On the way out, Emperor Franz only looked closely at the face of Prince Andrei, who was standing in a designated place between Austrian officers, and nodded at him with his long head. But after the release of yesterday's adjutant outbuilding the adjutant with courtesy conveyed to Bolkonsky the Emperor's desire to give him an audience. Emperor Franz received him standing in the middle of the room. Before starting the conversation, Prince Andrei was struck by the fact that the emperor seemed to have mixed up, not knowing what to say, and blushed.
- Tell me, when did the battle begin? - He asked in a hurry.
Prince Andrew answered. After this question followed other, equally simple questions: "Is Kutuzov healthy? How long had he left the Kremlin? The emperor spoke with such an expression as if his whole purpose was only to make a certain number of questions. The answers to these questions, as was too obvious, could not interest him.
- What time did the battle begin? - The emperor asked.
- I can't tell your majesty where the battle began with the front, but in Dürenstein, where I was, the army started the attack at 6 p.m.," Bolkonsky said, animating himself and assuming that he would be able to imagine the truthful description of everything he knew and saw in his head.
But the emperor smiled and interrupted him:
- How many miles?
- Where and where from, Your Majesty?
- From Dürenstein to the Kremlin.
- Three and a half miles, Your Majesty.
- Have the French left the left bank?
- As the infiltrators reported, the last ones crossed the raft at night.
- Is there enough forage in the Kremlin?
- The fodder was not delivered in that quantity...
The emperor interrupted it:
- What time was General Schmitt killed?
- At seven o'clock, it seems.
- At seven o'clock? Very sad! Very sad!
The emperor said he was grateful and bowed. Prince Andrew came out and was immediately surrounded by courtiers on all sides. From all sides they looked at him with tender eyes and heard tender words. The adjutant from yesterday's wing was blaming him for not stopping at the palace and offering him his house. The minister of war approached, congratulating him on the Order of Maria Theresa, 3rd degree, which was granted to him by his emperor. The empress's chamberlain invited him to her majesty. The Duchess also wanted to see him. He did not know whom to answer, and for a few seconds he was going to think. The Russian envoy took him by the shoulder, took him to the window and started talking to him.
Contrary to Bilibin's words, the news he had brought was accepted with joy. A thank-you prayer was scheduled. Kutuzov was awarded with Maria Theresa of the Big Cross, and the whole army received awards. Bolkonsky received invitations from all sides and all morning should make visits to the main dignitaries of Austria. Having finished his visits at the fifth o'clock in the evening, mentally writing a letter to his father about the battle and his trip to Brunn, Prince Andrew returned home to Bilibin. Before going to Bilibin, Prince Andrew went to the bookstore to stock up on his books and sat in the shop. At the porch of the house occupied by Bilibin, stood up to half a bricks packed with things, and Franz, Bilibin's servant, barely pulled the suitcase, came out of the door.
- What is it? - asked Bolkonsky.
- Ach, Erlaucht! - Franz said, barely putting the suitcase in the bricks. - Wir ziehen noch weiter. Der Bösewicht ist schon wieder hinter uns her! 1
- What's the matter, man? What? - asked Prince Andrew.
Bilibin came out towards Bolkonsky. Bilibin's always calm face was worried.
- Non, non, avouez que c'est charmant," he said, "cette histoire du pont de Thabor (the bridge in Vienna). Ils l'ont passé sans coup férir 2.
Prince Andrei did not understand anything.
- How come you don't know what all the coachmen in the city already know?
- I am from the Archduchess. There I heard nothing.
- Didn't you see that they fit everywhere?
- I have not seen... What's the matter? - Prince Andrew asked impatiently.
- What's the matter? The fact is that the French crossed the bridge, which protects Auersperg, and the bridge was not blown up, so that Murat runs now on the way to Brunn, and today, tomorrow they will be here.
- How is it going here? How come they didn't blow up the bridge when it's miniature?
- I'm asking you this. Nobody knows this, and Bonaparte himself.
Bolkonsky shook his shoulders.
- But if the bridge is crossed, it means the army is dead, too: it will be cut off," he said.
- That's the thing," said Bilibin. - Listen up. The French are entering Vienna, as I told you. Everything is very good. The next day, that is yesterday, the marshals Murat, Lanne and Bellevard are getting on horseback and going to the bridge. (Note, all three Gasconians.) Gentlemen," says one, "you know that the Tabor Bridge is miniature and counter-mined, and that in front of it is a formidable tête de pont 3 and fifteen thousand troops, who are commanded to blow up the bridge and not to let us in. But our sovereign Emperor Napoleon will be pleased if we take this bridge. The three of us will go and take this bridge. - Let's go, others say; and they go and take the bridge, cross it and now with the whole army on the other side of the Danube are directed to us, on you and on your messages.
- You are full of jokes," said Prince Andrew sadly and seriously.
The news was sad and at the same time pleasant to Prince Andrew. As soon as he found out that the Russian army was in such a hopeless position, it occurred to him that something was intended for him to bring the Russian army out of this position, that here he was, that Toulon, who would lead him out of the ranks of unknown officers and open the first way to glory! Listening to Bilibin, he had already realized how, having arrived at the army, he would give an opinion at the military council, which would save the army by himself, and how he would be entrusted with the execution of this plan by himself.