Count Ilya Rostov moves to Moscow with his family, except for the countess, who is still ill. Until his house is readied for the winter, the Rostovs stay with Marya Dmitryevna Ahrostimov (mentioned in Book I), who is Natasha's godmother. She oversees the selection of Natasha's trousseau and plans diversions for her guests. Marya Dmitryevna keeps telling Natasha what an excellent husband she has chosen and counsels her to visit her in-laws as soon as possible.
Natasha pays her call, certain the Bolkonskys will love her as everyone does, but is unprepared for the cold reception she receives from Princess Marya. She weeps for a long time when she returns home, blaming Prince Andrey for not having arrived soon enough to spare her this humiliation.
Count Rostov escorts Natasha and Sonya to the opera one evening and the girls attract a great deal of attention. While Natasha feels deeply pleased, she feels more strongly a sense of loss for someone to love and admire her. Recognizing her womanly attractiveness, she misses Andrey poignantly at this moment. In this serious mood, Natasha finds the conventions of the theater grotesque and unnatural, even to the point of being embarrassed for the foolish exaggerations of the actors.
Gradually accustomed to the half-naked women of the audience and the brilliantly elegant men, her mood becomes one of intoxication and she has the surrealist desire to leap upon the stage or to tickle Ellen Bezuhov's bare shoulders. At this moment, Anatole Kuragin makes his self-confident entry and his roving glance fixes upon Natasha; their eyes meet. His fearless and intimate look makes Natasha feel she knows him already.
