Book Six: 1808-10 - Chapter XV

by Leo Tolstoy

　　Natasha had not had a moment free since early morning and had notonce had time to think of what lay before her.

　　In the damp chill air and crowded closeness of the swaying carriage,she for the first time vividly imagined what was in store for herthere at the ball, in those brightly lighted rooms- with music,flowers, dances, the Emperor, and all the brilliant young people ofPetersburg. The prospect was so splendid that she hardly believed itwould come true, so out of keeping was it with the chill darknessand closeness of the carriage. She understood all that awaited heronly when, after stepping over the red baize at the entrance, sheentered the hall, took off her fur cloak, and, beside Sonya and infront of her mother, mounted the brightly illuminated stairs betweenthe flowers. Only then did she remember how she must behave at a ball,and tried to assume the majestic air she considered indispensablefor a girl on such an occasion. But, fortunately for her, she felt hereyes growing misty, she saw nothing clearly, her pulse beat ahundred to the minute, and the blood throbbed at her heart. Shecould not assume that pose, which would have made her ridiculous,and she moved on almost fainting from excitement and trying with allher might to conceal it. And this was the very attitude that becameher best. Before and behind them other visitors were entering, alsotalking in low tones and wearing ball dresses. The mirrors on thelanding reflected ladies in white, pale-blue, and pink dresses, withdiamonds and pearls on their bare necks and arms.

　　Natasha looked in the mirrors and could not distinguish herreflection from the others. All was blended into one brilliantprocession. On entering the ballroom the regular hum of voices,footsteps, and greetings deafened Natasha, and the light and glitterdazzled her still more. The host and hostess, who had already beenstanding at the door for half an hour repeating the same words tothe various arrivals, "Charme de vous voir,"* greeted the Rostovsand Peronskaya in the same manner.

　　*"Delighted to see you."

　　The two girls in their white dresses, each with a rose in herblack hair, both curtsied in the same way, but the hostess' eyeinvoluntarily rested longer on the slim Natasha. She looked at her andgave her alone a special smile in addition to her usual smile ashostess. Looking at her she may have recalled the golden,irrecoverable days of her own girlhood and her own first ball. Thehost also followed Natasha with his eyes and asked the count which washis daughter.

　　"Charming!" said he, kissing the tips of his fingers.

　　In the ballroom guests stood crowding at the entrance doors awaitingthe Emperor. The countess took up a position in one of the frontrows of that crowd. Natasha heard and felt that several people wereasking about her and looking at her. She realized that thosenoticing her liked her, and this observation helped to calm her.

　　"There are some like ourselves and some worse," she thought.

　　Peronskaya was pointing out to the countess the most importantpeople at the ball.

　　"That is the Dutch ambassador, do you see? That gray-haired man,"she said, indicating an old man with a profusion of silver-graycurly hair, who was surrounded by ladies laughing at something hesaid.

　　"Ah, here she is, the Queen of Petersburg, Countess Bezukhova," saidPeronskaya, indicating Helene who had just entered. "How lovely! Sheis quite equal to Marya Antonovna. See how the men, young and old, paycourt to her. Beautiful and clever... they say Prince- is quite madabout her. But see, those two, though not good-looking, are evenmore run after."

　　She pointed to a lady who was crossing the room followed by a veryplain daughter.

　　"She is a splendid match, a millionairess," said Peronskaya. "Andlook, here come her suitors."

　　"That is Bezukhova's brother, Anatole Kuragin," she said, indicatinga handsome officer of the Horse Guards who passed by them with headerect, looking at something over the heads of the ladies. "He'shandsome, isn't he? I hear they will marry him to that rich girl.But your cousin, Drubetskoy, is also very attentive to her. They sayshe has millions. Oh yes, that's the French ambassador himself!" shereplied to the countess' inquiry about Caulaincourt. "Looks as if hewere a king! All the same, the French are charming, very charming.No one more charming in society. Ah, here she is! Yes, she is stillthe most beautiful of them all, our Marya Antonovna! And how simplyshe is dressed! Lovely! And that stout one in spectacles is theuniversal Freemason," she went on, indicating Pierre. "Put himbeside his wife and he looks a regular buffoon!"

　　Pierre, swaying his stout body, advanced, making way through thecrowd and nodding to right and left as casually and good-naturedlyas if he were passing through a crowd at a fair. He pushed through,evidently looking for someone.

　　Natasha looked joyfully at the familiar face of Pierre, "thebuffoon," as Peronskaya had called him, and knew he was looking forthem, and for her in particular. He had promised to be at the ball andintroduce partners to her.

　　But before he reached them Pierre stopped beside a very handsome,dark man of middle height, and in a white uniform, who stood by awindow talking to a tall man wearing stars and a ribbon. Natasha atonce recognized the shorter and younger man in the white uniform: itwas Bolkonski, who seemed to her to have grown much younger,happier, and better-looking.

　　"There's someone else we know- Bolkonski, do you see, Mamma?" saidNatasha, pointing out Prince Andrew. "You remember, he stayed anight with us at Otradnoe."

　　"Oh, you know him?" said Peronskaya. "I can't bear him. Il fait apresent la pluie et le beau temps."* He's too proud for anything.Takes after his father. And he's hand in glove with Speranski, writingsome project or other. Just look how he treats the ladies! There's onetalking to him and he has turned away," she said, pointing at him."I'd give it to him if he treated me as he does those ladies."

　　*"He is all the rage just now.