Pagina 197 de 3800

"Just look at the master! A regular eagle he is!" loudly remarked

the nurse, as she stood in one of the doorways.

The count danced well and knew it. But his partner could not and

did not want to dance well. Her enormous figure stood erect, her

powerful arms hanging down (she had handed her reticule to the

countess), and only her stern but handsome face really joined in

the dance. What was expressed by the whole of the count's plump

figure, in Marya Dmitrievna found expression only in her more and

more beaming face and quivering nose. But if the count, getting

more and more into the swing of it, charmed the spectators by the

unexpectedness of his adroit maneuvers and the agility with which

he capered about on his light feet, Marya Dmitrievna produced no

less impression by slight exertions-the least effort to move her

shoulders or bend her arms when turning, or stamp her foot-which

everyone appreciated in view of her size and habitual severity.

The dance grew livelier and livelier. The other couples could not

attract a moment's attention to their own evolutions and did not

even try to do so.