is instrument
as heartily as if it had been his worst enemy, but with so much
independence of character that he never kept the same time as his
fellow-players for two minutes together. They were playing a polka for
the benefit of some twelve or fifteen couples, who were dancing with all
their might in the space before the orchestra. On they came, round and
round and never weary, two at a time--a mechanic and a grisette, a
rustic and a Normandy girl, a tall soldier and a short widow, a fat
tradesman and his wife, a couple of milliners assistants who preferred
dancing together to not dancing at all, and so forth.

"How I wish somebody would ask me, _ma mere_!" said a coquettish
brunette, close by, with a sidelong glance at ourselves."

"You shall dance with your brother Paul, my dear, as soon as he comes,"
replied her mother, a stout _bourgeoise_ with a green fan.

"But it is such dull work to dance with one's brother!" pouted the
brunette. "If it were one's cousin, even, it would be different."

Mr. Frank Sullivan flung away his cigar, and began buttoning up his
gloves.

"I'll take that damsel out immediately," said he. "A girl who objects to
dance with her brother deserves encouragement."

So away he went with his hat inclining jauntily on one side, and, having
obtained the mother's permission, whirled away with the pretty brunette
into the very thickest of the throng.

"There they are!" said Dalrymple, suddenly. "There's the wedding party.
_Per Bacco_! but our little bride is charming!"

"And the bridegroom is a handsome specimen of rusticity."

"Yes--a genuine pastoral pair, like a Dresden china shepherd and
shepherdess. See, the girl is looking up in his face--he shakes his
head. She is urging him to dance, and he refuses! Never mind, _ma
belle_--you shall have your valse, and Corydon may be as cross as
he pleases!"

"Don't flatter yourself that she will displease Corydon to dance with
your lordship!" I said, laughingly.

"Pshaw! she would displease fifty Corydons if I chose to make her do
so," said Dalrymple, with a smile of conscious power.

"True; but not on her wedding-day."

"Wedding-day or not, I beg to observe that in less than half an hour you
will see me whirling along with my arm round little Phillis's dainty
waist. Now come and see how I do it."

He made his way through the crowd, and I, half curious, half abashed,
went with him. The party was five in number, consisting of the bride and
b