Chapter 17 Chapter Seventeen

Immediately after Prince Andrew, Boris came up to Natasha and invited her to dance, the adjutant who announced the beginning of the ball - the dancer, and some young people also came up to Natasha and invited her to dance, Nata Sarah gave up the few extra partners to Sonia, who danced all night, flushed and looking lucky.She paid no attention to, saw nothing, that there was anything at the ball that interested everyone.Not only did she fail to notice that the king had a long conversation with the French minister, he talked with a certain lady with special kindness, what did a certain crown prince do and say with a certain person, Helen was very popular, won special attention from a certain person, She didn't even see the king, and it was only when the ball became more lively after the king left that she realized that the king had gone.Before dinner, Prince Andrei danced with Natasha the merry cotyrion.He reminded her of their first meeting on the Otradnoye boulevard, and he heard her talking occasionally when she could not sleep on a moonlit night.She blushed at the mention of these past events, tried to defend her actions, and seemed a little ashamed when Prince Andrew realized that he had overheard her by accident.

Prince Andrei, like all people brought up in high society, liked to meet things in high society that were not stamped with the common brand of high society.The same was true of Natasha: she expressed surprise, delight and awe, and even made many mistakes in her French.He treated her with tenderness and caution and talked to her in the same way.Prince Andrei was sitting beside her, talking to her about the most ordinary and trivial things, and he was admiring the joyful radiance of her eyes and smile, not from what he said but from what was in her heart. Happy and smiling.When Natasha was chosen, and she stood up smiling and danced in the hall, Prince Andrei especially admired her shy and elegant gestures.In the middle of the Kodilion dance, Natasha finished her tricks and, still panting with difficulty, walked towards the front of her seat.The new partner invited her again.She was tired and out of breath, and she seemed to want to refuse, but immediately put her hand cheerfully on the shoulder of her partner, and smiled at Prince Andrew.

"I'd love to take a break and sit with you, I'm tired, but you know they're choosing me as a partner, I'm happy, I'm lucky, I love everybody, you and I know that Everything." That smile seemed to say a lot.When her partner let her go, Natasha ran across the hall and dragged her two companions to perform tricks together. "If she goes first to her cousin, and then to another companion, she will be my wife," said Prince Andrew to himself, looking at her quite unexpectedly.She went up to her cousin first. "What absurd things come to mind sometimes!" thought Prince Andrew, "but one thing is absolutely true: this girl is so lovely, so special, and she won't be dancing here for a full month." , will marry... she's a rare treasure here," he thought, as Natasha smoothed out the rose on the side of her stiff belt and sat down beside him.

When the Codyllion dance was over, the old count, in his blue tailcoat, went up to the dancers.He invited Prince Andrew to his house, and asked his daughter if she was happy?Natasha did not answer, but smiled, a reproachful smile, as if to say: "How can you ask that?" "Never have I been so happy in my life!" she said, and Prince Andrey noticed that her thin hands were quickly raised to embrace her father and then dropped again. Natasha had never been so happy in all her life. .She was in the state of extreme happiness, when a man becomes so benevolent and excellent that he does not believe that there is evil, misfortune, and sorrow in the world.

Pierre felt for the first time at this ball that he was being humiliated by the place his wife occupied in the upper classes.He looked gloomy and absent-minded.A deep furrow ran across his brow, and he stood at the window, looking forward through his spectacles, and saw no one. Natasha passed him on her way to dinner. She was startled by Pierre's sullen and sad face.She stopped opposite him.She wanted very much to help him, to give him the rest of his happiness. "Count, how merry," she said, "isn't it?" "Yes, I'm glad," he said. "How can they complain about anything?" thought Natasha, "especially a good man like Bezukhov?" In Natasha's eyes, everyone who attended the ball was equally kind and lovable. Good, excellent, they love each other, no one will make anyone else uncomfortable, so everyone should be lucky.