War & Peace Podnotes, A Study Guide

Once separated for the evening, Anatole fell right asleep. The charmed women did not.Marya considered, “Is he really to be my husband? This stranger who is so kind.”   However, she soon feels the force of evil near her as a Satanic image mixed with Anatole’s. She rang for her maid, asking her to sleep in her room. Lise grumbled how uncomfortable she was in bed. Anatole’s presence reminded her of when she was not impacted by pregnancy and loneliness. Amélie Bourienne walked about the winter garden, working out this scenario where she would allow herself to be seduced, then try to win Anatole with a story about how her poor mother’s ghost shamed her. Conveying this would hopefully guilt Anatole into marrying her. Such projection contrasts with Marya, who would never so play with spirits.  Bolkonsky could not sleep and reflected, “The first man that turns up—she forgets her father and becomes so unlike herself!”   He is disappointed Marya did not have the pride to see Anatole’s nature.  He considers casting off