BOOK 4, Chptr. 5, P&V pg. 315

Pierre shoots Dólokhov in the duel and immediately regrets it.

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  1. Book 4, Chapter 5

      Pierre shoots Dólokhov in the duel and immediately regrets it.

      Summary:
      Although he had never before fired a pistol, Pierre shoots first in the duel and Dólokhov falls to the ground, bleeding. Dólokhov is seriously wounded, but not killed. Horrified and sobbing at what he has done, Pierre runs toward the wounded Dólokhov. But Dólokhov is still conscious, and still has the right to fire his pistol at Pierre. Pierre is told to return to his position. Although urged to do so, Although urged to do so even by Denisov, (who was Dolokhov’s second), Pierre does not try to protect himself by standing sideways. Dólokhov, still on the ground, raises his pistol and fires at Pierre. His shot misses Pierre and the duel is over. Nicholas takes the wounded Dólokhov from the field. Dólokhov’s first thought is of how his death will “kill” his dear, aged mother. He sends Nicholas to prepare her. Rostóv went, and to his great surprise learned that Dólokhov the brawler, Dólokhov the bully, lived in Moscow with an old mother and a hunchback sister, and was the most affectionate of sons and brothers.

      quote from the chapter:
      Sideways! Cover yourself with your pistol! ejaculated Nesvítski.
      Cover yourself! even Denísov cried to his adversary.
      Pierre, with a gentle smile of pity and remorse, his arms and legs helplessly spread out, stood with his broad chest directly facing Dólokhov and looked sorrowfully at him. Denísov, Rostóv, and Nesvítski closed their eyes. At the same instant they heard a report and Dólokhov’s angry cry.
      Missed! shouted Dólokhov, and he lay helplessly, face downwards on the snow.
      Pierre clutched his temples, and turning round went into the forest, trampling through the deep snow, and muttering incoherent words:
      Folly… folly! Death… lies… he repeated, puckering his face.

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  2. “Although urged to do so, even by Dólokhov” – not by Dolokhov, but by Denisov who was Dolokhov’s second.

    1. Thank you for correcting my error.

      I have replaced “Although urged to do so, even by Dólokhov” with the following:

      “Although urged to do so even by Denisov, (who was Dolokhov’s second),”.

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