BK2CH11
CHAPTERXI
Nextdayhewokelate。Recallinghisrecentimpressions，thefirstthoughtthatcameintohismindwasthattodayhehadtobepresentedtotheEmperorFrancis；herememberedtheMinisterofWar，thepoliteAustrianadjutant，Bilibin，andlastnight’sconversation。Havingdressedforhisattendanceatcourtinfullparadeuniform，whichhehadnotwornforalongtime，hewentintoBilibin’sstudyfresh，animated，andhandsome，withhishandbandaged。
Inthestudywerefourgentlemenofthediplomaticcorps。WithPrinceHippolyteKuragin，whowasasecretarytotheembassy，Bolkonskiwasalreadyacquainted。Bilibinintroducedhimtotheothers。
ThegentlemenassembledatBilibin’swereyoung，wealthy，gaysocietymen，whohere，asinVienna，formedaspecialsetwhichBilibin，theirleader，calledlesnotres。*Thisset，consistingalmostexclusivelyofdiplomats，evidentlyhaditsowninterestswhichhadnothingtodowithwarorpoliticsbutrelatedtohighsociety，tocertainwomen，andtotheofficialsideoftheservice。ThesegentlemenreceivedPrinceAndrewasoneofthemselves，anhonortheydidnotextendtomany。Frompolitenessandtostartconversation，theyaskedhimafewquestionsaboutthearmyandthebattle，andthenthetalkwentoffintomerryjestsandgossip。