Book Fourteen
The narrator again expresses his view that war is not
scientific, repeating that the French defeat in Russia is rationally
unexplainable. He then describes the devastation of the remaining
French troops by Russian guerillas.
Dolokhov and Denisov are among the Cossack partisan fighters tracking
the retreating French. Denisov receives a message delivered by Petya
Rostov, who is now proudly serving in the army. Denisov and Petya
come upon a French encampment and consider attacking it. Suddenly,
they see a Russian peasant fleeing the French camp, whom Denisov
recognizes as Tikhon, a feisty character who enjoys looting the
French soldiers. Tikhon is sent off to capture a French informer,
but kills the first Frenchman he finds on grounds that his clothes
are not fancy enough. Denisov is disgusted by Tikhon’s cruelty.
Petya, eager to please Denisov, acts kindly toward a French drummer
boy the Russians have taken prisoner. Petya hopes to take part in
the attack on the French camp planned for the next day, and is finally
allowed to do so.
Dolokhov and Petya, disguised as French officers, enter
the French camp for information about Russian prisoners of war.
Back at the Russian guerilla camp, Petya is unable to sleep before
the -battle, so he goes out to speak to a Cossack who sharpens Petya’s saber.
Petya feels as though he is in a dream. When the battle begins, the
overjoyed Petya rides with glee into the heart of the shooting.
He is killed.
Entering the French camp, Dolokhov and Denisov liberate
the Russian prisoners of war, including Pierre, who had been marching painfully
with the French while his friend Platon Karataev grew more and more
ill. One day, Platon had told a tale of a merchant who suffered
for the sins of others and greeted death happily. The next day,
the French had shot Platon for being ill and straggling behind the
rest. When Dolokhov and Denisov release Pierre, he weeps with joy.
Petya is buried.
The French army continues to disintegrate. The troops
fight among themselves and plunder each other. Napoleon abandons
his subordinates. Nevertheless, Russians readers of histories of
the war are frustrated to note that the Russian forces were unable
to destroy the remnants of the French army. The narrator explains
that attacking the retreating French would have been senseless,
like whipping an animal already running.
Book Fifteen
Mary and Natasha, still in exile from Moscow, grieve Andrew’s death
in silence and pain. Natasha is much changed, and she refuses to
return to Moscow even when the danger is past. She receives word
that her brother Petya is dead, and tells her mother, both weeping.
Mary attempts to console Natasha, who grows so pale and thin that
her father insists that she accompany Mary to Moscow to see doctors.
