An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 738 words)
fter reaching home Nicholas was at first serious and even dull. He was
worried by the impending necessity of interfering in the stupid business
matters for which his mother had called him home. To throw off this
burden as quickly as possible, on the third day after his arrival he
went, angry and scowling and without answering questions as to where he
was going, to Mítenka’s lodge and demanded an account of everything.
But what an account of everything might be Nicholas knew even less
than the frightened and bewildered Mítenka. The conversation and the
examination of the accounts with Mítenka did not last long. The village
elder, a peasant delegate, and the village clerk, who were waiting in
the passage, heard with fear and delight first the young count’s voice
roaring and snapping and rising louder and louder, and then words of
abuse, dreadful words, ejaculated one after the other.
“Robber!... Ungrateful wretch!... I’ll hack the dog to pieces! I’m
not my father!... Robbing us!...” and so on.
Then with no less fear and delight they saw how the young count, red in
the face and with bloodshot eyes, dragged Mítenka out by the scruff of
the neck and applied his foot and knee to his behind with great agility
at convenient moments between the words, shouting, “Be off! Never let
me see your face here again, you villain!”
Mítenka flew headlong down the six steps and ran away into the
shrubbery. (This shrubbery was a well-known haven of refuge for culprits
at Otrádnoe. Mítenka himself, returning tipsy from the town, used
to hide there, and many of the residents at Otrádnoe, hiding from
Mítenka, knew of its protective qualities.)
Mítenka’s wife and sisters-in-law thrust their heads and frightened
faces out of the door of a room where a bright samovar was boiling and
where the steward’s high bedstead stood with its patchwork quilt.
The young count paid no heed to them, but, breathing hard, passed by
with resolute strides and went into the house.
The countess, who heard at once from the maids what had happened at the
lodge, was calmed by the thought that now their affairs would certainly
improve, but on the other hand felt anxious as to the effect this
excitement might have on her son. She went several times to his door on
tiptoe and listened, as he lighted one pipe after another.
Next day the old count called his son aside and, with an embarrassed
smile, said to him:
“But you know, my dear boy, it’s a pity you got excited! Mítenka
has told me all about it.”
“I knew,” thought Nicholas, “that I should never understand
anything in this crazy world.”
“You were angry that he had not entered those 700 rubles. But they
were carried forward—and you did not look at the other page.”
“Papa, he is a blackguard and a thief! I know he is! And what I have
done, I have done; but, if you like, I won’t speak to him again.”
“No, my dear boy” (the count, too, felt embarrassed. He knew he had
mismanaged his wife’s property and was to blame toward his children,
but he did not know how to remedy it). “No, I beg you to attend to the
business. I am old. I...”
“No, Papa. Forgive me if I have caused you unpleasantness. I
understand it all less than you do.”
“Devil take all these peasants, and money matters, and carryings
forward from page to page,” he thought. “I used to understand what
a ‘corner’ and the stakes at cards meant, but carrying forward to
another page I don’t understand at all,” said he to himself, and
after that he did not meddle in business affairs. But once the countess
called her son and informed him that she had a promissory note from Anna
Mikháylovna for two thousand rubles, and asked him what he thought of
doing with it.
“This,” answered Nicholas. “You say it rests with me. Well, I
don’t like Anna Mikháylovna and I don’t like Borís, but they were
our friends and poor. Well then, this!” and he tore up the note, and
by so doing caused the old countess to weep tears of joy. After that,
young Rostóv took no further part in any business affairs, but
devoted himself with passionate enthusiasm to what was to him a new
pursuit—the chase—for which his father kept a large establishment.
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Let's Analyse the Pattern
When thrust into roles we're unprepared for, we often compensate with aggression instead of admitting we need help.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to spot when someone's aggression is actually covering for their incompetence or fear.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone gets unusually angry or controlling—ask yourself what they might actually be struggling to understand or control.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Robber!... Ungrateful wretch!... I'll hack the dog to pieces! I'm not my father!... Robbing us!..."
Context: Nicholas explodes at Mítenka during the financial confrontation
This outburst reveals Nicholas's complete lack of preparation for handling complex situations. His declaration that he's 'not my father' shows he knows his father has been too soft, but his solution is just violence and threats rather than understanding.
In Today's Words:
You're stealing from us! I'm not going to be a pushover like my dad was!
"But what an account of everything might be Nicholas knew even less than the frightened and bewildered Mítenka."
Context: When Nicholas demands a financial accounting from the steward
Tolstoy perfectly captures the absurdity of the situation - Nicholas is demanding answers to questions he doesn't even understand. It's a recipe for disaster when someone with no expertise tries to take charge through intimidation alone.
In Today's Words:
Nicholas had no clue what he was asking for, which made him even more dangerous.
"Be off! Never let me see your face here again, you villain!"
Context: Nicholas physically throws Mítenka out while shouting threats
This shows Nicholas choosing the nuclear option instead of trying to understand the situation. He's solving his confusion and frustration through violence, which might feel satisfying in the moment but solves nothing.
In Today's Words:
Get out and don't come back, you crook!
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Nicholas's military background means nothing in civilian business—different worlds require different skills
Development
Continues the theme of how class expectations don't match real-world competencies
In Your Life:
Your job title or family role doesn't automatically give you the skills to handle every situation
Identity
In This Chapter
Nicholas retreats to hunting—the one area where he knows who he is and what he's doing
Development
Shows how people flee to familiar identities when challenged in unfamiliar territory
In Your Life:
When overwhelmed, you might retreat to the roles where you feel competent and avoid growth areas
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Family pressure forces Nicholas into a role he's completely unprepared for
Development
Builds on how social roles trap people in impossible situations
In Your Life:
Family or workplace expectations might push you into responsibilities you're not ready for
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
Nicholas's violent outburst reveals his inability to handle complex adult responsibilities
Development
Demonstrates how avoiding growth leads to destructive behavior when challenged
In Your Life:
Refusing to develop new skills eventually forces crisis situations where you must grow or fail
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
The whole family awkwardly dances around Nicholas's incompetence and violence
Development
Shows how families enable destructive patterns by avoiding honest conversations
In Your Life:
Your family might avoid addressing your weaknesses, which actually prevents you from getting better
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What exactly happened when Nicholas tried to confront the steward about the missing money?
analysis • surface - 2
Why did Nicholas resort to physical violence instead of trying to understand the accounting books?
analysis • medium - 3
Where have you seen someone explode with anger when they were actually just confused or overwhelmed?
application • medium - 4
How could Nicholas have handled this situation differently to actually solve the problem?
application • deep - 5
What does this scene reveal about how family pressure can push people into destructive behavior?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Rewrite the Confrontation
Imagine Nicholas had the emotional intelligence to handle this situation properly. Rewrite the scene where he meets with Mitenka about the accounting. What questions would he ask? How would he admit what he doesn't know? What would a productive conversation look like?
Consider:
- •Consider how asking for help is actually a sign of strength, not weakness
- •Think about how Nicholas could have prepared himself before the meeting
- •Notice how violence was his way of avoiding the shame of not understanding
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you felt pressure to know something you didn't understand. How did you handle it? What would you do differently now?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 135: The Hunter's Call
While Nicholas escapes into hunting, the larger world of Russian society continues its complex dance of relationships and expectations. New characters and situations await as Tolstoy shifts focus to other members of this interconnected web of families.
