The Value of Things

War & Peace | Week 35 | Contains spoilers for Volume 3 Book 3 Chapters 12-18

Moscow’s last day has come.

The Rostovs are taking an insufferable amount of time packing up their lives into boxes and onto carts.

In the febrile mood of end-times Moscow, carts are worth far more than their contents. A peasant horse fetches 500 rubles. Fancy furniture is now worthless.

Everyone is getting out. Everyone except Pierre.

All around the world, today and since forever, families have faced this moment. What to take and what to leave behind. Some are given no time to choose, stealing out the backdoor in the night. Others have nothing to take and nowhere to go.

So the Rostovs are fortunate, privileged refugees. Although the heartache is the same.

And each plays their part.

Natasha, older, wiser? Throws her full heart into packing the carpets and the tapestries, the china and bronzes. She always took herself seriously, and now the world must do so too.

The count will make a mess of things. He always does. But this time his big soft heart is right. Empty the carts of china. Make space for wounded men.

The countess is overcome. Vinegar compress, taken to her bed. She can’t think of these poor soldiers, when her sons are in danger. And like most of us in times like these, she’s forgotten these soldiers are also someone’s sons.

Berg’s oblivious to the catastrophe. He knots his handkerchief to remind him about the chiffonier and the cart, to bag a bargain antique while the city burns.

Sonya meticulously takes note. Writing down everything they must leave behind. Chances are they won’t see any of it again. But if they do, they’ll have her to thank.

On the road out of the city, the book’s three main characters unknowingly cross paths. Andrei, hidden in a carriage, Pierre. in peasant disguise. Natasha, carrying the torch of Rostov joy.

It’s a fleeting moment of sliding doors. Imagine if Natasha jumped off to join Pierre? Or he got in beside her and escaped this cursed city?

But no. “I don’t know myself,” stammers Pierre. “Tomorrow… But no! Goodbye, goodbye! It’s an awful time!”

And with that Bezukhov is off to market to buy himself a gun.

---

If you enjoyed this update, please consider supporting my writing by becoming a paid subscriber. A monthly subscription works out at 81p a week (or 67p on an annual plan) and gives you access to all my read-along content, newsletters and fiction.

This read-along of War and Peace will be running again next year, reading a chapter a day throughout 2024. Join by subscribing to my main newsletter and selecting Whisky and Perseverance from the manage subscription page.

Bonus content for paid subscribers below, including a who’s who of minor characters, discussion of an ostrich and a compassionate servant, and a tale of two handkerchiefs.