In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 2, Chapters 11, 12 and 13

Chapter 11

In the morning, Prince Andrew needs to be presented to the Emperor Francis.   He goes to Bilibin's study where Prince Hippolyte Kuragin (son of Vasili and brother to Anatole and Helene) is waiting, among others.  They are a collection of "young, gay society men" (smirk), almost exclusively diplomats, and have interests related to "high society, certain women, and the official side of the service".  They meet up and gossip a little bit about society, but mostly about the women.  Like The Inbetweeners, if they had better clothes and jobs.  Prince Hippolyte is the one they all make fun of.

Chapter 12

Prince Andrew is finally in front of Emperor Francis.  He's not very interested in hearing Prince Andrew's dramatic story and keeps interrupting with boring questions like "what time did the battle begin?".  Afterwards, Andrew learns that an important bridge has been crossed by the French army, despite it being fitted with bombs and ordered to be blown up to prevent exactly this.  No one knows why it wasn't destroyed, and the Russian army is cut off.  Prince Andrew is thrilled; this his clearly his destined opportunity to be a war hero and lead the Russian army to victory from the jaws of defeat.  Bilibin tells Prince Andrew that the French took the bridge by trickery, which seems to impress him.  When he realises that Prince Andrew intends to return for honour and glory or some other idiocy, he tries to persuade him not to, and calls him a hero.  I have decided not to read it as a compliment.

Chapter 13

Prince Andrew sets off for the army - though he doesn't know where it is - while the rest of the court packs up to head to Olmutz.  Prince Andrew is having happy dreams of either winning or dying gloriously, whichever comes first.  As Terry Pratchett would say, there's an important word in that sentence, and it's not the word "gloriously".

Prince Andrew manages to accidentally stumble into the army.  I guess an army is a hard thing to miss.  He gets poached by Kutuzov, despite wanting to go with Prince Bagration, who I swear we haven't met before.  I think that's the group his friends are in.  Kutuzov will hear none of it.

Okay, I googled, and Pyotr Bagration is a real Russian general whom Tolstoy considered the "hero of heroes".  He dies at Borodino in November 1812, so we have that to look forward to.