"How's that?"
"Life will teach you. There are many feelings that will raise you above this earth; never fear, the wings will come to you."
"Have you had any?"
"What shall I say? I don't think that I have taken wing so far."
Annouchka became thoughtful once more. I was leaning over her.
"Can you waltz?" she said to me suddenly.
"Yes," I replied, a little surprised at the question.
"Then come quickly; come. I am going to beg my brother to play us a waltz. We will pretend that the wings have appeared, and that we are flying into space."
She ran towards the house. I quickly followed her, and a few moments had hardly elapsed before we were whirling about the narrow room, to the sounds of a waltz of Lanner's. Annouchka danced with much grace and animation. I do not know what womanly charm suddenly appeared upon her girlish face. Long afterwards the charm of her slender figure still lingered about my hand; for a long time I felt her quick breathing near me, and I dreamed of her dark eyes, motionless and half closed, with her face animated, though pale, about which waved the curls of her sweet hair.