WhenSusan’sengagementhadbeenapprovedathome，andmadepublictoanyonewhotookaninterestinitatthehotel——andbythistimethesocietyatthehotelwasdividedsoastopointtoinvisiblechalk-markssuchasMr。Hirsthaddescribed，thenewswasfelttojustifysomecelebration——anexpedition？Thathadbeendonealready。
　　Adancethen。Theadvantageofadancewasthatitabolishedoneofthoselongeveningswhichwereapttobecometediousandleadtoabsurdlyearlyhoursinspiteofbridge。
　　Twoorthreepeoplestandingundertheerectbodyofthestuffedleopardinthehallverysoonhadthematterdecided。Evelynslidapaceortwothiswayandthat，andpronouncedthatthefloorwasexcellent。SignorRodriguezinformedthemofanoldSpaniardwhofiddledatweddings——fiddledsoastomakeatortoisewaltz；
　　andhisdaughter，althoughendowedwitheyesasblackascoal-scuttles，hadthesamepoweroverthepiano。Iftherewereanysosickorsosurlyastoprefersedentaryoccupationsonthenightinquestiontospinningandwatchingothersspin，thedrawing-roomandbilliard-roomweretheirs。Hewetmadeithisbusinesstoconciliatetheoutsidersasmuchaspossible。
　　ToHirst’stheoryoftheinvisiblechalk-markshewouldpaynoattentionwhatever。Hewastreatedtoasnubortwo，but，inreward，foundobscurelonelygentlemendelightedtohavethisopportunityoftalkingtotheirkind，andtheladyofdoubtfulcharactershowedeverysymptomofconfidinghercasetohiminthenearfuture。
　　Indeeditwasmadequiteobvioustohimthatthetwoorthreehoursbetweendinnerandbedcontainedanamountofunhappiness，whichwasreallypitiable，somanypeoplehadnotsucceededinmakingfriends。
　　ItwassettledthatthedancewastobeonFriday，oneweekaftertheengagement，andatdinnerHewetdeclaredhimselfsatisfied。
　　“They’reallcoming！“hetoldHirst。“Pepper！“hecalled，seeingWilliamPepperslippastinthewakeofthesoupwithapamphletbeneathhisarm，“We’recountingonyoutoopentheball。“
　　“Youwillcertainlyputsleepoutofthequestion，“Pepperreturned。
　　“YouaretotakethefloorwithMissAllan，“Hewetcontinued，consultingasheetofpencillednotes。
　　Pepperstoppedandbeganadiscourseuponrounddances，countrydances，morrisdances，andquadrilles，allofwhichareentirelysuperiortothebastardwaltzandspuriouspolkawhichhaveoustedthemmostunjustlyincontemporarypopularity——whenthewaitersgentlypushedhimontohistableinthecorner。
　　Thedining-roomatthismomenthadacertainfantasticresemblancetoafarmyardscatteredwithgrainonwhichbrightpigeonskeptdescending。Almostalltheladiesworedresseswhichtheyhadnotyetdisplayed，andtheirhairroseinwavesandscrollssoastoappearlikecarvedwoodinGothicchurchesratherthanhair。Thedinnerwasshorterandlessformalthanusual，eventhewaitersseemingtobeaffectedwiththegeneralexcitement。
　　Tenminutesbeforetheclockstruckninethecommitteemadeatourthroughtheballroom。Thehall，whenemptiedofitsfurniture，brilliantlylit，adornedwithflowerswhosescenttingedtheair，presentedawonderfulappearanceofetherealgaiety。
　　“It’slikeastarlitskyonanabsolutelycloudlessnight，“
　　Hewetmurmured，lookingabouthim，attheairyemptyroom。
　　“Aheavenlyfloor，anyhow，“Evelynadded，takingarunandslidingtwoorthreefeetalong。
　　“Whataboutthosecurtains？“askedHirst。Thecrimsoncurtainsweredrawnacrossthelongwindows。“It’saperfectnightoutside。“
　　“Yes，butcurtainsinspireconfidence，“MissAllandecided。
　　“Whentheballisinfullswingitwillbetimetodrawthem。
　　Wemightevenopenthewindowsalittle……Ifwedoitnowelderlypeoplewillimaginetherearedraughts。
　　Herwisdomhadcometoberecognised，andheldinrespect。
　　Meanwhileastheystoodtalking，themusicianswereunwrappingtheirinstruments，andtheviolinwasrepeatingagainandagainanotestruckuponthepiano。Everythingwasreadytobegin。
　　Afterafewminutes’pause，thefather，thedaughter，andtheson-in-lawwhoplayedthehornflourishedwithoneaccord。
　　Liketheratswhofollowedthepiper，headsinstantlyappearedinthedoorway。Therewasanotherflourish；andthenthetriodashedspontaneouslyintothetriumphantswingofthewaltz。
　　Itwasasthoughtheroomwereinstantlyfloodedwithwater。
　　Afteramoment’shesitationfirstonecouple，thenanother，leaptintomid-stream，andwentroundandroundintheeddies。
　　Therhythmicswishofthedancerssoundedlikeaswirlingpool。
　　Bydegreestheroomgrewperceptiblyhotter。Thesmellofkidglovesmingledwiththestrongscentofflowers。Theeddiesseemedtocirclefasterandfaster，untilthemusicwroughtitselfintoacrash，ceased，andthecirclesweresmashedintolittleseparatebits。Thecouplesstruckoffindifferentdirections，leavingathinrowofelderlypeoplestuckfasttothewalls，andhereandthereapieceoftrimmingorahandkerchieforaflowerlayuponthefloor。Therewasapause，andthenthemusicstartedagain，theeddieswhirled，thecouplescircledroundinthem，untiltherewasacrash，andthecircleswerebrokenupintoseparatepieces。
　　Whenthishadhappenedaboutfivetimes，Hirst，wholeantagainstawindow-frame，likesomesingulargargoyle，perceivedthatHelenAmbroseandRachelstoodinthedoorway。Thecrowdwassuchthattheycouldnotmove，butherecognisedthembyapieceofHelen’sshoulderandaglimpseofRachel’sheadturninground。
　　Hemadehiswaytothem；theygreetedhimwithrelief。
　　“Wearesufferingthetorturesofthedamned，“saidHelen。
　　“Thisismyideaofhell，“saidRachel。
　　Hereyeswerebrightandshelookedbewildered。
　　HewetandMissAllan，whohadbeenwaltzingsomewhatlaboriously，pausedandgreetedthenewcomers。
　　“This_is_nice，“saidHewet。“ButwhereisMr。Ambrose？“
　　“Pindar，“saidHelen。“MayamarriedwomanwhowasfortyinOctoberdance？Ican’tstandstill。“SheseemedtofadeintoHewet，andtheybothdissolvedinthecrowd。
　　“Wemustfollowsuit，“saidHirsttoRachel，andhetookherresolutelybytheelbow。Rachel，withoutbeingexpert，dancedwell，becauseofagoodearforrhythm，butHirsthadnotasteformusic，andafewdancinglessonsatCambridgehadonlyputhimintopossessionoftheanatomyofawaltz，withoutimpartinganyofitsspirit。
　　Asingleturnprovedtothemthattheirmethodswereincompatible；
　　insteadoffittingintoeachothertheirbonesseemedtojutoutinanglesmakingsmoothturninganimpossibility，andcutting，moreover，intothecircularprogressoftheotherdancers。
　　“Shallwestop？“saidHirst。Rachelgatheredfromhisexpressionthathewasannoyed。
　　Theystaggeredtoseatsinthecorner，fromwhichtheyhadaviewoftheroom。Itwasstillsurging，inwavesofblueandyellow，stripedbytheblackevening-clothesofthegentlemen。
　　“Anamazingspectacle，“Hirstremarked。“DoyoudancemuchinLondon？“Theywerebothbreathingfast，andbothalittleexcited，thougheachwasdeterminednottoshowanyexcitementatall。
　　“Scarcelyever。Doyou？“
　　“MypeoplegiveadanceeveryChristmas。“
　　“Thisisn’thalfabadfloor，“Rachelsaid。Hirstdidnotattempttoanswerherplatitude。Hesatquitesilent，staringatthedancers。
　　AfterthreeminutesthesilencebecamesointolerabletoRachelthatshewasgoadedtoadvanceanothercommonplaceaboutthebeautyofthenight。Hirstinterruptedherruthlessly。
　　“WasthatallnonsensewhatyousaidtheotherdayaboutbeingaChristianandhavingnoeducation？“heasked。
　　“Itwaspracticallytrue，“shereplied。“ButIalsoplaythepianoverywell，“shesaid，“better，Iexpectthananyoneinthisroom。
　　YouarethemostdistinguishedmaninEngland，aren’tyou？“
　　sheaskedshyly。
　　“Oneofthethree，“hecorrected。
　　HelenwhirlingpastheretossedafanintoRachel’slap。
　　“Sheisverybeautiful，“Hirstremarked。
　　Theywereagainsilent。Rachelwaswonderingwhetherhethoughtheralsonice-looking；St。Johnwasconsideringtheimmensedifficultyoftalkingtogirlswhohadnoexperienceoflife。
　　Rachelhadobviouslyneverthoughtorfeltorseenanything，andshemightbeintelligentorshemightbejustlikealltherest。
　　ButHewet’stauntrankledinhismind——“youdon’tknowhowtogetonwithwomen，“andhewasdeterminedtoprofitbythisopportunity。
　　Herevening-clothesbestowedonherjustthatdegreeofunrealityanddistinctionwhichmadeitromantictospeaktoher，andstirredadesiretotalk，whichirritatedhimbecausehedidnotknowhowtobegin。Heglancedather，andsheseemedtohimveryremoteandinexplicable，veryyoungandchaste。Hedrewasigh，andbegan。
　　“Aboutbooksnow。Whathaveyouread？JustShakespeareandtheBible？“
　　“Ihaven’treadmanyclassics，“Rachelstated。Shewasslightlyannoyedbyhisjauntyandratherunnaturalmanner，whilehismasculineacquirementsinducedhertotakeaverymodestviewofherownpower。
　　“D’youmeantotellmeyou’vereachedtheageoftwenty-fourwithoutreadingGibbon？“hedemanded。
　　“Yes，Ihave，“sheanswered。
　　“MonDieu！“heexclaimed，throwingouthishands。“Youmustbeginto-morrow。Ishallsendyoumycopy。WhatIwanttoknowis——“
　　helookedathercritically。“Yousee，theproblemis，canonereallytalktoyou？Haveyougotamind，orareyouliketherestofyoursex？Youseemtomeabsurdlyyoungcomparedwithmenofyourage。“
　　Rachellookedathimbutsaidnothing。
　　“AboutGibbon，“hecontinued。“D’youthinkyou’llbeabletoappreciatehim？He’sthetest，ofcourse。It’sawfullydifficulttotellaboutwomen，“hecontinued，“howmuch，Imean，isduetolackoftraining，andhowmuchisnativeincapacity。
　　Idon’tseemyselfwhyyoushouldn’tunderstand——onlyIsupposeyou’veledanabsurdlifeuntilnow——you’vejustwalkedinacrocodile，Isuppose，withyourhairdownyourback。“
　　Themusicwasagainbeginning。Hirst’seyewanderedabouttheroominsearchofMrs。Ambrose。Withthebestwillintheworldhewasconsciousthattheywerenotgettingonwelltogether。
　　“I’dlikeawfullytolendyoubooks，“hesaid，buttoninghisgloves，andrisingfromhisseat。“Weshallmeetagain。“I’mgoingtoleaveyounow。“
　　Hegotupandlefther。
　　Rachellookedround。Shefeltherselfsurrounded，likeachildataparty，bythefacesofstrangersallhostiletoher，withhookednosesandsneering，indifferenteyes。Shewasbyawindow，shepusheditopenwithajerk。Shesteppedoutintothegarden。
　　Hereyesswamwithtearsofrage。
　　“Damnthatman！“sheexclaimed，havingacquiredsomeofHelen’swords。
　　“Damnhisinsolence！“
　　Shestoodinthemiddleofthepalesquareoflightwhichthewindowshehadopenedthrewuponthegrass。Theformsofgreatblacktreesrosemassivelyinfrontofher。Shestoodstill，lookingatthem，shiveringslightlywithangerandexcitement。
　　Sheheardthetramplingandswingingofthedancersbehindher，andtherhythmicswayofthewaltzmusic。
　　“Therearetrees，“shesaidaloud。WouldthetreesmakeupforSt。JohnHirst？ShewouldbeaPersianprincessfarfromcivilisation，ridingherhorseuponthemountainsalone，andmakingherwomensingtoherintheevening，farfromallthis，fromthestrifeandmenandwomen——aformcameoutoftheshadow；
　　alittleredlightburnthighupinitsblackness。
　　“MissVinrace，isit？“saidHewet，peeringather。“YouweredancingwithHirst？“
　　“He’smademefurious！“shecriedvehemently。“Noone’sanyrighttobeinsolent！“
　　“Insolent？“Hewetrepeated，takinghiscigarfromhismouthinsurprise。“Hirst——insolent？“