embraces were destined to
become perpetual was possibly the wonder of some of those who indulged
in them, as well as of Eustacia who looked on. She began to envy those
pirouetters, to hunger for the hope and happiness which the fascination
of the dance seemed to engender within them. Desperately fond of
dancing herself, one of Eustacia's expectations of Paris had been the
opportunity it might afford her of indulgence in this favourite pastime.
Unhappily, that expectation was now extinct within her for ever.

Whilst she abstractedly watched them spinning and fluctuating in the
increasing moonlight she suddenly heard her name whispered by a voice
over her shoulder. Turning in surprise, she beheld at her elbow one
whose presence instantly caused her to flush to the temples.

It was Wildeve. Till this moment he had not met her eye since the
morning of his marriage, when she had been loitering in the church,
and had startled him by lifting her veil and coming forward to sign the
register as witness. Yet why the sight of him should have instigated
that sudden rush of blood she could not tell.

Before she could speak he whispered, "Do you like dancing as much as
ever?"

"I think I do," she replied in a low voice.

"Will you dance with me?"

"It would be a great change for me; but will it not seem strange?"

"What strangeness can there be in relations dancing together?"

"Ah--yes, relations. Perhaps none."

"Still, if you don't like to be seen, pull down your veil; though there
is not much risk of being known by this light. Lots of strangers are
here."

She did as he suggested; and the act was a tacit acknowledgment that she
accepted his offer.

Wildeve gave her his arm and took her down on the outside of the ring
to the bottom of the dance, which they entered. In two minutes more they
were involved in the figure and began working their way upwards to the
top. Till they had advanced halfway thither Eustacia wished more than
once that she had not yielded to his request; from the middle to the
top she felt that, since she had come out to seek pleasure, she was only
doing a natural thing to obtain it. Fairly launched into the ceaseless
glides and whirls which their new position as top couple opened up to
them, Eustacia's pulses began to move too quickly for long rumination of
any kind.

Through the length of five-and-twenty couples they threaded their giddy
way, and a new vitality entered her form. The pale ray of