Summary
Anatole prepares for his dramatic elopement with Natasha, surrounded by his drinking companions who treat the whole affair like a grand adventure. He delivers theatrical farewell speeches, demanding the finest sable cloak for his bride-to-be, while Dolokhov offers practical advice about managing a panicked young woman. The scene has all the energy of young men embarking on a thrilling escapade, complete with racing sleighs through Moscow's snowy streets. But when they arrive at the rendezvous point, everything goes wrong. Instead of Natasha waiting in the courtyard, Anatole finds himself face-to-face with Marya Dmitrievna's enormous footman, who politely but firmly escorts him toward his furious hostess. Dolokhov's urgent shouts of 'Betrayed!' pierce the night as he fights off a porter trying to lock the gate. In a desperate scramble, he manages to pull Anatole back to their sleigh before the trap can fully close. This chapter captures how quickly elaborate plans can collapse when you're dealing with people smarter than you anticipated. Anatole's confidence in his charm and his friends' romantic view of the adventure blind them to the obvious truth: Marya Dmitrievna has been several steps ahead of them all along. The dramatic irony is thick—while they're planning their romantic rescue, she's planning their capture.
Coming Up in Chapter 163
Anatole and Dolokhov's narrow escape is just the beginning. Now they must face the consequences of their failed scheme, while Marya Dmitrievna prepares to deliver some harsh truths about their reckless behavior.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
Anatole went out of the room and returned a few minutes later wearing a fur coat girt with a silver belt, and a sable cap jauntily set on one side and very becoming to his handsome face. Having looked in a mirror, and standing before Dólokhov in the same pose he had assumed before it, he lifted a glass of wine. “Well, good-by, Theodore. Thank you for everything and farewell!” said Anatole. “Well, comrades and friends...” he considered for a moment “... of my youth, farewell!” he said, turning to Makárin and the others. Though they were all going with him, Anatole evidently wished to make something touching and solemn out of this address to his comrades. He spoke slowly in a loud voice and throwing out his chest slightly swayed one leg. “All take glasses; you too, Balagá. Well, comrades and friends of my youth, we’ve had our fling and lived and reveled. Eh? And now, when shall we meet again? I am going abroad. We have had a good time—now farewell, lads! To our health! Hurrah!...” he cried, and emptying his glass flung it on the floor. “To your health!” said Balagá who also emptied his glass, and wiped his mouth with his handkerchief. Makárin embraced Anatole with tears in his eyes. “Ah, Prince, how sorry I am to part from you! “Let’s go. Let’s go!” cried Anatole. Balagá was about to leave the room. “No, stop!” said Anatole. “Shut the door; we have first to sit down. That’s the way.” They shut the door and all sat down. “Now, quick march, lads!” said Anatole, rising. Joseph, his valet, handed him his sabretache and saber, and they all went out into the vestibule. “And where’s the fur cloak?” asked Dólokhov. “Hey, Ignátka! Go to Matrëna Matrévna and ask her for the sable cloak. I have heard what elopements are like,” continued Dólokhov with a wink. “Why, she’ll rush out more dead than alive just in the things she is wearing; if you delay at all there’ll be tears and ‘Papa’ and ‘Mamma,’ and she’s frozen in a minute and must go back—but you wrap the fur cloak round her first thing and carry her to the sleigh.” The valet brought a woman’s fox-lined cloak. “Fool, I told you the sable one! Hey, Matrëna, the sable!” he shouted so that his voice rang far through the rooms. A handsome, slim, and pale-faced gypsy girl with glittering black eyes and curly blue-black hair, wearing a red shawl, ran out with a sable mantle on her arm. “Here, I don’t grudge it—take it!” she said, evidently afraid of her master and yet regretful of her cloak. Dólokhov, without answering, took the cloak, threw it over Matrëna, and wrapped her up in it. “That’s the way,” said Dólokhov, “and then so!” and he turned the collar up round her head, leaving only a little of the face uncovered. “And then so, do you see?” and he pushed Anatole’s head forward to meet...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Overconfident Planning
When success breeds blind spots that make you miss obvious threats from people who know better.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to identify who actually holds influence in any situation, versus who appears to be in charge.
Practice This Today
Next time you're frustrated with a workplace or family situation, map out who really makes the decisions versus who gets blamed when things go wrong.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Elopement
Running away to get married in secret, usually without parental consent. In Tolstoy's time, this was scandalous and could ruin a woman's reputation forever. Young men like Anatole saw it as romantic adventure.
Modern Usage:
We still see this when couples run off to Vegas or have secret weddings to avoid family drama or disapproval.
Theatrical farewell
Making a big dramatic show out of saying goodbye, usually when someone wants to feel important or heroic. Anatole turns leaving for his elopement into a grand performance for his drinking buddies.
Modern Usage:
Like someone posting a long dramatic Facebook goodbye when they quit a job or leave town, making sure everyone knows how significant their departure is.
Sable
Extremely expensive fur from a small mammal, considered the finest and most luxurious fur available. Only the wealthy could afford it. Anatole demands the best sable cloak for Natasha.
Modern Usage:
Today's equivalent would be demanding designer brands or luxury items to impress someone - like insisting on a Rolex or Louis Vuitton bag.
Rendezvous point
A secret meeting place arranged beforehand. In romantic plots and military operations, this is where people agree to meet. Anatole expects to find Natasha waiting at their planned location.
Modern Usage:
Any arranged meeting spot, from 'meet me at Starbucks' to more secretive arrangements like affairs or surprise parties.
Dramatic irony
When readers know something the characters don't, creating tension. We can see that Anatole is walking into a trap while he thinks he's rescuing Natasha.
Modern Usage:
Like watching someone walk into their surprise party thinking everyone forgot their birthday, or seeing a horror movie character go into the basement.
Footman
A male servant in wealthy households, usually large and intimidating, responsible for security and formal duties. Marya Dmitrievna's footman is her enforcer.
Modern Usage:
Like a bouncer at a club or a security guard - someone hired to be physically imposing and handle problems.
Characters in This Chapter
Anatole
Reckless romantic lead
He treats this serious elopement like a fun adventure, making theatrical speeches and demanding luxury items. His overconfidence blinds him to the trap being set.
Modern Equivalent:
The guy who thinks he's the main character in his own movie
Dólokhov
Practical accomplice
He gives Anatole realistic advice about handling a panicked young woman and stays alert enough to recognize the trap when it springs. He's the one who saves them both.
Modern Equivalent:
The friend who actually thinks things through while everyone else gets carried away
Balagá
Loyal servant/driver
The sleigh driver who enables their escape plan and participates in their dramatic toasts. He's completely devoted to Anatole's adventures.
Modern Equivalent:
The ride-or-die friend who'll drive the getaway car without asking questions
Marya Dmitrievna
Protective authority figure
Though not physically present in most of the chapter, her influence dominates the ending. She's orchestrated the entire trap and uses her household staff to execute it.
Modern Equivalent:
The strict parent or guardian who's always three steps ahead of the kids' schemes
Makárin
Emotional supporter
He gets tearful during Anatole's farewell speech, showing how these men romanticize what they're doing. He represents the sentimental side of their group.
Modern Equivalent:
The friend who cries at everything and makes every goodbye feel like a movie scene
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Well, comrades and friends of my youth, we've had our fling and lived and reveled. Eh? And now, when shall we meet again?"
Context: He's making a dramatic farewell speech to his drinking companions before the elopement
This shows how Anatole turns everything into theater. He's treating a serious situation like the end of a great adventure story, completely missing the real consequences.
In Today's Words:
We had some good times, guys. Who knows when we'll party like this again?
"Betrayed!"
Context: He shouts this when he realizes they've walked into Marya Dmitrievna's trap
Dólokhov is the first to understand what's really happening. His single word cuts through all of Anatole's romantic delusions and reveals the harsh reality.
In Today's Words:
We've been set up!
"Get me my sable too. Hey, you know, that sable of mine. Well, never mind; let her wrap herself in it."
Context: He's demanding his finest fur cloak for Natasha to wear during their escape
Even in this crisis moment, Anatole is focused on appearances and luxury. He wants to play the generous lover providing for his lady, showing his superficial understanding of love.
In Today's Words:
Get my best coat for her. Actually, whatever, she can have it.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Anatole's aristocratic privilege makes him assume he can charm his way out of any situation, while Marya Dmitrievna's social position gives her both the authority and connections to stop him
Development
Continued exploration of how class differences create blind spots and power imbalances
In Your Life:
You might underestimate someone's influence because they don't fit your idea of what power looks like
Identity
In This Chapter
Anatole's identity as an irresistible charmer prevents him from seeing when his usual tactics won't work
Development
Ongoing theme of how self-image can become a limitation
In Your Life:
Your professional identity might blind you to situations where your usual approach will backfire
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
The men expect their romantic adventure to unfold like a novel, while Marya Dmitrievna operates by the practical rules of protecting young women
Development
Continued tension between romantic ideals and social reality
In Your Life:
You might expect situations to play out like movies when real people follow different scripts
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
The relationship between Anatole and his enablers shows how groupthink can amplify bad decisions
Development
Expanding focus on how relationships can either challenge or reinforce our worst impulses
In Your Life:
Your friend group might encourage risky behavior because they're not the ones facing the consequences
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What specific signs should have warned Anatole and his friends that their plan was doomed from the start?
analysis • surface - 2
How does groupthink among Anatole's drinking companions prevent them from seeing the obvious flaws in their scheme?
analysis • medium - 3
Where do you see this pattern of overconfident planning in modern workplaces, families, or social situations?
application • medium - 4
When you're planning something that affects other people, how do you identify who might be 'three moves ahead' of you?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter reveal about the difference between being clever and being wise?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Rewrite the Scene from Marya Dmitrievna's Perspective
Write a brief scene showing how Marya Dmitrievna prepared for Anatole's arrival. What clues did she pick up on? How did she set her trap? What was she thinking as she watched these young men stumble into her carefully laid plans?
Consider:
- •Consider what experience teaches that youth overlooks
- •Think about how protective instincts create strategic thinking
- •Notice how calm confidence differs from loud bravado
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone underestimated your ability to see through their plans. What gave them away? How did your experience help you stay ahead of their scheme?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 163: The Morning After Shame
What lies ahead teaches us shame can freeze us into destructive silence, and shows us some people protect our reputation even when we've messed up. These patterns appear in literature and life alike.