War and Peace Volume 2, Part 5, Chapter 7 Summary

  • The next day, Natasha and her dad go visit the Bolkonskys.  Count Rostov is visibly uncomfortable, which Natasha can’t help but notice.
  • When they get to the house, the servants are pretty P.O.’ed to see them. They are told that Prince Bolkonsky can’t see them and are finally shown into a room to see Marya.
  • Marya hates Natasha on sight, within seconds of meeting her.
  • Count Rostov drops off his daughter and scampers off. Natasha is angry about this, but decides to make the best of it.
  • She and Marya exchange lame, fake, unpleasant chitchat because Mlle. Bourienne refuses to leave the room so they can actually talk.
  • In the middle of this, Prince Bolkonsky wanders into the room in his bathrobe. He’s totally confused, stammers a bit, and wanders back out. Ooookay.
  • Natasha dislikes Marya just as much as Marya dislikes her. The whole thing is a huge, horrible, ridiculous disaster.
  • Later Natasha misses Andrei and again wonders why he’s still not back.