Prince Vasíli is on the precipice of enticing Pierre to ask for his daughter’s hand. He hardly let a day go by without hosting an event at which Pierre was present. For six weeks, the new Count was lured into making a home of Vasíli’s mansion.

Vasíli was planning to get two of his children married, Anatole as well as Hélène. Vasíli felt compelled to finalize matters with Pierre before touring his neglected provincial estates. He then desired to pick-up Anatole from his regiment and take him to Smolensk to arrange a match with Gen. Bolkónski’s daughter.

Pierre’s conduct was as a young lover’s should be - excited and foolish. Vasíli thought, “Youth, frivolity... God be with him.” He surmised the right time to push for resolution was at Hélène’s upcoming name-day celebration. Pierre’s mixed emotions persisted. He realized how devastating it could be to tie his fate to Hélène. Yet he had no ability to leave her orbit. He was overpowered by desire.

In Society’s eyes Pierre was more and more connected with Hélène. All were waiting for him to propose. Terror seized Pierre upon realizing how close he was. When the celebration arrived, the guests included close friends and family. All were in high spirits. Vasíli merrily went round the table, chatting about the Imperial Council, where the military governor read a missive about the war from Czar Alexander. The governor was overjoyed the letter was directed to him.

As much as such trifling interests united the aristocrats, all this was sideshow to Pierre and Hélène. Pierre found the dynamic intoxicating. He thought, “They are all expecting it, so…I cannot disappoint them!” He considered himself a Paris possessed of Helen of Troy. Deep down, Pierre knew that only since becoming the Count did he receive favor. Still, in the moment, he believed that it was he who was unusually striking. He was taken out of this mindset when Vasíli asked when he last heard from Andrei, who had written from Olmütz.

After supper, Pierre & Hélène followed others to the drawing room. Pierre had had never spoke to Hélène of love but knew it was time to. He first made some small talk. Vasíli, hovering, came up to them and again brought up the proud governor. Pierre smiled and gave a look that assured he was doing what was expected. In the next room, the Kuragin family spoke on how “marriages are made in heaven.”

The couple kept the family waiting and eventually Vasíli lost patience and decided to drag Pierre across the line. Vasíli’s manifested a triumphant countenance upon his approach and congratulated Pierre on what Pierre could not bring himself to do. He proclaimed, “Thank God! My wife has told me everything!” (though his wife did no such thing). He put his arms around the two and continued, “My dear boy... Lëlya... I am very pleased. I loved your father...and she will make you a good wife...God bless you!” He embraced and kissed them.

Pierre reflected. “All this had to be…so it is useless to ask whether it is good or bad.” At least he was rid of the doubt. Pierre held Hélène’s hand and confidently called her name. He knew “something special is always said in such cases”. He looked deep into her eyes and she drew nearer to him and told him to take of his spectacles. Pierre did so and was about to stoop and kiss her hand but with a rapid movement of her head, Hélène intercepted his lips with her own. “It is too late now, it’s done, besides I love her,” thought Pierre. He then uttered those forgotten special words, Je vous aime, but they sounded so weak he was ashamed.

Six weeks later Pierre was married, and settled in his newly furnished Petersburg mansion.