(A servant hands a letter to Pierre.)

[SERVANT]

A letter from Marya Dmitryevna asking you to come and visit her

On a matter of great importance

Relating to Andrey Bolkonsky and his betrothed

[PIERRE]

What?

What can they want with me?

(He arrives at Marya D.’s.)

[MARYA D.]

Pierre, old friend I’m sorry it’s late

I’m sorry I haven’t seen you about

Where have you been?

Where have you been?

[PIERRE]

I have been studying

[MARYA D.]

Pierre old friend, we need your help

Pierre old friend: the family name!

We need your help

We need your help

There’s ruin at the door

[PIERRE]

Marya?

[MARYA D.]

Natasha has let down the family

[PIERRE]

What?

[MARYA D.]

Natasha has broken with Andrey

[PIERRE]

What?

[MARYA D.]

Natasha has tried to elope

[PIERRE]

What?

[MARYA D.]

Natasha and Anatole Kuragin!

[PIERRE]

What?!

[MARYA D.]

We need your help

We need your help

There’s ruin at the door

[PIERRE]

Natasha, that charming girl?

I can’t believe my ears

So I am not the only man

Chained to a bad woman

And Anatole, that stupid child

They’ll lock him up for years

For Anatole is a married man!

[MARYA D.]

Married? He’s married?

[PIERRE]

Yes

[MARYA D.]

Oh wait ’til I tell her

PIERRE

Poor Andrey

[MARYA D.]

And when Andrey comes home

He will challenge Anatole to a duel

And get himself killed

And all will be ruined

You must go see your brother-in-law

And tell him that he must leave Moscow

And not dare to let me set my eyes on him again

[PIERRE]

At once