War & Peace Podnotes, A Study Guide

Pierre is sleeping in the back of an open coach while being pulled by horses to his father’s magnificent estate. Count Bezukhov is incapacitated and his wishes were that Pierre takes his estate. However, Pierre has little idea of this intention. The Count drew up papers to “legitimize” Pierre, however, they were never delivered to the proper authorities nor signed off by Emperor Alexander. Prince Vassily Kuragin has been plotting to subvert the will of the Count and in the previous chapter he learned the testamentary papers are in the folio kept under the Count’s pillow. He had been speaking with Katerina “Katishe” Mamontova (the Count’s niece) about what could be done to retrieve and destroy the documents. Pierre is fortunate to have an able wingman, Princess Anna Drubestskaya, who has a sense of the oncoming struggle over succession. Many in Moscow high society also are aware of the favor the Count held Pierre in. Anna escorts Pierre inside the mansion through a rear entrance. She senses Pierre’s meekness a