An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 966 words)
“he has come to stay with me,” said Princess Mary. “The count and
countess will be here in a few days. The countess is in a dreadful
state; but it was necessary for Natásha herself to see a doctor. They
insisted on her coming with me.”
“Yes, is there a family free from sorrow now?” said Pierre, addressing
Natásha. “You know it happened the very day we were rescued. I saw him.
What a delightful boy he was!”
Natásha looked at him, and by way of answer to his words her eyes
widened and lit up.
“What can one say or think of as a consolation?” said Pierre. “Nothing!
Why had such a splendid boy, so full of life, to die?”
“Yes, in these days it would be hard to live without faith...” remarked
Princess Mary.
“Yes, yes, that is really true,” Pierre hastily interrupted her.
“Why is it true?” Natásha asked, looking attentively into Pierre’s eyes.
“How can you ask why?” said Princess Mary. “The thought alone of what
awaits...”
Natásha without waiting for Princess Mary to finish again looked
inquiringly at Pierre.
“And because,” Pierre continued, “only one who believes that there is a
God ruling us can bear a loss such as hers and... yours.”
Natásha had already opened her mouth to speak but suddenly stopped.
Pierre hurriedly turned away from her and again addressed Princess Mary,
asking about his friend’s last days.
Pierre’s confusion had now almost vanished, but at the same time he felt
that his freedom had also completely gone. He felt that there was now a
judge of his every word and action whose judgment mattered more to
him than that of all the rest of the world. As he spoke now he was
considering what impression his words would make on Natásha. He did
not purposely say things to please her, but whatever he was saying he
regarded from her standpoint.
Princess Mary—reluctantly as is usual in such cases—began telling of
the condition in which she had found Prince Andrew. But Pierre’s face
quivering with emotion, his questions and his eager restless expression,
gradually compelled her to go into details which she feared to recall
for her own sake.
“Yes, yes, and so...?” Pierre kept saying as he leaned toward her with
his whole body and eagerly listened to her story. “Yes, yes... so he
grew tranquil and softened? With all his soul he had always sought
one thing—to be perfectly good—so he could not be afraid of death. The
faults he had—if he had any—were not of his making. So he did soften?...
What a happy thing that he saw you again,” he added, suddenly turning to
Natásha and looking at her with eyes full of tears.
Natásha’s face twitched. She frowned and lowered her eyes for a moment.
She hesitated for an instant whether to speak or not.
“Yes, that was happiness,” she then said in her quiet voice with its
deep chest notes. “For me it certainly was happiness.” She paused. “And
he... he... he said he was wishing for it at the very moment I entered
the room....”
Natásha’s voice broke. She blushed, pressed her clasped hands on her
knees, and then controlling herself with an evident effort lifted her
head and began to speak rapidly.
“We knew nothing of it when we started from Moscow. I did not dare to
ask about him. Then suddenly Sónya told me he was traveling with us. I
had no idea and could not imagine what state he was in, all I wanted was
to see him and be with him,” she said, trembling, and breathing quickly.
And not letting them interrupt her she went on to tell what she had
never yet mentioned to anyone—all she had lived through during those
three weeks of their journey and life at Yaroslávl.
Pierre listened to her with lips parted and eyes fixed upon her full of
tears. As he listened he did not think of Prince Andrew, nor of death,
nor of what she was telling. He listened to her and felt only pity for
her, for what she was suffering now while she was speaking.
Princess Mary, frowning in her effort to hold back her tears, sat beside
Natásha, and heard for the first time the story of those last days of
her brother’s and Natásha’s love.
Evidently Natásha needed to tell that painful yet joyful tale.
She spoke, mingling most trifling details with the intimate secrets of
her soul, and it seemed as if she could never finish. Several times she
repeated the same thing twice.
Dessalles’ voice was heard outside the door asking whether little
Nicholas might come in to say good night.
“Well, that’s all—everything,” said Natásha.
She got up quickly just as Nicholas entered, almost ran to the door
which was hidden by curtains, struck her head against it, and rushed
from the room with a moan either of pain or sorrow.
Pierre gazed at the door through which she had disappeared and did not
understand why he suddenly felt all alone in the world.
Princess Mary roused him from his abstraction by drawing his attention
to her nephew who had entered the room.
At that moment of emotional tenderness young Nicholas’ face, which
resembled his father’s, affected Pierre so much that when he had kissed
the boy he got up quickly, took out his handkerchief, and went to the
window. He wished to take leave of Princess Mary, but she would not let
him go.
“No, Natásha and I sometimes don’t go to sleep till after two, so please
don’t go. I will order supper. Go downstairs, we will come immediately.”
Before Pierre left the room Princess Mary told him: “This is the first
time she has talked of him like that.”
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Let's Analyse the Pattern
Traumatic experiences often remain stuck until we find someone who can hold our pain without trying to fix it.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to be present for someone's grief without trying to fix, minimize, or redirect their experience.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone shares something difficult—resist the urge to offer solutions or comparisons, and instead say 'tell me more about that' or simply 'that sounds really hard.'
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"What can one say or think of as a consolation? Nothing! Why had such a splendid boy, so full of life, to die?"
Context: Pierre responds to the news of Andrew's death with raw honesty instead of empty comfort
This quote captures the inadequacy of conventional consolation in the face of real loss. Pierre's honesty about the senselessness of death resonates more than religious platitudes would.
In Today's Words:
There's nothing anyone can say to make this better. It just doesn't make sense why good people die young.
"Why is it true?"
Context: She questions Pierre's statement about needing faith to survive loss
Natasha's simple question cuts through philosophical discussion to the heart of grief - the desperate need for real answers, not comforting theories.
In Today's Words:
But why though? I need to understand, not just accept.
"He said he had been wishing to see me for a long time, and that when he saw me he felt at peace"
Context: She describes Andrew's final words to her during their reunion
This reveals the healing power of forgiveness and closure. Andrew's peace at seeing her helps absolve Natasha's guilt over their past conflicts.
In Today's Words:
He told me he'd been hoping I'd come, and that seeing me made everything okay between us.
Thematic Threads
Grief Processing
In This Chapter
Natasha's first full telling of Andrew's death shows grief moving from stuck to flowing
Development
Evolution from her earlier withdrawn silence to active emotional processing
In Your Life:
You might recognize this in how you've carried losses alone until finding the right person to truly hear you.
Emotional Witnessing
In This Chapter
Pierre listens with his whole being, feeling rather than analyzing Natasha's pain
Development
Pierre's growing capacity for emotional presence over intellectual distance
In Your Life:
You might see this in moments when someone needed you to just listen, not solve their problems.
Healing Through Story
In This Chapter
Natasha's repetitive, detailed telling helps her process the experience
Development
First time she's shared the full story, showing story-telling as healing mechanism
In Your Life:
You might notice how telling your story to the right person changes how it affects you.
Unspoken Connection
In This Chapter
Pierre's growing feelings for Natasha emerge through his response to her grief
Development
Building on their earlier philosophical conversations toward deeper emotional bond
In Your Life:
You might recognize how shared vulnerability can deepen relationships in unexpected ways.
Emotional Safety
In This Chapter
Princess Mary creates space for Natasha's story without judgment or interference
Development
Princess Mary's consistent role as emotional sanctuary for others
In Your Life:
You might see this in how certain people make you feel safe to be vulnerable while others don't.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What finally allows Natasha to break her silence about Andrew's death, and how does she tell the story?
analysis • surface - 2
Why do you think Natasha needed months before she could talk about Andrew's final weeks, and what made Pierre and Princess Mary the right audience?
analysis • medium - 3
Think about someone you know who went through a major loss or trauma. What did they need from others during that time - advice, solutions, or something else?
application • medium - 4
When someone close to you is grieving or processing trauma, how can you tell the difference between helpful listening and trying to 'fix' their pain?
application • deep - 5
What does Natasha's breakthrough reveal about how we process difficult experiences - can we heal completely on our own, or do we need others?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Practice Being a Grief Witness
Think of a time when someone shared a painful experience with you. Write down what you said or did in response. Then rewrite that conversation, focusing only on witnessing their pain without offering solutions, comparisons, or rushing them toward 'moving on.' Notice the difference between fixing and witnessing.
Consider:
- •Avoid phrases like 'at least' or 'everything happens for a reason'
- •Let them repeat details that matter to them without redirecting
- •Your discomfort with their pain is not their problem to solve
Journaling Prompt
Write about a loss or difficult experience you've carried alone. What would it feel like to have someone listen to your story without trying to fix it or move you past it?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 334: The Healing Power of Honest Conversation
Pierre's feelings for Natasha are becoming impossible to ignore, but with Andrew barely in his grave, what can he possibly do with this growing love? The heart doesn't follow social rules.
