- Suddenly, Count Rastopchin shows up wearing a general's uniform. The crowd of nobles makes room for him.
- It's the general's uniform. It's gotta be.
- Rastopchin tells everybody that the sovereign emperor will arrive shortly.
- He reminds the assembled group that their job is to assemble a militia and fight for their country.
- The nobles huddle in groups and eventually decide that the citizens of Moscow will donate 10 men to the fight for every 1000. Fully equipped men, that is.
- The emperor himself then shows up. Pierre observes from a distance but can't quite make out what the emperor says.
- He does hear him say that the country is in danger and that he has placed high hopes in its nobility.
- Today, they have exceeded his expectations.
- Ilya Andreich, who is behind Pierre, is sobbing as a result of the emperor's speech.
- The emperor leaves and goes into the other hall, where the merchants are.
- About 10 minutes later, he comes out with two merchants, and they're weeping too.
- Apparently, the emperor started crying right after he started speaking to the merchants.
- The emperor's presence has pretty much changed everybody's opinion.
- Pierre is willing to sacrifice everything, Bezukhov has told Count Rastopchin that he is donating 1000 men, Rostov has decided to sign up, and on and on.
- Once the emperor is gone and the nobles have gone back to their lives, they are all astonished at how much they have committed to the emperor.