Marya Dmitrievna Akhrosimova
Le terrible dragon
BOOK ONE
Book One, Part One
15 Jan: Chapter 15
Enter “le terrible dragon”, “respected and feared” by all for her frank and plain speech. She always speaks Russian and loves her godchild Natasha, that “Cossack” and “scamp of a girl”. And she will give Pierre a piece of her mind: “It would be better if you went to the war.”
16 Jan: Chapter 16
“You may die in your bed or God may spare you in a battle.” Ominous words from a mother of four men in the army. She wags her fat finger at her “Cossack”, but everyone laughs to see Natasha take on le terrible dragon.
17 Jan: Chapter 17
Tall and stout, she dances the Daniel Cooper with the count using only her face and a few “slight exertions”. This measured levity in someone so severe makes everyone feel joyous.
Book Two, Part Five
27 May: Chapter 6
In Moscow, Count Rostov, Natasha and Sonya come to stay with le dragon terrible, Marya Dmitrievna. She takes the girls under her wing to ‘scold them a bit, and pet them a bit.’ We learn that she thinks highly of the Bolkonskys and has been asked by Marya to bring the two future sisters-in-law together.
28 May: Chapter 7
After Natasha’s visit to the Bolkonskys, Marya Dmitrievna discretely ignores her obvious distress.
2 June: Chapter 12
The day after the opera, Marya Dmitrievna goes to visit old Bolkonsky on Natasha’s behalf but returns defeated and agitated.
4 June: Chapter 14
Marya Dmitrievna advises Natasha to return to Otradnoe and await Andrei there.
8 June: Chapter 18
Marya Dmitrievna had found Sonya in the passage and intercepted the note to Natasha. After thwarting the abduction, she chastises Natasha in the strongest terms. She resolves to keep the news from the count to avoid a duel, and Natasha sinks into despair. When the count returns, he sees something has happened but decides to accept Marya Dmitrievna’s explanation that Natasha has been ill.
9 June: Chapter 19
Marya Dmitrievna requests to see Pierre and tells him the situation in confidence.
12 June: Chapter 22
Marya Dmitrievna to Pierre: ‘When will her mother come? She has worried me to death! Now mind, don’t tell her everything! I haven’t the heart to scold her, she is so much to be pitied, so much to be pitied.’
BOOK THREE
Book Three, Part Three
Chapter 7
Marya Dmitrievna speaks frankly to Hélène, calling her a prostitute for attempting to wed while already married.