- Prince Bolkonsky is going over the papers he’s gotten ready for his death.
- He calls in Alpatych and gives him a long list of the supplies he’s supposed to pick up in Smolensk and also a letter for the governor there. Two hours later (no, seriously, it’s apparently the world’s longest shopping list), Alpatych leaves and Prince Bolkonsky decides to go to bed.
- Now we get a weird little insight into some of the Prince's mental issues. He’s been sleeping in a different place every night because he just can’t get comfortable. Every time he lies down and closes his eyes, he gets dizzy.
- Suddenly, after lying down, he remembers that he’s supposed to do something. Oh, apparently he wanted to reread Andrei’s letter in bed.
- Finally, this time reading it, it sinks in that the French are four days away and that everyone needs to get the heck out of Dodge already.
- But instead of doing anything, he starts remembering himself as a young man, getting hot and heavy with Empress Catherine the Great, who had a thing for young handsome soldiers.