第83章

第83章nextdayhewakeduplate.goingovertheimpressionsofthepast，whatherecalledmostvividlywasthathewastobepresentedtotheemperorfrancis；herememberedtheministerofwar，theceremoniousadjutant，bilibin，andtheconversationofthepreviousevening.hedressedforhisattendanceatcourtinfullcourt-dress，whichhehadnotwornforalongtime，andfresh，eager，andhandsome，hewalkedintobilibin’sroomwithhisarminasling.fourgentlemenofthediplomaticcorpswerealreadythere.withprinceippolitkuragin，whowasasecretarytotheembassy，bolkonskywasalreadyacquainted；bilibinintroducedhimtotheothers.

thegentlemencallingonbilibinwereasetoffashionable，wealthy，andlivelyyoungmen，whohere，asatvienna，madeupacircleapart，acirclewhichbilibin，itsleader，spokeofaslesn？tres.thiscircle，consistingalmostexclusivelyofdiplomatists，evidentlyhaditsowninterests—quiteapartfromthewarandpolitics—interests，thatrevolvedroundthefashionableworld，relationswithcertainwomenandtheformalsideoftheservice.theygaveprinceandreyanunmistakablycordialreception，asoneofthemselves（adistinctiontheyallowedtofew）.fromcivilityandtobreaktheicetheyaskedhimafewquestionsaboutthearmyandthebattle，andtheconversationslippedbackagaintodisconnected，good-humouredjestsandgossip.

“butwhatwassoparticularlynice，”saidone，relatingadisasterthathadbefallenacolleague，“wasthattheministertoldhiminsomanywordsthathisappointmenttolondonwasapromotionandthatthatwashowheoughttoregardit.canyoufancyhisfigureatthemoment？”…

“buttheworstofallistocome，gentlemen.i’mgoingtobetraykuragin—hereisthisdonjuangoingtoprofitbyhismisfortune；he’sashockingfellow！”

princeippolitloungedinarecliningchair，withhislegsoverthearm.helaughed.

“tellmeaboutthat，”saidhe.

“odonjuan！oserpent！”criedthevoices.

“you’renotaware，idaresay，bolkonsky，”saidbilibin，turningtoprinceandrey，“thatalltheatrocitiesofthefrencharmy（iwasalmostsayingoftherussian）arenothingincomparisonwiththeexploitsofthisfellowamongtheladies.”

“woman…isthecompanionofman，”princeippolitenunciated，andhestaredthroughhiseyeglassathiselevatedlegs.

bilibinandlesn？tresroared，lookingippolitstraightintheface.princeandreysawthatthisippolit，ofwhom—hecouldnotdisguiseitfromhimself—hehadbeenalmostjealousonhiswife’saccount，wasthebuttofthisset.

“no，imustentertainyouwithaspecimenofkuragin，”saidbilibinasidetobolkonsky.“he’sexquisite，whenheairshisviewsuponpolitics；youmustseehisgravity.”

hesatdownbyippolit，and，wrinklinguphisforehead，begantalkingtohimaboutpolitics.princeandreyandtheothersstoodroundthetwo.

“theberlincabinetcannotexpressafeelingofalliance，”ippolitbegan，lookingconsequentiallyroundatallofthem，“withoutexpressing…asinitslastnote…youunderstand…youunderstand…andbesides，ifhismajestytheemperordoesnotgiveuptheprincipleofouralliance.”

“wait，ihavenotfinished，”hesaidtoprinceandrey，takinghimbythearm.“isupposethatinterventionwillbestrongerthannon-intervention.and…”hepaused.“ourdispatchofthe28thofnovembercannotbereckonedasanexception.thatishowitwillallend.”andhedroppedbolkonsky’sarmasasignthathehadnowquiteconcluded.

“demosthenes，irecogniseyoubythepebblethatyouhideinyourgoldenmouth，”saidbilibin，whosethickthatchofhairmovedforwardonhisheadfromthepuckeringofhisbrowswithdelight.

everyonelaughed.ippolitlaughedlouderthanany.hewasvisiblydistressed；hebreathedpainfully，buthecouldnothelpbreakingintoasavagelaugh，thatconvulsedhisusuallyimpassiveface.

“wellnow，gentlemen，”saidbilibin，“bolkonskyismyguesthereinbr？nnandiwanttoshowhim，asfarasican，alltheattractionsofourlifehere.ifwewereinvienna，itwouldbeeasyenough；buthere，inthisvilemoravianhole，itismoredifficult，andibegyouallforassistance.wemustdohimthehonourofbr？nn.youundertakethetheatreandiwillundertakesociety；you，ippolit，ofcourse，theladies.”

“weoughttolethimseeamélie；she’sexquisite！”saidoneoflesn？tres.kissinghisfinger-tips.

“altogether，”saidbilibin，“wemustturnthisbloodthirstyrnantomorehumaneinterests.”

“ifearicanhardlytakeadvantageofyourhospitality，gentlemen；it’stimeiwasoffevennow，”saidbolkonsky，glancingathiswatch.

“whereto？”

“totheemperor！”

“oh！oh！oh！”

“well，aurevoir，bolkonsky！aurevoir，prince！comeearlytodinner，”saidvoices.“wereckonuponyou.”

“trytomakethemostofthegooddisciplineofthetroops，intheprovisioningofsuppliesandonthelinesofmarch，whenyoutalktotheemperor，”saidbilibin，accompanyingbolkonskytothehall.

“ishouldliketospeakwellofit，butasfarasmyobservationgoes，ican’t，”answeredbolkonsky，smiling.

“well，talkasmuchasyoucan，anyway.audiencesarehispassion，buthedoesn’tliketalkinghimself，andcan’ttalkeither，asyouwillsee.”