"Iknow," interruptedBilibin, "you'rethinkingit'sveryeasytotakemarshals, sittingonasofabythefire! Thatistrue, butstillwhydidn'tyoucapturehim? Sodon', apoorsecretaryoftheRussianEmbassy, donotfeelanyneedintokenofmyjoytogivemyFranzathaler, orlethimgowithhisLiebchentothePrater...True, wehavenoPraterhere..."
HelookedstraightatPrinceAndrewandsuddenlyunwrinkledhisforehead.
"Itisnowmyturntoaskyou 'why?' moncher," saidBolkonski."IconfessIdonotunderstand: perhapstherearediplomaticsubtletiesherebeyondmyfeebleintelligence, butIcan', , destroyingthespelloftheinvincibilityoftheFrench, andtheMinisterofWardoesnotevencaretohearthedetails."
"That'sjustit, 'shurrahfortheTsar, forRussia, fortheOrthodoxGreekfaith! Allthatisbeautiful, butwhatdowe, ImeantheAustriancourt, careforyourvictories? BringusnicenewsofavictorybytheArchdukeKarlorFerdinand (onearchduke'sasgoodasanother, asyouknow) andevenifitisonlyoverafirebrigadeofBonaparte's, thatwillbeanotherstoryandwe'llfireoffsomecannon! , , giveupitsdefense—asmuchastosay: 'Heaveniswithus, butheavenhelpyouandyourcapital!' Theonegeneralwhomweallloved, Schmidt, youexposetoabullet, andthenyoucongratulateusonthevictory! 'sasifithadbeendoneonpurpose, , supposeyoudidgainabrilliantvictory, ifeventheArchdukeKarlgainedavictory, whateffectwouldthathaveonthegeneralcourseofevents? It'stoolatenowwhenViennaisoccupiedbytheFrencharmy!"
"What? Occupied? Viennaoccupied?"
"Notonlyoccupied, butBonaparteisatSchonbrunn, andthecount, ourdearCountVrbna, goestohimfororders."
