 16

Characters Present:

Natasha Rostova
Countess Natalya Rostova 
Sonya Rostova
Lots of doctors and healers

Location: 

The Rostóv home, Moscow

Natasha's condition has worsened: she is thin, cannot eat and has little energy.

Countess Natalya Rostov joins her daughter, niece and husband in Moscow, and pays all sorts of medical people to come and see Natasha. There is nothing physically wrong with any of Natasha's organs, vital or otherwise, but they give her a lot of medication anyway, which is slightly harmful. 

One of the doctors notes that Natasha's condition is primarily mental, and sure enough, after some time, her grief begins to fade, and she starts to recover physically. 

Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 18

Characters Present:

Márya Dmítrievna Akhrosímova
Natasha Rostova 
Sonya Rostova

Location:
Location:

Márya Dmítrievna Akhrosímova's house

Márya had found Sonya weeping in the hall, and had made her reveal the letter and Natasha's plans. 

Márya confronts Natasha and tells her that Anatole and the others escaped the ambush.

Natasha insists that Anatole is a great man, and Márya calls him a scoundrel, and wonders why he had tried to keep everything secret, since Natasha had not been kept under lock and key. 

Márya says that she will stay quiet about Natasha's dishonourable behaviour.

Natasha goes into a kind of shock, and takes to her bed.

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 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 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.

Volume 2: Book 8 - Chapter 6

Characters Present:

Márya Dmítrievna Akhrosímova 

Natasha Rostova

Count Ilya Rostóv

Sonya Rostova

Location:

Márya Dmítrievna Akhrosímova's house, Moscow

The Rostóvs have arrived in Moscow, and since they are selling their Moscow home, they are staying with the cantankerous but seemingly kind-hearted Márya Dmítrievna Akhrosímova .

Prince Andrew is due to arrive at his father's house in Moscow any day, and Natasha will go to meet Princess Mary on the morrow.

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 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 1: Book 4 - Chapter 16

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Count Ilya Rostóv

Countess Natalya Rostova

Natasha Rostova

Vaska Denísov

Location:

The Rostov House

Count Ilya Rostóv arrives home, and Nicholas at first haughtily asks for the 43,000 rubles to pay back to Dólokhov, and then starts to beg and sob as his father starts to leave the room.  

In the meantime, Denísov accidentally proposes to Natasha, who runs off to ask advice from her mother, Countess Natalya Rostova.  The countess does not take it seriously at all, since Natasha is still so young and tells Denísov so, after both she and Natasha reject him.

Count Rostóv eventually raises the funds to pay his son's gambling debts to Dólokhov and Nicholas leaves to rejoin his regiment in Poland.

End of book 4

Volume 1: Book 4 - Chapter 15

Characters Present:

Nicholas Rostóv

Sonya Rostova

Natasha Rostova

Vaska Denísov

Location:

The Rostov House 

Nicholas returns home to find everyone in good spirits - Denísov is playing piano, and Natasha is looking at him adoringly. 

Sonya notes what a terrible mood Nicholas is in.  They are all concerned for about a minute, and then return to their gaiety. Natasha starts to sing.

Nicholas paces the room, waiting for his father to get home so he can ask for money, and wonders how anyone could be happy at such a time as this.