Andrew visits his friend Bilíbin and learns that Vienne was taken by the French.
Summary:
Prince Andrew stayed at Brünn with Bilíbin, a Russian friend of his in the diplomatic service. Andrew tells Bilíbin about the engagement and the unenthusiastic way he has been received in the Austrian court. Bilíbin explains that the Austrians take little pleasure in the Russian victory because they wish their own generals were winning battles. And, anyway, it’s too late because the French have occupied Vienne. Andrew is surprised and shocked to hear this. What Bilíbin expects to happen now is for Austria to make peace with the French and turn against Russia. After the conversation, Andrew has a good night’s sleep as a guest of Bilíbin.
quote from the chapter:
It is now my turn to ask you ‘why?’ mon cher, said Bolkónski. I confess I do not understand: perhaps there are diplomatic subtleties here beyond my feeble intelligence, but I can’t make it out. Mack loses a whole army, the Archduke Ferdinand and the Archduke Karl give no signs of life and make blunder after blunder. Kutúzov alone at last gains a real victory, destroying the spell of the invincibility of the French, and the Minister of War does not even care to hear the details.
That’s just it, my dear fellow. You see it’s hurrah for the Tsar, for Russia, for the Orthodox Greek faith! All that is beautiful, but what do we, I mean the Austrian court, care for your victories? Bring us nice news of a victory by the Archduke Karl or Ferdinand (one archduke’s as good as another, as you know) and even if it is only over a fire brigade of Bonaparte’s, that will be another story and we’ll fire off some cannon!
Book 2, Chapter 10
Andrew visits his friend Bilíbin and learns that Vienne was taken by the French.
Summary:
Prince Andrew stayed at Brünn with Bilíbin, a Russian friend of his in the diplomatic service. Andrew tells Bilíbin about the engagement and the unenthusiastic way he has been received in the Austrian court. Bilíbin explains that the Austrians take little pleasure in the Russian victory because they wish their own generals were winning battles. And, anyway, it’s too late because the French have occupied Vienne. Andrew is surprised and shocked to hear this. What Bilíbin expects to happen now is for Austria to make peace with the French and turn against Russia. After the conversation, Andrew has a good night’s sleep as a guest of Bilíbin.
quote from the chapter:
It is now my turn to ask you ‘why?’ mon cher, said Bolkónski. I confess I do not understand: perhaps there are diplomatic subtleties here beyond my feeble intelligence, but I can’t make it out. Mack loses a whole army, the Archduke Ferdinand and the Archduke Karl give no signs of life and make blunder after blunder. Kutúzov alone at last gains a real victory, destroying the spell of the invincibility of the French, and the Minister of War does not even care to hear the details.
That’s just it, my dear fellow. You see it’s hurrah for the Tsar, for Russia, for the Orthodox Greek faith! All that is beautiful, but what do we, I mean the Austrian court, care for your victories? Bring us nice news of a victory by the Archduke Karl or Ferdinand (one archduke’s as good as another, as you know) and even if it is only over a fire brigade of Bonaparte’s, that will be another story and we’ll fire off some cannon!
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