第262章

第262章therewasasuddenstir,thecrowdbegantalking,rushedforward,thenmovedapartagain,anddownthespaceleftopenthroughit,thetsarwalkedtothestrainsoftheband,whichstruckupatonce.behindhimwalkedthehostandhostess.thetsarwalkedinrapidly,bowingtorightandtoleft,asthoughtryingtohurryoverthefirstmomentsofgreeting.themusiciansplayedthepolonaiseinvogueatthetimeonaccountofthewordssettoit.thewordsbegan：“alexander,elisaveta,ourheartsyeravishquite.”thetsarwentintothedrawing-room,thecrowdmadeadashforthedoor;severalpersonsranhurriedlytothedoorandbackwithexcitedfaces.thecrowdmadeanotherrushback,awayfromthedrawing-roomdooratwhichthetsarappearedinconversationwiththehostess.ayoungman,lookingdistraught,pounceddownontheladiesandedthemtomoveaside.several,withfacesthatbetrayedatotaloblivionofalltherulesofdecorum,squeezedforward,tothedestructionoftheirdresses.themenbeganapproachingtheladies,andcoupleswereformedforthepolonaise.

therewasageneralmovementofretreat,andthetsar,smiling,cameoutofthedrawing-roomdoor,leadingouttheladyofthehouse,andnotkeepingtimetothemusic.hewasfollowedbythehostwithmaryaantonovnanarishkin;thencameambassadors,ministers,andvariousgenerals,whosenamesmadameperonskynevertiredofreciting.morethanhalftheladieshadpartners,andweretakingpart,orpreparingtotakepart,inthepolonaise.

natashafeltthatshewouldbeleftwithhermotherandsonyainthatminorityoftheladieswhowerecrowdedbackagainstthewall,andnotinvitedtodancethepolonaise.shestood,herthinarmshangingathersides,andherscarcelyoutlinedbosomheavingregularly.sheheldherbreath,andgazedbeforeherwithshining,frightenedeyes,withanexpressionofequalreadinessfortheutmostblissortheutmostmisery.shetooknointerestinthetsar,norinallthegreatpeoplemadameperonskywaspointingout;hermindwasfilledbyonethought：“isitpossiblenoonewillcomeuptome？isitpossiblethatishallnotdanceamongtheforemost？isitpossibleishallnotbenoticedbyallthesemen,whonowdon’tevenseemtoseeme,butiftheylookatme,lookwithanexpressionasthoughtheywouldsay：‘ah！that’snotshe,soit’snouselooking’？”“no,itcannotbe！”shethought.“theymustknowhowilongtodance,howwellidance,andhowtheywouldenjoydancingwithme.”

thestrainsofthepolonaise,whichhadalreadylastedsometime,werebeginningtosoundlikeamelancholyreminiscenceintheearsofnatasha.shewantedtocry.madameperonskyhadleftthem.thecountwasattheotherendoftheballroom,thecountess,sonya,andshestoodinthatcrowdofstrangersaslonelyasinaforest,ofnointerest,ofnousetoanyone.princeandreywithaladypassedclosebythem,obviouslynotrecognisingthem.thehandsomeanatolesaidsomethingsmilingtotheladyonhisarm,andheglancedatnatasha’sfaceasonelooksatawall.borispassedbythem,twice,andeachtimeturnedaway.bergandhiswife,whowerenotdancing,cametowardsthem.

thisfamilymeetinghere,inaballroom,seemedahumiliatingthingtonatasha,asthoughtherewerenowhereelseforfamilytalkbuthereataball.shedidnotlisten,anddidnotlookatvera,whosaidsomethingtoheraboutherowngreendress.