Many social gatherings large and small fill the first beginning of "War and Peace."

It's peace so far, and people are wondering if there will be war and sharing opinions about that. Whatever their opinion, they don't talk like war is something that could hurt or kill someone they know.

At one party, a young man in the infantry explains to people who aren't interested in his words but indulgent because he's young, enthusiastic and good-looking why being in the infantry is better that being in the cavalry.

First, it's cheaper to get in the infantry. Second, infantry officers get paid more than cavalry officers. Third, and most important, it's much easier for an infantry officer to be promoted to being a commander of a unit than a cavalry officer because infantry commanders are killed more frequently than cavalry commanders.

His reasoning stops there.