Book 7, Chapters 6, 7, 8

CHAPTER 6

 Nicholas and the rest are still on the hunt, now for a red fox. Out of nowhere, Nicholas' rival, Ilagin, captures the fox they had been after. Nicholas prepares himself to fight with Ilagin, but Ilagin quickly apologizes for crossing on to his turf and he and Nicholas being to talk about hunting. They both ask about each others' top hunting dogs, secretly comparing and envying the other. They both claim to not hunt out of competitiveness, but out of love for the hunt (which is only half true, clearly). Later on, a hare crosses their paths and Nicholas and Ilagin's dogs go after it. Each man cheers his dog on, but it is "Uncle's" dog that catches the hare in the end.

Important Quotes

"Nicholas, though he had never seen Ilagin, with his usual absence of moderation in judgment, hated him cordially from reports of his arbitrariness and violence, and regarded him as his bitterest foe."

Ilagin: "I don't understand," continued Ilagin, "how some sportsmen can be so jealous about game and dogs. For myself, I can tell you, Count, I enjoy riding in company such as this... what could be better?" (he again raised his cap to Natásha) "but as for counting skins and what one takes, I don't care about that."
Nicholas: "Of course not!"
Ilagin: "Or being upset because someone else's borzoi and not mine catches something. All I care about is to enjoy seeing the chase, is it not so, Count?"

CHAPTER 7

 "Uncle invites Natasha, Petya, and Nicholas over after the hunt. They all sit in his living room, eating and joking and listening to him play his guitar. Everyone is in a good mood when finally it's time for the three Rostovs to go home. In the carriage, Natasha and Nicholas think about how lucky they are to have each other.

*Could it be possible that Natasha and Nicholas fall in love, although they are siblings?* 

Important Quotes

"now that the hunt was over and they were in the house, Nicholas no longer considered it necessary to show his manly superiority over his sister."

 Nicholas: "How charming this Natásha of mine is! I have no other friend like her and never shall have. Why should she marry? We might always drive about together!"
Natasha: "What a darling this Nicholas of mine is!" thought Natásha"

CHAPTER 8

The Rostovs continue to struggle with money. The countess implores Nicholas to marry the rich Julie Karagina, but he is too in love with Sonya and she with him. He decides to put his own feelings over family matters. Meanwhile, Natasha falls into depression after being away from Andrew for so long.

Important Quotes

[Countess]: "From her feminine point of view she could see only one solution, namely, for Nicholas to marry a rich heiress. She felt this to be their last hope and that if Nicholas refused the match she had found for him, she would have to abandon the hope of ever getting matters right"

Nicholas:  "But, Mamma, suppose I loved a girl who has no fortune, would you expect me to sacrifice my feelings and my honor for the sake of money?"

Nicholas: "I would sacrifice anything for you—even my feelings."
But the countess did not want the question put like that: she did not want a sacrifice from her son, she herself wished to make a sacrifice for him."

Natasha: "She felt sorry for herself: sorry that she was being wasted all this time and of no use to anyone—while she felt herself so capable of loving and being loved."