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Scenes From a Ball

Cambridge's Second Annual Inaugural Ball

NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED

... The dance grew livelier and livelier. The other couples could not attract a moment's attention to themselves and did not even try to do so. All were watching the count and Marya Dmitrievna. Natasha kept pulling everyone by the sleeve or dress, urging them to "look at Papa!" thought as it was they never took their eyes off the couple. In the intervals of the dance the count, breathing deeply, waved and shouted to the musicians to play faster. Faster, faster, faster; lightly, more lightly, and yet more lightly whirled the count, flying round Marya Dmitrievna, now on his toes, now on his heels; until, turning his partner round to her seat, he executed the final pas, raising his soft foot backwards, bowing his perspiring head, smiling and making a wide sweep with his arm amid a thunder of applause and laughter led by Natasha. Both partners stood still, breathing heavily and wiping their faces with their cambric handkerchiefs.

"That's how we used to dance in our time, ma cher," said the count.

"That was a Daniel Cooper!" exclaimed Marya Dmitrievna, tucking up her sleeves and puffing heavily.

--Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace

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