- All the aristocrats have pretty much left Moscow – all except the Rostovs, who are still waiting for Petya to come back to the regiment that Pierre formed outside Moscow.
- Countess Rostov is doing her usual histrionics, freaking out about Petya and making everyone else’s lives miserable in the process.
- Finally, Petya comes back on August 28, but the Rostovs are still there on September 1 – the day before the French army will enter the city. Um, let’s get a move on, shall we?
- At home Petya just wants to hang out with Natasha, and his mom is jealous that he’s avoiding her mommying. But you know, he’s a teenage boy, a little too cool for school where his mom is concerned.
- They spend the days after Petya comes home packing up and getting ready. It’s a lot more hustle and bustle than actual productive labor. The only one who’s actually working is Sonya, although she’s been in a pretty bad mood ever since Nikolai’s letter about his rescue of Marya. Countess Rostov is talking up the potential marriage match there.
- Petya and Natasha are just having a grand old time and not helping or doing anything useful.