Tosay "tomorrow" andkeepupadignifiedtonewasnotdifficult, buttogohomealone, seehissisters, brother, mother, andfather, confessandaskformoneyhehadnorighttoaftergivinghiswordofhonor, wasterrible.

Athome, , afterreturningfromthetheater, , hewasenfoldedinthatpoeticatmosphereoflovewhichpervadedtheRostovhouseholdthatwinterand, nowafterDolokhov'sproposalandIogel'sball, , inthelight-bluedressestheyhadwornatthetheater, lookingprettyandconsciousofit, werestandingbytheclavichord, , waitingforthereturnofherhusbandandson, , withsparklingeyesandruffledhair, satattheclavichordstrikingchordswithhisshortfingers, hislegsthrownbackandhiseyesrollingashesang, withhissmall, husky, buttruevoice, someversescalled "Enchantress," whichhehadcomposed, andtowhichhewastryingtofitmusic:

Enchantress, say, tomyforsakenlyre

Whatmagicpoweristhisrecallsmestill?

Whatsparkhassetmyinmostsoulonfire,

Whatisthisblissthatmakesmyfingersthrill?

Hewassinginginpassionatetones, gazingwithhissparklingblack-agateeyesatthefrightenedandhappyNatasha.

"Splendid! Excellent!" exclaimedNatasha."Anotherverse," shesaid, withoutnoticingNicholas.

"Everything'sstillthesamewiththem," thoughtNicholas, glancingintothedrawingroom, wherehesawVeraandhismotherwiththeoldlady.

"Ah, andhere'sNicholas!" criedNatasha, runninguptohim.

"IsPapaathome?" heasked.

"Iamsogladyou'vecome!" saidNatasha, withoutansweringhim."Weareenjoyingourselves! VasiliDmitrichisstayingadaylongerformysake! Didyouknow?"

"No, Papaisnotbackyet," saidSonya.