第258章

第258章onthe31stofdecember，ontheeveofthenewyear1810，aballwasgivenbyagrandpersonagewhohadbeenastarofthecourtofcatherine.thetsarandthediplomaticcorpsweretobepresentatthisball.

thewell-knownmansionofthisgrandeeintheenglishembankmentwasilluminatedbyinnumerablelights.thepolicewerestandingatthelightedentry，laidwithredbaize；andnotmerelypolicemen，butapolicecommanderwasattheentrance，anddozensofofficersofthepolice.carriageskeptdrivingaway，andfreshoneskeptdrivingup，withgroomsinredliveryandgroomsinplumedhats.fromthecarriagesemergedmenwearinguniforms，stars，andribbons；whileladiesinsatinanderminesteppedcarefullyoutonthecarriagesteps，thatwereletdownwithabang，andthenwalkedhurriedlyandnoiselesslyoverthebaizeoftheentry.

almosteverytimeanewcarriagedroveup，awhisperranthroughthecrowdandhatsweretakenoff.“theemperor？…no，aminister…prince…ambassador…don’tyouseetheplumes？…”wasaudibleinthecrowd.oneperson，betterdressedthantherest，seemedtoknoweveryone，andmentionedbynameallthemostcelebratedpersonagesoftheday.

athirdoftheguestshadalreadyarrivedatthisball，whiletherostovs，whoweretobepresentatit，werestillengagedinhurriedpreparations.

manyhadbeenthediscussionsandthepreparationsforthatballintherostovfamily；manythefearsthataninvitationmightnotarrive，thatthedresseswouldnotbeready，andthateverythingwouldnotbearrangedasitoughttobe.

therostovsweretobeaccompaniedbymaryaignatyevnaperonsky，afriendandrelationofthecountess，athinandyellowmaid-of-honouroftheoldcourt，whowasactingasaguidetotheprovincialrostovsinthehighercirclesofpetersburgsociety.

atteno’clocktherostovsweretodrivetotavritcheskygardentocallforthemaid-of-honour.meantimeitwasfiveminutestoten，andtheyoungladieswerenotyetdressed.

natashawasgoingtoherfirstgreatball.shehadgotupateighto’clockthatmorning，andhadspentthewholedayinfeverishagitationandactivity.allherenergieshadsincemorningbeendirectedtotheoneaimofgettingherself，hermother，andsonyaaswelldressedaspossible.sonyaandhermotherputthemselvesentirelyinherhands.thecountesswastowearadarkredvelvetdress；thetwogirlswhitetulledressesoverpinksilkslips，androsesontheirbodices.theyweretoweartheirhairàlagrecque.

alltheessentialswereready.feet，arms，necks，andearshadbeenwashed，scented，andpowderedwithpeculiarcareinreadinessfortheball.openworksilkstockingsandwhitesatinshoeswithribbonshadbeenputon.thehairdressingwasalmostaccomplished.sonyawasfinishingdressing，sowasthecountess；butnatasha，whohadbeenbusilylookingaftereveryone，wasbehindhand.shewasstillsittingbeforethelooking-glasswithapeignoirthrownoverherthinshoulders.sonya，alreadydressed，stoodinthemiddleoftheroom，andwastryingtofasteninalastribbon，hurtingherlittlefingerasshepressedthepinwithascroopingsoundintothesilk.

“notlikethat，sonya，notlikethat！”saidnatasha，turningherhead，andclutchingherhairinbothhands，asthemaidarrangingitwasnotquickenoughinlettingitgo.“theribbonmustn’tgolikethat；comehere.”sonyasquatteddown.natashapinnedtheribboninherownway.

“really，miss，youmustn’tdoso，”saidthemaid，holdingnatasha’shair.

“oh，mygoodness！afterwards！there，that’sright，sonya.”

“willyousoonbeready？”theyheardthecountess’svoice.“itwillbeteninaminute.”

“immediately，immediately.…andareyouready，mamma？”

“onlymycaptofastenon.”

“don’tdoitwithoutme，”shoutednatasha；“youdon’tknowhowto！”

“butit’steno’clockalready.”