d nick-nacks, while the _salle a manger_ was converted into a
card-room. Having been presented in due form to the hostess, the
Yorkshireman and his new friend stood surveying the gay crowd of
beautiful and well-dressed women, large frilled and well-whiskered men,
all chatting, and bowing, and dancing, when a half-suppressed titter
that ran through the room attracted their attention, and turning round,
Mr. Jorrocks was seen poking his way through the crowd with a number of
straws sticking to his feet, giving him the appearance of a feathered
Mercury. The fact was, that Agamemnon had cleaned his shoes with the
liquid varnish (french polish), and forgetting to dry it properly, the
carrying away half the straw from the bottom of the _fiacre_ was the
consequence, and Mr. Jorrocks having paid the Jehu rather short, the
latter had not cared to tell him about it.

The straws were, however, soon removed without interruption to the
gaiety of the evening. Mr. Stubbs, of course, took an early opportunity
of waltzing with the Countess Benvolio, who, as all French women are,
was an admirable dancer, and Jorrocks stood by fingering and curling his
mustachios, admiring her movements but apparently rather jealous of the
Yorkshireman. "I wish," said he after the dance was over, "that
you would sit down at _ecarte_ and let us try to win some of these
mouncheers' tin, for I'm nearly cleaned out. Let us go into the
cardroom, but first let us see if we can find anything in the way of
nourishment, for I begin to be hungry. Garsoon," said he catching a
servant with a trayful of _eau sucree_ glasses, "avez-vous kick-shaws to
eat?" putting his finger in his mouth--"ge wouderay some refreshment."
"Oh, oui," replied the garcon taking him to an open window overlooking
the courtyard, and extending his hand in the air, "voila, monsieur, de
tres bon rafraichissement."

The ball proceeded with the utmost decorum, for though composed of
shopkeepers and such like, there was nothing in their dress or manner
to indicate anything but the best possible breeding. Jorrocks, indeed,
fancied himself in the very elite of French society, and, but for a
little incident, would have remained of that opinion. In an unlucky
moment he took it into his head he could waltz, and surprised the
Countess Benvolio by claiming her hand for the next dance. "It seems
werry easy," said he to himself as he eyed the couples gliding round the
room;--"at all ewents there's nothing li