Part 4, Chapters 5-8 Summary

Pierre has absolutely no experience with dueling or with guns at all, for that matter. Denisov has to explain to him how a duel works. Dolohov, on the other hand, is a good, experienced shooter. Things look bad for Pierre. Somehow, though, Pierre shoots Dolohov.

As Rostov and Denisov accompany the wounded Dolohov back to Moscow, Dolohov says that this will kill his mother. He took care of his old mother and a hunchback sister and was the most tender son and brother. Pierre cannot sleep. He goes over and over in his mind why this tragedy has happened. He thinks of the coarseness and vulgarity of his wife's character and that he never loved her. He can confide his sorrows in no one.

In the middle of the night, he calls for his valet and asks him to...