War and Peace Volume 1 Book 3 Chapter 2

In which the weary machinations of society conspire to unite a masque of appearances and affections, drawing the hesitant Pierre into a commitment that seems both inevitable and far beyond his restless grasp. The evening’s celebration, sparkling with gaiety and whispers, becomes a solemn stage on which youthful hearts, shadowed with doubt and frivolity, are compelled to step into their predetermined fate.