Book Eleven (1812) — Chapter 33

Pierre wakes late on September 3 with a headache. His plan to kill Napoleon reasserts itself, but now he must navigate a city occupied by the French. He takes the pistol and goes out. The streets are strange — looted, burning in places, full of French soldiers. He comes upon a house on fire and a crowd; a dirty maid emerges from behind a trunk and something in Pierre's state shifts — he feels life return to him. Then he sees a French soldier dragging a child through the smoke and intervenes, fighting the soldier off. He picks up the little girl and looks for her family.