War and Peace Volume 4, Part 4, Chapter 17 Summary

  • Pierre, Natasha, and Marya all go to the dining room and try to figure out what to talk about. It’s kind of awkward – they just had this big emotional moment but now they need to somehow get back to regular life.
  • They chat about what was lost in Moscow, how Pierre is now a bachelor again and can marry (which makes him blush crazily), and how he didn’t meet Napoleon but was going to try to kill him.
  • Natasha experiences deep empathy listening to Pierre and living what he’s describing through his words. She really gets him.
  • Marya suddenly realizes that Pierre and Natasha might have a future together.
  • That night after Pierre leaves, Marya and Natasha have kind of a hint-hint wink-wink convo about how great Pierre is.