第36章

第36章infancytothyselftosay，

thatearthholdsstillonedeartothee！

whosethoughts，whosedreamsareallofthee！

thatherfairfingersasofold

straystillupontheharpofgold，

makingsweet，passionateharmony，

thattohersidedothsummonthee！

to-morrowandthyblissisnear！

alas！all’spast！sheisnothere！”

andhehadhardlysungthelastwordswhentheyoungpeopleweregettingreadytodanceinthebighall，andthemusiciansbeganstampingwiththeirfeetandcoughingintheorchestra.

pierrewassittinginthedrawing-room，whereshinshinhadstartedaconversationwithhimonthepoliticalsituation，asasubjectlikelytobeofinteresttoanyonewhohadjustcomehomefromabroad，thoughitdidnotinfactinterestpierre.severalotherpersonsjoinedintheconversation.whentheorchestrastruckup，natashawalkedintothedrawing-room，andgoingstraightuptopierre，laughingandblushing，shesaid，“mammatoldmetoaskyoutodance.”

“i’mafraidofmuddlingthefigures，”saidpierre，“butifyouwillbemyteacher…”andhegavehisfathandtotheslimlittlegirl，puttinghisarmlowdowntoreachherlevel.

whilethecoupleswereplacingthemselvesandthemusiciansweretuningup，pierresatdownwithhislittlepartner.natashawasperfectlyhappy；shewasdancingwithagrown-upperson，withamanwhohadjustcomefromabroad.shewassittinginviewofeveryoneandtalkingtohimlikeagrown-upperson.shehadinherhandafan，whichsomeladyhadgivenhertohold，andtakingthemostmodishpose（godknowswhereandwhenshehadlearntit），fanningherselfandsmilingalloverherface，shetalkedtoherpartner.

“whatagirl！justlookather，lookather！”saidtheoldcountess，crossingthebighallandpointingtonatasha.natashacolouredandlaughed.

“why，whatdoyoumean，mamma？whyshouldyoulaugh？isthereanythingstrangeaboutit？”

inthemiddleofthethirdécossaisetherewasaclatterofchairsinthedrawing-room，wherethecountandmaryadmitryevnawereplaying，andthegreaternumberofthemorehonouredguestsandelderlypeoplestretchingthemselvesaftersittingsolong，puttheirpocket-booksandpursesintheirpocketsandcameouttothedoorofthebighall.infrontofallcamemaryadmitryevnaandthecount，bothwithradiantfaces.thecountgavehisarm，curvedintoahoop，tomaryadmitryevnawithplayfullyeratedceremony，likeaballet-dancer.hedrewhimselfup，andhisfacebeamedwithapeculiar，jauntily-knowingsmile，andassoonastheyhadfinisheddancingthelastfigureoftheécossaise，heclappedhishandstotheorchestra，andshoutedtothefirstviolin：“semyon！doyouknow‘danielcooper’？”

thatwasthecount’sfavouritedancethathehaddancedinhisyouth.（danielcooperwasthenameofafigureoftheanglaise.）

“lookatpapa！”natashashoutedtoalltheroom（entirelyforgettingthatshewasdancingwithagrown-uppartner），andduckingdowntillhercurlyheadalmosttouchedherknees，shewentoffintoherringinglaughthatfilledthehall.everyoneinthehallwas，infact，lookingwithasmileofdelightatthegleefuloldgentleman.standingbesidehismajesticpartner，maryadmitryevna，whowastallerthanhewas，hecurvedhisarms，swayingthemintimetothemusic，movedhisshoulders，twirledwithhislegs，lightlytappingwithhisheels，andwithabroadeninggrinonhisroundface，preparedthespectatorsforwhatwastocome.assoonastheorchestraplayedthegay，irresistibleairofdanielcooper，somewhatlikealivelierrussiantrepak，allthedoorwaysofthebighallweresuddenlyfilledwiththesmilingfacesofthehouse-serfs—menononeside，andwomenontheother—cometolookattheirmastermakingmerry.

“ourlittlefather！aneagleheis！”theoldnursesaidoutloudatonedoor.

thecountdancedwellandknewthathedid，buthispartnercouldnotdanceatall，anddidnotcareaboutdancingwell.herportlyfigurestooderect，withhermightyarmshangingbyherside（shehadhandedherreticuletothecountess）.itwasonlyherstern，butcomelyfacethatdanced.whatwasexpressedbythewholeroundpersonofthecount，wasexpressedbymaryadmitryevnainhermoreandmorebeamingcountenanceandpuckerednose.whilethecount，withgreaterandgreaterexpenditureofenergy，enchantedthespectatorsbytheunexpectednessofthenimblepirouettesandcapersofhissupplelegs，maryadmitryevnawiththeslightesteffortinthemovementofhershouldersorcurvingofherarms，whentheyturnedormarkedthetimewiththeirfeet，producednolessimpressionfromthecontrast，whicheveryoneappreciated，withherportlinessandherhabitualseverityofdemeanour.thedancegrewmoreandmoreanimated.thevis-à-viscouldnotobtainonemoment’sattention，anddidnotattempttodoso.allattentionwasabsorbedbythecountandmaryadmitryevna.natashapulledatthesleeveorgownofeveryonepresent，urgingthemtolookatpapa，thoughtheynevertooktheireyesoffthedancers.inthepausesinthedancethecountdrewadeepbreath，wavedhishandsandshoutedtothemusiciantoplayfaster.moreandmorequickly，moreandmorenimblythecountpirouetted，turningnowonhistoesandnowonhisheels，roundmaryadmitryevna.atlast，twistinghisladyroundtoherplace，heexecutedthelaststeps，kickinghissupplelegsupbehindhim，andbowinghisperspiringheadandsmilingface，witharoundsweepofhisrightarm，amidstathunderofapplauseandlaughter，inwhichnatasha’slaughwasloudest.bothpartnersstoodstill，breathingheavily，andmoppingtheirfaceswiththeirbatistehandkerchiefs.

“that’showtheyusedtodanceinourday，machère，saidthecount.

“bravo，danielcooper！”saidmaryadmitryevna，tuckinguphersleevesanddrawingadeep，prolongedbreath.