h the performance was proceeding, he walked
deliberately down the carpeted gangway, his sword and spurs slightly
jingling and his handsome perfumed head held high. Having looked at
Natasha he approached his sister, laid his well gloved hand on the edge
of her box, nodded to her, and leaning forward asked a question, with a
motion toward Natasha.

"Mais charmante!" said he, evidently referring to Natasha, who did not
exactly hear his words but understood them from the movement of his
lips. Then he took his place in the first row of the stalls and sat down
beside Dolokhov, nudging with his elbow in a friendly and offhand way
that Dolokhov whom others treated so fawningly. He winked at him gaily,
smiled, and rested his foot against the orchestra screen.

"How like the brother is to the sister," remarked the count. "And how
handsome they both are!"

Shinshin, lowering his voice, began to tell the count of some intrigue
of Kuragin's in Moscow, and Natasha tried to overhear it just because he
had said she was "charmante."

The first act was over. In the stalls everyone began moving about, going
out and coming in.

Boris came to the Rostovs' box, received their congratulations very
simply, and raising his eyebrows with an absent-minded smile conveyed
to Natasha and Sonya his fiancee's invitation to her wedding, and
went away. Natasha with a gay, coquettish smile talked to him, and
congratulated on his approaching wedding that same Boris with whom she
had formerly been in love. In the state of intoxication she was in,
everything seemed simple and natural.

The scantily clad Helene smiled at everyone in the same way, and Natasha
gave Boris a similar smile.

Helene's box was filled and surrounded from the stalls by the most
distinguished and intellectual men, who seemed to vie with one another
in their wish to let everyone see that they knew her.

During the whole of that entr'acte Kuragin stood with Dolokhov in front
of the orchestra partition, looking at the Rostovs' box. Natasha knew he
was talking about her and this afforded her pleasure. She even turned so
that he should see her profile in what she thought was its most becoming
aspect. Before the beginning of the second act Pierre appeared in the
stalls. The Rostovs had not seen him since their arrival. His face
looked sad, and he had grown still stouter since Natasha last saw him.
He passed up to the front rows, not noticing anyone. Anatole went up to
him and bega