Chapter 10 chapter Ten

Prince Andrew took up residence with an acquaintance in Brunn, the Russian diplomat Bilibin. "Ah, my dear prince, there is no greater pleasure than to see your guest," said Bilibin, as he went out to meet Prince Andrew. "Frantz, take the prince's things into my bedroom!" he said, turning to the servant who accompanied Bolkonski. "What, is it the man with the news of the victory? Very well. You see , I'm sick." After washing and dressing, Prince Andrei went into the diplomat's luxurious study and sat down with a prepared lunch set before him.Bilibin sat at ease by the fire.

Not only after his travels, but also after his march, in which he lost all comfort, cleanliness, and superior conditions of life, Prince Andrei felt what he had felt since his childhood when he was resting in the luxurious surroundings to which he had been accustomed. Kind of refreshing feeling.Besides, he was pleased, after being received by the Austrians, to be able to converse with a Russian, even if he did not speak Russian (they spoke in French); Austrian common sense of disgust (a feeling of disgust which he now feels especially strongly). Bilibin was about thirty-five years old, unmarried, and belonged to the same high society as Prince Andrew.They had known each other already in Petersburg, but their acquaintance had grown closer when Prince Andrew arrived in Vienna with Kutuzov.If it is said that Prince Andrei is young and has great prospects in the military arena, then Bilibin has an even brighter future in the diplomatic arena.He is still young, and he is no longer a young diplomat, because he has been serving since he was sixteen, and he has been stationed in Paris and Copenhagen.He is currently holding a very important position in Vienna.Both the Prime Minister and our ambassador in Vienna knew him and valued him.He was in a class of his own, not among the majority of diplomats who, in order to be the best diplomats, needed some negative virtues, not doing certain things they shouldn't, but speaking French.Although there are some diplomats who are lazy by nature, they love their work and are good at it. They sometimes sit at their desks for several nights in a row. Bilibin is one of these diplomats.Whatever the substance of the job, he did it well.What he is concerned with is not the question of "why to do it", but the question of "how to do it".He didn't care what the business of diplomacy was.He considers it his great pleasure to draw up circulars, memorandums, or reports with skill, elegance, and propriety.Bilibin's exploits were prized, and in addition to his pen work he was adept at speaking and communicating among the upper classes.

Bilibin loved talking as much as he loved his work, only when the person he was talking to made an elegant one-liner.In high society he was often waiting for an opportunity to say something nice, and it was only in these circumstances that he struck up conversation.Bilibin often interspersed with many eccentric witticisms in his conversation, and always ended with a few nice words of interest to everyone.These pretty words have a peculiar quality, as if deliberately invented in Bilibin's inner creative activity, and are intended to be remembered by the humble and vulgar upper-class people and widely circulated in the drawing room.Indeed, lesmots de Bilibinese colpor Btaient dans lessalons de Vienne, it is said, often exerts influence on so-called important affairs of state.

① French: Bilibin's comments were widely circulated in Vienna's living rooms. His thin, sallow face was covered with wide wrinkles, which, like the tips of his fingers after a bath, were always scrupulously clean.The activity of these wrinkles constitutes the major changes in his facial expression.Sometimes he raises his brows, and wide wrinkles appear on his forehead; sometimes he lowers his brows, and wide wrinkles form on his cheeks.A pair of small deep-set eyes always looked straight ahead merrily. "Hey, now tell us about your exploits," he said.Bolkonsky did not once mention himself, but spoke very modestly of the battle ahead and of the reception he received at the Minister of War.

"Ils montrecuavecmanouvelle, commeunchiendans unjeudequilles," he said in closing. Bilibin smiled wryly for a while, stretching the wrinkles on his face. "Cependant, moncher," he said, examining his nails from a distance, puckering the skin above his left eye, "malgrelahauteestimequejepsofessepourleOrthodox Russian warriors, javouequevotrevictoirenestpasdesplusvictorieuses." ①French: They treat me, the messenger, like a dog that has run into a skittle-ring. ② French: My dear, although I respect the Russian fighters of the Orthodox Church very much, I think that your victory is not the most brilliant.

He went on in French, uttering the words he wanted to emphasize contemptuously in Russian. "Isn't it? When you attacked the unfortunate Mortier, who had only one division, with all his troops, he escaped from you? What kind of victory is that?" "But strictly speaking," replied Prince Andrei, "we can say without bragging that this is a little better than the Battle of Ulm..." "Why don't you capture a Marshal for us? Even one." "Because not everything goes according to plan, nor does it take place as regularly as a parade. As I told you, I thought I'd be able to get behind the enemy's rear by seven o'clock in the morning, but I hadn't gone by five o'clock in the afternoon. arrive."

"Why don't you get there by seven o'clock in the morning? You should be there by seven o'clock in the morning," said Bilibin, smiling. "You should be there by seven o'clock in the morning." "Why don't you tell Bonaparte diplomatically that it would be better for him to abandon Genoa?" said Prince Andrew in the same tone. "I know," interrupted Bilibin, "you are sitting on the sofa in front of the fire and thinking that it would be easy to catch the Marshal. There is nothing wrong with that, but why on earth did you not catch him?" Do not be surprised that not only the Minister of War, but also His Majesty the Most Holy Emperor Franz is not very pleased with your victory, and even I, the unfortunate secretary of the Russian embassy, ​​do not find it particularly happy... "

He fixed his eyes on Prince Andrew, and suddenly relaxed the taut skin on his forehead. "My dear, it is now my turn to ask you 'Why?" said Bolkonski, "and I confess to you that I probably do not understand what there is to be done here beyond my poor intellectual diplomacy." Subtlety, but I don't understand it either, Mark lost his entire army, Archduke Ferdinand and Archduke Karl were dying, lifeless, and doing one wrong thing after another, only Kutuzov finally won The real victory smashed the French Chavme, and the military minister didn't even want to know the details of the battle!"

"That's why, my dear. Voyez-vous, monches B. Ulla! For the Tsar, for Russia, for faith! Toutcaest beletbon, but I say what does your victory matter to us, to the Austrian court? You Bring us the good news that Archduke Karl or Ferdinand have won. As you know, unarchiduevautlautre, it would be nice to beat Bonaparte's fire brigade, but that's another matter, and we'll get there You must fire a cannon to signal it. In fact, it seems to be deliberately provoking us. Archduke Karl did nothing, Archduke Ferdinand was disgraced. You are abandoning Vienna and not defending it anymore, commesivousnousdisiez⑤ God bless us, God Bless you and your capital too. A General Schmidt whom we all love: you let him die by bullets, and now you celebrate our victory!... Agree with us, never again Think of something more outrageous than the news you bring. Cestcommeunfaitexpres, commeunfaitexpres⑥. Besides, well, even if you win a brilliant victory, even the Grand Duke Karl, it will change the entire course of the military operation? Vienna has been taken by French troops, and it is too late now."

① French: The oath of invincibility. ②French: You need to understand. ③French: This is all very well. ④ French: This Grand Duke is as good as that Grand Duke. ⑤ French: You seem to be speaking to us. ⑥French: This seems to be against intentionally, like against intentionally. "How is it already occupied? Vienna is already occupied?" "Not only occupied, but Bonaparte is staying at Schönbrunn Palace. Count, our lovely Count Vulbner has set off to Bonaparte to beg instructions." Bolkonski, after the fatigue of the journey, was still fresh, and after the reception, and especially after the luncheon, he felt that he could not understand the whole meaning of what he had heard.

"Count Lichtenfels was here this morning," Bilibin went on, "and he showed me a letter in which he described in detail the reality of the French parade in Vienna. LeprinceMuratettoutletremBblement... ① You know, your victory is not a very happy thing, and you will not be favored like a savior..." "Honestly, I don't care, absolutely!" said Prince Andrew.It began to dawn on him that now that the Austrian capital had been taken, the news he had received of the battle on the outskirts of Krems lacked significance. "How is Vienna taken? What about the bridge, the world-famous tetedepont, and the Duke of Auersperg? We have rumors here that the Duke of Auersperg is defending Vienna," he said. ① French: Prince Murat and others... ② French: Fortress. "Duke Auersperg is on our side of the river and is defending us. I think he's defending very poorly, but he's defending. Vienna is on the other side of the river. There's a bridge that hasn't been taken yet. I hope The bridge is not taken because it is full of mines and the order to blow it up has been given. Otherwise, we would have gone to the Bohemian mountains long ago, and you and your troops would be caught between two sides." "However, this does not mean that the battle has come to an end," said Prince Andrei. "I think the battle is over. Some of the big fools here think so, but dare not say it. What I said at the beginning of the campaign is about to be fulfilled. It is not you who will decide the battle. echauffouree de Durenstein, and not gunpowder at all, but those who try to make war," said Bilibin, repeating his favorite mots, pausing again as he stretched the wrinkled skin on his forehead. What will be the content of the talks in Berlin between Emperor Alexander and the King of Prussia. If Prussia enters the Union, onforcelamainalAutriche, war will break out. If not, then it is only a matter of where the parties agree to draw up the preliminary terms of the new CamBpoFormio. "What a genius!" cried Prince Andrew suddenly, clenching his tiny fists and beating the table. "How lucky is this man!" "Buonaparte?" ⑤ Bilibin said in a questioning tone, frowning, wanting to be aware that the unmot ⑥ was about to appear. "Is it Bonaparte?" he said, emphasizing the accent on the "u" , "I thought, however, that while he was working out the Austrian law at Schönbrunn Palace, ilfautluifairvegracedelu, ⑦ I would insist on a new procedure, and Soching called him Bonapartetoutcourt." ⑧ ①French and German: Direnstein crossfire. ② French: words. ③ French: Then take coercive measures against Austria. ④French: Campo Fujuo Peace Treaty. ⑤French: Is it Bonaparte? ⑥French: Witty words. ⑦ French: He should be prevented from making the "u" sound. ⑧French: Suo Xing called him Bonaparte. "No, no kidding," said Prince Andrew, "do you think the campaign is over?" "That's what I thought. Austria lost, but it doesn't get used to losing. It wants revenge. It lost first of all because some provinces were destroyed (ondit, leest Orthodox terrible pourlepillage, army Crushed, the capital captured, all pourles beauxyeux du Sardinia ②, and secondly because—entrenous, moncher B, ③—I smell it, people are deceiving us, I still smell it, they Engaged with France, drew up a draft peace treaty—a secret draft peace treaty concluded separately." "That's impossible!" said Prince Andrew. "It's really abominable." "Quivivranerra," said Bilibin, stretching his wrinkled skin again to signify the end of the conversation. ①French: It is said that the army of the Orthodox Church robbed very badly. ② French: For the good-looking eyes of His Majesty Sardinia. ③ French: My dear, talk between us. ④ French: After a while, you will see clearly. When Prince Andrei went to the room assigned to him and lay down on the down mattress in clean pajamas with a fragrant and warm pillow, he felt that the battle of which he had brought the news was very far away from him. Far, far away.His concerns were the Prussian alliance, the Austrian treachery, another great victory for Bonaparte, tomorrow's departure, the military parade, and the audience of Emperor Franz. He closed his eyes, and at that very moment the rumbling of guns and the rattling of wheels sounded in his ears, and he saw a long line of musketeers coming down the hill, and a group of French soldiers shooting, and he thought, His heart was trembling, and he and Schmidt rode forward side by side, the bullets whistling merrily around him, and he felt a sense of exalted joy in existence that he had not felt since childhood. he wakes up... "Yeah, it's all a thing of the past! . . . " he said, with a happy childish smile on his face, and the young man fell asleep soundly.