Thursday, July 5, 2018

Book 1 Part 2 Chapter 11 (Chapter 37 overall)

Chapter Summaries: Dole: Prince Andrei meets the fashionable set--"les notres." Prince Ippolit Kuragin and the others at Bilibin's. Prince Ippolit, the butt, entangled.
Briggs: Bilibin's guests, 'our people', including Hippolyte Kuragin.
Maude: Hippolyte Kuragin and 'les notres'

Translation:

XI. On the next day he awoke late. Renewing impressions of the past, he remembered that only now he needed to present to Emperor Franz, remembered the war minister, the courteous Austrian wing-adjutant, Bilibin and the conversation yesterday evening. Dressed for the trip to the palace, in complete parade uniform, which he had now for a long time not put on, he, fresh, lively and nice, with his hand tied, entered into the office of Bilibin. In the office was found four gentlemen of the diplomatic corps. With Prince Ippolit Kuragin, who was the secretary of the embassy, Bolkonsky was familiar; with the others he was introduced by Bilibin. The gentlemen, visiting at Bilibin’s, were societal, young, rich and funny people, formed at Vienna and here a separate club, which Bilibin, the former head of this circle, called ours, “les nôtres”. In this circle, holding almost exclusively diplomats, apparently were, having nothing in common with war and politics, or interests in the higher world other than the relationship to some women and clerical parties of service. These gentlemen, apparently were willing to (an honor, which they did for few) pass Prince Andrey into their club. From courtesy, and as a subject for entry into conversation, and having asked him a few issues about the army and the battle, and conversation again crumbled into inconsistent, funny jokes and gossip. — Yet it is especially good, — one spoke, telling about the failure of a diplomat friend, — especially good that the chancellor said to him, that his appointment in London is a raise, and so he looked at it as one. Can you see his figure in this?... — Yet what is only worse, gentleman, I give you Kuragin: a person in misfortunes, and by this enjoys this Don Juan, this terrible person! Prince Ippolit lied on a Voltarian armchair, placing his legs through his hands. He bursted out laughing. — Well now, well now,285 — he said. — Oh, Don Juan! Oh, snake! — was heard a voice. — You do not know, Bolkonsky, — turned Bilibin to Prince Andrey, — that all the horrors of the French army (I nearly said — the Russian army) — is nothing in comparison with what is done to women by this person. — Woman — the friend of men,286 — uttered Prince Ippolit and began to look in his lorgnette between his raised legs. Bilibin and ours burst out laughing, looking at the eyes of Ippolit. Prince Andrey saw that this Ippolit, whom he (it must be admitted) was almost jealous to his wife, was the jester in this society. — No, I should treat you to Kuragin, — said Bilibin quietly to Bolkonsky. — He is lovely, when he reasons about politics, you need to see this importance. He hooked to Ippolit and, gathering on his forehead his folds, started with him a conversation about politics. Prince Andrey and others surrounded both. — The Berlin office may not express their opinion about the union,— started Ippolit, looking around at all, — not expressed... as in his last note... you understand... you understand... however, if his Majesty Emperor has not changed the entity our union...287 —Hold, I am not finished... — he said to Prince Andrey, grabbing him behind the arm. — I think, that intervention will be stronger than non-intervention. and...— he was silent. —it is impossible to count the business of complete rejection of our dispatches from 28 November... That all of this will finish..288 And he let go of the arm of Bolkonsky, showing by this that now he was really finished. — Demosthenes, I recognize you on the stone which you hide in her golden mouth!289 — said Bilibin, whose hat and hair moved on his head from pleasure. All laughed. Ippolit laughed louder than all. He, apparently suffered, gasping for breath, but could not hold on against wild laughter, stretching his always motionless face. — Well, here’s what, gentleman, — said Bilibin, — Bolkonsky is my guest in my house and here in Brno, and I want him to be treated, how much he can to all the joys of life here. If we were in Vienna, this would be easy; but here, in this nasty moravian hole,290 this is harder, and I beg all of your assistance. We need him to sleep in Brno.291 You take him to the theater, I — to society, you, Ippolit, of course, — to women. — Need to show him Amelie, a beauty! — said one of the ours, kissing the tips of his fingers. — At all for this bloodthirsty soldier, —said Bilibin,— needs to be turned to more philanthropic views. — Barely know whether I will use your hospitality, gentleman, and now it is time for me to go, — looking at his watch, said Bolkonsky. — Where? — To the emperor. — Oh, Oh! Oh! — Well, goodbye, Bolkonsky! — goodbye, prince; come visit again before dinner, — was heard a voice. — We will take for you. — Try to as you can shower more praise on the order in delivery of food and routes, when you are speaking with the emperor — said Bilibin, seeing off Bolkonsky to the front. — And I would desire to praise, but cannot know how much, — was the smiling response of Bolkonsky. — Well, at all as you can speak more. His passion — audience; but speaking itself he does not love and does not know, as you will see. 285. Parlez-moi de ça, (Tell me about it,) 286. La femme est la compagne de l’homme, (Woman is the companion of man,) 287. Le cabinet de Berlin ne peut pas exprimer un sentiment d’alliance, sans exprimer... comme dans sa dernière note... vous comprenez... vous comprenez... et puis si sa Majesté l’Empereur ne déroge pas au principe de notre alliance… (The cabinet of Berlin cannot express a sentiment of alliance, without expressing...as in his last note...you understand...you understand...and then if his Majesty the Emperor does not derogate to the principle of our alliance...) 288. Attendez, je n’ai pas fini...Je suppose que l’intervention sera plus forte que la non-intervention. Et...On ne pourra pas imputer à la fin de non-recevoir notre dépêche du 28 novembre. Voilà comment tout cela finira (Wait, I haven't finished...I suppose that the intervention will be stronger than nonintervention. And... We will not be able to impute to the end of non-receipt of our dispatch of November 28. This is how it will all finish.) 289. Demosthènes, je te reconnais au caillou que tu as caché dans ta bouche d’or! (Demosthenes, I recognize you the pebble that you have hidden in your golden mouth!) 290. dans ce vilain trou morave, (in this villainous Moravian hole,) 291. Il faut lui faire les honneurs de Brünn. (We must make him the honors of Brünn.)
Time: the following day
mentioned: the previous evening, 28th of November (Mandelker puts November 18 in the footnotes, which is what Dunnigan and Maude use in the text. )

Locations: Bilibin's cabinet and then the antechamber in Brunn (Brno in Briggs. Also called trou morave or Moravian hole in Dole, Dunnigan, and Bell.
Mentioned: Vienna, London, French, Russian, Berlin (dropped in Dole)

Pevear and Volkhonsky Notes:
The societal circle not really caring about war and politics. The “ours”. Allowing Andrei to enter it, but is he interested?
Ippolit’s conquering of women, remember that he was really close to Andrei’s wife. “Woman is man’s helpmeet”, but Ippolit is “the buffoon of the company.” Again, like his story early in the book, his politics are nonsensical and just full
of jargon. This very brief chapter gives us the unsavory side of Bilibin and we see again the disconnect of Bolkonsky as he looks for more meaning, which is brewing under the chapter I believe. A big thing is probably how this mirrors
some of the women conversations and gossiping (whatever this means).


Characters (characters who do not appear, but are mentioned are placed in italics. First appearances are in Bold. First mentions are underlined. Final appearance denoted by *):

Prince Andrei Bolkonsky

Emperor Franz

Minister of war

Flugel-adjutant

Bilibin

Prince Ippolit Kuragin (also with the nickname “Don Juan”)

Chancellor

Czar Alexander (“emperor”)

Amelie


(Demosthenes is a reference that shouldn’t be understood as a character.)
(the other two members of “ours” are undifferentiated)


Abridged Versions: No break in Bell.
Gibian: Chapter 8.
Fuller: entire chapter is cut
Komroff: entire chapter is cut
Kropotkin: entire chapter is cut
Bromfield: Chapter 12: Bilibin introduces Andrei and emphasizes how attractive he is for women. That is the only difference.
Simmons: Chapter 8: cut and replaced with: "the next day a group of friends from the diplomatic corps gather at Bilibin's to
greet Prince Andrew. They make fun of Hippolyte Kuragin. Prince Andrew announces he must leave for his audience with
the Austrian Emperor.

Additional Notes: Roberts: Page 93: “Josephine (Napoleon's wife)..was pursuing an affair with an hussar lieutenant called Hippolyte Charles, a dapper wit and practical joke”

Page 392: “Napoleon refused to commit his thoughts about Francis to paper when writing to Talleyrand - ‘I’ll tell you orally what I think of him.’ Years later he would say that Francis was ‘so moral that he never made love to anyone but his wife’ (of whom he had four)”

Okey: Page 76: .Emperor Francis, one of the most influential mediocrities of modern times...humanized by a somewhat sardonic humour and the old tradition he clung to of receiving petitioning subjects personally in Viennese dialect.”

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