1. This is used as the first persona view. The narator is the main charcter of the story ( Ivan) and he tells the people about his past and what happened when he first fell in love with Verenka. He refers himself as "I".

2. If it was a third perspective then we would have known what they both they felt for each other but then since it was a first person perspective, we only knew how Ivan felt but not how Varenka felt about Ivan. But if we had thrid perspective then we wouldve known what was going on their lives at the same time.

3. Well it sure did seem true because there were a lot of witnesses who saw what had happened that night, like for the father of Varenka and Ivan's elder brother. Even when the elder brother did not attend the ball but the was Ivan talked about her was enough for the brother to know that he was in love.

4. I think the author was trying to reveal at the same time conceal. Because since Ivan was a big man in the society the people wouldnt stop until they found out what had happened that night.