own；　but　was　alternately　under　the　dominion　of　Aldeborontiphoscophornio；　and　that　of　his　facetious　friend　Rigdum…Funnidos。　　How　did　I　envy　at　that　moment　our　friend　Jack　Oliver；　who　produces　with　such　happy　complacence　his　fardel　of　small　talk；　and　who；　as　he　never　doubts　his　own　powers　of　affording　amusement；　passes　them　current　with　every　pretty　woman　he　approaches；　and　fills　up　the　intervals　of　chat　by　his　complete　acquaintance　with　the　exercise　of　the　fan；　the　FLACON；　and　the　other　duties　of　the　CAVALIERE　SERVENTE。　　Some　of　these　I　attempted；　but　I　suppose　it　was　awkwardly；　at　least　the　Lady　Green　Mantle　received　them　as　a　princess　accepts　the　homage　of　a　clown。
  Meantime　the　floor　remained　empty；　and　as　the　mirth　of　the　good　meeting　was　somewhat　checked；　I　ventured；　as　a　DERNIER　RESSORT；　to　propose　a　minuet。　　She　thanked　me；　and　told　me　haughtily　enough；　'she　was　here　to　encourage　the　harmless　pleasures　of　these　good　folks；　but　was　not　disposed　to　make　an　exhibition　of　her　own　indifferent　dancing　for　their　amusement。'
  She　paused　a　moment；　as　if　she　expected　me　to　suggest　something；　and　as　I　remained　silent　and　rebuked；　she　bowed　her　head　more　graciously；　and　said；　'Not　to　affront　you；　however；　a　country…　dance；　if　you　please。'
  What　an　ass　was　I；　Alan；　not　to　have　anticipated　her　wishes！　Should　I　not　have　observed　that　the　ill…favoured　couple；　Mabel　and　Cristal；　had　placed　themselves　on　each　side　of　her　seat；　like　the　supporters　of　the　royal　arms？　　the　man；　thick；　short；　shaggy；　and　hirsute；　as　the　lion；　the　female；　skin…dried；　tight…laced；　long；　lean；　and　hungry…faced；　like　the　unicorn。　　I　ought　to　have　recollected；　that　under　the　close　inspection　of　two　such　watchful　salvages；　our　communication；　while　in　repose；　could　not　have　been　easy；　that　the　period　of　dancing　a　minuet　was　not　the　very　choicest　time　for　conversation；　but　that　the　noise；　the　exercise；　and　the　mazy　confusion　of　a　country…dance；　where　the　inexperienced　performers　were　every　now　and　then　running　against　each　other；　and　compelling　the　other　couples　to　stand　still　for　a　minute　at　a　time；　besides　the　more　regular　repose　afforded　by　the　intervals　of　the　dance　itself；　gave　the　best　possible　openings　for　a　word　or　two　spoken　in　season；　and　without　being　liable　to　observation。
  We　had　but　just　led　down；　when　an　opportunity　of　the　kind　occurred；　and　my　partner　said；　with　great　gentleness　and　modesty；　'It　is　not　perhaps　very　proper　in　me　to　acknowledge　an　acquaintance　that　is　not　claimed；　but　I　believe　I　speak　to　Mr。　Darsie　Latimer？'
  'Darsie　Latimer　was　indeed　the　person　that　had　now　the　honour　and　happiness'
  I　would　have　gone　on　in　the　false　gallop　of　compliment；　but　she　cut　me　short。　　'And　why；'　she　said；　'is　Mr。　Latimer　here；　and　in　disguise；　or　at　least　assuming　an　office　unworthy　of　a　man　of　education？I　beg　pardon；'　she　continued；'I　would　not　give　you　pain；　but　surely　making；　an　associate　of　a　person　of　that　description'
  She　looked　towards　my　friend　Willie；　and　was　silent。　　I　felt　heartily　ashamed　of　myself；　and　hastened　to　say　it　was　an　idle　frolic；　which　want　of　occupation　had　suggested；　and　which　I　could　not　regret；　since　it　had　procured　me　the　pleasure　I　at　present　enjoyed。
  Without　seeming　to　notice　my　compliment；　she　took　the　next　opportunity　to　say；　'Will　Mr。　Latimer　permit　a　stranger　who　wishes　him　well　to　ask；　whether　it　is　right　that；　at　his　active　age；　he　should　be　in　so　far　void　of　occupation；　as　to　be　ready　to　adopt　low　society　for　the　sake　of　idle　amusement？'
  'You　are　severe；　madam；'　I　answered；　'but　I　cannot　think　myself　degraded　by　mixing　with　any　society　where　I　meet'
  Here　I　stopped　short；　conscious　that　I　was　giving　my　answer　an　unhandsome　turn。　　The　ARGUMENTUM　AD　HOMINEM；　the　last　to　which　a　polite　man　has　recourse；　may；　however；　be　justified　by　circumstances；　but　seldom　or　never　the　ARGUMENTUM　AD　FOEMINAM。
  She　filled　up　the　blank　herself　which　I　had　left。　　'Where　you　meet　ME；　I　suppose　you　would　say？　　But　the　case　is　different。　　I　am；　from　my　unhappy　fate；　obliged　to　move　by　the　will　of　others；　and　to　be　in　places　which　I　would　by　my　own　will　gladly　avoid。　Besides；　I　am；　except　for　these　few　minutes；　no　participator　of　the　revelsa　spectator　only；　and　attended　by　my　servants。　　Your　situation　is　differentyou　are　here　by　choice；　the　partaker　and　minister　of　the　pleasures　of　a　class　below　you　in　education；　birth；　and　fortunes。　　If　I　speak　harshly；　Mr。　Latimer；'　she　added；　with　much　sweetness　of　manner；　'I　mean　kindly。'
  I　was　confounded　by　her　speech；　'severe　in　youthful　wisdom'；　all　of　naive　or　lively；　suitable　to　such　a　dialogue；　vanished　from　my　recollection；　and　I　answered　with　gravity　like　her　own；　'I　am；　indeed；　better　educated　than　these　poor　people；　but　you；　madam；　whose　kind　admonition　I　am　grateful　for；　must　know　more　of　my　condition　than　I　do　myselfI　dare　not　say　I　am　their　superior　in　birth；　since　I　know　nothing　of　my　own；　or　in　fortunes；　over　which　hangs　an　impenetrable　cloud。'
  'And　why　should　your　ignorance　on　these　points　drive　you　into　low　society　and　idle　habits？'　　answered　my　female　monitor。　　'Is　it　manly　to　wait　till　fortune　cast　her　beams　upon　you；　when　by　exertion　of　your　own　energy　you　might　distinguish　yourself？　　Do　not　the　pursuits　of　learning　lie　open　to　youof　manly　ambition　of　war？　　But　nonot　of　war；　that　has　already　cost　you　too　dear。'
  'I　will　be　what　you　wish　me　to　be；'　I　replied　with　eagerness　'You　have　but　to　choose　my　path；　and　you　shall　see　if　I　do　not　pursue　it　with　energy；　were　it　only　because　you　command　me。'
  'Not　because　I　command　you；'　said　the　maiden；　'but　because　reason；　common　sense；　manhood；　and；　in　one　word；　regard　for　your　own　safety；　give　the　same　counsel。'
  'At　least　permit　me　to　reply；　that　reason　and　sense　never　assumed　a　fairer　formof　persuasion；'　I　hastily　added；　for　she　turned　from　menor　did　she　give　me　another　opportunity　of　continuing　what　I　had　to　say　till　the　next　pause　of　the　dance；　when；　determined　to　bring　our　dialogue　to　a　point；　I　said；　'You　mentioned　manhood　also；　and　in　the　same　breath；　personal　danger。　My　ideas　of　manhood　suggest　that　it　is　cowardice　to　retreat　before　dangers　of　a　doubtful　character。　　You；　who　appear　to　know　so　much　of　my　fortunes　that　I　might　call　you　my　guardian　angel；　tell　me　what　these　dangers　are；　that　I　may　judge　whether　manhood　calls　on　me　to　face　or　to　fly　them。'
  She　was　evidently　perplexed　by　this　appeal。
  'You　make　me　pay　dearly　for　acting　as　your　humane　adviser；'　she　replied　at　last：　　'I　acknowledge　an　interest　in　your　fate；　and　yet　I　dare　not　tell　you　whence　it　arises；　neither　am　I　at　liberty　to　say　why；　or　from　whom；　you　are　in　danger；　but　it　is　not　less　true　that　danger　is　near　and　imminent。　　Ask　me　no　more；　but；　for　your　own　sake；　begone　from　this　country。　　Elsewhere　you　are　safe　here　you　do　but　invite　your　fate。'
  'But　am　I　doomed　to　bid　thus　farewell　to　almost　the　only　human　being　who　has　showed　an　interest　in　my　welfare？　　Do　not　say　so　say　that　we　shall　meet　again；　and　the　hope　shall　be　the　leading　star　to　regulate　my　course！'
  'It　is　more　than　probable；'　she　said'much　more　than　probable；　that　we　may　never　meet　again。　　The　help　which　I　now　render　you　is　all　that　may　be　in　my　power；　it　is　such　as　I　should　render　to　a　blind　man　whom　I　might　observe　approaching　the　verge　of　a　precipice；　it　ought　to　excite　no　surprise；　and　requires　no　gratitude。'
  So　saying；　she　again　turned　from　me；　nor　did　she　address　me　until　the　dance　was　on　the　point　of　ending；　when　she　said；　'Do　not　attempt　to　speak　to　or　approach　me　again　in　the　course　of　the　night；　leave　the　company　as　soon　as　you　can；　but　not　abruptly；　and　God　be　with　you。'
  I　handed　her　to　her　seat；　and　did　not　quit　the　fair　palm　I　held；　without　expressing　my　feelings　by　a　gentle　pressure。　　She　coloured　slightly；　and　withdrew　her　hand；　but　not　angrily。　Seeing　the　eyes　of　Cristal　and　Mabel　sternly　fixed　on　me；　I　bowed　deeply；　and　withdrew　from　her；　my　heart　saddening；　and　my　eyes　becoming　dim　in　spite　of　me；　as　the　shifting　crowd　hid　us　from　each　other。
  It　was　my　intention　to　have　crept　back　to　my　comrade　Willie；　and　resumed　my　bow　with　such　spirit　as　I　might；　although；　at　the　moment；　I　would　have　given　half　my　income　for　an　instant's　solitude。　　But　my　retreat　was　cut　off　by　Dame　Martin；　with　the　franknessif　it　is　not　an　inconsistent　phrase…of　rustic　coquetry；　that　goes　straight　up　to　the　point。
  'Aye；　lad；　ye　seem　unco　sune　weary；　to　dance　sae　lightly？　　Better　the　nag　that　ambles　a'　the　day；　than　him　that　makes　a　brattle　for　a　mile；　and　then's　dune　wi'　the　road。'
  This　was　a　fair　challenge；　and　I　could　not　decline　accepting　it。　Besides；　I　could　see　Dame　Martin　was　queen　of　the　revels；　and　so　many　were　the　rude　and　singular　figures　about　me；　that　I　was　by　no　means　certain　whether　I　might　not　need　some　protection。　　I　seized　on　her　willing　hand；　and　we　took　our　places　in　the　dance；　where；　if　I　did　not　acquit　myself　with　all　the　accuracy　of　step　and　movement　which　I　had　before　attempted；　I　at　least　came　up　to　the　expectations　of　my　partner；　who　said；　and　almost　swore；　'I　was　prime　at　it；'　while；　stimulated　to　her　utmost　exertions；　she　herself　frisked　like　a　kid；　snapped　her　fingers　like　castanets；　whooped　like　a　Bacchanal；　and　bounded　from　the　floor　like　a　tenn