刚在看战争与和平，皮埃尔对娜塔莎就是真爱。他在娜塔莎试图与人私奔未果，前程尽毁痛不欲生的时刻，以自己的已婚身份，

做了世界上最让人感动的表白：

"If I were not what I am, but the handsomest, cleverest, and best man in the world, and were free, I would beg for your hand and love on my knees."

然后他出门，马车在清冽的夜幕中急行驶，他抬头望见哈雷彗星，这对别人来说不祥的预兆，对皮埃尔来说却预示着心灵的解放：

It seemed to Pierre that this falling star was a symbol of what was passing in his own softened and uplifted soul.