第264章

第264章afterprinceandrey,boriscameuptoasknatashatodance,andhewasfollowedbythedancingadjutantwhohadopenedtheball,andmanyotheryoungmen.natasha,flushedandhappy,passedonhersuperfluouspartnerstosonya,andneverceaseddancingalltheevening,shenoticednothingandsawnothingofwhatwasabsorbingeveryoneelseatthatball.shedidnotnoticethatthetsartalkedalongtimewiththefrenchambassador,thathismannerwasparticularlygracioustoacertainlady,thatprinceso-and--and-sohadsaidanddonethisandthat,thatellen’sesshadbeenbrilliant,andthatso-and-sohadpaidhermarkedattention.shedidnotevenseethetsar,andwasonlyawarethathewasgonefromnoticingthattheballbecamelivelierafterhisdeparture.

inoneofthemostenjoyablecotillionsbeforesupper,princeandreydancedagainwithnatasha.heremindedherofhowhehadfirstseenherintheavenueatotradnoe,andhowshecouldnotsleeponthatmoonlightnight,andtoldherhowhehadunwittinglylistenedtoher.natashablushedattheserecollections,andtriedasitweretoexcuseherself,asthoughthereweresomethingtobeashamedofintheemotiontowhichprinceandreyhadunwittinglyplayedtheeavesdropper.

likeallmenwhohavegrownupinsociety,princeandreylikedmeetinganythingnotoftheconventionalsocietystamp.andsuchwasnatashawithherwonder,herdelight,hershyness,andevenhermistakesintalkingfrench.hismannerwasparticularlytenderandcircumspectashetalkedtoher.sittingbesideher,andtalkingofthesimplestandmosttriflingsubjects,princeandreyadmiredtheradiantbrillianceofhereyesandhersmile,thathadnoconcernwithwhatwassaidbutwasduesimplytoherownhappiness.whennatashawaschosenagain,andshegotupwithasmileandwasdancing,princeandreyparticularlyadmiredhershygrace.inthemiddleofthecotillion,natashawentbacktoherplace,breathlessattheendofafigure.anotherpartneragainchoseher.shewastiredandpanting,andevidentlyshethoughtforaninstantofrefusing,butimmediatelysheputherhandonherpartner’sshoulderandwasoffagaingaily,smilingtoprinceandrey.

“ishouldhavebeengladtorestandsitbyyou.i’mtired;butyouseehowtheykeepaskingme,andi’mgladofit,andi’mhappy,andiloveeveryone,andyouandiunderstandallaboutit,”andmore,muchmorewassaidinthatsmile.whenherpartnerleftherside,natashaflewacrosstheroomtochoosetwoladiesforthefigure.

“ifshegoesfirsttohercousinandthentoanotherlady,shewillbemywife,”princeandrey—greatlytohisownsurprise—caughthimselfsayingmentally,ashewatchedher.shedidgofirsttohercousin.

“whatnonsensedoessometimescomeintoone’smind！”thoughtprinceandrey,“butonething’scertain,thatgirlissocharming,sooriginal,thatshewon’tbedancinghereamonthbeforeshewillbemarried.…she’sararethinghere,”hethought,asnatashasettledherselfbesidehim,stickingintherosethatwasfallingoutofherbodice.

attheendofthecotillion,theoldcountinhisbluefrockcoatwentuptotheyoungpeoplewhohadbeendancing.heinvitedprinceandreytocomeandseethem,andaskedhisdaughterwhethershewereenjoyingherself.natashadidnotatonceanswer,sheonlysmiledasmilethatsaidreproachfully：“howcanyouasksuchaquestion？”

“enjoyingmyselfasineverhavebeforeinmylife！”shesaid,andprinceandreynoticedhowherthinarmswereswiftlyraisedasthoughtoembraceherfather,anddroppedagainatonce.natashawashappyasshehadneverbeeninherlife.shewasatthathighestpitchofhappiness,whenonebecomescompletelygoodandkind,anddisbelievesintheverypossibilityofevil,unhappiness,andsorrow.

atthatballpierreforthefirsttimefelthumiliatedbythepositionhiswifetookinthehighestcourtcircle.hewassullenandabsent-minded.therewasabroadfurrowrightacrosshisforehead,ashestoodinawindow,staringoverhisspectaclesandseeingnoone.natashapassedclosebyhimonherwayintosupper.pierre’sgloomy,unhappyfacestruckher.shestopped,facinghim.shelongedtocometohisaid,tobestowonhimsomeofherownoverflowinghappiness.“howdelightfulitis,”shesaid;“isn’tit？”

pierresmiledanabsent-mindedsmile,obviouslynotgraspingwhatwassaidtohim.“yes,i’mveryglad,”hesaid.

“howcanpeoplebediscontentedatanything！”thoughtnatasha.“especiallyanyoneasniceasbezuhov.”

innatasha’seyesallthepeopleattheballwereparticularlykind,sweet,goodpeople,lovingoneanother;nonewerecapableofwrongingoneanother,andsoallmustbehappy.