War and Peace: Volume 2, Part 1: Chapters 10–16 Summary & Analysis

Nikolai Rostov is promoted to the position of adjutant to the governor general of Moscow. While the rest of the Rostovs spend the summer in the country, Nikolai becomes good friends with Dolokhov, who’s recovering from his dueling wound. Dolokhov’s doting mother, Marya Ivanovna, tells Nikolai that her son is too “pure-hearted” for this wicked world, and that it was unjust of Pierre to challenge him to a duel—doesn’t everybody have love affairs these days? Dolokhov seems to have softened, too. He tells Rostov that what’s keeping him alive is the hope of someday meeting a woman with integrity, who will purify him in turn.

In the fall, the Rostovs return to Moscow. Denisov visits again, too. The winter of 1806 is one of the happiest in Nikolai’s life. Because of so many young, eligible girls—Vera, Sonya, and Natasha—there’s a romantic atmosphere in their home. When Nikolai brings Dolokhov home for a visit, Natasha takes a passionate dislike to him, finding him wicked and calculating. But Nikolai is convinced that Dolokhov is a great soul. Dolokhov develops a crush on Sonya and begins spending a lot of time there. Meanwhile, people begin talking about war with Napoleon again. Nikolai decides to return to his regiment after the holidays, along with Denisov.

On the third day of Christmas, the Rostovs have a farewell dinner for Nikolai; Denisov and Dolokhov are there. When Nikolai gets home that evening, he notices an unsettled atmosphere around Sonya and Dolokhov and realizes something must have happened between them. After dinner, he takes Natasha aside to find out. Natasha triumphantly tells him that Dolokhov proposed to Sonya. Though Nikolai has paid Sonya little attention over the past year, he feels crushed by this news. He’s relieved to learn that Sonya flatly refused Dolokhov. He tells Sonya that he doesn’t feel such friendship toward anyone else, but he can’t promise he’ll be able to marry her. Sonya insists that she loves him like a brother and doesn’t want to marry him.

That night, Iogel, the dancing-master, throws a ball, which is an extremely popular event with teenage girls. It’s Natasha’s first time wearing a long gown, and she enraptures everyone she meets. Eventually Natasha dances with Denisov, who’s a gifted dancer himself, and they make a graceful pair.

Dolokhov stops coming to the Rostovs’ house. A few days later, Nikolai receives a note inviting him to a farewell party at a hotel. When Nikolai arrives at the party, Dolokhov looks at him coldly and invites him to gamble. Nikolai recognizes one of Dolokhov’s crueler moods, but he joins in. Even as Nikolai starts losing large sums of money, Dolokhov dares him to keep going. Count Rostov is low on funds and told Nikolai he can’t give him a further allowance until May. Nikolai had promised to live within these means, but to his horror, his debts mount to 43,000 roubles. Nikolai keeps wondering how this sudden, dramatic reversal of fortune has happened in such a short time, thinking longingly of the comforts of home.

Nikolai wonders what Dolokhov’s motivations can be. After losing again, Nikolai takes Dolokhov aside and asks if he’ll accept a promissory note. Dolokhov mentions Sonya, saying he knows she’s in love with Nikolai. Nikolai feels totally under Dolokhov’s power and insists that he’ll get his money tomorrow.

Nikolai comes home in dread. He finds the young people of the household gathered around the piano; Denisov is playing and singing an original song to Natasha, who looks scared and happy. Though briefly distracted by his sister’s beautiful singing, Nikolai forces himself to confess his losses to the Count. Ashamed, he breezily remarks that this kind of loss happens to everybody. He expects his father to scold him, but instead, the Count just looks away uncomfortably and agrees that such things happen to everybody. Nikolai bursts into tears and begs his father’s forgiveness.

Meanwhile, Natasha runs to the countess and announces that Denisov has proposed to her. The countess can’t think of Natasha as a grownup, and she starts to refuse Denisov on Natasha’s behalf, but Natasha runs to him first and haltingly turns him down. Denisov leaves town in disgrace the next day. Nikolai stays in Moscow for two more weeks until his father is able to raise the 43,000 to cover his son’s gambling debt.