Age errors in War and Peace

[JULES0821]

I am confused by the Book 2, part one, chapter one of the Maude translation. Nicholas is home on leave in early 1806. It says Natasha is now fifteen and that Nicholas has been gone 18 months? This does not make sense as Natasha's name day was in Sept 1805 and she was 13 and Nicholas was there so how is she 15 and he was gone 18 months when this Book is only a few months after the name day?

[thoreauitout]

Found the same thing in Richard Pevear's translation. I actually contacted him about it after doing some research with my professor.

The phrase in question seems to be "poltera goda"- which means, according to translators, "year and a half." I can't help but feel that it may have meant "half year" when Tolstoy was writing. Then again, Natasha's age does jump from 13 to 15... maybe Tolstoy was mistaken.

Good eye.