Tolstoy reminds us the war had no “cause” in the conventional sense of the word.
The old Prince becomes even more difficult to live with, and he seems in denial about the approach of Napoleon’s army.
On a now typical evening, the old Prince tries to get to sleep.
Having not heeded Andrew’s earlier advice to evacuate to Moscow, the family is still at Bald Hills when the French attack the nearby town of Smolénsk.
The Russians abandon Smolénsk and continue their retreat.
The Petersburg salons continue as previously with little change.
Napoleon interviews a captured Russian serf.
The old Prince has a stroke and dies after three weeks.
The Boguchárovo peasants refuse to help with Mary’s move to Moscow.
After she recovers from her false guilt over her father’s death, Mary looks for a way to flee from the French, and offers Andrew’s grain to the starving peasants.