Book Four: 1806 - Chapter XII

by Leo Tolstoy

　　Iogel's were the most enjoyable balls in Moscow. So said the mothersas they watched their young people executing their newly learnedsteps, and so said the youths and maidens themselves as they dancedtill they were ready to drop, and so said the grown-up young men andwomen who came to these balls with an air of condescension and foundthem most enjoyable. That year two marriages had come of theseballs. The two pretty young Princesses Gorchakov met suitors there andwere married and so further increased the fame of these dances. Whatdistinguished them from others was the absence of host or hostessand the presence of the good-natured Iogel, flying about like afeather and bowing according to the rules of his art, as hecollected the tickets from all his visitors. There was the fact thatonly those came who wished to dance and amuse themselves as girls ofthirteen and fourteen do who are wearing long dresses for the firsttime. With scarcely any exceptions they all were, or seemed to be,pretty- so rapturous were their smiles and so sparkling their eyes.Sometimes the best of the pupils, of whom Natasha, who wasexceptionally graceful, was first, even danced the pas de chale, butat this last ball only the ecossaise, the anglaise, and the mazurka,which was just coming into fashion, were danced. Iogel had taken aballroom in Bezukhov's house, and the ball, as everyone said, was agreat success. There were many pretty girls and the Rostov girlswere among the prettiest. They were both particularly happy and gay.That evening, proud of Dolokhov's proposal, her refusal, and herexplanation with Nicholas, Sonya twirled about before she left home sothat the maid could hardly get her hair plaited, and she wastransparently radiant with impulsive joy.

　　Natasha no less proud of her first long dress and of being at a realball was even happier. They were both dressed in white muslin withpink ribbons.

　　Natasha fell in love the very moment she entered the ballroom. Shewas not in love with anyone in particular, but with everyone. Whateverperson she happened to look at she was in love with for that moment.

　　"Oh, how delightful it is!" she kept saying, running up to Sonya.

　　Nicholas and Denisov were walking up and down, looking with kindlypatronage at the dancers.

　　"How sweet she is- she will be a weal beauty!" said Denisov.

　　"Who?"

　　"Countess Natasha," answered Denisov.

　　"And how she dances! What gwace!" he said again after a pause.

　　"Who are you talking about?"

　　"About your sister," ejaculated Denisov testily.

　　Rostov smiled.

　　"My dear count, you were one of my best pupils- you must dance,"said little Iogel coming up to Nicholas. "Look how many charming youngladies-" He turned with the same request to Denisov who was also aformer pupil of his.

　　"No, my dear fellow, I'll be a wallflower," said Denisov. "Don't youwecollect what bad use I made of your lessons?"

　　"Oh no!" said Iogel, hastening to reassure him. "You were onlyinattentive, but you had talent- oh yes, you had talent!"

　　The band struck up the newly introduced mazurka. Nicholas could notrefuse Iogel and asked Sonya to dance. Denisov sat down by the oldladies and, leaning on his saber and beating time with his foot,told them something funny and kept them amused, while he watched theyoung people dancing, Iogel with Natasha, his pride and his bestpupil, were the first couple. Noiselessly, skillfully stepping withhis little feet in low shoes, Iogel flew first across the hall withNatasha, who, though shy, went on carefully executing her steps.Denisov did not take his eyes off her and beat time with his saberin a way that clearly indicated that if he was not dancing it wasbecause he would not and not because he could not. In the middle ofa figure he beckoned to Rostov who was passing:

　　"This is not at all the thing," he said. "What sort of Polishmazuwka is this? But she does dance splendidly."

　　Knowing that Denisov had a reputation even in Poland for themasterly way in which he danced the mazurka, Nicholas ran up toNatasha:

　　"Go and choose Denisov. He is a real dancer, a wonder!" he said.

　　When it came to Natasha's turn to choose a partner, she rose and,tripping rapidly across in her little shoes trimmed with bows, rantimidly to the corner where Denisov sat. She saw that everybody waslooking at her and waiting. Nicholas saw that Denisov was refusingthough he smiled delightedly. He ran up to them.

　　"Please, Vasili Dmitrich," Natasha was saying, "do come!"

　　"Oh no, let me off, Countess," Denisov replied.

　　"Now then, Vaska," said Nicholas.

　　"They coax me as if I were Vaska the cat!" said Denisov jokingly.

　　"I'll sing for you a whole evening," said Natasha.

　　"Oh, the faiwy! She can do anything with me!" said Denisov, and heunhooked his saber. He came out from behind the chairs, clasped hispartner's hand firmly, threw back his head, and advanced his foot,waiting for the beat. Only on horse back and in the mazurka wasDenisov's short stature not noticeable and he looked the fine fellowhe felt himself to be. At the right beat of the music he lookedsideways at his partner with a merry and triumphant air, suddenlystamped with one foot, bounded from the floor like a ball, and flewround the room taking his partner with him. He glided silently onone foot half across the room, and seeming not to notice the chairswas dashing straight at them, when suddenly, clinking his spurs andspreading out his legs, he stopped short on his heels, stood so asecond, stamped on the spot clanking his spurs, whirled rapidly round,and, striking his left heel against his right, flew round again in acircle. Natasha guessed what he meant to do, and abandoning herself tohim followed his lead hardly knowing how. First he spun her round,holding her now with his left, now with his right hand, then fallingon one knee he twirled her round him, and again jumping up, dashedso impetuously forward that it seemed as if he would rush throughthe whole suite of rooms without drawing breath, and then hesuddenly stopped and performed some new and unexpected steps. Whenat last, smartly whirling his partner round in front of her chair,he drew up with a click of his spurs and bowed to her, Natasha did noteven make him a curtsy. She fixed her eyes on him in amazement,smiling as if she did not recognize him.

　　"What does this mean?" she brought out.

　　Although Iogel did not acknowledge this to be the real mazurka,everyone was delighted with Denisov's skill, he was asked again andagain as a partner, and the old men began smilingly to talk aboutPoland and the good old days. Denisov, flushed after the mazurka andmopping himself with his handkerchief, sat down by Natasha and did notleave her for the rest of the evening.