as he passed.
'Now lend me your aid, my boy, to keep the whole thing moving. Get a
partner as quick as you can, and let us try if we can't do the honours
of the house, while the master and mistress are basking in the sunshine
of royal favour.'

As he spoke, the band struck up 'Haste to the Wedding!' The dancers
assumed their places--Phil himself flying hither and thither, arranging,
directing, ordering, countermanding, providing partners for persons he
had never seen before, and introducing individuals of whose very names
he was ignorant.

'Push along, Hinton,' said he; 'only set them going. Speak to every
one--half the men in the room answer to the name of "Bob," and all the
young ladies are "Miss Magees." Then go it, my boy; this is a great
night for Ireland!'

This happy land, indeed, which, like a vast powder-magazine, only wants
but the smallest spark to ignite it, is always prepared for an explosion
of fun. No sooner than did O'Grady, taking out the fattest woman in the
room, proceed to lead her down the middle to the liveliest imaginable
country-dance, than at once the contagious spirit flew through the
room, and dancers pressed in from every side. Champagne served round in
abundance, added to the excitement; and, as eight-and-thirty couple made
the floor vibrate beneath them, such a scene of noise, laughter, uproar,
and merriment ensued, as it were difficult to conceive or describe.

CHAPTER X. A FINALE TO AN EVENING

A ball, like a battle, has its critical moment: that one short and
subtle point, on which its trembling fate would seem to hesitate, ere it
incline to this side or that. In both, such is the time for generalship
to display itself--and of this my friend O'Grady seemed well aware; for,
calling up his reserve for an attack in force, he ordered strong
negus for the band; and ere many minutes, the increased vigour of the
instruments attested that the order had been attended to.

'Right and left!' 'Hands across!' 'Here we are!' 'This way, Peter!' 'Ah!
Captain, you 're a droll crayture!' 'Move along, alderman!' 'That negus
is mighty strong!' 'The Lord grant the house is-----'

Such and such like phrases broke around me, as, under the orders of
the irresistible Phil, I shuffled down the middle with a dumpy little
school-girl, with red hair and red shoes; which, added to her capering
motion, gave her a most unhappy resemblance to a cork fairy.

'You are a trump, Jack,' said Phil. 'Never give