The Strain of War Preparations — War and Peace

Lise joins Pierre and Andrew after the salon mask drops. She has changed into a house dress as fresh as the other. She opens with flirtatious French chatter about why Annette never married, then latches onto Pierre's question: why does Andrew need war when he is already Uncle's aide-de-camp, so well known that a lady at the Apraksins' asked if that was the famous Prince Andrew? He might easily become aide-de-camp to the Emperor; Annette and she were speaking of how to arrange it. Pierre looks at Andrew, sees he hates the talk, and does not answer.

Her tone turns sharp. She will not hear of his going. She is afraid, though she will not say the pregnancy plainly, and she dreads being locked in the country without friends. Andrew answers with frigid politeness, as if surprised anyone else is in the room, names his father and sister as company, and sends her to bed on doctor's orders. She accuses him of treating her like a child and of having changed since six months ago. He says her name once as entreaty, then as threat. Pierre tries to mediate, then bolts when tears make the room feel indecent. Andrew catches his hand and will not let the evening end.

Then she flips to a pleading, submissive smile, kisses his forehead, and he bids her good night with a stranger's hand-kiss. Nothing is settled. Intimacy was performed for a guest. The fear is still on the floor.