Dave Malloy
The Ball
[ANATOLE]
Waiting at the door
Waiting at the door, waiting
Waiting at the door
Waiting at the door, waiting

Oh, how I adore little girls
They lose their heads at once!

(The ball begins; they dance.)

[NATASHA]
I am seized by feelings of vanity and fear
There is no barrier between us
Whispers and moans, and ringing in my ear
There is no barrier between us

Divine, delicious, but I do not see or hear anything
I'm borne away to a senseless world
So strange, so remote
I don't know good from bad
Anatole
Anatole
I'm so frightened

[ANATOLE]
You are enchanting
{NATASHA]
And as we danced
He pressed my waist and hand
And told me I was

[NATASHA & ANATOLE]
Bewitching

[ANATOLE]
And I love you

[NATASHA & ANATOLE]
Bewitching

[ANATOLE]
And I love you

NATASHA
And during the ecossaise, he

NATASHA (& ANATOLE)
Gazed/(Gaze) in my eyes

NATASHA
And said nothing, just
NATASHA (& ANATOLE)
Gazed/(Gaze) in my eyes

NATASHA
My frightened eyes

Such confident tenderness
I could not say what I had to say

[ANATOLE]
Don't lower your eyes
I love you
I am in love, dear
I am in love

Gaze in my eyes
I love you
You are bewitching
What can I do
Darling, what can I do?

[NATASHA]
Don't say such things
I am betrothed
I love another
[ANATOLE]
Don't speak to me of that!
When I tell you that I am madly, madly in love with you!
Is it my fault that you're enchanting?

[NATASHA]
I'm so frightened
I don't understand anything tonight

[ANATOLE]
I'm here now

(Natasha breaks away.)

[ANATOLE]
Natalie!

[NATASHA]
I can feel your eyes upon me

[ANATOLE]
Blocking her path, I bring here face close to mine

[NATASHA]
His large, glittering, masculine eyes are so close to mine
That I see nothing else

[ANATOLE]
Is it possible that I should never see you again?
I love you madly!
Can I never?
Natalie?

[NATASHA]
You press my arm

[ANATOLE]
Natalie?

[NATASHA]
You're hurting my hands!

[ANATOLE]
Natalie?

[NATASHA]
I don't understand
I have nothing to say

(They kiss.)

[NATASHA]
Burning lips pressed to mine
Tell me what just happened
I'm trembling
So frightening

Andrey

But I love you
Of that there is no doubt
How else could all of this have happened?
How else could we have kissed?
It means that I have loved you from the first
It means that you are kind
Noble and splendid
And I could not help loving you

I will love you, Anatole
I'll do anything for you

[NATASHA & ANATOLE]
I'll do anything for you