- Someone is calling Pierre’s name. Who could it be? Why, it’s everyone’s favorite social climber, Boris. He’s all dashing and handsome and dressed to the nines.
- Boris offers to show Pierre around and invites him to crash at his place that night.
- Turns out that Boris is allied with Bennigsen, the chief of staff, and so is anti-Kutuzov. There’s a lot of political jockeying for position, and Boris feels like if Bennigsen wins he’s going to bring new men up with him.
- As Pierre is chatting with other acquaintances, Kutuzov notices him. (And really, how could he not? We’re assuming Pierre sticks out like a sore thumb.)
- Before Pierre can talk to him, Dolokhov comes up to Kutuzov, giving him some report. Boris knows how to play the game, though. He says, as if he’s talking to Pierre (but within earshot of Kutuzov) that the militia is all ready for tomorrow.
- Kutuzov talks to them and invites Pierre to stay and watch the fighting.
- Afterward, Dolokhov goes up to Pierre, shakes his hand, and says no hard feelings. He’s got no shame, this Dolokhov guy. It’s kind of amazing – and it totally works for him.
- Bennigsen invites Pierre to ride along the line and he takes him up on the offer. (Shmoop hint: This shows just how rich and high-level Pierre must be. It’s as if he showed up randomly in Iraq or Afghanistan and got a personal tour from the Secretary of Defense himself.)