ilis cura
rerum alienarum: quamquam Terentianus ille Chremes humani nihil a se
alienum putat."{1} I hold with. Chremes too. I am not without hope, from
some symptoms I have lately seen, that rumour, in the present case, is
in a fair way of being right; and if, with the accordance of the young
gentleman as key-note, these two heptachords should harmonise into a
double octave, I do not see why I may not take my part as fundamental
bass.'

1 It is a hard matter to take active concern in the affairs
of others; although the Chremes of Terence thinks nothing
human alien to himself.--De Officiis: i. 9.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE TWO QUADRILLES--POPE'S OMBRE--POETICAL TRUTH TO NATURE--CLEOPATRA

(Greek passage)
Alexis: Tarantini.

As men who leave their homes for public games,
We leave our native element of darkness
For life's brief light. And who has most of mirth,
And wine, and love, may, like a satisfied guest,
Return, contented, to the night he sprang from.

In the meantime Mr. Falconer, after staying somewhat longer than usual
at home, had returned to the Grange. He found much the same party as he
had left: but he observed, or imagined, that Lord Curryfin was much more
than previously in favour with Miss Gryll; that she paid him more marked
attention, and watched his conduct to Miss Niphet with something more
than curiosity.

Amongst the winter evenings' amusements were two forms of quadrille: the
old-fashioned game of cards, and the more recently fashionable dance. On
these occasions it was of course a carpet-dance. Now, dancing had never
been in Mr. Falconer's line, and though modern dancing, especially in
quadrilles, is little more than walking, still in that 'little more'
there is ample room for grace and elegance of motion.

Herein Lord Curryfin outshone all the other young men in the circle. He
endeavoured to be as indiscriminating as possible in inviting partners:
but it was plain to curious observation, especially if a spice of
jealousy mingled with the curiosity, that his favourite partner was Miss
Niphet. When they occasionally danced a polka, the reverend doctor's
mythological theory came out in full force. It seemed as if Nature had
preordained that they should be inseparable, and the interior conviction
of both, that so it ought to be, gave them an accordance of movement
that seemed to emanate from the innermost mind