Война и мир

Chapter 10

           Hewasstillayoungmanbutnolongerayoungdiplomat,ashehadenteredtheserviceattheageofsixteen,hadbeeninParisandCopenhagen,andnowheldaratherimportantpostinVienna.BoththeforeignministerandourambassadorinViennaknewhimandvaluedhim.Hewasnotoneofthosemanydiplomatswhoareesteemedbecausetheyhavecertainnegativequalities,avoiddoingcertainthings,andspeakFrench.Hewasoneofthose,who,likingwork,knewhowtodoit,anddespitehisindolencewouldsometimesspendawholenightathiswritingtable.Heworkedwellwhatevertheimportofhiswork.Itwasnotthequestion“Whatfor?”butthequestion“How?”thatinterestedhim.Whatthediplomaticmattermightbehedidnotcare,butitgavehimgreatpleasuretoprepareacircular,memorandum,orreport,skillfully,pointedly,andelegantly.Bilíbin’sserviceswerevaluednotonlyforwhathewrote,butalsoforhisskillindealingandconversingwiththoseinthehighestspheres.

           Bilíbinlikedconversationashelikedwork,onlywhenitcouldbemadeelegantlywitty.Insocietyhealwaysawaitedanopportunitytosaysomethingstrikingandtookpartinaconversationonlywhenthatwaspossible.Hisconversationwasalwayssprinkledwithwittilyoriginal,finishedphrasesofgeneralinterest.Thesesayingswerepreparedintheinnerlaboratoryofhismindinaportableformasifintentionally,sothatinsignificantsocietypeoplemightcarrythemfromdrawingroomtodrawingroom.

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