War and Peace: Volume 3, Part 3: Chapters 10–14 Summary & Analysis

On August 30th, Pierre returns to Moscow. He immediately runs into Count Rastopchin’s adjutant who says Pierre must go to the Count’s at once. At Rastopchin’s, Pierre finds a crowd of officials. They all know that Moscow is about to fall into French hands, and they’ve come to ask Rastopchin how to avoid blame. An adjutant shows Pierre a new poster. The poster tells the populace to remain calm—the prince is going to confront the French and will eventually summon the people to defend Moscow with pitchforks. The same adjutant mentions that he’s heard of Pierre’s “family troubles.” Pierre doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

Pierre is called into Rastopchin’s study. Rastopchin sternly asks him if he’s one of those Masons who wants to ruin Russia. Pierre admits to being a Mason, and Rastopchin warns him to avoid Masons like Klyucharev who’ve been accused of supporting France. Pierre leaves Rastopchin’s study in anger.

At home that evening, Pierre reads Hélène’s letter, but he cannot make sense of it and collapses into bed. The next morning, his butler informs him that Count Rastopchin has sent a police official to see whether Pierre is still there. Pierre immediately gets dressed and goes out the back door.

The Rostovs stay in Moscow until September 1st. Now that Petya, too, has joined the army, the Countess is constantly fearful. The Count, in an effort to calm his wife’s fears, has Petya transferred into Count Bezukhov’s regiment, which is currently gathered outside Moscow. When this youngest, most mischievous son is in danger, the Countess feels that she loves him most of all her children. When Petya finally arrives on August 28th, he’s uncomfortable with his mother’s doting and treats her coldly, preferring Natasha’s company.

The last days of August are chaotic, as citizens leave Moscow on carts piled with possessions, and thousands of wounded Borodino veterans are brought into the city at the same time. Wild, contradictory rumors circulate, and nobody knows for sure what’s happening in the war. Yet everyone instinctively senses that catastrophe is about to befall Moscow and that they should escape while they can.

In the bustle surrounding Petya’s visit, Sonya is the only Rostov who deals with the practical details of leaving. Yet she feels depressed about Nikolai’s recent letter, in which he spoke of Princess Marya. The Countess is happy about this development, claiming she always predicted that Nikolai would marry Marya Bolkonsky. From a rational standpoint, Sonya agrees that a wealthy marriage is the only way for the Rostovs to resolve their money problems. But she feels bitter about it.

Petya and Natasha, on the other hand, don’t help with packing. Instead they spend their time laughing together and running through the house like children. Petya is happy because army service has turned him from a boy into a man (at least that’s what everyone says) and he knows there will be battle in Moscow any day; Natasha is happy because she is finally well, and because the rumors of war are exhilarating for any young person.

On the last day of August, the Rostovs’ house is in disarray. Natasha is sitting on the floor of her bedroom, looking at the dress she’d worn to her first Petersburg ball. She’s ashamed to not be helping with the preparations, but she’s unable to do anything halfheartedly, and her heart isn’t in packing. She’s distracted from her thoughts by the commotion of a huge parade of wounded soldiers moving through the streets. She runs outside and, seeing the pale face of a soldier, asks the major if the wounded can stay at the Rostovs’ house. He says yes. Natasha and the Rostovs’ old housekeeper, Mavra Kuzminishna, begin inviting wounded soldiers to stop in their courtyard.

Mavra Kuzminishna reminds Natasha that she’d better ask for permission, so she goes inside and, in a rush, asks the Countess—who’s drowsy from a headache—if the wounded can lodge there. Both she and the Count, who’s come home with bad news about the abandonment of Moscow, absentmindedly agree to Natasha’s request. At dinner, Petya excitedly talks about the battle that’s expected tomorrow. The countess begs her husband to take them away from Moscow as quickly as possible so that Petya won’t fight.

When Countess Rostov hears that there are drunken riots in the streets, the family starts packing more hastily. Once Natasha gets into the spirit of things, she suddenly takes charge, repacking things more efficiently and leaving unnecessary things aside. Before long, the servants are looking to her for direction, and even the Count doesn’t protest.

That night, while the rest of the household is asleep, Mavra Kuzminishna admits another wounded soldier at the gate. The soldier is traveling in a closed vehicle with a doctor following, so he seems important. The man, whose outlook isn’t good, turns out to be Prince Andrei Bolkonsky.