战争与和平(上)-第111章

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him　on　my　account；　I　ought　to　tell　you　the　whole　truth。　I　love　you；　I　believe；　more　than　any　one　…”
“That’s　enough　for　me；”　said　Sonya；　flushing　crimson。
“No；　but　I　have　been　in　love　a　thousand　times；　and　I　shall　fall　in　love　again；　though　such　a　feeling　of　affection；　confidence　and　love　I　have　for　no　one　as　for　you。　Then　I　am　young。　Mamma　does　not　wish　it。　Well—in　fact—I　can　make　no　promise。　And　I　beg　you　to　consider　the　offer　of　Dolohov；”　he　said；　with　an　effort　articulating　the　name　of　his　friend。
“Don’t　speak　to　me　of　it。　I　want　nothing。　I　love　you　as　a　brother；　and　shall　always　love　you；　and　I　want　nothing　more。”
“You　are　an　angel；　I’m　not　worthy　of　you；　but　I　am　only　afraid　of　deceiving　you。”
Nikolay　kissed　her　hand　once　more。


Chapter　12
IOGEL’S　were　the　most　enjoyable　balls　in　Moscow。　So　the　mammas　said　as　they　looked　at　their　boys　and　girls　executing　the　steps　they　had　only　lately　learnt。　So　too　said　the　boys　and　girls　themselves；　who　danced　till　they　were　ready　to　drop；　so　too　said　the　grown…up　girls　and　young　men；　who　came　to　those　dances　in　a　spirit　of　condescension；　and　found　in　them　the　greatest　enjoyment。　That　year　two　matches　had　been　made　at　those　dances。　The　two　pretty　young　princesses　Gortchakov　had　found　suitors　there；　and　had　been　married；　and　this　had　given　the　dances　even　greater　vogue　than　before。　What　distinguished　these　dances　from　others　was　the　absence　of　host　and　hostess；　and　the　presence　of　the　good…humoured　Iogel；　who　had　sold　tickets　for　lessons　to　all　his　guests；　and　fluttered　about　like　a　feather；　bowing　and　scraping　in　accordance　with　the　rules　of　his　art。　Another　point　of　difference；　too；　was　that　none　came　to　these　dances　but　those　who　really　wanted　to　dance　and　enjoy　themselves；　in　the　way　that　girls　of　thirteen　and　fourteen　do；　putting　on　long　dresses　for　the　first　time。　All　with　rare　exceptions　were　or　looked　pretty；　so　ecstatically　they　smiled　and　so　rapturously　their　eyes　sparkled。　The　pas　de　chale　even　was　sometimes　danced　by　the　best　pupils；　among　whom　Natasha　was　the　best　of　all；　and　conspicuous　for　her　gracefulness。　But　at　this　last　ball　they　only　danced　ecossaises；　anglaises；　and　a　mazurka　that　was　just　coming　into　fashion。　A　great　hall　had　been　taken　by　Iogel　in　the　house　of　Bezuhov；　and　the　ball；　as　every　one　said；　was　a　great　success。　There　were　many　pretty　girls；　and　the　Rostov　girls　were　among　the　prettiest。　They　were　both　particularly　happy　and　gay。　That　evening　Sonya；　elated　by　Dolohov’s　offer；　her　refusal；　and　her　interview　with　Nikolay；　had　kept　whirling　round　at　home；　not　letting　her　maid　have　a　chance　of　doing　her　hair；　and　now　at　the　dance　she　was　transparently　radiant　with　impulsive　happiness。
Natasha；　no　less　elated　at　being　for　the　first　time　at　a　real　ball　in　a　long　skirt；　was　even　happier。　Both　the　girls　wore　white　muslin　dresses　with　pink　ribbons。
Natasha　fell　in　love　the　moment　she　walked　into　the　ballroom。　She　was　not　in　love　with　any　one　in　particular；　but　in　love　with　every　one。　Whomever　she　looked　at；　for　the　moment　that　she　was　looking　at　him；　she　was　in　love　with。
“Oh；　how　nice　it　is！”　she　kept　saying；　running　up　to　Sonya。
Nikolay　and　Denisov　walked　about　the　room　and　looked　with　friendly　patronage　at　the　dancers。
“How　sweet　she　is；　she　will　be　a　beauty；”　said　Denisov。
“Who？”
“Countess　Natasha；”　answered　Denisov。
“And　how　she　dances；　what　grace！”　he　said　again；　after　a　short　pause。
“Of　whom　are　you　speaking？”
“Why；　of　your　sister；”　cried　Denisov　angrily。
Rostov　laughed。
“My　dear　count；　you　are　one　of　my　best　pupils；　you　must　dance；”　said　little　Iogel；　coming　up　to　Nikolay。　“Look　at　all　these　pretty　young　ladies！”　He　turned　with　the　same　request　to　Denisov；　who　had　also　at　one　time　been　his　pupil。
“No；　my　dear　fellow；　I　will　be　a　wallflower；”　said　Denisov。　“Don’t　you　remember　how　little　credit　I　did　to　your　teaching？”
“Oh　no！”　said　Iogel；　hastening　to　reassure　him。　“You　were　only　inattentive；　but　you　had　talent；　you　had　talent。”
They　began　to　play　the　new　mazurka。　Nikolay　could　not　refuse　Iogel；　and　asked　Sonya　to　dance。　Denisov　sat　down　by　the　elderly　ladies；　and　leaning　his　elbow　on　his　sword；　and　beating　time　with　his　foot；　he　began　telling　something　amusing　and　making　the　old　ladies　laugh；　while　he　watched　the　young　ones　dancing。　Iogel　was　dancing　in　the　first　couple　with　Natasha；　his　best　pupil　and　his　pride。　With　soft　and　delicate　movements　of　his　little　slippered　feet；　Iogel　first　flew　across　the　room　with　Natasha—shy；　but　conscientiously　executing　her　steps。　Denisov　did　not　take　his　eyes　off　her；　and　beat　time　with　his　sword　with　an　air　that　betrayed；　that　if　he　were　not　dancing　it　was　because　he　would　not；　and　not　because　he　could　not；　dance。　In　the　middle　of　a　figure　he　beckoned　Rostov　to　him。
“That’s　not　the　right　thing　a　bit；”　he　said。　“Is　that　the　Polish　mazurka？　But　she　does　dance　splendidly。”
Knowing　that　Denisov　had　been　renowned　even　in　Poland　for　his　fine　dancing　of　the　Polish　mazurka；　Nikolay　ran　up　to　Natasha。
“Go　and　choose　Denisov。　He　does　dance。　It’s　a　marvel！”　he　said。
When　it　was　Natasha’s　turn　again；　she　got　up；　and　tripping　rapidly　in　her　ribbon…trimmed　dancing…shoes；　she　timidly　ran　alone　across　the　room　to　the　corner　where　Denisov　was　sitting。　She　saw　that　every　one　was　looking　at　her；　waiting　to　see　what　she　would　do。　Nikolay　saw　that　Denisov　and　Natasha　were　carrying　on　a　smiling　dispute；　and　that　Denisov　was　refusing；　though　his　face　wore　a　delighted　smile。　He　ran　up。
“Please　do；　Vassily　Dmitritch；”　Natasha　was　saying；　“come　please。”
“Oh；　have　mercy　on　me；　countess；”　Denisov　was　saying　jocosely。
“Come　now；　nonsense；　Vaska；”　said　Nikolay。
“They　coax　me　like　the　pussy…cat　Vaska；”　said　Denisov　good…humouredly。
“I’ll　sing　to　you　a　whole　evening；”　said　Natasha。
“The　little　witch；　she　can　do　anything　with　me！”　said　Denisov；　and　he　unhooked　his　sword。　He　came　out　from　behind　the　chairs；　clasped　his　partner　firmly　by　the　hand；　raised　his　head　and　stood　with　one　foot　behind　the　other；　waiting　for　the　time。　It　was　only　on　horseback　and　in　the　mazurka　that　Denisov’s　low　stature　was　not　noticeable；　and　that　he　looked　the　dashing　hero　he　felt　himself　to　be。　At　the　right　bar　in　the　time　he　glanced　sideways　with　a　triumphant　and　amused　air　at　his　partner；　and　making　an　unexpected　tap　with　one　foot　he　bounded　springily　like　a　ball　from　the　floor　and　flew　round；　whirling　his　partner　round　with　him。　He　flew　inaudibly　across　the　hall　with　one　leg　forward；　and　seemed　not　to　see　the　chairs　standing　before　him；　darting　straight　at　them；　but　all　at　once　with　a　clink　of　his　spurs　and　a　flourish　of　his　foot　he　stopped　short　on　his　heels；　stood　so　a　second；　with　a　clanking　of　spurs　stamped　with　both　feet；　whirled　rapidly　round；　and　clapping　the　left　foot　against　the　right；　again　he　flew　round。　Natasha’s　instinct　told　her　what　he　was　going　to　do；　and　without　herself　knowing　how　she　did　it；　she　followed　his　lead；　abandoning　herself　to　him。　At　one　moment　he　spun　her　round；　first　on　his　right　arm；　then　on　his　left　arm；　then　falling　on　one　knee；　twirled　her　round　him　and　again　galloped；　dashing　forward　with　such　vehemence　that　he　seemed　to　intend　to　race　through　the　whole　suite　of　rooms　without　taking　breath。　Then　he　stopped　suddenly　again　and　executed　new　and　unexpected　steps　in　the　dance。　When　after　spinning　his　partner　round　before　her　seat　he　drew　up　smartly　with　a　clink　of　his　spurs；　bowing　to　her；　Natasha　did　not　even　make　him　a　curtsey。　She　looked　at　him　smiling　with　a　puzzled　face；　as　though　she　did　not　recognise　him。
“What　does　it　mean？”　she　said。
Although　Iogel　would　not　acknowledge　this　mazurka　as　the　real　one；　every　one　was　enchanted　with　Denisov’s　dancing　of　it；　and　he　was　continually　being　chosen　as　partner；　while　the　old　gentlemen；　smiling；　talked　about　Poland　and　the　good　old　days。　Denisov；　flushed　with　his　exertions　and　mopping　his　face　with　his　handkerchief；　sat　by　Natasha　and　would　not　leave　her　side　all　the　rest　of　the　ball。


Chapter　13
FOR　TWO　DAYS　after　the　dance；　Rostov　had　not　seen　Dolohov　at　his　people’s　house　nor　found　him　at　home；　on　the　third　day　he　received　a　note　from　him。
“As　I　do　not　intend　to　be　at　your　house　again