When he reached home it was already getting dark. Some eight people had come to see him that evening: the secretary of a committee, the colonel of his battalion, his steward, his majordomo, and various petitioners. They all had business with Pierre and wanted decisions from him. Pierre did not understand and was not interested in any of these questions and only answered them in order to get rid of these people. When left alone at last he opened and read his wife’s letter.

“ They , the soldiers at the battery, Prince Andréy killed⁠ ⁠… that old man⁠ ⁠… Simplicity is submission to God. Suffering is necessary⁠ ⁠… the meaning of all⁠ ⁠… one must harness⁠ ⁠… my wife is getting married⁠ ⁠… One must forget and understand⁠ ⁠…” And going to his bed he threw himself on it without undressing and immediately fell asleep.

When he awoke next morning the majordomo came to inform him that a special messenger, a police officer, had come from Count Rostopchín to know whether Count Bezúkhov had left or was leaving the town.