第263章

第263章atlastthetsarstoodstillbesidethelastofhispartners（hehaddancedwiththree），themusicceased.ananxious-lookingadjutantranuptotherostovs，ingthemtomovealittlefurtherback，thoughtheywerealreadyclosetothewall，andfromtheorchestracamethecircumspect，precise，seductively，statelyrhythmofthewaltz.thetsarglancedwithasmiledowntheballroom.amomentpassed；noonehadyetbegun.anadjutant，whowasasteward，wentuptocountessbezuhovandaskedhertodance.smiling，sheraisedherhandandlaiditontheadjutant’sshoulderwithoutlookingathim.theadjutant-steward，amasterofhisart，graspedhispartnerfirmly，andwithconfidentdeliberationandsmoothnessbrokewithherintothefirstgalloproundtheedgeofthecircle，thenatthecorneroftheballroomcaughthispartner’slefthand，turnedher；andthroughthequickeningstrainsofthemusicnothingcouldbeheardbuttheregularjingleofthespursontheadjutant’srapid，practisedfeet，andateverythirdbeattheswishofhispartner’sflyingvelvetskirtasshewhirledround.

natashalookedatthem，andwasreadytocrythatitwasnotshedancingthatfirstroundofthewaltz.

princeandrey，inhiswhiteuniformofacavalrycolonel，wearingstockingsanddancing-shoes，stoodlookingeagerandlively，inthefrontoftheringnotfarfromtherostovs.baronfirhoffwastalkingtohimoftheproposedfirstsittingofthestatecounciltobeheldnextday.fromhisintimacywithsperansky，andtheparthewastakinginthelaboursofthelegislativecommission，princeandreywasinapositiontogiveauthoritativeinformationinregardtothatsitting，aboutwhichthemostdiverserumourswerecurrent.buthedidnothearwhatfirhoffwassayingtohim，andlookedfromthetsartothegentlemenpreparingtodance，whohadnotyetsteppedoutintothering.

princeandreywaswatchingthesegentlemen，whoweretimidinthepresenceofthetsar，andtheladies，whoweredyingtobeaskedtodance.

pierrewentuptoprinceandreyandtookhimbythearm.

“youalwaysdance.hereismyprotégée，theyoungerrostovgirl，askher，”hesaid.

“where？”askedbolkonsky.“ibegyourpardon，”hesaid，turningtothebaron，“wewillfinishthisconversationinanotherplace，butataballonemustdance.”hewentforwardinthedirectionindicatedbypierre.natasha’sdespairing，tremulousfacebrokeuponprinceandrey.herecognisedher，guessedherfeelings，sawthatitwasherdebut，rememberedwhatshehadsaidatthewindow，andwithanexpressionofpleasureonhisfaceheapproachedcountessrostov.

“permitmetointroduceyoutomydaughter，”saidthecountess，reddening.

“ihavethepleasureofheracquaintancealready，ifthecountessremembersme，”saidprinceandrey，withalowandcourteousbow，whichseemedadirectcontradictiontomadameperonsky’sremarksabouthisrudeness.hewentuptonatasha，andraisedhishandtoputitroundherwaistbeforehehadfullyutteredtheinvitationtodance.heproposedawaltztoher.thetremulousexpressionofnatasha’sface，readyfordespairorforecstasy，brightenedatonceintoahappy，grateful，childlikesmile.

“ihavebeenalongwhilewaitingforyou，”thatalarmedandhappyyounggirlseemedtosaytohiminthesmilethatpeepedoutthroughthestartingtearsassheraisedherhandtoprinceandrey’sshoulder.theywerethesecondcouplethatwalkedforwardintothering.

princeandreywasoneofthebestdancersofhisday.natashadancedexquisitely.herlittlefeetintheirsatindancing-shoesperformedtheirtasklightlyandindependentlyofher，andherfacebeamedwitharaptureofhappiness.

herbareneckandarmswerethin，andnotbeautifulcomparedwithellen’sshoulders.hershoulderswerethin，herbosomundefined，herarmswereslender.butellenwas，asitwere，coveredwiththehardvarnishofthosethousandsofeyesthathadscannedherperson，whilenatashaseemedlikeayounggirlstrippedforthefirsttime，whowouldhavebeengreatlyashamedifshehadnotbeenassuredbyeveryonethatitmustbeso.

princeandreyloveddancing.hewasanxioustoescapeasquicklyashecouldfromthepoliticalandintellectualconversationsintowhicheveryonetriedtodrawhim，andanxioustootobreakthroughthatburdensomebarrierofconstraintarisingfromthepresenceofthetsar；sohemadehastetodance，andchosenatashaforapartnerbecausepierrepointedherouttohim，andbecauseshewasthefirstprettygirlwhocaughthiseyes.buthehadnosoonerputhisarmroundthatslender，supplewaist，andfeltherstirringsoclosetohim，andsmilingsoclosetohim，thantheintoxicationofherbeautyflewtohishead.hefeltfulloflifeandyouthagainas，drawingadeepbreath，hebroughthertoastandstillandbegantowatchtheothercouples.