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.”
翌日，他醒来得很迟。重温着往日的印象，首先想到今日要朝拜弗朗茨皇帝，想起军政大臣、恭恭敬敬的侍从武官、比利宾和昨日夜晚的闲谈。他要去朝拜，便穿上一套许久未穿的检阅服装，精神焕发，兴致勃勃，姿态亦优美，一只手绑着绷带，走进比利宾的书斋。书斋里有四个外交使团的绅士模样的人。博尔孔斯基认识公使馆的秘书伊波利特·库拉金公爵，比利宾介绍其余三个人和他相识。
经常到比利宾这里来的绅士派头的人都是一些年轻、家境富裕、快活的上层社会人士，他们无论在维也纳，还是在此地都结成一个独立的团体，这个团体的头头比利宾把它称为自己人（lesnotres）。这个几乎主要是由外交官构成的团体，看来有自己所固有的与战争和政治毫无关系的兴趣，这个团体对上层社会、对一些女士的态度和公务很感兴趣。看起来，这些有绅士派头的人都乐意吸收安德烈公爵加入他们的团体，认为他是自己人（他们对少数几个人表示尊敬）。因为人们尊敬他，才向他提出几个有关军队和战役的问题，以此作为话题。随即又闲谈起来，话里头夹杂着许多乱七八糟的笑话，而且议论他人的长短。
“不过这是件特别好的事，”有个人讲到外交官中一个同僚的失败时，说道，“其所以是件特别好的事，是因为奥国首相坦率地告诉他：他去伦敦上任是一种晋升，要他能这样看待这件事。你们能臆想得出他这时的模样吗？……”
“诸君，不过最糟的是，我要向你们揭发库拉金；有个人处于逆境，他这个唐璜却借机滋事。这个人多么可怕啊！”
伊波利特公爵躺在一把伏尔泰椅上，一双脚跷在扶手上，大笑起来。
“Parlez—moideca，”①他说道。
①法语：喂，您讲讲吧，喂，您讲讲吧。
②法语：女人是男人的伴侣。
“啊，唐璜！啊！一条毒蛇。”听见几个人异口同声地说。
“博尔孔斯基，您不知道，”比利宾把脸转向安德烈公爵说道，“法国军队的诸多可怖（我险些儿说成俄国军队）比起这个人在女人中间干的勾当来是算不了一回事的。”
“Lafemmeestlacompagnedel'homme，”②伊波利特公爵说道，开始戴上单目眼镜观看他那双架起来的脚。
比利宾和自己人注视伊波利特的眼睛时哈哈大笑起来。安德烈公爵看到，这个伊波利特是这个团体的丑角，他（应当承认）几乎因为伊波利特和妻子相好而感到醋意。
“不，我要请您品味一下库拉金，”比利宾对博尔孔斯基轻声地说，“他议论政治时很会盅惑人心，要看看这副傲慢的样子。”
他在伊波利特近旁坐下来，皱起额头，和他谈论有关政治的问题。安德烈公爵和其他人都站在他们二人周围。
“LecabinetdeBerlinnepeutpasexprimerunsentiB
mentd'alliance，”伊波利特意味深长地环顾众人，开始发言，“sansexprimer…commedanssadernierenote…vouscomprenez…vouscomprenez…etpuissisaMajestél'empereurnedérogepasauprincipedenotrealliance…”①
“Attendez，jen'aipasfini…”他一把抓住安德烈公爵的手，说道，“jesupposequel'interventionseraplusfortequelanon—intervention，Et…”他沉默片刻，“Onnepourrapasimputeràlafindenon－recevoirnotredépêchedu28novembreVoilàcom－menttoutcelafinira．”②他松开博尔孔斯基的手，以此表示，他的话讲完了。“Demosthènes，jetereconnaisaucaillouquetuascachédanstabouched'or！”③
比利宾说道，他高兴得一头的头发都散开了。
大家都笑了起来。伊波利特的笑声最响亮。看起来，他气喘吁吁，觉得不好受，但是他没法忍住，发出一阵狂笑，好像拉长了他那一向显得呆板的面孔似的。
“喂，诸位，原来是这么回事，”比利宾说道，“无论在这栋屋里，还是在布吕恩，博尔孔斯基总是我的客人，我要尽可能让他饱尝一番本地生活上的乐趣。如果在维也纳，那是容易办到的事。可是在这里，danscevilaintroumorave④，就更难办了，因此，我向你们大家求援。ⅡfautluifaiveleshonBneursdeBrtinn，⑤看戏的事由你们负责，社团的事由我承担，伊波利特，不消说，应酬女人的事由您主持好了。”
①法语：柏林内阁不能表示它对联盟的意见，在最近的照会中……没有表示……其实，你们明白，你们明白……如果皇帝陛下不改变我们联盟的实质……
②法语：等一等，我还没有讲完……我想，干涉比不干涉更稳妥。而且，……
不可能认为，问题就在于完全不接受我方十一月二十八日的紧急报告……其结局必将是这样的。
③法语：德摩西尼，我凭你放在你那金口中的石头就能把你认出来。
④法语：在这令人厌恶的摩拉维亚山洞中。
⑤法语：就应当请他饱尝一番布吕恩的风味。
“应当请他瞧瞧阿梅莉，真是美不胜言！”一个自己人吻着自己的指头尖，说道。
“总而言之，应当让这个嗜血成性的士兵倾向仁爱的观点。”比利宾说道。
“诸位，我未必能够享受你们的款待，我现在应该走了。”
博尔孔斯基看着表，说道。
“上哪里去呢？”
“去朝拜皇帝。”
“啊，啊！啊！”
“嗬！博尔孔斯基，再见！公爵，再见！早点回来用午餐，”
可以听见几个人异口同声地说，“我们来应付您了。”
“当您和皇帝谈话时，请尽量夸奖军粮供应的措施和适宜的行进路线的分布。”比利宾把博尔孔斯基送到接待室时，说道。
“我心里本想，知道多少就夸奖多少，可是办不到。”博尔孔斯基面露微笑，答道。
“嗯，总之要尽量多说点。他很喜欢接见人，可是他本人不喜欢讲话，也不善于讲话，以后您会知道的。”
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