fusion; so
that it required all Charlotte's presence of mind to set me right by
pulling and pushing me into my proper place.

The dance was not yet finished when the lightning which had for some
time been seen in the horizon, and which I had asserted to proceed
entirely from heat, grew more violent; and the thunder was heard above
the music. When any distress or terror surprises us in the midst of our
amusements, it naturally makes a deeper impression than at other times,
either because the contrast makes us more keenly susceptible, or rather
perhaps because our senses are then more open to impressions, and the
shock is consequently stronger. To this cause I must ascribe the fright
and shrieks of the ladies. One sagaciously sat down in a corner with
her back to the window, and held her fingers to her ears; a second knelt
down before her, and hid her face in her lap; a third threw herself
between them, and embraced her sister with a thousand tears; some
insisted on going home; others, unconscious of their actions, wanted
sufficient presence of mind to repress the impertinence of their young
partners, who sought to direct to themselves those sighs which the lips
of our agitated beauties intended for heaven. Some of the gentlemen had
gone down-stairs to smoke a quiet cigar, and the rest of the company
gladly embraced a happy suggestion of the hostess to retire into another
room which was provided with shutters and curtains. We had hardly got
there, when Charlotte placed the chairs in a circle; and, when the
company had sat down in compliance with her request, she forthwith
proposed a round game.

I noticed some of the company prepare their mouths and draw themselves
up at the prospect of some agreeable forfeit. "Let us play at counting,"
said Charlotte. "Now, pay attention: I shall go round the circle from
right to left; and each person is to count, one after the other, the
number that comes to him, and must count fast; whoever stops or
mistakes is to have a box on the ear, and so on, till we have counted a
thousand." It was delightful to see the fun. She went round the circle
with upraised arm. "One," said the first; "two," the second; "three,"
the third; and so on, till Charlotte went faster and faster. One made a
mistake, instantly a box on the ear; and, amid the laughter that ensued,
came another box; and so on, faster and faster. I myself came in for
two. I fancied they were harder than the rest, and felt quite delig