“Intolerable……Theywantmetobeapeerandaprivycouncillor。
I’vecomeoutherepartlyinordertosettlethematter。It’sgottobesettled。EitherImustgotothebar，orImuststayoninCambridge。
Ofcourse，thereareobviousdrawbackstoeach，buttheargumentscertainlydoseemtomeinfavourofCambridge。Thiskindofthing！“
hewavedhishandatthecrowdedballroom。“Repulsive。I’mconsciousofgreatpowersofaffectiontoo。I’mnotsusceptible，ofcourse，inthewayHewetis。I’mveryfondofafewpeople。Ithink，forexample，thatthere’ssomethingtobesaidformymother，thoughsheisinmanywayssodeplorable……AtCambridge，ofcourse，Ishouldinevitablybecomethemostimportantmanintheplace，butthereareotherreasonswhyIdreadCambridge——“
heceased。
“Areyoufindingmeadreadfulbore？“heasked。Hechangedcuriouslyfromafriendconfidinginafriendtoaconventionalyoungmanataparty。
“Notintheleast，“saidHelen。“Ilikeitverymuch。“
“Youcan’tthink，“heexclaimed，speakingalmostwithemotion，“whatadifferenceitmakesfindingsomeonetotalkto！
DirectlyIsawyouIfeltyoumightpossiblyunderstandme。
I’mveryfondofHewet，buthehasn’ttheremotestideawhatI’mlike。
You’retheonlywomanI’veevermetwhoseemstohavethefaintestconceptionofwhatImeanwhenIsayathing。“
Thenextdancewasbeginning；itwastheBarcarolleoutofHoffman，whichmadeHelenbeathertoeintimetoit；butshefeltthataftersuchacomplimentitwasimpossibletogetupandgo，and，besidesbeingamused，shewasreallyflattered，andthehonestyofhisconceitattractedher。Shesuspectedthathewasnothappy，andwassufficientlyfemininetowishtoreceiveconfidences。
“I’mveryold，“shesighed。
“TheoddthingisthatIdon’tfindyouoldatall，“hereplied。
“Ifeelasthoughwewereexactlythesameage。Moreover——“
herehehesitated，buttookcouragefromaglanceatherface，“IfeelasifIcouldtalkquiteplainlytoyouasonedoestoaman——
abouttherelationsbetweenthesexes，about……and……“
Inspiteofhiscertaintyaslightrednesscameintohisfaceashespokethelasttwowords。
Shereassuredhimatoncebythelaughwithwhichsheexclaimed，“Ishouldhopeso！“
Helookedatherwithrealcordiality，andthelineswhichweredrawnabouthisnoseandlipsslackenedforthefirsttime。
“ThankGod！“heexclaimed。“Nowwecanbehavelikecivilisedhumanbeings。“
Certainlyabarrierwhichusuallystandsfasthadfallen，anditwaspossibletospeakofmatterswhicharegenerallyonlyalludedtobetweenmenandwomenwhendoctorsarepresent，ortheshadowofdeath。Infiveminuteshewastellingherthehistoryofhislife。
Itwaslong，foritwasfullofextremelyelaborateincidents，whichledontoadiscussionoftheprinciplesonwhichmoralityisfounded，andthustoseveralveryinterestingmatters，whicheveninthisballroomhadtobediscussedinawhisper，lestoneofthepouterpigeonladiesorresplendentmerchantsshouldoverhearthem，andproceedtodemandthattheyshouldleavetheplace。
Whentheyhadcometoanend，or，tospeakmoreaccurately，whenHelenintimatedbyaslightslackeningofherattentionthattheyhadsattherelongenough，Hirstrose，exclaiming，“Sothere’snoreasonwhateverforallthismystery！“
“None，exceptthatweareEnglishpeople，“sheanswered。Shetookhisarmandtheycrossedtheball-room，makingtheirwaywithdifficultybetweenthespinningcouples，whowerenowperceptiblydishevelled，andcertainlytoacriticaleyebynomeanslovelyintheirshapes。
Theexcitementofundertakingafriendshipandthelengthoftheirtalk，madethemhungry，andtheywentinsearchoffoodtothedining-room，whichwasnowfullofpeopleeatingatlittleseparatetables。InthedoorwaytheymetRachel，goinguptodanceagainwithArthurVenning。Shewasflushedandlookedveryhappy，andHelenwasstruckbythefactthatinthismoodshewascertainlymoreattractivethanthegeneralityofyoungwomen。
Shehadnevernoticeditsoclearlybefore。
“Enjoyingyourself？“sheasked，astheystoppedforasecond。
“MissVinrace，“Arthuransweredforher，“hasjustmadeaconfession；
she’dnoideathatdancescouldbesodelightful。“
“Yes！“Rachelexclaimed。“I’vechangedmyviewoflifecompletely！“
“Youdon’tsayso！“Helenmocked。Theypassedon。
“That’stypicalofRachel，“shesaid。“Shechangesherviewoflifeabouteveryotherday。D’youknow，Ibelieveyou’rejustthepersonIwant，“shesaid，astheysatdown，“tohelpmecompletehereducation？
She’sbeenbroughtuppracticallyinanunnery。Herfather’stooabsurd。
I’vebeendoingwhatIcan——butI’mtooold，andI’mawoman。
Whyshouldn’tyoutalktoher——explainthingstoher——talktoher，Imean，asyoutalktome？“
“Ihavemadeoneattemptalreadythisevening，“saidSt。John。
“Iratherdoubtthatitwassuccessful。Sheseemstomesoveryyoungandinexperienced。IhavepromisedtolendherGibbon。“
“It’snotGibbonexactly，“Helenpondered。“It’sthefactsoflife，Ithink——d’youseewhatImean？Whatreallygoeson，whatpeoplefeel，althoughtheygenerallytrytohideit？There’snothingtobefrightenedof。It’ssomuchmorebeautifulthanthepretences——
alwaysmoreinteresting——alwaysbetter，Ishouldsay，than_that_
kindofthing。“
Shenoddedherheadatatablenearthem，wheretwogirlsandtwoyoungmenwerechaffingeachotherveryloudly，andcarryingonanarchinsinuatingdialogue，sprinkledwithendearments，about，itseemed，apairofstockingsorapairoflegs。Oneofthegirlswasflirtingafanandpretendingtobeshocked，andthesightwasveryunpleasant，partlybecauseitwasobviousthatthegirlsweresecretlyhostiletoeachother。
“Inmyoldage，however，“Helensighed，“I’mcomingtothinkthatitdoesn’tmuchmatterinthelongrunwhatonedoes:
peoplealwaysgotheirownway——nothingwilleverinfluencethem。“
Shenoddedherheadatthesupperparty。
ButSt。Johndidnotagree。Hesaidthathethoughtonecouldreallymakeagreatdealofdifferencebyone’spointofview，booksandsoon，andaddedthatfewthingsatthepresenttimematteredmorethantheenlightenmentofwomen。Hesometimesthoughtthatalmosteverythingwasduetoeducation。
Intheballroom，meanwhile，thedancerswerebeingformedintosquaresforthelancers。ArthurandRachel，SusanandHewet，MissAllanandHughlingElliotfoundthemselvestogether。
MissAllanlookedatherwatch。
“Half-pastone，“shestated。“AndIhavetodespatchAlexanderPopeto-morrow。“
“Pope！“snortedMr。Elliot。“WhoreadsPope，Ishouldliketoknow？
Andasforreadingabouthim——No，no，MissAllan；bepersuadedyouwillbenefittheworldmuchmorebydancingthanbywriting。“
ItwasoneofMr。Elliot’saffectationsthatnothingintheworldcouldcomparewiththedelightsofdancing——nothingintheworldwassotediousasliterature。Thushesoughtpatheticallyenoughtoingratiatehimselfwiththeyoung，andtoprovetothembeyondadoubtthatthoughmarriedtoaninnyofawife，andratherpaleandbentandcarewornbyhisweightoflearning，hewasasmuchaliveastheyoungestofthemall。
“It’saquestionofbreadandbutter，“saidMissAllancalmly。
“However，theyseemtoexpectme。“Shetookupherpositionandpointedasquareblacktoe。
“Mr。Hewet，youbowtome。“ItwasevidentatoncethatMissAllanwastheonlyoneofthemwhohadathoroughlysoundknowledgeofthefiguresofthedance。
Afterthelancerstherewasawaltz；afterthewaltzapolka；
andthenaterriblethinghappened；themusic，whichhadbeensoundingregularlywithfive-minutepauses，stoppedsuddenly。
Theladywiththegreatdarkeyesbegantoswatheherviolininsilk，andthegentlemanplacedhishorncarefullyinitscase。
TheyweresurroundedbycouplesimploringtheminEnglish，inFrench，inSpanish，ofonemoredance，oneonly；itwasstillearly。
Buttheoldmanatthepianomerelyexhibitedhiswatchandshookhishead。Heturnedupthecollarofhiscoatandproducedaredsilkmuffler，whichcompletelydashedhisfestiveappearance。
Strangeasitseemed，themusicianswerepaleandheavy-eyed；theylookedboredandprosaic，asifthesummitoftheirdesirewascoldmeatandbeer，succeededimmediatelybybed。
Rachelwasoneofthosewhohadbeggedthemtocontinue。Whentheyrefusedshebeganturningoverthesheetsofdancemusicwhichlayuponthepiano。Thepiecesweregenerallyboundincolouredcovers，withpicturesonthemofromanticscenes——gondoliersastrideonthecrescentofthemoon，nunspeeringthroughthebarsofaconventwindow，oryoungwomenwiththeirhairdownpointingagunatthestars。Sherememberedthatthegeneraleffectofthemusictowhichtheyhaddancedsogailywasoneofpassionateregretfordeadloveandtheinnocentyearsofyouth；dreadfulsorrowshadalwaysseparatedthedancersfromtheirpasthappiness。
“Nowondertheygetsickofplayingstufflikethis，“sheremarkedreadingabarortwo；“they’rereallyhymntunes，playedveryfast，withbitsoutofWagnerandBeethoven。“
“Doyouplay？Wouldyouplay？Anything，solongaswecandancetoit！“Fromallsideshergiftforplayingthepianowasinsistedupon，andshehadtoconsent。Asverysoonshehadplayedtheonlypiecesofdancemusicshecouldremember，shewentontoplayanairfromasonatabyMozart。
“Butthat’snotadance，“saidsomeonepausingbythepiano。
“Itis，“shereplied，emphaticallynoddingherhead。“Inventthesteps。“
Sureofhermelodyshemarkedtherhythmboldlysoastosimplifytheway。Helencaughttheidea；seizedMissAllanbythearm，andwhirledroundtheroom，nowcurtseying，nowspinninground，nowtrippingthiswayandthatlikeachildskippingthroughameadow。
“Thisisthedanceforpeoplewhodon’tknowhowtodance！“
shecried。Thetunechangedtoaminuet；St。Johnhoppedwithincredibleswiftnessfirstonhisleftleg，thenonhisright；
thetuneflowedmelodiously；Hewet，swayinghisarmsandholdingoutthetailsofhiscoat，swamdowntheroominimitationofthevoluptuousdreamydanceofanIndianmaidendancingbeforeherRajah。
Thetunemarched；andMissAllenadvancedwithskirtsextendedandbowedprofoundlytotheengagedpair。Oncetheirfeetfellinwiththerhythmtheyshowedacompletelackofselfconsciousness。
FromMozartRachelpassedwithoutstoppingtooldEnglishhuntingsongs，carols，andhymntunes，for，asshehadobserved，anygoodtune，withalittlemanagement，becameatuneonecoulddanceto。
Bydegreeseverypersonintheroomwastrippingandturninginpairsoralone。Mr。Pepperexecutedaningeniouspointedstepderivedfromfigure-skating，forwhichheonceheldsomelocalchampionship；
whileMrs。Thornburytriedtorecallanoldcountrydancewhichshehadseendancedbyherfather’stenantsinDorsetshireintheolddays。
AsforMr。andMrs。Elliot，theygallopadedroundandroundtheroomwithsuchimpetuositythattheotherdancersshiveredattheirapproach。
Somepeoplewereheardtocriticisetheperformanceasaromp；
toothersitwasthemostenjoyablepartoftheevening。
“Nowforthegreatrounddance！“Hewetshouted。Instantlyagiganticcirclewasformed，thedancersholdinghandsandshoutingout，“D’youkenJohnPeel，“astheyswungfasterandfasterandfaster，untilthestrainwastoogreat，andonelinkofthechain——
Mrs。Thornbury——gaveway，andtherestwentflyingacrosstheroominalldirections，tolanduponthefloororthechairsorineachother’sarmsasseemedmostconvenient。
Risingfromthesepositions，breathlessandunkempt，itstruckthemforthefirsttimethattheelectriclightsprickedtheairveryvainly，andinstinctivelyagreatmanyeyesturnedtothewindows。Yes——therewasthedawn。Whiletheyhadbeendancingthenighthadpassed，andithadcome。Outside，themountainsshowedverypureandremote；thedewwassparklingonthegrass，andtheskywasflushedwithblue，saveforthepaleyellowsandpinksintheEast。Thedancerscamecrowdingtothewindows，pushedthemopen，andhereandthereventuredafootuponthegrass。
