Anna Karenina Page #11

and Hostess are positioned to welcome each guest. Dancing has started-- a

waltz.

Kitty and her parents enter the ballroom and are received by their hosts.

Everything has come together for Kitty--her dress, her hair, her skin, her

moment. She radiates happiness. An Officer stands aside to let them pass,

openly admiring Kitty, smoothing his moustache. A Youth having trouble

with his white tie hurries past but turns back to Kitty.

YOUTH:

Kitty! May I have a waltz?

KITTY:

You may, Boris. I'll save you the third just

because it's your first ball.

YOUTH:

(THRILLED)

You're my first conquest.

The Master of Ceremonies, Korsunsky, arrives and without permission

sweeps her into the waltz.

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KORSUNSKY:

It's a relaxation to dance with you, Princess.

Kitty sees Anna arriving with Oblonsky and gives a little gasp at her

God-given beauty.

KORSUNSKY (CONT'D)

But back to work! Where do you want to

be taken?

KITTY:

There.

Korsunsky waltzes her brilliantly through the dancers and twirls her to

rest in front of a small group including Anna and Oblonsky-- floating

Kitty's train.

KORSUNSKY:

(BOWING)

So that your ankles may be seen.

Anna appraises Kitty at a glance and gives her a tiny nod signifying top

marks. Kitty glows.

KITTY:

How are you, Stiva?

OBLONSKY:

Thanks to Anna, I am a happy man. Would

you like to dance?

KITTY:

No, ask Anna.

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ANNA:

(DEMURS)

No . . . I don't . . .

She looks up and sees Vronsky coming straight towards her.

ANNA (CONT'D)

Come on then.

Just as Vronsky is about to bow, she takes Oblonsky's arm and he whirls

her away. Kitty smiles for Vronsky but his eyes have followed Anna, know-

ing she cut him. He remembers himself after an awkward hiatus. Kitty's

mother and father are watching from afar. Vronsky obliges. He invites her

into the waltz.

PRINCE SHCHERBATSKY

. . . this vile, idiotic matchmaking of

yours . . .

PRINCESS SHCHERBATSKY

For goodness' sake, what have I done?

PRINCE SHCHERBATSKY

Levin is a thousand times better than this

Petersburg fop. If he had royal blood my

daughter wouldn't need him!

Vronsky's mind is absent and the waltz ends after only a few steps. He

stand waiting for the music to start.

KITTY:

Is anything the matter?

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VRONSKY:

No. You look . . . as lovely as ever, Princess

Kitty.

The music starts and they dance on.

At the end of the waltz, Vronsky leaves Kitty with her mother, bows and

departs. Princess Shcherbatsky is beginning to have doubts. She starts to ask.

KITTY:

(SHARPLY)

Don't ask me, Maman!

Boris the Youth pops up to claim his dance. Dancing, Kitty sees Vronsky

talking to a couple of Officers. She is anxious but not disillusioned.

Grumpy Prince Shcherbatsky is dancing with Countess Nordston.

COUNTESS NORDSTON

He'll dance the mazurka with Kitty, you'll

see. I call the mazurka the now-or-never.

Anna watches the dancing. She rejects an offer with a smile. She sees Vron-

sky and to her discomfort Vronsky looks up and catches her looking.

She turns away at once, and notices that ladies are curtseying and men are

bowing as the Host and Hostess escort an overweight but glittering young

couple towards a decorative buffet in an adjoining salon: the Austrian

royal honeymooners . . . attended by the Guards Officer from the station.

Anna stands and curtseys as they pass by into the salon . . . where Oblonsky

is roaring with laughter, champagne in hand.

AUSTRIAN PRINCESS

. . . we were shut up in the train for an hour!

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Anna steals a sidelong glance towards Vronsky but he is no longer there.

She looks for him among the dancers, smiles at Kitty going by with the

enthusiastic, inexpert Boris.

Suddenly, Vronsky is at Anna's side.

VRONSKY:

Dance with me.

ANNA:

(CALMLY)

I am not used to being spoken to like that

by a man I met once at a railway station.

VRONSKY:

I dare say, but if I'm not to dance with you,

I'm getting out of this operetta and going

home.

ANNA:

Then, for Kitty's sake.

She gives him her hand.

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