Chapter 137
The Perfect Hunt
Nicholas Rostóv meanwhile remained at his post, waiting for the wolf. By the way the hunt approached and receded, by the cries of the dogs whose notes were familiar to him, by the way the voices of the huntsmen approached, receded, and rose, he realized what was happening at the copse. He knew that young and old wolves were there, that the hounds had separated into two packs, that somewhere a wolf was being chased, and that something had gone wrong. He expected the wolf to come his way any moment. He made thousands of different conjectures as to where…
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Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"What would it be to Thee to do this for me?"
Context: Praying while waiting for the wolf at his post
Trivial stakes feel cosmic when pride is on the line.
In Today's Words:
Nicholas asks God what it would cost to send the old wolf his way and let Karay seize her before Uncle watches. People bargain with fate over prizes that look small outside but feel like verdicts on worth. When you pray for a trivial win, name the deeper failure you fear underneath.
"Everywhere, at cards and in war, I am always unlucky."
Context: While scanning the wood for the wolf
Past losses become a story that narrows hope before the test arrives.
In Today's Words:
Nicholas tells himself he is always unlucky at cards and in war while he waits for the wolf. A streak of defeats can feel like identity instead of circumstance. Before you label yourself doomed, name one moment when skill or allies mattered more than fate and build from that memory.
"Hope alternated with despair."
Context: Nicholas waiting at his hunting stand
Anticipation tortures by swinging between extremes.
In Today's Words:
Tolstoy says hope alternated with despair while Nicholas watched the copse. Waiting for one outcome you cannot control exhausts the mind by flipping moods every minute. If you are on hold for news that decides your year, plan what you will do in either case before the call comes.
"Don’t! We’ll gag her!"
Context: Stopping Nicholas from stabbing the wolf after the capture
Expert calm overrides the hero's urge to finish with violence.
In Today's Words:
Daniel whispers do not stab, we will gag her, and pins the wolf while Nicholas reaches for his knife. The person who knows the work often saves the prize from the amateur's dramatic finish. When you are about to destroy what you chased, ask who has done this before and follow their method.
Thematic Threads
Luck Versus Skill
In This Chapter
Nicholas blames fortune until Daniel's dagger work takes the wolf alive
Development
Extends his gambling and battle losses into the hunt's moral test
In Your Life:
You might call yourself unlucky while overlooking who actually knows the craft.
Restrained Victory
In This Chapter
Daniel forbids the stab and binds the wolf for display
Development
Contrasts the count's morning lapse with professional control
In Your Life:
You might need someone to stop your dramatic move when patience wins the prize.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
What does Nicholas ask God for while he waits?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
He wants the old wolf driven to his post and Karay to seize her before Uncle's eyes.
- 2
Why does Nicholas call himself unlucky before the wolf appears?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
He links the hunt to past failures at cards and at Austerlitz with Dolokhov.
- 3
When have you needed an expert to finish what you started?
application • mediumOne way to read it
Name the near miss and who stepped in. Andrew maps Daniel after Nicholas's despair.
- 4
Why does Daniel stop Nicholas from stabbing the wolf?
application • deepOne way to read it
He intends to take her alive with a gag and binding, not a dramatic kill.
- 5
What changes between the count's morning mistake and his touch of the bound wolf?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
Daniel's capture repairs the hunt; the count praises the wolf and smiles at Daniel's meek reply.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Support Ecosystem
Think of a current challenge you're facing alone. Draw or list the 'hunt' - who could be your Daniel, your experienced dogs, your other hunters? Map out everyone who might have skills, resources, or shared stakes in your success. Don't limit yourself to obvious choices.
Consider:
- •Consider people with different types of expertise, not just similar backgrounds
- •Think about who benefits if you succeed, even indirectly
- •Include people who've solved similar problems before, even in different contexts
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you exhausted yourself trying to handle something alone that later got solved through collaboration. What would you do differently now?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 138: The Hunt and Hidden Rivalries
With the wolf captured and the hunt successful, the group gathers to celebrate their victory. But the real test may be what happens when the adrenaline fades and they return to the everyday world of social expectations and family obligations.
