her seat. The screen was arranged so that she and
Cheadle, the cornet-player, would be in full sight of the dancers; the
three musicians not in evening dress were hidden behind the screen.
They commenced a waltz. Mr Baffy did not start with the others; he was
set going by a kick from Mr Cheadle. He played without music, seemingly
at random, vilely, unconcernedly. Mr Baffy seemed to be ignorant of
when a figure was ended, as he went on scraping after the others had
ceased, and only stopped after receiving a further kick from Cheadle;
he then stared feebly before him, till again set going by a forcible
hint from the cornet-player.

Mavis acquitted herself to the grudging satisfaction of Cheadle. A few
minutes before the doors were open, Miss Nippett approached her,
wearing, besides her usual shawl, a coquettish cap and apron.

"Have you come to the dance?" asked Mavis.

"I'm 'ladies cloak-room' to-night? What do you think of Baffy?"

"I don't know what to think."

"No class, is 'e?"

"Do you know anything about him?"

"I don't 'old with the feller. 'Is presence is a disgrace to the
academy," replied the "ladies' cloak-room."

A few minutes later, the first of Mr Poulter's patrons self-consciously
entered the room; soon after, dancing commenced.

As if to give Mavis heart for her unaccustomed task, Mr Poulter kept an
eye upon her; he encouraged her with smiles whenever she looked in his
direction. Mavis's playing was much jeopardised by the conduct of the
other musicians; they did not give the least attention to what they
were at, but performed as if their efforts were second nature. Soon
after the dancing started, Mr Cheadle brought from a pocket a greasy
pack of cards, at which he and the two musicians who had arrived with
him began to play at farthing "Nap," a game which the most difficult
passages of their performance did not interrupt, each card-player
somehow contriving to play almost directly it came to his turn. Mr
Cheadle, playing the cornet, had one hand always free; he shuffled the
cards, dealt them, and put down the winnings. When Mavis became more
used to the vagaries of their instrumental playing, she was amused at
the way in which they combined business with diversion. Mr Baffy, also,
interested her; he still continued to stare before him, as he played
with watery, purposeless eyes, and with mouth agape.

Halfway through the programme, there was an interval for refreshments.
Mavis was conducted