Prose about an oak tree from war and peace. The healing power of nature

Analysis of an episode from the novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace"

In the novel L.N. Tolstoy's "War and Peace" has many striking episodes, individual paintings, each of which means a lot in itself. A moonlit night in Otradnoye, Natasha's first ball, a hunt... All episodes serve the overall connection of the novel, represent a vast whole, but each individually is complete and interesting in its own way.
Almost at the beginning of the episode, which describes Prince Andrei’s meetings with an old oak tree, Tolstoy reflects on the fact that private life does not depend on politics. This life, which the author calls real, is devoted to “the interests of health, illness, work, rest ... the interests of thought.” It is saturated at every moment of time.
Having become disillusioned with his previous aspirations and ideals, having experienced repentance and grief (wounded at Austerlitz, the death of his wife), Prince Andrei comes to the conclusion that life in its simple manifestations, life for himself and for his loved ones, is the only thing left for him.
Bolkonsky thinks that he life path defined. But can an active, ebullient nature remain outside of public interests for a long time? And now Prince Andrei, “despite the indifference he expressed to Pierre to all external events of the world,” begins to return to an active life.
Tolstoy did not recognize life as frozen, identical and therefore dead. In her, as in people, he saw and appreciated constant development, movement forward.
The author shows how slowly his hero returns to life, to people, to new aspirations.
A meeting with an old oak tree helped him understand his current situation. state of mind.
The oak tree, which Prince Andrei meets twice on his way, reveals to him the “meaning of life” in completely different ways: in one case it seems to Bolkonsky the personification of hopelessness, in the other - a symbol of joyful faith in happiness.
At the first meeting, the oak tree appears to him as a living creature, “an old, angry, contemptuous freak,” who is endowed with the ability to think, persist, frown and despise the cheerful family of “smiling birches.” Prince Andrei attributes his thoughts and feelings to the oak and, thinking about it, uses the pronouns “we”, “our”: “... We know life - our life is over!”
The hero finds in the grove something that is in tune with him - an unblown oak tree, which “alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.”
Sad, hopeless thoughts crowded into Prince Andrei’s head at this time: “Yes, he is right, this oak tree is right a thousand times... let others, young people, succumb to this deception again, but we know life - our life is over!”
Tolstoy often connects the inner life of his favorite heroes with the life of nature. This parallelism characteristic artistic method writer.
So the “thoughts” of the oak tree correspond to the thoughts of Prince Andrei... The first time he drives past it, he is disappointed in his former ideals, when it seems to him that his active creative and personal life is already behind him. The second time - after a trip to Otradnoye and a meeting with Natasha, when a turning point is planned in his fate and hopes for happiness and the desire for serious government activity return again.
The description of the moonlit night in Otradnoye, which Prince Andrei and Natasha admire at the same time, is emotionally and romantically elevated. A large number of epithets in a relatively short excerpt conveys shades contrasting colors: the night is motionless and light, the trees are black on one side and silvery illuminated on the other side, vegetation with silvery leaves and stems here and there, the roof shining with dew, a tree with a bright white trunk, a full moon in a bright, almost starless sky. Night, moon, light and shadows - everything enchants with unforgettable charm.
The final part of the episode is very important. Prince Andrei, after this charming night, when an “unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes” arose in his soul, sees way back the same oak tree, but already transformed, spreading out “as a tent of lush, dark greenery.” Prince Andrei suddenly experienced a long-forgotten feeling of joy.
He recalls “all the best moments of his life,” moments of mental turmoil that gave him the experience of painful emotional experiences(“the dead, reproachful face of his wife”), opened the light of a new truth (Austerlitz with his high sky, Pierre on the ferry and night in Otradnoye).
It is especially important to emphasize the word “update” here. Indeed, a trip to Otradnoye will be major milestone on the path of Prince Andrey’s spiritual quest. He will again feel the desire to be useful, to live among people dear to him: “Not only do I know everything that is in me, it is necessary that everyone knows it too...”
The episode once again provides an opportunity to see how Tolstoy shows the ability of his heroes to develop mentally and change their inner world. (Chernyshevsky called this method “dialectics of the soul”).
Thus, the episode “Prince Andrey’s Trip to Otradnoye” is important from several points of view: it depicts one of the main characters of the epic novel on the most important stage his fate, reveals his complex inner world and gives an idea of ​​some characteristic features art world Tolstoy.

Tasks and tests on the topic "Analysis of an episode from L.N. Tolstoy's novel War and Peace"

• The basis of the word. Analysis of words by composition. Analysis of the word composition model and selection of words according to these models - Word composition 3rd grade

3 Healing power nature.

The image of an oak tree in L.N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace.” In his work, L. N. Tolstoy turns to different faces personality in order to make it the most full portrait. These may be subtle facial movements: a smile or the sparkle of the eyes. When describing internal state For a hero, not only emotions are important, but also their external manifestations. Tolstoy finds other features that can show us his “dialectics of the soul,” a term that N. G. Chernyshevsky used to characterize the works of the great writer. In my essay, I will focus on the image of an oak tree from the novel “War and Peace,” which helps us reveal the mental state of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky.

Andrey encounters this tree on his way before he gets to the Rostovs’ estate, Otradnoe. The prince may have a short life behind him, but a life rich in content. He saw all the facets of what the writer addresses in his work: peace and war. From such a journey, Bolkonsky came away with the firm conviction that life was over. “Yes, he is right, this oak tree is right a thousand times,” thought Prince Andrei, “let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, but we know life, our life is over!” The tree he sees makes Bolkonsky look again at the path he has traveled. But the memories do not change his attitude towards himself. The beauty of spring does not resurrect beautiful moments in him and does not give a fresh breath of new life.

However, the writer, referring to the trip that Bolkonsky started in Bogucharovo on his son’s business, shows that it is this oak tree that becomes a kind of turning point in the fate of one of the main characters. Prince Andrei does not understand why his coachman Peter can be so happy. And the only one he finds as an ally is an old oak tree, which is “probably ten times older than birches.” It was he who further confirmed Bolkonsky’s opinion that “he didn’t need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything.”

The very description of the tree that the writer gives in the work helps us understand why Prince Andrei perceived it as the only ally in this beauty of the spring fairy forest. “It was a huge oak tree, two girths wide, with branches that had been broken off for a long time and with broken bark overgrown with old sores. With his huge, clumsy, asymmetrically splayed, gnarled hands and fingers, he stood like an old, angry and contemptuous freak between the smiling birch trees. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.” From this description it follows that the oak tree has also seen a lot in life. And from such a difficult struggle, he suffered not only disappointment, but also wounds, which are indicated by sores on his bark. When describing this picture, Tolstoy cleverly uses one technique. The writer shows that two kindred spirits met and were able to withstand the general fun. However, they still remain alone: ​​the oak in this forest, Andrey in life. The fact that two kindred souls have closed themselves off from the light and others will not change anything. After all, life goes on... It brings new events and impressions that gradually overshadow any sadness. Natasha Rostova becomes such a creature for Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. He is amazed by her sincere joy and admiration

we eat with what surrounds us in life. She so directly and without guile rejoices at an ordinary night. “No, look what a moon it is!.. Oh, what a beauty!.. If only I could squat down, like this, grab myself under the knees - tighter, as tight as possible - you have to strain. Like this!"

In this case, the girl becomes not an ally, but, one might say, an enemy of Prince Andrei. And it has its effect. Bolkonsky begins to think about the fact that even everyday, inconspicuous things can bring joy to a person. He understands that simple objects and natural phenomena, such as the moon, can inspire. Maybe it is at this moment that Prince Andrei understands why Natasha was so happy all day. “Suddenly such an unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes, contradicting his whole life, arose in his soul that he, feeling unable to understand his condition, immediately fell asleep.”

When he returns, travels from Otradny, he begins to pay attention to what surrounds him. This is no longer enthusiasm and a kind of spring awakening of nature. Spring has long come into its own, and summer is just around the corner. And at this moment, Prince Andrei cannot find the one with whom he was recently so alone in the kingdom of awakening nature.

The image of oak plays a big role in the work. After all, it is through the eyes of Bolkonsky that this tree is shown. In him he finds an ally of his soul and thoughts, his past life. The author uses this image in order not to reveal the character’s inner world through remarks. Prince Andrei is such a hero who does not speak about his worries and fears directly. Only with Pierre can he afford to be a little frank. In that crucial moment, when a friend is not around, it was through the description of the tree that we understood what was happening and what dramatic changes occurred in Bolkonsky’s soul. He, like this oak tree, came to life under the warm sun and could rejoice summer days, like those birches that met him again on the way.

Natasha, with her admiration at the window, only gave impetus to the spark that flared up in Prince Andrei. But the hero became stronger in his opinion only at the moment when he again saw that gnarled and “sad” oak tree. The tree itself seemed to rejoice at the life that spring had opened before it, and Andrei “without knowing it, without recognizing it, admired the oak tree that he was looking for. The old oak tree, completely transformed, spread out like a tent of lush, dark greenery, swayed slightly, swaying slightly in the rays of the evening sun.” New foliage hid the sores and wounds. So Bolkonsky probably thought that his spiritual wounds could also heal. Therefore, he will be able not only to transform like this oak tree, but also to start life with a new leaf. The tree seemed to show by example that grief and mistrust can be overcome, as he himself did.

With a sequential description of the oak tree, the author seems to show the stages of the hero’s rebirth. Firstly, it is worth letting in the new things that surround us. This will not only hide external flaws, but also convince yourself that grief will be left behind. Secondly, the most important thing is that you yourself can make everything around you move and come to life: “Through the tough, hundred-year-old bark, juicy, young leaves broke through without knots, so it was impossible to believe that this old man produced them.”

And Bolkonsky goes through all these stages together with oak. ““Yes, this is the same oak,” thought Prince Andrei, and suddenly an unreasonable, spring feeling of joy and renewal came over him. All the best moments of his life suddenly came back to him at the same time.” And in memory young man, after all, Andrei is only thirty-one years old, only pleasant moments of his life began to emerge, which seemed to indicate that he could move forward and at the same time rely not only on dark and gloomy, but also bright moments. Bolkonsky seems to understand that it is renewal and admiration for life that allows you to boldly move forward to new heights, and not hide your youth and talent behind a “bark with sores.” He must live not only for himself, but also for others so that they, too, can see in him the best that was hidden. for a long time, “... so that everyone knows me, so that my life does not go on for me alone, so that they do not live so independently of my life, so that it is reflected on everyone and so that they all live with me!”

So the meeting with the oak tree became turning point, which showed and confirmed the main character in the opinion that you can start life from scratch. And those around him may help him with this, since during his awakening he remembers Pierre, the girl and now this resurrected oak tree.

So the image of the oak tree plays several roles in the story. He not only lifts the veil of secrecy for us inner world hero, but is also a character who finds his way to revive Prince Andrei Bolkonsky to a new have a wonderful life. At the same time, the image of an oak tree allows the author to show us those qualities of the hero that could not be shown through a description of appearance.

In 1808, Emperor Alexander traveled to Erfurt for a new meeting with Napoleon, and in high society there was a lot of talk about the importance of this event. In 1809, the closeness of the two “lords of the world,” as Alexander and Napoleon were called, reached the point that when Napoleon declared war on Austria, the Russian corps went abroad to fight on the side of the former enemy against the former ally, the Austrian emperor.

Life is ordinary people went on as usual, with her questions of health, love, work, hope, etc., regardless of Napoleon’s relationship with Alexander. Prince Andrei lived in the village for two years, without leaving anywhere. All those measures that Pierre started on his estate and which he could not bring to any result, all these measures, without much difficulty, were successfully implemented by Prince Andrei. He, unlike Bezukhov, had that practical tenacity, thanks to which affairs without him special effort moved forward. He listed some peasants as free cultivators, and for others he replaced corvee with quitrent. Peasants and servants learned to read and write, and a learned midwife was assigned especially for them. Andrei spent one part of his time in Bald Mountains with his father and son, the other on the Bogucharovo estate. At the same time, he closely followed external events, read and thought a lot. In the spring of 1809, Prince Andrei went to the Ryazan estate of his son, who was under his care.

Warmed by the spring sun, he sat in the stroller, looking at the first grass, the first birch leaves and the first clouds of white spring clouds scattering across the bright blue sky. He didn’t think about anything, but looked around cheerfully and meaninglessly...

There was an oak tree on the edge of the road. Probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, it was ten times thicker and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge oak tree, two girths wide, with branches that had been broken off for a long time and with broken bark overgrown with old sores. With his huge, clumsy, asymmetrically splayed, gnarled hands and fingers, he stood like an old, angry and contemptuous freak between the smiling birch trees. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.

“Spring, and love, and happiness!” - this oak tree seemed to say, “and how can you not get tired of the same stupid and senseless deception. Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look, there are the crushed dead spruce trees sitting, always the same, and there I am, spreading out my broken, skinned fingers, wherever they grew - from the back, from the sides; As we grew up, I still stand, and I don’t believe your hopes and deceptions.”

Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times while driving through the forest, as if he was expecting something from it. There were flowers and grass under the oak tree, but he still stood in the midst of them, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubborn.

“Yes, he is right, this oak tree is right a thousand times,” thought Prince Andrei, let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, but we know life, “our life is over!” Whole new row Hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts in connection with this oak tree arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, he seemed to think over his whole life again, and came to the same old reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he did not need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything.

For guardianship matters, Prince Andrei needed to see the district leader, Count Ilya Andreevich Rostov. Bolkonsky went to see him in Otradnoye, where the count lived as before, hosting the entire province, with hunts, theaters, dinners and musicians. Approaching the Rostovs' house, Andrei heard a woman's scream and saw a crowd of girls running across his stroller. Ahead of the others, closest to the stroller, ran a black-eyed girl in a yellow chintz dress, shouting something. But recognizing the stranger, she ran back without looking at him. The girl that Prince Andrei paid attention to was Natasha Rostova. When looking at her, Bolkonsky suddenly felt pain.

“Why is she so happy? What is she thinking about? And what makes her happy?” - Prince Andrei involuntarily asked himself with curiosity.

During the day, during which Andrei was occupied by the senior owners and guests who had arrived at Rostov’s estate on the occasion of his name day, he more than once fixed his gaze on Natasha, who was having fun, trying to understand what she was thinking and why she was so happy.

In the evening, left alone in a new place, he could not fall asleep for a long time. He read, then put out the candle and lit it again...

Prince Andrei's room was on the middle floor; They also lived in the rooms above it and did not sleep. He heard a woman talking from above.

Just one more time,” said a female voice from above, which Prince Andrei now recognized.

When will you sleep? - answered another voice.

I won’t, I can’t sleep, what should I do! Well, last time...

Oh, how lovely! Well, now sleep, and that's the end.

“You sleep, but I can’t,” answered the first voice approaching the window. She apparently leaned out of the window completely, because the rustling of her dress and even her breathing could be heard. Everything became silent and petrified, like the moon and its light and shadows. Prince Andrei was also afraid to move, so as not to betray his involuntary presence.

Sonya reluctantly answered something.

No, look what a moon it is!.. Oh, how lovely! Come here. Darling, my dear, come here. Well, do you see? So I would squat down, like this, I would grab myself under the knees - tighter, as tight as possible - you have to strain - and fly... Just like that!

Come on, you'll fall.

It's two o'clock after all.

Oh, you're just ruining everything for me. Well, go, go.

Again everything fell silent, but Prince Andrei knew that she was still sitting here, he sometimes heard quiet movements, sometimes sighs.

Oh my god! My God! what is this! - she suddenly screamed.

Sleep like that! - and slammed the window.

“They don’t care about my existence!” - thought Prince Andrei as he listened to her conversation, for some reason expecting and fearing that she would say something about him. - “And there she is again! And how on purpose!” - he thought. In his soul suddenly arose such an unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes, contradicting his whole life, that he, feeling unable to understand his condition, immediately fell asleep.

The next day, having said goodbye only to the count, without waiting for the ladies to leave, Andrei went home. On the way back, he drove into the same birch grove in which he was struck by a gnarled oak. But now Andrei looked at him completely differently.

The old oak tree, completely transformed, spread out like a tent of lush, dark greenery, swayed slightly, swaying slightly in the rays of the evening sun. No gnarled fingers, no sores, no old mistrust and grief - nothing was visible. Juicy, young leaves emerged from the branches through the tough hundred-year-old bark, so it was impossible to believe that this old man had produced them. “Yes, this is the same oak tree,” thought Prince Andrei, and suddenly an unreasonable spring feeling of joy and renewal came over him. All the best moments of his life suddenly came back to him at the same time. And Austerlitz with the high sky, and the dead, reproachful face of his wife, and Pierre on the ferry, and the girl excited by the beauty of the night, and this night, and the moon - and all this suddenly came to his mind.

“No, life is not over at the age of 31,” Prince Andrei suddenly finally, unchangeably decided. Not only do I know everything that is in me, it is necessary for everyone to know it: both Pierre and this girl who wanted to fly into the sky, it is necessary for everyone to know me, so that my life does not go on for me alone So that they don’t live so independently of my life, so that it affects everyone and so that they all live with me!”

Returning from a trip to the estates, Andrei unexpectedly decided to go to St. Petersburg in the fall. In August 1809, he realized his intention. “This time was the apogee of the glory of young Speransky and the energy of the revolutions he carried out.”

Soon after his arrival, Prince Andrei appeared at court, but the sovereign, having met him twice, did not deign to say a single word. According to courtiers, Alexander was unhappy that Bolkonsky had not served since 1805. Andrei handed over his note proposing the introduction of new military laws to the field marshal, a friend of his father. The field marshal received him friendly and promised to report him to the sovereign. A few days later, Bolkonsky was summoned to a reception with Arakcheev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, before whom the entire court was in awe. Arakcheev, in a grumpy and contemptuous tone, informed Andrei that his note had been submitted to the committee on military regulations, and he himself was enrolled as a member of this committee.

While awaiting notification of his enrollment as a member of the committee, Andrei renewed old acquaintances and, thanks to his natural intelligence and erudition, was well received in all the diverse and highest circles of St. Petersburg society. Those around him noticed that he had changed a lot since his last stay in St. Petersburg: “he softened and matured, that there was no former pretense, pride and mockery in him, and there was that calmness that is acquired over the years.”

The next day after visiting Count Arakcheev, Prince Andrei was at an evening with Count Kochubey, where he met Speransky - Secretary of State, the sovereign's rapporteur and companion in Erfurt, where he met and spoke with Napoleon more than once. Prince Andrei looked closely at Speransky, wanting to find in him the complete perfection of human virtues. Speransky, having paid tribute to the general conversation, called Andrei to the other end of the room and started talking to him about important state issues. At the end of the conversation, Speransky invited Andrei to his place for lunch with an offer to continue acquaintance.

Plunging into the atmosphere of St. Petersburg social life, Prince Andrei felt that he did nothing, did not think about anything, but only said what he managed to comprehend while living in the village. Speransky, appreciating Andrei’s merits, often talked to him one on one. Andrey, who had to communicate with many worthless people, it seemed that he had found in Speransky the ideal of the reasonable and completely virtuous person, who achieved power with energy and perseverance and used it only for the good of Russia. However, Bolkonsky was unpleasantly struck by Speransky’s mirror-like gaze, as well as his too much contempt for people. During the first time he met Speransky, Prince Andrei felt for him sincere feeling respect and admiration, but then this feeling began to weaken. A week after arriving in St. Petersburg, Andrei became a member of the military regulations commission and the head of the department of the commission for drafting laws.

In 1808, returning to St. Petersburg from a trip to the estates, Pierre was elected head of St. Petersburg Freemasonry. His duties included arranging dining rooms and funeral lodges, recruiting new members, and taking care of the connection of various lodges. He gave money for the construction of temples and replenished alms collections, which most members of Freemasonry were stingy with. Pierre's life, despite his new views and beliefs, went on as before. He loved to dine and drink well and often took part in the entertainment of bachelor societies. In the process of his studies and hobbies, Pierre felt that he was gradually moving away from Masonic principles, and the stronger his position in Freemasonry became, the more strongly he felt his detachment from it. Realizing that most of the brothers joined Freemasonry not because of ideological convictions, but because of profit (hoping to be close to rich and influential people), Pierre could not feel satisfied with his activities.

In the summer of 1809, Pierre returned to St. Petersburg. By this time, he had managed to gain the trust of many high-ranking officials abroad, was elevated to the highest degree and brought with him much for the prosperity of Freemasonry in Russia. At the ceremonial meeting of the lodge, Pierre made a speech in which he called on the brothers to take active action “to spread the truth and bring about the triumph of virtue.” This speech produced strong impression at the brothers, most of whom saw dangerous plans in her. Pierre's proposal was rejected, and he went home in a bad mood. He succumbed to one of the attacks of melancholy, and for three days after the lodge meeting he lay at home, doing nothing and not going anywhere. At this time, he received a letter from his wife, who begged him for a date and wrote that she wanted to devote her life to him. At the end of the letter, she informed him that one of these days she would come to St. Petersburg from abroad. A few days later, one of the Freemason brothers came to Pierre, who, having started a conversation about Pierre’s marital relationships, expressed the opinion that Pierre’s attitude towards his wife was unfair and that by not forgiving her, he was deviating from the first rules of Freemasonry. Pierre understood that it was a conspiracy, that it was beneficial for someone to unite him with his wife, but he didn’t care. Under the influence of those around him, he got along with his wife, asking her to forgive everything that was old and forget everything that he could be guilty of before her.

The secular St. Petersburg society of that time was divided into several circles, the most extensive of which was the French one. Helene occupied one of the prominent places in this circle from the time she and Pierre settled in St. Petersburg. At her receptions there were important gentlemen of the French embassy and a large number of people who had a reputation for being smart and kind. Helen was in Erfurt during the famous meeting between the Russian and French emperors and had there big success. The beauty of the Russian countess was noticed by Napoleon himself. Her success as beautiful woman did not surprise Pierre, because she became even more beautiful over the years. However, the fact that in two years his wife managed to acquire a reputation as a “charming woman, as smart as she was beautiful” amazed Pierre. To be received in the salon of Countess Bezukhova was considered a great honor. Pierre, knowing that his wife was stupid, attended with a strange feeling the dinners she arranged, where politics, poetry, philosophy and other topics were discussed.

In eyes public opinion Pierre was the very husband needed for the “brilliant secular woman" Those around him considered him a funny eccentric, not bothering anyone and not spoiling the general tone of the living room. Pierre himself behaved indifferently and carelessly with those around him - “he was equally happy and equally indifferent with everyone,” which for some reason inspired involuntary respect. However, all this time he did not stop thinking and reflecting on the meaning of life.

Among the young people who visited Countess Bezukhova every day was Boris Drubetskoy. Helen talked to him with a special, affectionate smile, calling him her page. Pierre subconsciously felt that there was something more behind the friendly relationship between Helen and Boris, but remembering what his jealousy had led to three years ago, he did not allow himself to suspect his wife. On the advice of Bazdeev, Pierre diligently kept a diary, recording all his actions and thoughts. He tried to engage in self-improvement, to eradicate laziness, gluttony and other vices.

Soon Boris Drubetskoy was accepted into the Masonic lodge. Pierre wrote in his diary that he himself recommended Boris, struggling with an unworthy feeling of hatred towards this man, although, in his opinion, Drubetskoy joined the lodge with one sole purpose - to get closer to famous and influential people.

The Rostovs lived in the village for two years, but despite this, their financial situation did not improve. The manager conducted business in such a way that the debts grew every year. Count Rostov saw only one way out to improve the family’s financial affairs - to enter the service. For this purpose, he and his family moved to St. Petersburg. But if in Moscow the Rostovs belonged to high society, then in St. Petersburg they were considered provincials.

In St. Petersburg, the Rostovs continued to live hospitably, their dinners were attended by the public belonging to different social strata. Soon after the Rostovs arrived in St. Petersburg, Berg proposed to Vera, and it was accepted. He told those around him for so long and with such significance about how he was wounded in Battle of Austerlitz, that in the end he received two awards for one wound. On Finnish war He also distinguished himself: he picked up a fragment of a grenade, which killed the adjutant next to the commander-in-chief, and brought this fragment to the commander. As after Austerlitz, he recounted this event for a long time and persistently until he received two awards.

In 1809, Berg was a captain of the guard with orders and occupied profitable positions in St. Petersburg, enjoying the reputation of a brave officer. Berg's matchmaking, met with bewilderment at first (he did not have noble birth), was eventually approved by the Rostovs, since Vera was already twenty-four years old, and despite the fact that she was considered beautiful girl, no one has proposed to her yet. Berg did not hide from close friends that he was looking for benefits from his upcoming marriage. Before the wedding, he persistently asked Count Rostov to explain what dowry would be given for his daughter, and he calmed down only when he was given twenty thousand in cash and a bill of exchange for eighty thousand rubles.

Boris, despite what he did brilliant career and stopped communicating with the Rostovs, but still paid them a visit during their stay in St. Petersburg. Natasha, who by this time was sixteen years old, had never seen Boris since she kissed him. She understood that childhood had passed and everything that happened between them was childish, but deep down she was tormented by the question: was her promise to Boris a joke or a serious obligation? Coming to Moscow several times, Boris never visited the Rostovs.

When the Rostovs arrived in St. Petersburg, Boris came to visit them.

He went to them not without excitement. The memory of Natasha was Boris's most poetic memory. But at the same time, he traveled with the firm intention of making it clear to both her and her family that the childhood relationship between him and Natasha could not be an obligation for either her or him. He had a brilliant position in society, thanks to his intimacy with Countess Bezukhova, a brilliant position in the service, thanks to the patronage of an important person, whose trust he fully enjoyed, and he had nascent plans to marry one of the richest brides in St. Petersburg, which could very easily come true . When Boris entered the Rostovs' living room, Natasha was in her room. Having learned about his arrival, she, flushed, almost ran into the living room... Boris remembered that Natasha in a short dress, with black eyes shining from under her curls and with a desperate, childish laugh, whom he knew 4 years ago, and therefore, when she entered a completely different Natasha, he was embarrassed, and his face expressed enthusiastic surprise...

So, do you recognize your little slut friend? - said the countess. Boris kissed Natasha's hand and said that he was surprised by the change that had taken place in her.

How prettier you have become!

“Of course!”, answered Natasha’s laughing eyes...

Boris decided with himself to avoid meeting with Natasha, but, despite this decision, he arrived a few days later and began to travel often and spend whole days with the Rostovs. It seemed to him that he needed to explain himself to Natasha, to tell her that everything old should be forgotten, that, despite everything..., she could not be his wife, that he had no fortune, and she would never be given for him . But he still didn’t succeed and it was awkward to begin this explanation. Every day he became more and more confused. Natasha, as her mother and Sonya noted, seemed to be in love with Boris as before. She sang him his favorite songs, showed him her album, forced him to write in it, did not allow him to remember the old, making him understand how wonderful the new was; and every day he left in a fog, without saying what he intended to say, not knowing what he was doing and why he had come, and how it would end.

One evening, when the countess was reading evening prayer, an excited Natasha ran into her room and asked what she thought about Boris. The Countess said that at the age of sixteen she herself was already married, but if Natasha does not love Boris, then there is no need to rush. In addition, for Boris, marriage with Natasha is also undesirable because he is poor. Reproaching her daughter for needlessly turning the young man’s head, the Countess promised to settle the matter herself. The next day, the countess invited Boris to her place, and after a frank conversation with her, the young man stopped visiting the Rostovs’ house.

On December 31, on the eve of the new year, 1810, one of Catherine’s nobles organized a ball, which the sovereign was supposed to attend.

Natasha looked in the mirrors and in the reflection could not distinguish herself from others. Everything was mixed into one brilliant procession. Upon entering the first hall, the uniform roar of voices, footsteps, and greetings deafened Natasha; the light and shine blinded her even more.

Two girls in white dresses, with identical roses in their black hair, sat down in the same way, but the hostess involuntarily fixed her gaze longer on thin Natasha. She looked at her and smiled especially at her, in addition to her masterful smile. Looking at her, the hostess remembered, perhaps, her golden, irrevocable girlhood time, and her first ball. The owner also followed Natasha with his eyes and asked the count who was his daughter?

Arrived at the ball great amount guests. The invitees exchanged whispers latest news. Among the new arrivals, the Rostovs noticed two ugly girls, heiresses of large fortunes, followed by “suitors” - Anatol Kuragin and Boris Drubetskoy. Among the guests was Pierre, who accompanied his wife.

Pierre walked, waddling his fat body, parting the crowd, nodding right and left as casually and good-naturedly as if he were walking through the crowd of a bazaar. He moved through the crowd, obviously looking for someone.

Natasha looked at him with joy Familiar face Pierre, and knew that Pierre was looking for them, and especially her, in the crowd. Pierre promised her to be at the ball and introduce her to the gentlemen.

But, before reaching them, Bezukhov stopped next to a short, very handsome brunette in a white uniform, who, standing at the window, was talking with some tall man in stars and ribbon. Natasha immediately recognized the short young man in a white uniform: it was Bolkonsky, who seemed to her very rejuvenated, cheerful and prettier...

More than half of the ladies had gentlemen and were going or preparing to go to Poland. Natasha felt that she remained with her mother and Sonya among the minority of ladies who were pushed to the wall and not taken into the Polish. She stood with her thin arms hanging down, and with her slightly defined breasts rising steadily, holding her breath, shining, with frightened eyes looked in front of her, with an expression of readiness for the greatest joy and greatest sorrow. She was not occupied either by the sovereign or by everyone important persons, - she had one thought: “Will no one really come up to me, won’t I dance among the first, won’t all these men notice me, who now, it seems, don’t see me, and if they look at me, then they look with such an expression as if they are saying: “Ah! it's not her, there's nothing to watch. No, this can’t be!” - she thought. “They should know how much I want to dance, how great I am at dancing, and how much fun it will be for them to dance with me.”

The sounds of Polish, which continued for quite a long time, were already beginning to sound sad - a memory in Natasha’s ears. She wanted to cry. The Count was at the other end of the hall. The Countess, Sonya and she stood alone as if in a forest in this alien crowd, uninteresting and unnecessary to anyone. Prince Andrei walked past them with some lady, obviously not recognizing them. Handsome Anatole, smiling, said something to the lady he was leading, and looked at Natasha’s face with the look with which they look at walls. Boris walked past them twice and turned away each time...

Prince Andrei, in his colonel's white (cavalry) uniform, in stockings and shoes, lively and cheerful, stood in the front rows of the circle, not far from the Rostovs. Baron Firgof spoke with him about tomorrow's supposed first meeting of the State Council...

Prince Andrei observed these gentlemen and ladies timid in the presence of the sovereign, dying with desire to be invited.

Pierre walked up to Prince Andrei and grabbed his hand.

You are always dancing. There’s... Young Rostova, invite her,” he said.

Where? - asked Bolkonsky. “Sorry,” he said, turning to the baron, “we’ll finish this conversation somewhere else, but we have to dance at the ball.” - He stepped forward in the direction that Pierre pointed out to him. Natasha’s desperate, frozen face caught the eye of Prince Andrei. He recognized her, guessed her feeling, realized that she was a beginner, remembered her conversation at the window and with a cheerful expression on his face approached Countess Rostova.

Let me introduce you to my daughter,” said the countess, blushing.

“I have the pleasure of being an acquaintance, if the countess remembers me,” said Prince Andrei with a courteous and low bow, approaching Natasha and raising his hand to hug her waist even before he finished the invitation to dance. He suggested a waltz tour. That frozen expression on Natasha’s face, ready for despair and delight, suddenly lit up with a happy, grateful, childish smile.

“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time,” this frightened and happy girl seemed to say, with her smile that appeared due to ready tears, raising her hand on Prince Andrei’s shoulder.

Prince Andrei loved to dance, and wanting to quickly get rid of the political and intelligent conversations with which everyone turned to him, and wanting to quickly break this annoying circle of embarrassment formed by the presence of the sovereign, he went to dance and chose Natasha, because Pierre pointed her out to him and because she was the first of the pretty women to come into his sight; but as soon as he embraced this thin, mobile figure, and she moved so close to him and smiled so close to him, the wine of her charm went to his head: he felt revived and rejuvenated when, catching his breath and leaving her, he stopped and began to look on the dancers.

After Prince Andrei, Natasha was invited by other gentlemen, including Boris. She, happy and flushed, not noticing the subtleties of social etiquette, did not stop dancing the whole evening.

Prince Andrei, like all people who grew up in the world, loved to meet in the world that which did not have a common secular imprint on it. And such was Natasha, with her surprise, joy and timidity and even mistakes in French. He treated and spoke to her especially tenderly and carefully. Sitting next to her, talking with her about the simplest and most insignificant subjects, Prince Andrei admired the joyful sparkle of her eyes and smile, which related not to the speeches spoken, but to her inner happiness. While Natasha was being chosen and she stood up with a smile and danced around the hall, Prince Andrei especially admired her timid grace. In the middle of the cotillion, Natasha, having completed her figure, still breathing heavily, approached her place. The new gentleman invited her again. She was tired and out of breath, and apparently thought of refusing, but immediately again cheerfully raised her hand on the gentleman’s shoulder and smiled at Prince Andrei...

“If she approaches her cousin first, and then another lady, then she will be my wife,” Prince Andrei said to himself quite unexpectedly, looking at her. She approached her cousin first.

“What nonsense sometimes comes to mind! - thought Prince Andrey; but the only thing that is true is that this girl is so sweet, so special, that she won’t dance here for a month and get married... This is a rarity here,” he thought when Natasha, straightening the rose that had fallen back from her bodice, sat down next to him.

At this ball, Pierre for the first time felt insulted by the position that his wife occupied in higher spheres. He was gloomy and absent-minded. There was a wide crease across his forehead, and he, standing at the window, looked through his glasses, not seeing anyone.

Natasha, heading to dinner, passed him.

Pierre's gloomy, unhappy face struck her. She stopped in front of him. She wanted to help him, to convey to him the excess of her happiness.

How fun, Count,” she said, “isn’t it?”

Pierre smiled absently, obviously not understanding what was being said to him.

Yes, I’m very happy,” he said.

“How can they be unhappy with something,” Natasha thought. Especially someone as good as this Bezukhov?” In Natasha’s eyes, everyone who was at the ball was equally kind, sweet, beautiful people, loving friend friend: no one could offend each other, and therefore everyone should be happy.

The next day, Prince Andrei remembered the ball and Natasha. Having sat down to work, he was constantly distracted and could not do anything, and was delighted when one of the officials came to him to inform him about the opening of the State Council. This event, to which Prince Andrei would previously have paid a lot of attention, now seemed small and insignificant to him. On the same day, Prince Andrei was invited to dinner with Speransky, which was also attended by other reformers. Bolkonsky listened to the conversations of those present with sadness and disappointment; their fun seemed unnatural and feigned to him. The sound of Speransky's voice struck him unpleasantly. For some reason, the incessant laughter of the guests irritated and offended Andrei’s feelings. Everything that Speransky did seemed far-fetched and feigned to Andrey. Bolkonsky left early and, returning home, began to remember all the meetings of the Council, at which a lot of time was spent discussing the form instead of resolving pressing issues. This work now seemed empty and unnecessary to Andrei, and he himself was surprised that he could not understand this before.

The next day, Prince Andrei went on visits to some houses where he had not yet been, including the Rostovs, with whom he renewed his acquaintance at the last ball.

Natasha was one of the first to meet him. She was at home blue dress, in which she seemed even better to Prince Andrei than in the ballroom. She and the entire Rostov family received Prince Andrei as an old friend, simply and cordially...

Prince Andrei felt in Natasha the presence of a completely alien to him, special world, filled with some unknown joys, that alien world that even then, in the Otradnensky alley and on the window, in moonlit night, so teased him. Now this world no longer teased him, it was no longer an alien world; but he himself, having entered it, found in it a new pleasure for himself.

After dinner, Natasha, at the request of Prince Andrei, went to the clavichord and began to sing. Prince Andrei stood at the window, talking with the ladies, and listened to her. In the middle of the sentence, Prince Andrei fell silent and suddenly felt tears coming to his throat, the possibility of which he did not know was within himself. He looked at Natasha singing, and something new and happy happened in his soul...

Prince Andrei left the Rostovs late in the evening. He went to bed out of habit, but soon saw that he could not sleep. He lit a candle, sat in bed, then got up, then lay down again, not at all burdened by insomnia: his soul was so joyful and new, as if he had stepped out of a stuffy room into the free light of God...

The Bergs settled in new apartment and, in order to consolidate their position in society, they decided to organize an evening. Among the guests were Pierre, Rostov, Bolkonsky. Thanks to the efforts of the hosts, this evening was no different from other similar evenings.

Pierre, as one of the most honored guests, was to sit in Boston with Ilya Andreich, the general and colonel. Pierre had to sit opposite Natasha at the Boston table, and the strange change that had occurred in her since the day of the ball amazed him. Natasha was silent, and not only was she not as good-looking as she was at the ball, but she would have been bad if she had not looked so meek and indifferent to everything.

"What with her?" - Pierre thought, looking at her...

Prince Andrei stood in front of her with a thrifty and tender expression and told her something. She, raising her head, flushed and apparently trying to control her gusty breathing, looked at him. AND bright light some kind of internal fire, previously extinguished, was burning in her again. She was completely transformed. From being bad she again became the same as she was at the ball.

Prince Andrey approached Pierre and Pierre noticed a new, youthful expression on his friend’s face. Pierre changed seats several times during the game, now with his back, now facing Natasha, and throughout the entire 6 Roberts made observations of her and his friend.

“Something very important is happening between them,” thought Pierre, both joyfully and together bitter feeling made him worry and forget about the game...

It seemed to Natasha that even when she first saw Prince Andrey in Otradnoye, she fell in love with him. She seemed to be frightened by this strange, unexpected happiness, that the one whom she had chosen back then (she was firmly convinced of this), that the same one had now met her again, and, it seemed, was not indifferent to her. “And he had to come to St. Petersburg on purpose now that we are here. And we had to meet at this ball. It's all fate. It is clear that this is fate, that all this was leading to this. Even then, as soon as I saw him, I felt something special."

Since the time of the ball, Pierre had felt the approaching attacks of hypochondria and with desperate effort tried to fight against them. Since the prince's rapprochement with his wife, Pierre was unexpectedly granted a chamberlain, and from that time on he began to feel heaviness and shame in big society, and more often the same gloomy thoughts about the futility of everything human began to come to him. At the same time, the feeling he noticed between Natasha, whom he protected, and Prince Andrei, the contrast between his position and the position of his friend, further intensified this gloomy mood...

To get married, his father's permission was required, and Andrei went to Bald Mountains. Old Prince I received my son’s message with inner anger, but with outer calm. Admitting that the marriage was unprofitable either in terms of kinship or money, and that the bride was young, he insisted that Andrei wait a year: he left the bride and went abroad to improve his health. Three weeks later, Andrei returned to St. Petersburg.

Prince Andrey entered the living room with an anxious and serious face. As soon as he saw Natasha, his face lit up. He kissed the hand of the Countess and Natasha and sat down near the sofa.

It’s been a long time since we had the pleasure... - the countess began, but Prince Andrei interrupted her, answering her question and obviously in a hurry to say what he needed.

I haven’t been with you all this time because I was with my father: I needed to talk to him about a very important matter. “I just returned last night,” he said, looking at Natasha. “I need to talk to you, Countess,” he added after a minute’s silence.

The Countess, sighing heavily, lowered her eyes.

“I am at your service,” she said.

Natasha knew that she had to leave, but she couldn’t do it: something was squeezing her throat, and she was impolite, straight, with open eyes looked at Prince Andrei.

"Now? This minute!.. No, this can’t be!” - she thought.

He looked at her again, and this look convinced her that she was not mistaken. - Yes, now, this very minute, her fate was being decided.

Come, Natasha, I’ll call you,” the countess said in a whisper.

Natasha looked at Prince Andrei and her mother with frightened, pleading eyes, and went out...

Natasha sat on her bed, pale, with dry eyes, looking at the icons and, quickly crossing herself, whispering something. Seeing her mother, she jumped up and rushed to her.

What? Mom?.. What?

Go, go to him. “He asks for your hand,” the countess said coldly, as it seemed to Natasha... “Come... come,” the mother said with sadness and reproach after her fleeing daughter, and sighed heavily.

Natasha did not remember how she entered the living room. Entering the door and seeing him, she stopped. “Has this stranger really become everything to me now?” - she asked herself and instantly answered: “Yes, that’s it: he alone is now dearer to me than everything in the world.” Prince Andrei approached her, lowering his eyes.

I loved you from the moment I saw you. Can I hope?

He looked at her, and the serious passion in her expression struck him. Her face said: “Why ask? Why doubt something you can’t help but know? Why talk when you can’t express in words what you feel?”

Natasha did not understand why it was necessary to postpone the wedding for a year if they loved each other. At Andrei's insistence, the engagement that took place between the Rostov and Bolkonsky families was not disclosed - Andrei did not want to bind Natasha with any obligations. On the eve of his departure from St. Petersburg, Prince Andrei brought Bezukhov to the Rostovs. He told Natasha that he had initiated Pierre into their secret, and asked her to contact him if anything happened during his absence.

Neither father and mother, nor Sonya, nor Prince Andrei himself could foresee how parting with her fiancé would affect Natasha. Red and excited, with dry eyes, she walked around the house that day, doing the most insignificant things, as if not understanding what awaited her. She did not cry even at that moment when, saying goodbye, he kissed her hand for the last time.

Don't leave! - she just said to him in a voice that made him think about whether he really needed to stay and which he remembered for a long time after that. When he left, she didn't cry either; but for several days she sat in her room without crying, was not interested in anything and only sometimes said: “Oh, why did he leave!”

But two weeks after his departure, just as unexpectedly for those around her, she woke up from her moral illness, became the same as before, but only with a changed moral physiognomy, just as children with a different face get out of bed after a long illness.

In Bald Mountains, life went on as usual. The old prince became even more grouchy every day, Princess Marya was busy raising Nikolai, Andrei's son, becoming more and more immersed in religion. She could not help but notice the change that had occurred in Prince Andrei, but she knew nothing about her brother’s love. However, soon Andrei from Switzerland informed her about his engagement to Natasha. Princess Marya received this news with displeasure. In the depths of her soul, she wished that Prince Andrei would change his intentions. IN free time Princess Marya continued to host wanderers, read scripture, and in the end, decided to go wandering. However, pity for her father and little Nikolenka kept her from taking such a step.

I don't need an excerpt from War and Peace about Oak

1. 2 descriptions of oak:
2. 2 descriptions of oak:

   
   
   

   
   
   

3. We passed the carriage on which he had spoken with Pierre a year ago. We drove through a dirty village, threshing floors, greenery, a descent with remaining snow near the bridge, an ascent through washed-out clay, stripes of stubble and green bushes here and there, and entered a birch forest on both sides of the road. It was almost hot in the forest; you couldn’t hear the wind. The birch tree, all dotted with green sticky leaves, did not move, and from under last year’s leaves, lifting them, the first green grass and purple flowers crawled out. Small spruce trees scattered here and there throughout the birch forest with their coarse, eternal greenery were an unpleasant reminder of winter. The horses snorted as they rode into the forest and began to fog up.

   Lackey Peter said something to the coachman, the coachman answered in the affirmative. But apparently Peter had little sympathy for the coachman: he turned on the box to the master.

   Your Excellency, how easy it is! he said, smiling respectfully.

   Easy, your Excellency.

   What he says? thought Prince Andrei. Yes, that’s right about spring, he thought, looking around. And everything is already green... how soon! And the birch, and the bird cherry, and the alder are already beginning... And the oak is not noticeable. Yes, here it is, the oak tree.

   Spring, and love, and happiness! as if this oak tree was speaking, and how can you not get tired of the same stupid and senseless deception. Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look there, the crushed dead spruce trees are sitting, always the same, and there I am, spreading out my broken, skinned fingers, wherever they grew from the back, from the sides; I still stand as I grew up, and I don’t believe your hopes and deceptions.

   Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times while driving through the forest, as if he was expecting something from it. There were flowers and grass under the oak tree, but he still stood, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubborn, in the midst of them.

   Yes, he is right, this oak tree is right a thousand times, thought Prince Andrei, let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, but we know life, our life is over! A whole new series of hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts in connection with this oak tree arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, he seemed to think over his whole life again, and came to the same old reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he did not need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything.

4. 2 descriptions of oak:

   1) There was an oak tree on the edge of the road. Probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, it was ten times thicker, and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge oak tree, twice the girth, with branches that had apparently been broken off for a long time and with broken bark overgrown with old sores. With his huge, clumsily, asymmetrically splayed, gnarled arms and fingers, he stood like an old, angry and contemptuous freak between the smiling birch trees. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.
   Spring, and love, and happiness! as if this oak tree was speaking. And how can you not get tired of the same stupid, senseless deception! Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look, there are the crushed dead spruce trees sitting, always the same, and there I am, spreading out my broken, skinned fingers, wherever they grew from the back, from the sides. As I grew up, I still stand, and I don’t believe your hopes and deceptions.
   Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times while driving through the forest, as if he was expecting something from it. There were flowers and grass under the oak tree, but he still stood in the midst of them, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubborn.
   Yes, he is right, this oak tree is right a thousand times, thought Prince Andrei, let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, but we know life, our life is over! A whole new series of hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts in connection with this oak tree arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, he seemed to think about his whole life again and came to the same old, reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he didn’t need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything. .

   2) It was already the beginning of June when Prince Andrei, returning home, again drove into that birch grove in which this old, gnarled oak tree struck him so strangely and memorably. The bells rang even more muffled in the forest than a month ago; everything was full, shady and dense; and the young spruces, scattered throughout the forest, did not disturb the overall beauty and, imitating the general character, were tenderly green with fluffy young shoots.
   It was hot all day, a thunderstorm was gathering somewhere, but only a small cloud splashed on the dust of the road and on the succulent leaves. The left side of the forest was dark, in shadow; the right one, wet, glossy, glistened in the sun, slightly swaying in the wind. Everything was in bloom; the nightingales chattered and rolled, now close, now far away.
   Yes, here, in this forest, there was this oak tree with which we agreed, thought Prince Andrei. Where is he? thought Prince Andrei again, looking at the left side of the road and, without knowing it, without recognizing him, admired the oak tree he was looking for. The old oak tree, completely transformed, spread out like a tent of lush, dark greenery, swayed slightly, swaying slightly in the rays of the evening sun. No gnarled fingers, no sores, no old grief and mistrust were visible. Juicy, young leaves broke through the hundred-year-old hard bark without knots, so it was impossible to believe that it was the old man who produced them. Yes, this is the same oak tree, thought Prince Andrei, and suddenly an unreasonable spring feeling of joy and renewal came over him. All the best moments of his life suddenly came back to him at the same time. And Austerlitz with the high sky, and the dead, reproachful face of his wife, and Pierre on the ferry, and the girl excited by the beauty of the night, and this night, and the moon and all this suddenly came to his mind.
   No, life is not over for thirty-one years, Prince Andrei suddenly finally decided. Not only do I know everything that is in me, it is necessary for everyone to know it: both Pierre and this girl who wanted to fly into the sky, it is necessary for everyone to know me, so that my life does not go on for me alone so that they don’t live like this girl, regardless of my life, so that it affects everyone and so that they all live with me!

"...On the edge of the road stood an oak tree. It was probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, ten times thicker and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge oak tree, twice the girth, with broken branches and bark , overgrown with old sores. With huge, clumsily, asymmetrically splayed, gnarled arms and fingers, he stood like an old, angry and contemptuous freak between the smiling birches. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.

This oak tree seemed to say: “Spring, and love, and happiness! And how can you not get tired of the same stupid, senseless deception! Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look, there are the crushed dead spruce trees sitting, always alone, and there I spread out my broken, skinned fingers, growing from the back, from the sides - anywhere. As I grew up, I still stand, and I don’t believe your hopes and deceptions.”

Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times while driving through the forest. There were flowers and grass under the oak tree, but he still stood in the middle of them, gloomy, motionless, ugly and stubborn.

“Yes, he’s right, this oak tree is right a thousand times,” thought Prince Andrei. “Let others, young people, succumb to this deception again, but we know: our life is over!” A whole series of thoughts, hopeless, but sadly pleasant, in connection with this oak tree arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, he seemed to think over his whole life again and came to the same reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he did not need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything...

It was already the beginning of June when Prince Andrei, returning home, again drove into that birch grove in which this old, gnarled oak had struck him so strangely and memorably. “Here in this forest there was this oak tree that we agreed with. Where is he? - thought Prince Andrei, looking at the left side of the road. Without knowing it, he admired the oak tree he was looking for, but now he did not recognize it.

The old oak tree, completely transformed, spread out like a tent of lush, dark greenery, swayed slightly, swaying slightly in the rays of the evening sun. No gnarled fingers, no sores, no old grief and mistrust - nothing was visible. Juicy, young leaves broke through the hundred-year-old hard bark without knots, so it was impossible to believe that it was the old man who produced them. “Yes, this is the same oak tree,” thought Prince Andrei, and suddenly an unreasonable spring feeling of joy and renewal came over him. All the best moments of his life suddenly came back to him at the same time. And Austerlitz with the high sky, and Pierre on the ferry, and the girl excited by the beauty of the night, and this night, and the moon - all this suddenly came to his mind.

“No, life is not over at thirty-one,” Prince Andrei suddenly finally and irrevocably decided. - Not only do I know everything that is in me, it is necessary that everyone knows it: both Pierre and this girl who wanted to fly into the sky. It is necessary that my life does not go on for me alone, that it is reflected on everyone and that they all live with me.”

Mood: No

Music: STV radio

I

In 1808, Emperor Alexander traveled to Erfurt for a new meeting with Napoleon, and in high society there was a lot of talk about the importance of this event. In 1809, the closeness of the two “lords of the world,” as Alexander and Napoleon were called, reached the point that when Napoleon declared war on Austria, the Russian corps went abroad to fight on the side of the former enemy against the former ally, the Austrian emperor.

The life of ordinary people went on as usual, with their own issues of health, love, work, hope, etc., regardless of Napoleon’s relationship with Alexander. Prince Andrei lived in the village for two years, without leaving anywhere. All those measures that Pierre started on his estate and which he could not bring to any result, all these measures, without much difficulty, were successfully implemented by Prince Andrei. He, unlike Bezukhov, had that practical tenacity, thanks to which things moved forward without his special efforts. He listed some peasants as free cultivators, and for others he replaced corvee with quitrent. Peasants and servants learned to read and write, and a learned midwife was assigned especially for them. Andrei spent one part of his time in Bald Mountains with his father and son, the other on the Bogucharovo estate. At the same time, he closely followed external events, read and thought a lot. In the spring of 1809, Prince Andrei went to the Ryazan estate of his son, who was under his care.

Warmed by the spring sun, he sat in the stroller, looking at the first grass, the first birch leaves and the first clouds of white spring clouds scattering across the bright blue sky. He didn’t think about anything, but looked around cheerfully and meaninglessly...

There was an oak tree on the edge of the road. Probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, it was ten times thicker and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge oak tree, two girths wide, with branches that had been broken off for a long time and with broken bark overgrown with old sores. With his huge, clumsy, asymmetrically splayed, gnarled hands and fingers, he stood like an old, angry and contemptuous freak between the smiling birch trees. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.

“Spring, and love, and happiness!” - this oak tree seemed to say, “and how can you not get tired of the same stupid and senseless deception. Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look, there are the crushed dead spruce trees sitting, always the same, and there I am, spreading out my broken, skinned fingers, wherever they grew - from the back, from the sides; As we grew up, I still stand, and I don’t believe your hopes and deceptions.”

Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times while driving through the forest, as if he was expecting something from it. There were flowers and grass under the oak tree, but he still stood in the midst of them, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubborn.

“Yes, he is right, this oak tree is right a thousand times,” thought Prince Andrei, let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, but we know life, “our life is over!” A whole new series of hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts in connection with this oak tree arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, he seemed to think over his whole life again, and came to the same old reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he did not need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything.

For guardianship matters, Prince Andrei needed to see the district leader, Count Ilya Andreevich Rostov. Bolkonsky went to see him in Otradnoye, where the count lived as before, hosting the entire province, with hunts, theaters, dinners and musicians. Approaching the Rostovs' house, Andrei heard a woman's scream and saw a crowd of girls running across his stroller. Ahead of the others, closest to the stroller, ran a black-eyed girl in a yellow chintz dress, shouting something. But recognizing the stranger, she ran back without looking at him. The girl that Prince Andrei paid attention to was Natasha Rostova. When looking at her, Bolkonsky suddenly felt pain.

“Why is she so happy? What is she thinking about? And what makes her happy?” - Prince Andrei involuntarily asked himself with curiosity.

During the day, during which Andrei was occupied by the senior owners and guests who had arrived at Rostov’s estate on the occasion of his name day, he more than once fixed his gaze on Natasha, who was having fun, trying to understand what she was thinking and why she was so happy.

In the evening, left alone in a new place, he could not fall asleep for a long time. He read, then put out the candle and lit it again...

Prince Andrei's room was on the middle floor; They also lived in the rooms above it and did not sleep. He heard a woman talking from above.

Just one more time,” said a female voice from above, which Prince Andrei now recognized.

When will you sleep? - answered another voice.

I won’t, I can’t sleep, what should I do! Well, last time...

Oh, how lovely! Well, now sleep, and that's the end.

“You sleep, but I can’t,” answered the first voice approaching the window. She apparently leaned out of the window completely, because the rustling of her dress and even her breathing could be heard. Everything became silent and petrified, like the moon and its light and shadows. Prince Andrei was also afraid to move, so as not to betray his involuntary presence.

Sonya reluctantly answered something.

No, look what a moon it is!.. Oh, how lovely! Come here. Darling, my dear, come here. Well, do you see? So I would squat down, like this, I would grab myself under the knees - tighter, as tight as possible - you have to strain - and fly... Just like that!

Come on, you'll fall.

It's two o'clock after all.

Oh, you're just ruining everything for me. Well, go, go.

Again everything fell silent, but Prince Andrei knew that she was still sitting here, he sometimes heard quiet movements, sometimes sighs.

Oh my god! My God! what is this! - she suddenly screamed.

Sleep like that! - and slammed the window.

“They don’t care about my existence!” - thought Prince Andrei as he listened to her conversation, for some reason expecting and fearing that she would say something about him. - “And there she is again! And how on purpose!” - he thought. In his soul suddenly arose such an unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes, contradicting his whole life, that he, feeling unable to understand his condition, immediately fell asleep.

The next day, having said goodbye only to the count, without waiting for the ladies to leave, Andrei went home. On the way back, he drove into the same birch grove in which he was struck by a gnarled oak. But now Andrei looked at him completely differently.

The old oak tree, completely transformed, spread out like a tent of lush, dark greenery, swayed slightly, swaying slightly in the rays of the evening sun. No gnarled fingers, no sores, no old mistrust and grief - nothing was visible. Juicy, young leaves emerged from the branches through the tough hundred-year-old bark, so it was impossible to believe that this old man had produced them. “Yes, this is the same oak tree,” thought Prince Andrei, and suddenly an unreasonable spring feeling of joy and renewal came over him. All the best moments of his life suddenly came back to him at the same time. And Austerlitz with the high sky, and the dead, reproachful face of his wife, and Pierre on the ferry, and the girl excited by the beauty of the night, and this night, and the moon - and all this suddenly came to his mind.

“No, life is not over at the age of 31,” Prince Andrei suddenly finally, unchangeably decided. Not only do I know everything that is in me, it is necessary for everyone to know it: both Pierre and this girl who wanted to fly into the sky, it is necessary for everyone to know me, so that my life does not go on for me alone So that they don’t live so independently of my life, so that it affects everyone and so that they all live with me!”

Returning from a trip to the estates, Andrei unexpectedly decided to go to St. Petersburg in the fall. In August 1809, he realized his intention. “This time was the apogee of the glory of young Speransky and the energy of the revolutions he carried out.”