,BOOK #f1 ,*APT] #af 

#ahfiahfi 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TEXT 3 

,SUDD5LY EV]YBODY /IRR$1 BEGAN TALK+1 & PRESS$ =W>D & !N 
 BACK1 & BETWE5 ! TWO R[S1 :I* SEP>AT$1 ! ,EMP]OR 5T]$ TO 
 ! S\NDS ( MUSIC ?AT HAD IMM$IATELY /RUCK UP4 ,BEH9D HIM WALK$ HIS 
 HO/ & HO/ESS4 ,HE WALK$ 9 RAPIDLY1 B[+ TO RI<T & LEFT AS IF 
 ANXI\S TO GET ! FIR/ MOM5TS ( ! RECEPTION OV]4 ,! B& PLAY$ 
 ! POLONAISE 9 VOGUE AT ?AT TIME ON ACC\NT ( ! WORDS ?AT HAD BE5 
 SET TO IT1 BEG9N+3 0,ALEX&]1 ,ELISAVETA1 ALL \R HE>TS Y\ RAVI% 
 QUITE4440 ,! ,EMP]OR PASS$ ON TO ! DRAW+ ROOM1 ! CR[D MADE A RU% 
 = ! DOORS1 & SEV]AL P]SONS ) EXCIT$ FACES HURRI$ !RE & 
 BACK AGA94 ,!N ! CR[D HA/ILY RETIR$ FROM ! DRAW+ ROOM DOOR1 AT 
 :I* ! ,EMP]OR REAPPE>$ TALK+ TO ! HO/ESS4 ,A Y\NG MAN1 LOOK+ 
 DI/RAU<T1 P\NC$ D[N ON ! LADIES1 ASK+ !M TO MOVE ASIDE4 ,SOME 
 LADIES1 ) FACES BETRAY+ COMPLETE =GETFULNESS ( ALL ! RULES ( 
 DECORUM1 PU%$ =W>D TO ! DETRIM5T ( !IR TOILETS4 ,! M5 BEGAN 
 TO *OOSE P>TN]S & TAKE !IR PLACES = ! POLONAISE4 

,EV]YONE MOV$ BACK1 & ! ,EMP]OR CAME SMIL+ \T ( ! DRAW+ ROOM 
 LEAD+ HIS HO/ESS BY ! H& BUT NOT KEEP+ TIME TO ! MUSIC4 ,! 
 HO/ FOLL[$ ) ,M>YA ,ANTONOVNA ,N>Y%K9A2 !N CAME AMBASSADORS1 
 M9I/]S1 & V>I\S G5]ALS1 :OM ,P]ONSKAYA DILIG5TLY NAM$4 ,MORE 
 ?AN HALF ! LADIES ALREADY HAD P>TN]S & W]E TAK+ UP1 OR PREP>+ 
 TO TAKE UP1 !IR POSITIONS = ! POLONAISE4 ,NATA%A FELT ?AT %E W\LD 
 BE LEFT ) H] MO!R & ,SONYA AMONG A M9ORITY ( WOM5 :O CR[D$ 
 NE> ! WALL1 NOT HAV+ BE5 9VIT$ TO DANCE4 ,%E /OOD ) H] 
 SL5D] >MS HANG+ D[N1 H] SC>CELY DEF9$ BOSOM RIS+ & FALL+ 
 REGUL>LY1 & ) BAT$ BREA? & GLITT]+1 FRI<T5$ EYES GAZ$ 
 /RAI<T BE=E H]1 EVID5TLY PREP>$ = ! HEI<T ( JOY OR MIS]Y4 
 ,%E WAS NOT CONC]N$ AB\T ! ,EMP]OR OR ANY ( ?OSE GREAT PEOPLE :OM 
 ,P]ONSKAYA WAS PO9T+ \T--%E HAD BUT ONE ?\<T3 0,IS IT POSSIBLE 
 NO ONE WILL ASK ME1 ?AT ,I %ALL NOT BE AMONG ! FIR/ TO DANCE8 ,IS IT 
 POSSIBLE ?AT NOT ONE ( ALL !SE M5 WILL NOTICE ME8 ,!Y DO NOT EV5 
 SEEM TO SEE ME1 OR IF !Y DO !Y LOOK AS IF !Y W]E SAY+1 ',AH1 %E'S 
 NOT ! ONE ,I'M AFT]1 SO IT'S NOT WOR? LOOK+ AT H]6' ,NO1 IT'S 
 IMPOSSIBLE10 %E ?\<T4 0,!Y MU/ KN[ H[ ,I LONG TO DANCE1 H[ 
 SPL5DIDLY ,I DANCE1 & H[ !Y W\LD 5JOY DANC+ ) ME40 

,! /RA9S ( ! POLONAISE1 :I* HAD CONT9U$ = A CONSID]ABLE TIME1 
 HAD BEGUN TO S\ND LIKE A SAD REM9ISC5CE TO ,NATA%A'S E>S4 ,%E WANT$ 
 TO CRY4 ,P]ONSKAYA HAD LEFT !M4 ,! C\NT WAS AT ! O!R 5D ( ! 
 ROOM4 ,%E & ! C\NTESS & ,SONYA W]E /&+ BY !MSELVES AS 9 ! 
 DEP?S ( A =E/ AMID ?AT CR[D ( /RANG]S1 ) NO ONE 9T]E/$ 9 
 !M & NOT WANT$ BY ANYONE4 ,PR9CE ,&REW ) A LADY PASS$ BY1 
 EVID5TLY NOT RECOGNIZ+ !M4 ,! H&SOME ,ANATOLE WAS SMIL+LY TALK+ 
 TO A P>TN] ON HIS >M & LOOK$ AT ,NATA%A AS ONE LOOKS AT A WALL4 
 ,BORIS PASS$ !M TWICE & EA* TIME TURN$ AWAY4 ,B]G & HIS WIFE1 :O 
 W]E NOT DANC+1 CAME UP TO !M4 

,?IS FAMILY GA!R+ SEEM$ HUMILIAT+ TO ,NATA%A--AS IF !RE W]E 
 NO:]E ELSE = ! FAMILY TO TALK BUT H]E AT ! BALL4 ,%E DID NOT 
 LI/5 TO OR LOOK AT ,V]A1 :O WAS TELL+ H] SOME?+ AB\T H] [N 
 GRE5 DRESS4 

,AT LA/ ! ,EMP]OR /OPP$ BESIDE HIS LA/ P>TN] 7HE HAD DANC$ ) 
 ?REE7 & ! MUSIC CEAS$4 ,A WORRI$ AIDE-DE-CAMP RAN UP TO ! ,RO/OVS 
 REQUE/+ !M TO /& F>!R BACK1 ?\< AS IT WAS !Y W]E ALREADY 
 CLOSE TO ! WALL1 & FROM ! GALL]Y RES\ND$ ! DI/9CT1 PRECISE1 
 5TIC+LY RHY?MICAL /RA9S ( A WALTZ4 ,! ,EMP]OR LOOK$ SMIL+LY 
 D[N ! ROOM4 ,A M9UTE PASS$ BUT NO ONE HAD YET BEGUN DANC+4 ,AN 
 AIDE-DE-CAMP1 ! ,MA/] ( ,C]EMONIES1 W5T UP TO ,C\NTESS ,BEZUKHOVA & 
 ASK$ H] TO DANCE4 ,%E SMIL+LY RAIS$ H] H& & LAID IT ON HIS 
 %\LD] )\T LOOK+ AT HIM4 ,! AIDE-DE-CAMP1 AN ADEPT 9 HIS >T1 
 GRASP+ HIS P>TN] FIRMLY R\ND H] WAI/1 ) CONFID5T DELIB]ATION 
 />T$ SMOO?LY1 GLID+ FIR/ R\ND ! $GE ( ! CIRCLE1 !N AT ! 
 CORN] ( ! ROOM HE CAU<T ,HEL5E'S LEFT H& & TURN$ H]1 ! ONLY 
 S\ND AUDIBLE1 AP>T FROM ! EV]-QUICK5+ MUSIC1 BE+ ! RHY?MIC 
 CLICK ( ! SPURS ON HIS RAPID1 AGILE FEET1 :ILE AT EV]Y ?IRD BEAT HIS 
 P>TN]'S VELVET DRESS SPREAD \T & SEEM$ TO FLA% AS %E :IRL$ 
 R\ND4 ,NATA%A GAZ$ AT !M & WAS READY TO CRY BECAUSE IT WAS NOT %E 
 :O WAS DANC+ ?AT FIR/ TURN ( ! WALTZ4 

,PR9CE ,&REW1 9 ! :ITE UNI=M ( A CAVALRY COLONEL1 WE>+ 
 /OCK+S & DANC+ %OES1 /OOD LOOK+ ANIMAT$ & BRI<T 9 ! 
 FRONT R[ ( ! CIRCLE NOT F> FROM ! ,RO/OVS4 ,B>ON ,FIRH(F WAS 
 TALK+ TO HIM AB\T ! FIR/ SITT+ ( ! ,C\NCIL ( ,/ATE TO BE HELD 
 NEXT DAY4 ,PR9CE ,&REW1 AS ONE CLOSELY CONNECT$ ) ,SP]ANSKI & 
 P>TICIPAT+ 9 ! WORK ( ! LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION1 C\LD GIVE 
 RELIABLE 9=MATION AB\T ?AT SITT+1 CONC]N+ :I* V>I\S RUMORS 
 W]E CURR5T4 ,BUT NOT LI/5+ TO :AT ,FIRH(F WAS SAY+1 HE WAS GAZ+ 
 N[ AT ! SOV]EIGN & N[ AT ! M5 9T5D+ TO DANCE :O HAD NOT YET 
 GA!R$ C\RAGE TO 5T] ! CIRCLE4 

,PR9CE ,&REW WAS WAT*+ !SE M5 ABA%$ BY ! ,EMP]OR'S PRES5CE1 
 & ! WOM5 :O W]E BREA?LESSLY LONG+ TO BE ASK$ TO DANCE4 

,PI]RE CAME UP TO HIM & CAU<T HIM BY ! >M4 

0,Y\ ALWAYS DANCE4 ,I HAVE A PROTEGEE1 ! Y\NG ,RO/OVA1 H]E4 ,ASK H]10 
 HE SAID4 

0,:]E IS %E80 ASK$ ,BOLKONSKI4 0,EXCUSE ME60 HE ADD$1 TURN+ TO ! 
 B>ON1 0WE WILL F9I% ?IS CONV]SATION ELSE:]E--AT A BALL ONE 
 MU/ DANCE40 ,HE /EPP$ =W>D 9 ! DIRECTION ,PI]RE 9DICAT$4 ,! 
 DESPAIR+1 DEJECT$ EXPRESSION ( ,NATA%A'S FACE CAU<T HIS EYE4 ,HE 
 RECOGNIZ$ H]1 GUESS$ H] FEEL+S1 SAW ?AT IT WAS H] DEBUT1 
 REMEMB]$ H] CONV]SATION AT ! W9D[1 & ) AN EXPRESSION ( 
 PLEASURE ON HIS FACE APPROA*$ ,C\NTESS ,RO/OVA4 

0,ALL[ ME TO 9TRODUCE Y\ TO MY DAU<T]10 SAID ! C\NTESS1 ) 
 HEI<T5$ COLOR4 

0,I HAVE ! PLEASURE ( BE+ ALREADY ACQUA9T$1 IF ! C\NTESS 
 REMEMB]S ME10 SAID ,PR9CE ,&REW ) A L[ & C\RTE\S B[ QUITE 
 BELY+ ,P]ONSKAYA'S REM>KS AB\T HIS RUD5ESS1 & APPROA*+ ,NATA%A 
 HE HELD \T HIS >M TO GRASP H] WAI/ BE=E HE HAD COMPLET$ HIS 
 9VITATION4 ,HE ASK$ H] TO WALTZ4 ,?AT TREMUL\S EXPRESSION ON ,NATA%A'S 
 FACE1 PREP>$ EI!R = DESPAIR OR RAPTURE1 SUDD5LY BRI<T5$ 9TO A 
 HAPPY1 GRATEFUL1 *ILDLIKE SMILE4 

0,I HAVE LONG BE5 WAIT+ = Y\10 ?AT FRI<T5$ HAPPY LITTLE GIRL 
 SEEM$ TO SAY BY ! SMILE ?AT REPLAC$ ! ?REAT5$ TE>S1 AS %E 
 RAIS$ H] H& TO ,PR9CE ,&REW'S %\LD]4 ,!Y W]E ! SECOND C\PLE 
 TO 5T] ! CIRCLE4 ,PR9CE ,&REW WAS ONE ( ! BE/ DANC]S ( HIS DAY 
 & ,NATA%A DANC$ EXQUISITELY4 ,H] LITTLE FEET 9 !IR :ITE SAT9 
 DANC+ %OES DID !IR WORK SWIFTLY1 LI<TLY1 & 9DEP5D5TLY ( 
 H]SELF1 :ILE H] FACE BEAM$ ) EC/ATIC HAPP9ESS4 ,H] SL5D] B>E 
 >MS & NECK W]E NOT BEAUTIFUL--COMP>$ TO ,HEL5E'S H] %\LD]S 
 LOOK$ ?9 & H] BOSOM UNDEVELOP$4 ,BUT ,HEL5E SEEM$1 AS IT W]E1 
 H>D5$ BY A V>NI% LEFT BY ! ?\S&S ( LOOKS ?AT HAD SCANN$ H] 
 P]SON1 :ILE ,NATA%A WAS LIKE A GIRL EXPOS$ = ! FIR/ TIME1 :O 
 W\LD HAVE FELT V]Y MU* A%AM$ HAD %E NOT BE5 ASSUR$ ?AT ?IS WAS 
 ABSOLUTELY NECESS>Y4 

,PR9CE ,&REW LIK$ DANC+1 & WI%+ TO ESCAPE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE 
 FROM ! POLITICAL & CLEV] TALK :I* EV]YONE ADDRESS$ TO HIM1 
 WI%+ ALSO TO BREAK UP ! CIRCLE ( RE/RA9T HE DISLIK$1 CAUS$ BY 
 ! ,EMP]OR'S PRES5CE1 HE DANC$1 & HAD *OS5 ,NATA%A BECAUSE ,PI]RE 
 PO9T$ H] \T TO HIM & BECAUSE %E WAS ! FIR/ PRETTY GIRL :O 
 CAU<T HIS EYE2 BUT SC>CELY HAD HE EMBRAC$ ?AT SL5D] SUPPLE FIGURE 
 & FELT H] /IRR+ SO CLOSE TO HIM & SMIL+ SO NE> HIM ?AN ! 
 W9E ( H] *>M ROSE TO HIS HEAD1 & HE FELT HIMSELF REVIV$ & 
 REJUV5AT$ :5 AFT] LEAV+ H] HE /OOD BREA?+ DEEPLY & WAT*+ 
 ! O!R DANC]S4 

,FROM 3 ,GUT5B]G4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,NOVEMB] #c1 #ahfh 3 ,BOOK #f1 ,*APT] #af -- ,PUBLICATION4 
,FEBRU>Y #a#a1 #bag 3 ,BOOK #f1 ,*APT] #af -- ,ADD$4 

 FILE G5]AT$ FROM 3  
HTTP3_/_/REVOLTLIB4COM_/