War And Peace Page #2

With all that, Andrei,

you still disapprove?

You're not being worthy of yourself.

You're not living up to the best things

in yourself. Be somebody!

That's where the puzzle begins,

be somebody. Be what? Who am I?

Am I the next Count Bezukhov,

lord of vast estates,

with a fixed position,

fixed responsibilities?

Not quite!

My father cannot quite acknowledge

that I am his son.

But he cannot quite acknowledge

that I am not his son.

That makes everybody uncomfortable,

including myself.

- You must aim at something.

- You're right, I agree with you.

Each morning I wake up,

I'm disgusted with myself

with what I did the night before.

I tell myself, "Today, a change."

If my headache is bad enough,

I say, "Pierre...

"...today you must take steps

to become a saint."

I drop into the club

and watch the card-playing,

just order a glass of water to prove

how marvellously I resist temptation.

Then someone comes along

and says, "Just one vodka, Pierre."

Next morning, my headache is worse,

my pockets are emptier.

There must be

something you want to do.

I want to discover... everything!

I want to discover why I know

what's right and still do what's wrong.

I want to discover what happiness is,

and what value there is in suffering.

I want to discover why men go to war,

and what they really say

deep in their hearts when they pray.

I want to discover what men and

women feel when they say they love.

There's enough to keep me busy.

It's hard to understand someone like me.

Everything is so clear for you.

- You know exactly what you must do.

- Oh, exactly!

You're different from me.

You study, you become enlightened.

I study, I become confused.

You love, you marry. You believe,

you act. There's a war, you serve.

If only I really answered

to your description.

- You do.

- Shall I show you how wrong you are?

- I know you. I'm not wrong.

- Know why I'm going to the war?

Because I regard Napoleon

as a monster?

Because I believe we should fight

Austria's battles 2,000 miles away?

Because Russia will be

a greater nation after the war?

Then, why?

Because I married the most loving

and attractive woman in Moscow,

and I can't stand it.

Never marry, Pierre.

Or only when you're old

and good for nothing,

or else everything noble in you

will be lost.

You'll waste yourself on trifles.

Yes. Don't look at me like that.

You talk of Bonaparte's career.

If Bonaparte had married young,

he'd still be on half-pay,

carrying his wife's handbag,

inviting idiots to his house because

his wife wanted invitations to theirs!

- Prince Andrei.

- Princess Hlene.

You told my brother he was expected?

- I did.

- Isn't he coming?

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