The Trial [66]
in his great grasp passive as a doll, dragged off into the midst of a vehement polka that took her breath away. She trusted to him, and remained in a passive, half- frightened state, glad he was so happy; but in the first pause heartily wishing he would let her go, instead of which she only heard, 'Well done, old Ethel, you'll be a prime dancer yet! you're as light as a feather;' and before she had recovered her breath, off he led her with 'Go it again!' When at length, panting and bewildered, she was safely placed on a seat, with 'You've had enough, have you? mind, I shan't let you off another time,' she found that her aberration had excited a good deal of sensation in her own family. Blanche and Gertrude could not repress their amusement; and Dr. May, with merry eyes, declared that she was coming out in a new light. She had only time to confide to him the reason that she had let Harry do what he pleased with her, before two volunteers were at her side. 'Miss May, I did not think you ever danced!' 'Nor I,' said Ethel; 'but you see what sailors can do with one.' 'Now, Ethel' said the other over his shoulder, 'now you have danced with Harry, you must have this waltz with me.' 'A dangerous precedent, Ethel,' said the Doctor, laughing. 'I couldn't waltz to save my life, Aubrey,' said Ethel; 'but if you can bear me through a polka as well as Harry did, you may try the next.' 'And won't you--will you--for once dance with me? said his companion imploringly. 'Very well, Leonard, if I can get through a quadrille;' and therewith Ethel was seized upon by both boys to hear the story of every hit and miss, and of each of the difficulties that their unpractised corps had encountered in getting round the corners between Stoneborough and the Grange. Then came Leonard's quadrille, which it might be hoped was gratifying to him; but which he executed with as much solemn deference as if he had been treading a minuet with a princess, plainly regarding it as the great event of the day. In due time, he resigned her to Aubrey; but poor Aubrey had been deluded by the facility with which the strong and practised sailor had swept his victim along; and Ethel grew terrified at the danger of collisions, and released herself and pulled him aside by force, just in time to avoid being borne down by the ponderous weight of Miss Boulder and her partner. 'You did not come to grief with Harry!' muttered the discomfited boy. 'No more did the lamb damage the eagle; but remember the fate of the jackdaw, Mr. Gray-coat! I deserve some ice for my exertions, so come into the hall and get some, and tell me if you have had better luck elsewhere.' 'I have had no partner but Minna Ward, and she trips as if one was a dancing-master.' 'And how has Tom been managing?' 'Stunningly civil! He began with Ave Ward, in the Lancers, and it was such fun--he chaffed her in his solemn way, about music I believe it was, and her harmonium. I could not quite hear, but I could see she was in a tremendous taking, and she won't recover it all the evening.' 'What a shame it is of Tom!' 'Oh! but it is such fun! And since that he has been parading with Pug.' 'She has not danced!' 'Oh no! She got an audience into Meta's little sitting-room--Henry Ward, Harvey Anderson, and some of the curates; they shut the door, and had some music on their own hook.' 'Was Richard there!' 'At first; but either he could not bear to see Meta's piano profaned, or he thought it too strong when they got to the sacred line, for he bolted, and is gone home.' 'There's Harry dancing with Fanny Anderson. He has not got Miss Ward all this time.' 'Nor will,' said Aubrey. 'Tom had put her in such a rage that she did not choose to dance with that cousin of hers, Sam Axworthy, so she was obliged to refuse every one else; and I had to put up with that child!' 'Sam Axworthy! He does not belong to our corps. How does he come here?' 'Oh! the old man has some houses in the borough, and an omnium gatherum like this was a good time to do the civil thing to him. There he is; peep into the card-room, and you'll see