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Updated: June 20, 2025
Pierre saw that Prince Andrew was going to speak of Natasha, and his broad face expressed pity and sympathy. This expression irritated Prince Andrew, and in a determined, ringing, and unpleasant tone he continued: "I have received a refusal from Countess Rostova and have heard reports of your brother-in-law having sought her hand, or something of that kind. Is that true?"
At breakfast Pierre told the princess, his cousin, that he had been to see Princess Mary the day before and had there met "Whom do you think? Natasha Rostova!" The princess seemed to see nothing more extraordinary in that than if he had seen Anna Semenovna. "Do you know her?" asked Pierre. "I have seen the princess," she replied. "I heard that they were arranging a match for her with young Rostov.
At first it seemed strange that the son of an obscure Livonian gentleman should propose marriage to a Countess Rostova; but Berg's chief characteristic was such a naive and good natured egotism that the Rostovs involuntarily came to think it would be a good thing, since he himself was so firmly convinced that it was good, indeed excellent.
One of Pierre's acquaintances, while they were talking about the weather, asked if he had heard of Kuragin's abduction of Rostova which was talked of in the town, and was it true? Pierre laughed and said it was nonsense for he had just come from the Rostovs'. He asked everyone about Anatole. One man told him he had not come yet, and another that he was coming to dinner.
"I much regret her illness," said Prince Andrew; and he smiled like his father, coldly, maliciously, and unpleasantly. "So Monsieur Kuragin has not honored Countess Rostova with his hand?" said Prince Andrew, and he snorted several times. "He could not marry, for he was married already," said Pierre. Prince Andrew laughed disagreeably, again reminding one of his father.
In Natasha's eyes all the people at the ball alike were good, kind, and splendid people, loving one another; none of them capable of injuring another and so they ought all to be happy. Next day Prince Andrew thought of the ball, but his mind did not dwell on it long. "Yes, it was a very brilliant ball," and then... "Yes, that little Rostova is very charming.
Countess Rostova, with her daughters and a large number of guests, was already seated in the drawing room. The count took the gentlemen into his study and showed them his choice collection of Turkish pipes. From time to time he went out to ask: "Hasn't she come yet?"
Prince Andrew was watching these men abashed by the Emperor's presence, and the women who were breathlessly longing to be asked to dance. Pierre came up to him and caught him by the arm. "You always dance. I have a protegee, the young Rostova, here. Ask her," he said. "Where is she?" asked Bolkonski.
Four years before, meeting a German comrade in the stalls of a Moscow theater, Berg had pointed out Vera Rostova to him and had said in German, "das soll mein Weib werden," * and from that moment had made up his mind to marry her. Now in Petersburg, having considered the Rostovs' position and his own, he decided that the time had come to propose. * "That girl shall be my wife."
After Anna Mikhaylovna had driven off with her son to visit Count Cyril Vladimirovich Bezukhov, Countess Rostova sat for a long time all alone applying her handkerchief to her eyes. At last she rang. "What is the matter with you, my dear?" she said crossly to the maid who kept her waiting some minutes. "Don't you wish to serve me? Then I'll find you another place."
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