AfterPrinceAndrew, BoriscameuptoaskNatashaforadance, andthentheaide-decampwhohadopenedtheball, andseveralotheryoungmen, sothat, flushedandhappy, andpassingonhersuperfluouspartnerstoSonya, , andhowparticularlygracioushewastoacertainlady, orthatPrinceSo-and-soandSo-and-sodidandsaidthisandthat, andthatHelenehadgreatsuccessandwashonoredbythespecialattentionofSo-and-so, butshedidnotevenseetheEmperor, , andhowshehadbeenunabletosleepthatmoonlightnight, , asiftherehadbeensomethingtobeashamedofinwhatPrinceAndrewhadoverheard.
Likeallmenwhohavegrownupinsociety, , withhersurprise, herdelight, hershyness, , sittingbesideherandtalkingofthesimplestandmostunimportantmatters; , havingcompletedoneofthefigures, Natasha, stilloutofbreath, , butimmediatelyputherhandgailyontheman'sshoulder, smilingatPrinceAndrew.
"I'dbegladtositbesideyouandrest: I'mtired; butyouseehowtheykeepaskingme, andI'mgladofit, I'mhappyandIloveeverybody, andyouandIunderstanditall," andmuch, .
"Ifshegoestohercousinfirstandthentoanotherlady, shewillbemywife," saidPrinceAndrewtohimselfquitetohisownsurprise, .
"Whatrubbishsometimesentersone'shead!" thoughtPrinceAndrew, "butwhatiscertainisthatthatgirlissocharming, sooriginal, thatshewon'tbedancinghereamonthbeforeshewillbemarried....Suchasshearerarehere," hethought, asNatasha, readjustingarosethatwasslippingonherbodice, settledherselfbesidehim.
, : "Howcanyouasksuchaquestion?"
"Ihaveneverenjoyedmyselfsomuchbefore!" shesaid, , unhappiness, orsorrow.
, andstandingbyawindowhestaredoverhisspectaclesseeingnoone.
OnherwaytosupperNatashapassedhim.
Pierre'sgloomy, , tobestowonhimthesuperabundanceofherownhappiness.
"Howdelightfulitis, Count!" saidshe."Isn'tit?"
Pierresmiledabsent-mindedly, evidentlynotgraspingwhatshesaid.
"Yes, Iamveryglad," hesaid.
"Howcanpeoplebedissatisfiedwithanything?" thoughtNatasha."EspeciallysuchacapitalfellowasBezukhov!" InNatasha'seyesallthepeopleattheballalikeweregood, kind, andsplendidpeople, lovingoneanother; noneofthemcapableofinjuringanother—andsotheyoughtalltobehappy.
