The Passion

In Part 3, “The Zero Winter,” Napoleon’s war gets worse, Henri loses an eye, and soldiers begin to desert. “We fought on no rations,” Henri recalls, “our boots fell apart, we slept two or three hours a night and died in the thousands” (77). Napoleon makes an agreement with Russia, but Russia betrays France, so Napoleon invades Moscow despite the freezing conditions. Many soldiers die in what Henri calls The Zero Winter. Looking back, Henri explains that to survive war, one must live without a heart, insisting, “It’s the heart that sings the old songs and brings memories of warm days and makes us waver at another mile, another smouldering village” (80). He admits to the reader that he started to hate Bonaparte.

Domino is so badly wounded that he cannot speak. He writes what he wants to say instead. One day he writes the word “future” and strikes a line through it. He gives Henri the gold chain he wears around his neck.

While camped in Moscow, Henri meets Villanelle, who is now a vivandiére, a prostitute. She tells Henri that snowflakes are all different, and Henri instantly falls in love with her.