WAR AND PEACE 2, Leo Tolstoy, transl. Rosemary Edmonds, Penguin,
Harmodsworth, 1979 (1869).

III:1 (pp. 715-809): Napoleon attacks Russia. The Tsar, informed during
a ball, sends Balashev to Napoleon with a letter. After several days of
waiting and travelling with the French army, Balashev sees Napoleon in
the same room whence the Tsar dispatched him. Andrei joins the army in
Moldavia. On Napoleon's attack he goes to confront him. Nikolai Rostov
leads an unordered heroic charge, is praised and broods.

Natasha lingers ill. Medicine avails naught. Prayer benefits her. On
Sunday, July 12th, the priest prays the special prayer for protection
from the invaders. Pierre brings the Rostovs the Tsar's appeal to
Moscow and news of Andrei's decoration. He and Natasha feel happy and
embarassed together. Her youngest brother sees the Tsar and persists in
his intention to join the army. The nobles assemble in enthusiastic
debate. The Tsar arrives and at once receives pledges of ten equipped
soldiers for each thousand serfs.

III:2 (pp.810-973): Despite later claims, the advance of Napoleon deep
into Russia was not by Russian design. Andrei writes urging his family
to move from the path of the invaders. His senile father ignores him
and sends a man to Smolensk. With that city in turmoil, this man meets
Andrei who writes a note urging a quick move by the family to Moscow. A
few days later, Andrei retreating looks in at his now largely abandoned
home.

Kutosov is appointed supreme commander. Old Nikolai Bolkonsky had a
stroke while readying defences. Maria remained with him at Bogucharovo,
sending the grandson and tutor on to Moscow. Informed of peasants'
needs, Maria offers them grain. They reject it and try to strand her.
Rostov happens by, quells the peasant rebellion and escorts her to
Russian lines.

Andrei meets Denisov. Denisov urges Kutuzov to allow him to cut the
French supply lines. Kutuzov consoles Andrei on his father's death and
speaks of time and patience. Society people are leaving Moscow. Pierre
goes and sees Leppich's balloon and the army at Borodino. He meets
Andrei. Napoleons commands for French movements during that battle were
impractical and were not carried out. Pierre rides into the battle. His
horse is wounded. He joins artillerymen on Raevsky Redoubt.

Napoleon has the unusual feeling that things are going badly. Kutuzov
feels the spirit of the battle and steadies his troops. Prince Andrei
is wounded. He lies near Anatole Karagin in the hospital tent.

Russians stood on the road to Moscow:

   It was not Napoleon alone who experienced that nightmare feeling of
   the mighty arm being stricken powerless: all the generals and
   soldiers of his army, whether they had taken part in the battle or
   not, after all their experience of previous battles -- when a tenth
   of such pressure had started the enemy fleeing -- knew a similar
   feeling of awe and dread before this foe who, who after losing ONE
   HALF of his men, still stood as formidable at the end as at the
   beginning of the battle. p. 973

Though Napoleon will continue to Moscow, Borodino caused his and the
French Empire's destruction.

III:3 (pp. 974-1103): Kutuzov abandons Moscow. Rumours abound. Many
leave. In St. Petersburg Pierre's wife, aided by the Society of Jesus,
ponders which of two intimates she'll marry. Pierre travels with
soldiers and converses with Rostopchin. Pierre goes home where many
wait for him. He slips away. Natasha helps packing and she makes room
on carts for some wounded soldiers. Prince Andrei is among them.

Pierre, seeing the moving Rostovs on his way, goes to Bazdayev's
Masonic library. Napoleon awaits Moscow's surrender. He is informed the
city is abandoned. French troops enter Moscow. They are in some
disorder. A young Russian officer is given 25 roubles by a Rostov
servant. Russians remaining are confused and a little disorderly. A
crowd chases the chief of police. Rostopchin incites the crowd to kill
Vereshchagin.

Pierre fantasizes himself killing Napoleon, saves the life of a French
officer, dines with him and they tell each other their life stories. A
fire is observed. Natasha learns the wounded Andrei Bolkonsky is
travelling with them. She goes to him and there is a moving greeting.
She tends sick Andrei. Pierre rescues a little girl in the fire and
engages in fisticuffs with marauding French soldiers. He is arrested.

IV:1 (pp. 1107-1167): In St. Petersburg an icon of St. Sergei is
presented to the Tsar. News comes of victory at Borodino. Helene dies.
Col. Michaud bears Kutuzov's letter concerning the saving of the army
to the Tsar. Michaud speaks of Moscow in ashes and the army's
determination to fight. Nikolai Rostov goes to Voronezh to obtain
horses for the army. He is lionized. He learns Maria Bolkonsky is in
the area. They meet and their love for each other glows.

Pierre is tried, sent to the execution ground and spared. In
confinement he sees a cheerful, ideally Russian peasant. Maria travels
to visit her brother. Natasha takes Maria into Andrei's room. He has
the sweet serenity of one who has accepted death. He greets Maria and
his young son. He dies.

IV:2 (pp. 1168-1219): Not by design, but naturally, the Russian army
moved as it did. All feel the shift of relative strength in favour of
Russia. Kutuzov's assent to an attack is delayed. A Pole deserts the
French and suggests capturing Murat. Fifteen hundred prisoners are
taken, but he gets away. This is the most noteworthy thing of the
muddled Battle of Tarutino, for which decorations were awarded anyway.

Napoleon's envoys to St. Petersburg are not seen by the Tsar. The
invader's measures in Moscow are equally ineffective. Moscow had winter
clothes and would have supported the French army through the winter.
Pierre deprived in captivity thrives and is respected by fellow
prisoners and French alike. He is taken with other prisoners in the
French move from Moscow. Loot enormously burdens the army. Previously
courteous soldiers now mistreat the prisoners.

Dokhturov sent to raid Fominsk learns half way there that Napoleon has
led the whole French army there from Moscow. Kutuzov is promptly
informed. Kutuzov seeks to avoid needless fighting. Cossacks come close
to Napoleon, but are distracted by loot. The French move along the
Smolensk road. Some fighting occurs despite Kutuzov.

IV:3 (pp. 1220-1272): This tremendous event, contrary to historical
expositions, of the destruction of the victorious army is highly
instructive. Guerrillas continued to hit the French. Denisov leads one
band. Petya Rostov comes to him from another force. Denisov's best man
Tikhonov fails to bring in a live "tongue" from a French column the
guerrillas are observing. Dolohov, leader of another band, arrives. He
and Petya call on the French column in disguise. They attack at dawn.
Petya is killed, Pierre rescued.

Pierre had observed the disintigration of the retreating French. His
vitality had kept him going. Choosing the worst route, La Grande Armee
continues its dissolution. Historians speak of Napoleon's genius and
call him grand. "Du sublime au ridicule il n'y a qu'un pas!" (p.1267).
Historians speak of what Russian generals could have done to capture
Napoleon. The Russian soldiers, many of whom died in the terrible
conditions, largely did what they could to facilitate the French
flight.

IV:4 (pp. 1273-1335): Maria's grief is forced to share time with
demands of looking after little Nikolai, family business and plans to
move to Moscow. Natasha declines to come. She is pulled from grieving
for Andrei when news comes of Petya's death. Natasha spends days
consoling her mother. Maria delays her departure and grows closer to
Natasha. She and Natasha leave for Moscow in late January.

Twenty six thousand prisoners were taken at Krasnoe. Kutuzov was not
pleased. Despite the criticism of historians, even Russians, Kutuzov,
identifying with the people, understood best and was true to the
nation. The Tsar meets Kutuzov at Vilna and awards him the St. George
medal First Class. Kutuzov dies.

Pierre falls ill and recovers, despite the doctors. Pierre is changed,
brings out the best in people. People return to Moscow:

   Within a week Moscow had fifteen thousand inhabitants; in a
   fortnight twenty-five thousand, and so it went on, the figures
   increasing until by the autumn of 1813 the population exceeded what
   it had been in 1812. p. 1314

Pierre returns at the end of January. He calls on Maria to offer
condolences at the death of Andrei, at first failing to recognize
Natasha. When Maria mentions her companion is Natasha, Pierre's
reaction reveals his love. They tell each other what they've gone
through. Pierre delays his visit to St. Petersburg. He calls again on
Natasha. Maria in private advises Pierre to go to St. Petersburg and
all will be well. Natasha says she'll look very much forward to his
return. For two months that statement resounds in his mind. Natasha in
private speaks to Maria of her love for Pierre.

Epilogue Part One (pp. 1339-1399): Historians perceive progress and
reaction. They very much criticize Alexander I. Historians' opinions
about what benefits humanity change. Also intrude genius and chance.

   If the object of the European wars of the beginning of this century
   had been the aggrandizement of Russia, that object might have been
   obtained without any of the preceding wars and without the invasion.
   If the object was the aggrandizement of France, that might have been
   obtained without either the Revolution or the Empire. If the object
   was the propagation of ideas, the printing-press could have
   accomplished that more effectually than soldiers. If the object was
   the progress of civilization, one may very readily suppose that
   there are other more expedient means of diffusing civilization than
   by slaughtering people and destroying their wealth. p. 1342

When we admit ultimate purpose surpasses our understanding, we can
dispense with genius and chance. The military flow from West to East
and back marks the foundation of early Nineteenth Century history. Many
chances brought Napoleon to power in France, to domination in Western
Europe, to head the West's move to Moscow. It seems many chances
reversed that flow, caused the East to reach Paris and dissolve
Napoleon's Empire. His return and its brevity appear chance bestowals.
Alexander I acted when Europe required. His mission complete, he
refused continued extra power, testifying to his humanity and the
supremecy of God.

Natasha and Pierre marry. Her father dies. Nikolai returns from the
army in Paris. He accepts the inheritance with its vast debts, sells
the estate, accepts a loan from Pierre, takes a government post and
seeks to conceal their poverty from his mother. Maria arrives. Nikolai
is cold at first. Their love prevails. They marry. He works keenly to
be financially prudent, to understand the peasants, to benefit all.
Maria's tears and a broken Laocoon ring help Nikolai strive to avoid
dealing with his peasants with hussar fists. His work in the fields
gains him little liking from the region's nobles.

In 1820 Natasha now has four and Maria three children, expecting her
fourth. Maria worries a bit about Nikolai being cross with her, but
darling three year old Natasha and Nikolai himself convey his good
cheer. Natasha demands Pierre's full attention to his family and she
seeks to fulfill his every wish. Since he favours it, she nurses her
own children, not ordinary behaviour for one of her class. He returns
from a business trip to St. Petersburg. All are delighted to see him.
He brings presents from all. After Natasha's aging mother returns to
her cardgame, Pierre shares news of government scandals and of Pierre's
proposal for a true conservative Society of Gentlemen. Fifteen year old
Nikolai listen's. Later each couple converses and Nikolai dreams of his
father.

Epilogue Part Two (pp. 1400-1444): History was understandable
previously when Destiny and the Will of Deity were observed as the
cause of events. Modern denial of such removes reasonable cause.
Historians asserting the will of individuals disagree amongst
themselves as to which person willed the same events. General
historians attributing the same events to the interaction of a
multiplicity of wills stop part way. Cultural historians restrict their
analyses to a period's intellectual activity. Some consider power as an
expression of the will of the people, either absolute or conditional,
the conditions clear or indefinite. These disagree as to what
constitutes legitimate expression of the popular will and don't explain
swift changes in rulership.

Any collective body is composed of many performing its functions and
commanders in ascending strata doing less except issue commands the
further they are from the base of this conic structure. Postulated
laws of history encounter awareness of human free will. This awareness
is not erased by modern findings in physiology and comparative zoology.

History may be seen as the interaction of free will and necessity. Our
impressions as to the relative proportions of these two constituents
vary according to our knowledge of the circumstances of the performers
of deeds, their proximity to us in time and our realizations of the
influences contributing to events. Whatever the exact proportion there
is always some combination of free will and necessity. Reason may
perceive free will as that component of history not included in
understandable laws of history. Free will can be understood in the same
way as our feeling that the astronomical bodies move around a
stationary Earth; admitting our oft unconsidered connection to time,
space and causal influences can allow laws of history analogous to the
laws of gravitation.

This synopsis by Michael McKenny, December 2005 C.E.


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