Texts
Book 8 References
Anatole, who was as handsome at close quarters as at a distance, sat down beside her and told her he had long wished to have this happiness—ever since the Narýshkins’ ball in fact, at which he had had the well-remembered pleasure of seeing her. Kurágin was much more sensible and simple with women than among men. He talked boldly and naturally, and Natásha was strangely and agreeably struck by the fact that there was nothing formidable in this man about whom there was so much talk, but that on the contrary his smile was most naïve, cheerful, and good-natured.
Kurágin asked her opinion of the performance and told her how at a previous performance Semënova had fallen down on the stage.
And do you know, Countess, he said, suddenly addressing her as an old, familiar acquaintance, we are getting up a costume tournament; you ought to take part in it! It will be great fun. We shall all meet at the Karágins’! Please come! No! Really, eh? said he.
While saying this he never removed his smiling eyes from her face, her neck, and her bare arms. Natásha knew for certain that he was enraptured by her. This pleased her, yet his presence made her feel constrained and oppressed. When she was not looking at him she felt that he was looking at her shoulders, and she involuntarily caught his eye so that he should look into hers rather than this. But looking into his eyes she was frightened, realizing that there was not that barrier of modesty she had always felt between herself and other men. She did not know how it was that within five minutes she had come to feel herself terribly near to this man. When she turned away she feared he might seize her from behind by her bare arm and kiss her on the neck. They spoke of most ordinary things, yet she felt that they were closer to one another than she had ever been to any man.
During one of these moments of awkward silence when Anatole’s prominent eyes were gazing calmly and fixedly at her, Natásha, to break the silence, asked him how he liked Moscow.
At first I did not like it much, because what makes a town pleasant ce sont les jolies femmes, * isn’t that so? But now I like it very much indeed, he said, looking at her significantly. You’ll come to the costume tournament, Countess? Do come! and putting out his hand to her bouquet and dropping his voice, he added, You will be the prettiest there. Do come, dear countess, and give me this flower as a pledge!
She smiled just as he was doing, gazing straight into his eyes. And again she felt with horror that no barrier lay between him and her.
Natasha and Anatole
Featured Characters: NATASHA, ANATOLE
[ANATOLE]
I have long wished to have this happiness
Ever since
the Naryshkins’ ball
Where I had the well-remembered pleasure of seeing
you
How do you like the performance?
Last week Semenova
fell down on the stage
[NATASHA]
He is sensible and simple
Bold and natural
So
strange and agreeable
There is nothing formidable
His smile is most
naive
Cheerful and good-natured
And he’s as handsome up close as at a distance
And he’s as handsome
up close as at a distance
[ANATOLE]
And do you know, Natasha
We are having a costume
tournament soon
You ought to come, please come!
[NATASHA]
Oh—
[ANATOLE]
You ought to come, please come!
[NATASHA]
Oh, I—
[ANATOLE]
And I never remove my smiling eyes
From your face,
your neck, your bare arms
And I never remove my smiling eyes
From your face, your neck, your bare arms
[NATASHA]
I know for certain that he is taken by me
I know for
certain that he is enraptured by me
I feel him looking at my
shoulders
My face, my neck, my bare arms
[ANATOLE]
And I look you in the eye
[ANATOLE, NATASHA]
And I look you in the eye
[NATASHA]
And looking into his eyes
I am
frightened
There’s not that barrier of modesty
I’ve always felt with
men
I feel so terribly near
I fear that he may seize me from
behind
And kiss me on the neck
[NATASHA]
How do you like Moscow?
[ANATOLE]
At first I did not like it much
Because what makes a
town pleasant
Ce sont les jolies femmes
Isn’t that so?
But
now I like it very much indeed
Do come to the costume tournament
Countess
Do come!
You will be the prettiest there
You will be
the prettiest there
Do come, dear Countess, and give me this flower as a
pledge
We are speaking of most ordinary things
[NATASHA]
Yet I feel closer to you than I’ve ever felt with any other
man
No one else is here
No one else can see us
Your eyes
Your eyes
Your eyes
Oh your eyes
[ANATOLE]
It’s all right, Natasha, I’m here
[ANATOLE, NATASHA]
So near
Nothing between us
Smile at me
There is nothing between us