Texts
Book 8 References
You know, I adore little girls, they lose their heads at once, pursued Anatole.
Anatole was at the door, evidently on the lookout for the Rostóvs.
As soon as she saw him she was seized by the same feeling she had had at the opera—gratified vanity at his admiration of her and fear at the absence of a moral barrier between them.
Adorable! divine! delicious! was heard from every side. Natásha looked at the fat actress, but neither saw nor heard nor understood anything of what went on before her. She only felt herself again completely borne away into this strange senseless world—so remote from her old world—a world in which it was impossible to know what was good or bad, reasonable or senseless. Behind her sat Anatole, and conscious of his proximity she experienced a frightened sense of expectancy.
He said this at a moment when she alone could hear him. You are enchanting... from the moment I saw you I have never ceased...
Anatole asked Natásha for a valse and as they danced he pressed her waist and hand and told her she was bewitching and that he loved her. During the écossaise, which she also danced with him, Anatole said nothing when they happened to be by themselves, but merely gazed at her. Natásha lifted her frightened eyes to him, but there was such confident tenderness in his affectionate look and smile that she could not, whilst looking at him, say what she had to say. She lowered her eyes.
Don’t say such things to me. I am betrothed and love another, she said rapidly.... She glanced at him.
Don’t speak to me of that! What can I do? said he. I tell you I am madly, madly, in love with you! Is it my fault that you are enchanting?... It’s our turn to begin.
Natásha, animated and excited, looked about her with wide-open frightened eyes and seemed merrier than usual. She understood hardly anything that went on that evening. They danced the écossaise and the Grossvater.
I cannot come to visit you but is it possible that I shall never see you? I love you madly. Can I never...? and, blocking her path, he brought his face close to hers. His large, glittering, masculine eyes were so close to hers that she saw nothing but them. Natalie? he whispered inquiringly while she felt her hands being painfully pressed. Natalie? I don’t understand. I have nothing to say, her eyes replied.
Burning lips were pressed to hers, and at the same instant she felt herself released, and Hélène’s footsteps and the rustle of her dress were heard in the room. Natásha looked round at her, and then, red and trembling, threw a frightened look of inquiry at Anatole and moved toward the door.
She paused. She so wanted a word from him that would explain to her what had happened and to which she could find no answer.
After reaching home Natásha did not sleep all night. She was tormented by the insoluble question whether she loved Anatole or Prince Andrew. She loved Prince Andrew—she remembered distinctly how deeply she loved him. But she also loved Anatole, of that there was no doubt. Else how could all this have happened? thought she. If, after that, I could return his smile when saying good-by, if I was able to let it come to that, it means that I loved him from the first. It means that he is kind, noble, and splendid, and I could not help loving him.
The Ball
Featured Characters: ANATOLE, NATASHA
[ANATOLE]
Waiting at the door
Waiting at the
door, waiting
Waiting at the door
Waiting at the door,
waiting
Oh, how I adore little girls
They lose their heads at
once!
The ball begins; they dance.
[NATASHA]
I am seized by feelings of vanity and
fear
There is no barrier between us
Whispers and moans, and ringing in my ear
There is no barrier
between us
[NATASHA]
Divine, delicious, but I do not see or hear anything
I'm borne away to a senseless world
So strange, so remote
I don't
know good from bad
Anatole
Anatole
I'm so frightened
[ANATOLE]
You are enchanting
[NATASHA]
And as we danced
He pressed my waist and hand
And told me I was
[NATASHA, ANATOLE]
Bewitching
[ANATOLE]
And I love you
[NATASHA, ANATOLE]
Bewitching
[ANATOLE]
And I love you
[NATASHA]
And during the ecossaise, he
[NATASHA, ANATOLE]
Gazed/(Gaze) in my eyes
[NATASHA]
And said nothing, just
[NATASHA, ANATOLE]
Gazed/(Gaze) in my eyes
[NATASHA]
My frightened eyes
Such confident tenderness
I
could not say what I had to say
[ANATOLE]
Don't lower your eyes
I love you
I
am in love, dear
I am in love
Gaze in my eyes
I love you
You are bewitching
What can I do
Darling, what can I do?
[NATASHA]
Don't say such things
I am betrothed
I love
another
[ANATOLE]
Don't speak to me of that!
When I tell you that I am
madly, madly in love with you!
Is it my fault that you're
enchanting?
[NATASHA]
I'm so frightened
I don't understand anything
tonight
[ANATOLE]
I'm here now
Natasha breaks away.
[ANATOLE]
Natalie!
[NATASHA]
I can feel your eyes upon me
[ANATOLE]
Blocking her path, I bring her face
close to mine
[NATASHA]
His large, glittering, masculine eyes are so close to
mine
That I see nothing else
[ANATOLE]
Is it possible that I should never see you again?
I
love you madly!
Can I never?
Natalie?
[NATASHA]
You press my arm
[ANATOLE]
Natalie?
[NATASHA]
You're hurting my hands!
[ANATOLE]
Natalie?
[NATASHA]
I don't understand
I have nothing to say
They kiss.
[NATASHA]
Burning lips pressed to mine
Tell me what just happened
I'm trembling
So frightening
Andrey
But I love you
Of that there is no doubt
How
else could all of this have happened?
How else could we have
kissed?
It means that I have loved you from the first
It means that
you are kind
Noble and splendid
And I could not help loving
you
I will love you, Anatole
I'll do anything for you
[NATASHA, ANATOLE]
I'll do anything for you