The ball was only just beginning as Kitty and her mother walked up the great staircase, flooded with light, and lined with flowers and footmen in powder and red coats. From the rooms came a constant, steady hum, as from a hive, and the rustle1 of movement; and while on the landing between trees they gave last touches to their hair and dresses before the mirror, they heard from the ballroom2 the careful, distinct notes of the fiddles3 of the orchestra beginning the first waltz. A little old man in civilian4 dress, arranging his gray curls before another mirror, and diffusing5 an odor of scent6, stumbled against them on the stairs, and stood aside, evidently admiring Kitty, whom he did not know. A beardless youth, one of those society youths whom the old Prince Shtcherbatsky called "young bucks," in an exceedingly open waistcoat, straightening his white tie as he went, bowed to them, and after running by, came back to ask Kitty for a quadrille. As the first quadrille had already been given to Vronsky, she had to promise this youth the second. An officer, buttoning his glove, stood aside in the doorway7, and stroking his mustache, admired rosy8 Kitty.
Although her dress, her coiffure, and all the preparations for the ball had cost Kitty great trouble and consideration, at this moment she walked into the ballroom in her elaborate tulle dress over a pink slip as easily and simply as though all the rosettes and lace, all the minute details of her attire9, had not cost her or her family a moment's attention, as though she had been born in that tulle and lace, with her hair done up high on her head, and a rose and two leaves on the top of it.
When, just before entering the ballroom, the princess, her mother, tried to turn right side out of the ribbon of her sash, Kitty had drawn10 back a little. She felt that everything must be right of itself, and graceful11, and nothing could need setting straight.
It was one of Kitty's best days. Her dress was not uncomfortable anywhere; her lace berthe did not droop12 anywhere; her rosettes were not crushed nor torn off; her pink slippers13 with high, hollowed-out heels did not pinch, but gladdened her feet; and the thick rolls of fair chignon kept up on her head as if they were her own hair. All the three buttons buttoned up without tearing on the long glove that covered her hand without concealing14 its lines. The black velvet15 of her locket nestled with special softness round her neck. That velvet was delicious; at home, looking at her neck in the looking glass, Kitty had felt that that velvet was speaking. About all the rest there might be a doubt, but the velvet was delicious. Kitty smiled here too, at the ball, when she glanced at it in the glass. Her bare shoulders and arms gave Kitty a sense of chill marble, a feeling she particularly liked. Her eyes sparkled, and her rosy lips could not keep from smiling from the consciousness of her own attractiveness. She had scarcely entered the ballroom and reached the throng16 of ladies, all tulle, ribbons, lace, and flowers, waiting to be asked to dance--Kitty was never one of that throng--when she was asked for a waltz, and asked by the best partner, the first star in the hierarchy17 of the ballroom, a renowned18 director of dances, a married man, handsome and well-built, Yegorushka Korsunsky. He had only just left the Countess Bonina, with whom he had danced the first half of the waltz, and, scanning his kingdom--that is to say, a few couples who had started dancing--he caught sight of Kitty, entering, and flew up to her with that peculiar19, easy amble20 which is confined to directors of balls. Without even asking her if she cared to dance, he put out his arm to encircle her slender waist. She looked round for someone to give her fan to, and their hostess, smiling to her, took it.
"How nice you've come in good time," he said to her, embracing her waist; "such a bad habit to be late." Bending her left hand, she laid it on his shoulder, and her little feet in their pink slippers began swiftly, lightly, and rhythmically21 moving over the slippery floor in time to the music.
"It's a rest to waltz with you," he said to her, as they fell into the first slow steps of the waltz. "It's exquisite22--such lightness, precision." He said to her the same thing he said to almost all his partners whom he knew well.
She smiled at his praise, and continued to look about the room over his shoulder. She was not like a girl at her first ball, for whom all faces in the ballroom melt into one vision of fairyland. And she was not a girl who had gone the stale round of balls till every face in the ballroom was familiar and tiresome23. But she was in the middle stage between these two; she was excited, and at the same time she had sufficient self-possession to be able to observe. In the left corner of the ballroom she saw the cream of society gathered together. There--incredibly naked--was the beauty Lidi, Korsunsky's wife; there was the lady of the house; there shone the bald head of Krivin, always to be found where the best people were. In that direction gazed the young men, not venturing to approach. There, too, she descried24 Stiva, and there she saw the exquisite figure and head of Anna in a black velvet gown. And HE was there. Kitty had not seen him since the evening she refused Levin. With her long-sighted eyes, she knew him at once, and was even aware that he was looking at her.
"Another turn, eh? You're not tired?" said Korsunsky, a little out of breath.
"No, thank you!"
"Where shall I take you?"
"Madame Karenina's here, I think...take me to her."
"Wherever you command."
And Korsunsky began waltzing with measured steps straight towards the group in the left corner, continually saying, "Pardon, mesdames, pardon, pardon, mesdames"; and steering25 his course through the sea of lace, tulle, and ribbon, and not disarranging a feather, he turned his partner sharply round, so that her slim ankles, in light transparent26 stockings, were exposed to view, and her train floated out in fan shape and covered Krivin's knees. Korsunky bowed, set straight his open shirt front, and gave her his arm to conduct her to Anna Arkadyevna. Kitty, flushed, took her train from Krivin's knees, and, a little giddy, looked round, seeking Anna. Anna was not in lilac, as Kitty had so urgently wished, but in a black, low-cut, velvet gown, showing her full throat and shoulders, that looked as though carved in old ivory, and her rounded arms, with tiny, slender wrists. The whole gown was trimmed with Venetian guipure. On her head, among her black hair--her own, with no false additions--was a little wreath of pansies, and a bouquet27 of the same in the black ribbon of her sash among white lace. Her coiffure was not striking. All that was noticeable was the little wilful28 tendrils of her curly hair that would always break free about her neck and temples. Round her well-cut, strong neck was a thread of pearls.
Kitty had been seeing Anna every day; she adored her, and had pictured her invariably in lilac. But now seeing her in black, she felt that she had not fully29 seen her charm. She saw her now as someone quite new and surprising to her. Now she understood that Anna could not have been in lilac, and that her charm was just that she always stood out against her attire, that her dress could never be noticeable on her. And her black dress, with its sumptuous30 lace, was not noticeable on her; it was only the frame, and all that was seen was she--simple, natural, elegant, and at the same time gay and eager.
She was standing31 holding herself, as always, very erect32, and when Kitty drew near the group she was speaking to the master of the house, her head slightly turned towards him.
"No, I don't throw stones," she was saying, in answer to something, "though I can't understand it," she went on, shrugging her shoulders, and she turned at once with a soft smile of protection towards Kitty. With a flying, feminine glance she scanned her attire, and made a movement of her head, hardly perceptible, but understood by Kitty, signifying approval of her dress and her looks. "You came into the room dancing," she added.
"This is one of my most faithful supporters," said Korsunsky, bowing to Anna Arkadyevna, whom he had not yet seen. "The princess helps to make balls happy and successful. Anna Arkadyevna, a waltz?" he said, bending down to her.
"Why, have yo met?" inquired their host.
"Is there anyone we have not met? My wife and I are like white wolves--everyone knows us," answered Korsunsky. "A waltz, Anna Arkadyevna?"
"I don't dance when it's possible not to dance," she said.
"But tonight it's impossible," answered Korsunsky.
At that instant Vronsky came up.
"Well, since it's impossible tonight, let us start," she said, not noticing Vronsky's bow, and she hastily put her hand on Korsunsky's shoulder.
"What is she vexed33 with him about?" thought Kitty, discerning that Anna had intentionally34 not responded to Vronsky's bow. Vronsky went up to Kitty reminding her of the first quadrille, and expressing his regret that he had not seen her all this time. Kitty gazed in admiration35 at Anna waltzing, and listened to him. She expected him to ask her for a waltz, but he did not, and she glanced wonderingly at him. He flushed slightly, and hurriedly asked her to waltz, but he had only just put his arm round her waist and taken the first step when the music suddenly stopped. Kitty looked into his face, which was so close to her own, and long afterwards--for several years after--that look, full of love, to which he made no response, cut her to the heart with an agony of shame.
"Pardon! pardon! Waltz! waltz!" shouted Korsunsky from the other side of the room, and seizing the first young lady he came across he began dancing himself.
收听单词发音 |
1
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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ballroom
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| n.舞厅 | |
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fiddles
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| n.小提琴( fiddle的名词复数 )；欺诈；（需要运用手指功夫的）细巧活动；当第二把手v.伪造( fiddle的第三人称单数 )；篡改；骗取；修理或稍作改动 | |
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civilian
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| adj.平民的，民用的，民众的 | |
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diffusing
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| （使光）模糊，漫射，漫散( diffuse的现在分词 )； （使）扩散； （使）弥漫； （使）传播 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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12
droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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13
slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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14
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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hierarchy
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| n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层 | |
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renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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amble
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| vi.缓行，漫步 | |
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rhythmically
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| adv.有节奏地 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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24
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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27
bouquet
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| n.花束，酒香 | |
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28
wilful
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| adj.任性的，故意的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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sumptuous
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| adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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33
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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34
intentionally
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| ad.故意地，有意地 | |
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35
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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