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AFTER THE DANCE
〃AND you say that a man cannot； of himself；
understand what is good and evil； that it is all
environment； that the environment swamps the
man。 But I believe it is all chance。 Take my
own case 。 。 。〃
Thus spoke our excellent friend； Ivan Vasilie…
vich； after a conversation between us on the impos…
sibility of improving individual character without
a change of the conditions under which men live。
Nobody had actually said that one could not of
oneself understand good and evil； but it was a
habit of Ivan Vasilievich to answer in this way the
thoughts aroused in his own mind by conversation；
and to illustrate those thoughts by relating inci…
dents in his own life。 He often quite forgot the
reason for his story in telling it； but he always told
it with great sincerity and feeling。
He did so now。
〃Take my own case。 My whole life was
moulded； not by environment； but by something
quite different。〃
〃By what； then？〃 we asked。
〃Oh； that is a long story。 I should have to
tell you about a great many things to make you
understand。〃
〃Well； tell us then。〃
Ivan Vasilievich thought a little； and shook his
head。
〃My whole life；〃 he said； 〃was changed in one
night； or； rather； morning。〃
〃Why； what happened？〃 one of us asked。
〃What happened was that I was very much in
love。 I have been in love many times； but this
was the most serious of all。 It is a thing of the
past； she has married daughters now。 It was
Varinka B 〃 Ivan Vasilievich mentioned her
surname。 〃Even at fifty she is remarkably hand…
some； but in her youth； at eighteen； she was ex…
quisitetall； slender； graceful； and stately。 Yes；
stately is the word； she held herself very erect； by
instinct as it were； and carried her head high； and
that together with her beauty and height gave her
a queenly air in spite of being thin； even bony one
might say。 It might indeed have been deterring
had it not been for her smile； which was always
gay and cordial； and for the charming light in
her eyes and for her youthful sweetness。〃
〃What an entrancing description you give； Ivan
Vasilievich！〃
〃Description； indeed！ I could not possibly de…
scribe her so that you could appreciate her。 But
that does not matter； what I am going to tell you
happened in the forties。 I was at that time a
student in a provincial university。 I don't know
whether it was a good thing or no； but we had no
political clubs； no theories in our universities then。
We were simply young and spent our time as young
men do； studying and amusing ourselves。 I was a
very gay； lively； careless fellow； and had plenty of
money too。 I had a fine horse； and used to go
tobogganing with the young ladies。 Skating had
not yet come into fashion。 I went to drinking
parties with my comradesin those days we
drank nothing but champagneif we had no
champagne we drank nothing at all。 We never
drank vodka； as they do now。 Evening parties
and balls were my favourite amusements。 I
danced well； and was not an ugly fellow。〃
〃Come； there is no need to be modest；〃 inter…
rupted a lady near him。 〃We have seen your
photograph。 Not ugly； indeed！ You were a
handsome fellow。〃
〃Handsome； if you like。 That does not mat…
ter。 When my love for her was at its strongest；
on the last day of the carnival； I was at a ball at
the provincial marshal's； a good…natured old man；
rich and hospitable； and a court chamberlain。 The
guests were welcomed by his wife； who was as
good…natured as himself。 She was dressed in
puce…coloured velvet； and had a diamond diadem
on her forehead； and her plump； old white shoul…
ders and bosom were bare like the portraits of
Empress Elizabeth； the daughter of Peter the
Great。
〃It was a delightful ball。 It was a splendid
room； with a gallery for the orchestra； which was
famous at the time； and consisted of serfs belong…
ing to a musical landowner。 The refreshments
were magnificent； and the champagne flowed in
rivers。 Though I was fond of champagne I did
not drink that night； because without it I was
drunk with love。 But I made up for it by danc…
ing waltzes and polkas till I was ready to drop
of course； whenever possible； with Varinka。 She
wore a white dress with a pink sash； white shoes；
and white kid gloves； which did not quite reach to
her thin pointed elbows。 A disgusting engineer
named Anisimov robbed me of the mazurka with
herto this day I cannot forgive him。 He asked
her for the dance the minute she arrived； while
I had driven to the hair…dresser's to get a pair of
gloves； and was late。 So I did not dance the
mazurka with her； but with a German girl to whom
I had previously paid a little attention； but I am
afraid I did not behave very politely to her that
evening。 I hardly spoke or looked at her； and saw
nothing but the tall； slender figure in a white dress；
with a pink sash； a flushed； beaming； dimpled
face； and sweet； kind eyes。 I was not alone； they
were all looking at her with admiration； the men
and women alike； although she outshone all of
them。 They could not help admiring her。
〃Although I was not nominally her partner for
the mazurka； I did as a matter of fact dance nearly
the whole time with her。 She always came for…
ward boldly the whole length of the room to pick
me out。 I flew to meet her without waiting to be
chosen； and she thanked me with a smile for my
intuition。 When I was brought up to her with
somebody else； and she guessed wrongly； she took
the other man's hand with a shrug of her slim
shoulders； and smiled at me regretfully。
〃Whenever there was a waltz figure in the
mazurka； I waltzed with her for a long time； and
breathing fast and smiling； she would say； 'En…
core'； and I went on waltzing and waltzing； as
though unconscious of any bodily existence。〃
〃Come now； how could you be unconscious of
it with your arm round her waist？ You must
have been conscious； not only of your own exist…
ence； but of hers；〃 said one of the party。
Ivan Vasilievich cried out； almost shouting in
anger： 〃 There you are； moderns all over！ Now…
adays you think of nothing but the body。 It was
different in our day。 The more I was in love the
less corporeal was she in my eyes。 Nowadays you
think of nothing but the body。 It was different
in our day。 The more I was in love the less cor…
poreal was she in my eyes。 Nowadays you set
legs； ankles； and I don't know what。 You undress
the women you are in love with。 In my eyes； as
Alphonse Karr saidand he was a good writer
'the one I loved was always draped in robes of
bronze。' We never thought of doing so； we tried
to veil her nakedness； like Noah's good…natured
son。 Oh； well； you can't understand。〃
〃Don't pay any attention to him。 Go on；〃 said
one of them。
〃Well； I danced for the most part with her；
and did not notice how time was passing。 The
musicians kept playing the same mazurka tunes
over and over again in desperate exhaustionyou
know what it is towards the end of a ball。 Papas
and mammas were already getting up from the
card…tables in the drawing…room in expectation of
supper； the men…servants were running to and
fro bringing in t