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Chapter 15
Natasha had not had a moment free since early morning and had not once 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 vividly1 imagined what was in store for her there at the ball, in those brightly lighted rooms — with music, flowers, dances, the Emperor, and all the brilliant young people of Petersburg. The prospect2 was so splendid that she hardly believed it would come true, so out of keeping was it with the chill darkness and closeness of the carriage. She understood all that awaited her only when, after stepping over the red baize at the entrance, she entered the hall, took off her fur cloak, and, beside Sonya and in front of her mother, mounted the brightly illuminated3 stairs between the flowers. Only then did she remember how she must behave at a ball, and tried to assume the majestic4 air she considered indispensable for a girl on such an occasion. But, fortunately for her, she felt her eyes growing misty5, she saw nothing clearly, her pulse beat a hundred to the minute, and the blood throbbed6 at her heart. She could not assume that pose, which would have made her ridiculous, and she moved on almost fainting from excitement and trying with all her might to conceal7 it. And this was the very attitude that became her best. Before and behind them other visitors were entering, also talking in low tones and wearing ball dresses. The mirrors on the landing reflected ladies in white, pale-blue, and pink dresses, with diamonds and pearls on their bare necks and arms.
Natasha looked in the mirrors and could not distinguish her reflection from the others. All was blended into one brilliant procession. On entering the ballroom8 the regular hum of voices, footsteps, and greetings deafened9 Natasha, and the light and glitter dazzled her still more. The host and hostess, who had already been standing10 at the door for half an hour repeating the same words to the various arrivals, “Charme de vous voir,”* greeted the Rostovs and Peronskaya in the same manner.
* “Delighted to see you.”
The two girls in their white dresses, each with a rose in her black hair, both curtsied in the same way, but the hostess’ eye involuntarily rested longer on the slim Natasha. She looked at her and gave her alone a special smile in addition to her usual smile as hostess. Looking at her she may have recalled the golden, irrecoverable days of her own girlhood and her own first ball. The host also followed Natasha with his eyes and asked the count which was his daughter.
“Charming!” said he, kissing the tips of his fingers.
In the ballroom guests stood crowding at the entrance doors awaiting the Emperor. The countess took up a position in one of the front rows of that crowd. Natasha heard and felt that several people were asking about her and looking at her. She realized that those noticing 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 important people at the ball.
“That is the Dutch ambassador, do you see? That gray-haired man,” she said, indicating an old man with a profusion11 of silver-gray curly hair, who was surrounded by ladies laughing at something he said.
“Ah, here she is, the Queen of Petersburg, Countess Bezukhova,” said Peronskaya, indicating Helene who had just entered. “How lovely! She is quite equal to Marya Antonovna. See how the men, young and old, pay court to her. Beautiful and clever . . . they say Prince — is quite mad about her. But see, those two, though not good-looking, are even more run after.”
“She is a splendid match, a millionairess,” said Peronskaya. “And look, here come her suitors.”
“That is Bezukhova’s brother, Anatole Kuragin,” she said, indicating a handsome officer of the Horse Guards who passed by them with head erect13, looking at something over the heads of the ladies. “He’s handsome, isn’t he? I hear they will marry him to that rich girl. But your cousin, Drubetskoy, is also very attentive14 to her. They say she has millions. Oh yes, that’s the French ambassador himself!” she replied to the countess’ inquiry15 about Caulaincourt. “Looks as if he were a king! All the same, the French are charming, very charming. No one more charming in society. Ah, here she is! Yes, she is still the most beautiful of them all, our Marya Antonovna! And how simply she is dressed! Lovely! And that stout16 one in spectacles is the universal Freemason,” she went on, indicating Pierre. “Put him beside his wife and he looks a regular buffoon17!”
Pierre, swaying his stout body, advanced, making way through the crowd and nodding to right and left as casually18 and good-naturedly as if he were passing through a crowd at a fair. He pushed through, evidently looking for someone.
Natasha looked joyfully19 at the familiar face of Pierre, “the buffoon,” as Peronskaya had called him, and knew he was looking for them, and for her in particular. He had promised to be at the ball and introduce 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 a window talking to a tall man wearing stars and a ribbon. Natasha at once recognized the shorter and younger man in the white uniform: it was Bolkonsky, who seemed to her to have grown much younger, happier, and better-looking.
“There’s someone else we know — Bolkonsky, do you see, Mamma?” said Natasha, pointing out Prince Andrey. “You remember, he stayed a night with us at Otradnoe.”
“Oh, you know him?” said Peronskaya. “I can’t bear him. He is all the rage just now. He’s too proud for anything. Takes after his father. And he’s hand in glove with Speranski, writing some project or other. Just look how he treats the ladies! There’s one talking 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.”
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1
vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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2
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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3
illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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4
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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6
throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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ballroom
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| n.舞厅 | |
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deafened
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| 使聋( deafen的过去式和过去分词 )； 使隔音 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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14
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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15
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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16
stout
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| adj.强壮的，粗大的，结实的，勇猛的，矮胖的 | |
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17
buffoon
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| n.演出时的丑角 | |
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18
casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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