战争与和平(上)-第51章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　knew　that　sense　of　intensified　joy　in　living　that　he　had　not　experienced　since　childhood。　He　waked　up。
“Yes；　that　all　happened！”…he　said；　with　a　happy；　childlike　smile　to　himself。　And　he　fell　into　the　deep　sleep　of　youth。


Chapter　11
NEXT　DAY　he　waked　up　late。　Going　over　the　impressions　of　the　past；　what　he　recalled　most　vividly　was　that　he　was　to　be　presented　to　the　Emperor　Francis；　he　remembered　the　minister　of　war；　the　ceremonious　adjutant；　Bilibin；　and　the　conversation　of　the　previous　evening。　He　dressed　for　his　attendance　at　court　in　full　court…dress；　which　he　had　not　worn　for　a　long　time；　and　fresh；　eager；　and　handsome；　he　walked　into　Bilibin’s　room　with　his　arm　in　a　sling。　Four　gentlemen　of　the　diplomatic　corps　were　already　there。　With　Prince　Ippolit　Kuragin；　who　was　a　secretary　to　the　embassy；　Bolkonsky　was　already　acquainted；　Bilibin　introduced　him　to　the　others。
The　gentlemen　calling　on　Bilibin　were　a　set　of　fashionable；　wealthy；　and　lively　young　men；　who　here；　as　at　Vienna；　made　up　a　circle　apart；　a　circle　which　Bilibin；　its　leader；　spoke　of　as　les　n？tres。　This　circle；　consisting　almost　exclusively　of　diplomatists；　evidently　had　its　own　interests—quite　apart　from　the　war　and　politics—interests；　that　revolved　round　the　fashionable　world；　relations　with　certain　women　and　the　formal　side　of　the　service。　They　gave　Prince　Andrey　an　unmistakably　cordial　reception；　as　one　of　themselves　（a　distinction　they　allowed　to　few）。　From　civility　and　to　break　the　ice　they　asked　him　a　few　questions　about　the　army　and　the　battle；　and　the　conversation　slipped　back　again　to　disconnected；　good…humoured　jests　and　gossip。
“But　what　was　so　particularly　nice；”　said　one；　relating　a　disaster　that　had　befallen　a　colleague；　“was　that　the　minister　told　him　in　so　many　words　that　his　appointment　to　London　was　a　promotion　and　that　that　was　how　he　ought　to　regard　it。　Can　you　fancy　his　figure　at　the　moment？”…
“But　the　worst　of　all　is　to　come；　gentlemen。　I’m　going　to　betray　Kuragin—here　is　this　Don　Juan　going　to　profit　by　his　misfortune；　he’s　a　shocking　fellow！”
Prince　Ippolit　lounged　in　a　reclining　chair；　with　his　legs　over　the　arm。　He　laughed。
“Tell　me　about　that；”　said　he。
“O　Don　Juan！　O　serpent！”　cried　the　voices。
“You’re　not　aware；　I　dare　say；　Bolkonsky；”　said　Bilibin；　turning　to　Prince　Andrey；　“that　all　the　atrocities　of　the　French　army　（I　was　almost　saying　of　the　Russian）　are　nothing　in　comparison　with　the　exploits　of　this　fellow　among　the　ladies。”
“Woman…is　the　companion　of　man；”　Prince　Ippolit　enunciated；　and　he　stared　through　his　eyeglass　at　his　elevated　legs。
Bilibin　and　les　n？tres　roared；　looking　Ippolit　straight　in　the　face。　Prince　Andrey　saw　that　this　Ippolit；　of　whom—he　could　not　disguise　it　from　himself—he　had　been　almost　jealous　on　his　wife’s　account；　was　the　butt　of　this　set。
“No；　I　must　entertain　you　with　a　specimen　of　Kuragin；”　said　Bilibin　aside　to　Bolkonsky。　“He’s　exquisite；　when　he　airs　his　views　upon　politics；　you　must　see　his　gravity。”
He　sat　down　by　Ippolit；　and；　wrinkling　up　his　forehead；　began　talking　to　him　about　politics。　Prince　Andrey　and　the　others　stood　round　the　two。
“The　Berlin　cabinet　cannot　express　a　feeling　of　alliance；”　Ippolit　began；　looking　consequentially　round　at　all　of　them；　“without　expressing…as　in　its　last　note…you　understand…you　understand…and　besides；　if　his　Majesty　the　Emperor　does　not　give　up　the　principle　of　our　alliance。”
“Wait；　I　have　not　finished；”　he　said　to　Prince　Andrey；　taking　him　by　the　arm。　“I　suppose　that　intervention　will　be　stronger　than　non…intervention。　And…”　He　paused。　“Our　dispatch　of　the　28th　of　November　cannot　be　reckoned　as　an　exception。　That　is　how　it　will　all　end。”　And　he　dropped　Bolkonsky’s　arm　as　a　sign　that　he　had　now　quite　concluded。
“Demosthenes；　I　recognise　you　by　the　pebble　that　you　hide　in　your　golden　mouth；”　said　Bilibin；　whose　thick　thatch　of　hair　moved　forward　on　his　head　from　the　puckering　of　his　brows　with　delight。
Every　one　laughed。　Ippolit　laughed　louder　than　any。　He　was　visibly　distressed；　he　breathed　painfully；　but　he　could　not　help　breaking　into　a　savage　laugh；　that　convulsed　his　usually　impassive　face。
“Well　now；　gentlemen；”　said　Bilibin；　“Bolkonsky　is　my　guest　here　in　Br？nn　and　I　want　to　show　him；　as　far　as　I　can；　all　the　attractions　of　our　life　here。　If　we　were　in　Vienna；　it　would　be　easy　enough；　but　here；　in　this　vile　Moravian　hole；　it　is　more　difficult；　and　I　beg　you　all　for　assistance。　We　must　do　him　the　honour　of　Br？nn。　You　undertake　the　theatre　and　I　will　undertake　society；　you；　Ippolit；　of　course；　the　ladies。”
“We　ought　to　let　him　see　Amélie；　she’s　exquisite！”　said　one　of　les　n？tres。　kissing　his　finger…tips。
“Altogether；”　said　Bilibin；　“we　must　turn　this　bloodthirsty　rnan　to　more　humane　interests。”
“I　fear　I　can　hardly　take　advantage　of　your　hospitality；　gentlemen；　it’s　time　I　was　off　even　now；”　said　Bolkonsky；　glancing　at　his　watch。
“Where　to？”
“To　the　Emperor！”
“Oh！　oh！　oh！”
“Well；　au　revoir；　Bolkonsky！　Au　revoir；　prince！　Come　early　to　dinner；”　said　voices。　“We　reckon　upon　you。”
“Try　to　make　the　most　of　the　good　discipline　of　the　troops；　in　the　provisioning　of　supplies　and　on　the　lines　of　march；　when　you　talk　to　the　Emperor；”　said　Bilibin；　accompanying　Bolkonsky　to　the　hall。
“I　should　like　to　speak　well　of　it；　but　as　far　as　my　observation　goes；　I　can’t；”　answered　Bolkonsky；　smiling。
“Well；　talk　as　much　as　you　can；　any　way。　Audiences　are　his　passion；　but　he　doesn’t　like　talking　himself；　and　can’t　talk　either；　as　you　will　see。”


Chapter　12
AT　THE　LEVéE　the　Emperor　Francis　only　looked　intently　into　Prince　Andrey’s　face；　and　nodded　his　long　head　to　him　as　he　stood　in　the　place　assigned　him　among　the　Austrian　officers。　But　after　the　levée　the　adjutant　of　the　previous　evening　ceremoniously　communicated　to　Bolkonsky　the　Emperor’s　desire　to　give　him　an　audience。　The　Emperor　Francis　received　him；　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　Prince　Andrey　was　struck　by　the　fact　that　before　beginning　the　conversation；　the　Emperor　seemed　embarrassed；　didn’t　know　what　to　say；　and　reddened。
“Tell　me　when　the　battle　began；”　he　asked　hurriedly。　Prince　Andrey　answered。　The　question　was　followed　by　others；　as　simple：　“Was　Kutuzov　well？”　“How　long　was　it　since　he　left　Krems？”　and　so　on。　The　Emperor　spoke　as　though　his　sole　aim　was　to　put　a　certain　number　of　questions。　The　answers　to　these　questions；　as　was　only　too　evident；　could　have　no　interest　for　him。
“At　what　o’clock　did　the　battle　begin？”　asked　the　Emperor。
“I　cannot　inform　your　majesty　at　what　o’clock　the　battle　began　in　the　front　lines；　but　at　D？renstein；　where　I　was；　the　troops　began　the　attack　about　six　in　the　evening；”　said　Bolkonsky；　growing　more　eager；　and　conceiving　that　now　there　was　a　chance　for　him　to　give　an　accurate　description；　just　as　he　had　it　ready　in　his　head；　of　all　he　knew　and　had　seen。　But　the　Emperor　smiled　and　interrupted　him：
“How　many　miles？”
“From　where　to　where；　your　majesty？”
“From　D？renstein　to　Krems？”
“Three　and　a　half　miles；　your　majesty。”
“The　French　abandoned　the　left　bank？”
“As　our　scouts　reported；　the　last　crossed　the　river　on　rafts　in　the　night。”
“Have　you　enough　provisions　at　Krems？”
“Provisions　have　not　been　furnished　to　the　amount…”
The　Emperor　interrupted　him：
“At　what　o’clock　was　General　Schmidt　killed？”
“At　seven　o’clock；　I　think。”
“At　seven　o’clock？　Very　sad！　very　sad！”
The　Emperor　said　that　he　thanked　him；　and　bowed。　Prince　Andrey　withdrew；　and　was　at　once　surrounded　by　courtiers　on　all　sides。　Everywhere　he　saw　friendly　eyes　gazing　at　him；　and　heard　friendly　voices　addressing　him。　The　adjutant　of　the　preceding　evening　reproached　him　for　not　having　stopped　at　the　palace；　and　offered　him　his　own　house。　The　minister　of　war　came　up　and　congratulated　him　on　the　Order　of　Maria　Theresa　of　the　third　grade；　with　which　the　Emperor　was　presenting　him。　The　Empress’s　chamberlain　invited　him　to　her　majesty。　The　archduchess；　too；　wished　to　see　him。　He　did　not　know　whom　to　answer；　and　for　a　few　seconds　he　was　trying　to　collect　his　ideas。　The　Russian　ambassador　took　him　by　the　shoulder；　led　him　away　to　a　window；　and　began