第330章

第330章allthroughoutthatentr’actekuraginstoodwithdolohovinfrontofthefootlightsstaringattherostovs’box.natashaknewhewastalkingabouther,andthataffordedhersatisfaction.sheeventurnedsothathecouldseeherprofilefromwhatshebelievedtobethemostbecomingangle.beforethebeginningofthesecondactsheobservedinthestallsthefigureofpierre,whomtherostovshadnotseensincetheirarrival.hisfacelookedsad,andhehadgrownstoutersincenatashahadseenhimlast.hewalkeduptothefrontrows,notnoticinganyone.anatolewentuptohim,andbegansayingsomethingtohim,withalookandagesturetowardstherostovs’box.pierrelookedpleasedatseeingnatasha,andwalkedhurriedlyalongtherowsofstallstowardstheirbox.leaningonhiselbow,hetalkedsmilingtonatashaforalongwhile.whileshewastalkingtopierre,natashaheardaman’svoicespeakingincountessbezuhov’sbox,andsomethingtoldheritwaskuragin.shelookedroundandmethiseyes.helookedherstraightintheeyes,almostsmiling,withalookofsuchwarmthandadmirationthatitseemedstrangetobesonearhim,tolookathimlikethat,tobesocertainthatheadmiredher,andnottobeacquaintedwithhim.

inthesecondacttherewassceneryrepresentingmonuments,andaholdinthedropatthebackthatrepresentedthemoon,andshadeswereputoverthefootlights,andtrumpetsandbassoonsbeganplaying,andanumberofpeoplecameinontherightandontheleftwearingblackcloaks.thesepeoplebeganwavingtheirarms,andintheirhandstheyhadsomethingofthenatureofaer.thensomemorepeopleraninandbeganingawaythewomanwhohadbeeninwhitebutwhowasnowinabluedress.theydidnotdragherawayatonce;theyspentalongwhilesingingwithher;butfinallytheydiddragheraway,andbehindthescenestheystrucksomethingmetallicthreetimes,andthenallkneltdownandbegansingingaprayer.alltheseperformanceswereinterruptedseveraltimesbytheenthusiasticshoutsofthespectators.

duringthatact,everytimenatashaglancedtowardsthestalls,shesawanatolekuragin,withonearmflungacrossthebackofhischair,staringather.itpleasedhertoseethathewassocaptivatedbyher,anditneverenteredherheadthattherecouldbeanythingamissinit.

whenthesecondactwasover,countessbezuhovgotup,turnedtowardstherostovs’box（thewholeofherbosomwascompletelyexposed）,withherglovedlittlefingerbeckonedtheoldcounttoher,andtakingnonoticeofthemenwhowerethrongingaboutherbox,beganwithanamiablesmiletalkingtohim.

“oh,domakemeacquaintedwithyourcharmingdaughters,”shesaid.“allthetownissingingtheirpraises,andidon’tknowthem.”

natashagotupandcurtseyedtothemagnificentcountess.natashawassodelightedatthepraisefromthisbrilliantbeautythatsheblushedwithpleasure.

“iquitewanttobecomeamoscowresidentmyself,”saidellen.“whatashameofyoutoburysuchpearlsinthecountry！”

countessbezuhovhadsomerighttoherreputationofbeingafascinatingwoman.shecouldsaywhatshedidnotthink,especiallywhatwasflattering,withperfectsimplicityandnaturalness.

“no,dearcount,youmustletmehelptoentertainyourdaughters,thoughi’mnotherenowforverylong,noryoueither.buti’lldomybesttoamusethem.ihaveheardagreatdealaboutyouinpetersburg,andwantedtoknowyou,”shesaidtonatasha,withherunvaryingbeautifulsmile.“ihaveheardofyou,too,frommypage,drubetskoy—youhaveheardheistobemarried—andfrommyhusband’sfriend,bolkonsky,princeandreybolkonsky,”shesaid,withpeculiaremphasis,bywhichshemeanttosignifythatsheknewinwhatrelationhestoodtonatasha.sheaskedthatoneoftheyoungladiesmightbeallowedtositthroughtherestoftheperformanceinherboxthattheymightbecomebetteracquainted,andnatashamovedintoit.

inthethirdactthescenewasapalaceinwhichagreatmanycandleswereburning,andpictureswerehangingonthewalls,representingknightswithbeards.inthemiddlestoodamanandawoman;probablymeantforakingandaqueen.thekingwavedhisrighthand,and,obviouslynervous,sangsomethingverybadly,andsatdownonacrimsonthrone.theactress,whohadbeeninwhiteatfirstandtheninblue,wasnowinnothingbutasmock,andhadletherhairdown.shewasstandingnearthethrone,singingsomethingverymournful,addressedtothequeen.butthekingwavedhishandsternly,andfromthesidestherecameinmenandwomenwithbarelegswhobegandancingalltogether.thentheviolinsplayedveryshrillyandmerrily：oneoftheactresses,withthick,barelegsandthinarms,leavingtherest,wenttothesidetosetstraightherbodice,thenwalkedintothemiddleofthestageandbeganskippingintotheairandkickingonelegveryrapidlywiththeother.everyoneinthestallsclappedtheirhandsandroared“bravo！”thenonemanstoodaloneatonecornerofthestage.thecymbalsandtrumpetsstruckupmoreloudlyintheorchestra,andthismanbeganleapingveryhighintheairandrapidlywavinghislegs.（thiswasduport,whoearnedsixtythousandayearbythisaccomplishment.）everyoneintheboxesandinthestallsbeganclappingandshoutingwithalltheirmight,andthemanstoodstillandbegansmilingandbowinginalldirections.thenothermenandwomenwithbarelegsdanced;thenagainthekingshoutedsomethingtomusic,andtheyallbegansinging.butsuddenlyastormcameon,chromaticscalesandchordswiththediminishingseventhscouldbeheardintheorchestra,andtheyallranoff,ingoneoftheperformersagainbehindthescenes,andthecurtaindropped.againafearfuluproarofapplausearoseamongthespectators,andallbeganscreamingwithrapturousfaces：

“duport！duport！duport！”

natashadidnotnowfeelthisstrange.shelookedaboutherwithpleasure,smilingjoyfully.

“isn’tduportadmirable？”saidellen,turningtoher.

“ohyes,”answerednatasha.