One evening we came home and went to the _reposoir_ as usual, my wife radiant and lovely enough to turn the head of a hermit, I a little sulky. I took off her pelisse, laid it carefully on the sofa, and threw myself dreamily into one of the chairs. My wife took possession of the other, gave me a wicked little glance, and unceremoniously burst out laughing in my face. "I am sure you are jealous. Don't tell me you are not," she added, placing five glowing perfumed fingers on my lips. ----"Well, yes, I am; it was not nice of you to waltz with that great fop of a...." ----"Now don't talk about that; I was punished enough for it. I never saw such an awkward fellow." ----"It served you right." ----"Come, don't scold me. I had it in my head--I don't know why--that it was to be a polka. You know very well that I don't care to waltz with anybody but you. First of all, because you waltz beautifully, and then, with you there is no danger." ----"There is no danger? What do you mean?" ----"Did I say that?" ----"You did." ----"Oh! I don't know what I say. Yes, as I was remarking, you waltz beautifully ... only...." ----"Only...." ----"Only you go too fast." ----"Too fast! How can that be? The waltz should be rapid, giddy." ----"Oh! you silly! Ahem! I mean to say, you are wrong." ----"Explain yourself, sweet one." ----"Well then, I mean that I like a waltz to be slow, dreamy, sad, almost dying away; I should like them composed entirely of the kind of airs they generally begin with--slow and solemn." ----"What!" I exclaimed, "you don't like the intoxicating kind of waltz?" ----"You know nothing about it," replied she cunningly. ----"I tell you I am an inveterate waltzer." ----"That proves nothing at all." ----"I tell you a waltz should be an intoxicating whirl." ----"Just at the end, perhaps; though I am not so sure of that either. Listen, I'll show you the kind of movement I like." And, seating herself at the piano, my wife began to play a few bars of the _Colonel_ waltz. "That is a waltz," she said, seating herself on my knees, and laying her head upon my shoulder. ----"Indeed!" I replied, growing reflective. "I say, darling, if you don't mind--I don't know why I ask you that again, but more than ever ... I had rather you waltzed with no one but me." ----"Oh! you need not ask me; and if that poor fellow had not set about it so awkwardly, I should very soon have thanked him and excused myself.... Just time enough to perceive that it was a waltz: and that would have settled it, you may be sure." ----"I don't follow you at all." ----"It is so lovely to waltz with you! You are not afraid to hold me firmly, and besides ... when I get giddy, I just lay my head on your shoulder and close my eyes, and then I feel quite safe." ----"It's a curious thing. The waltz makes me a little giddy too, but still I...." ----"Well, you are not like me." ----"Does it make your head swim?" ----"What a dear old goosey you are!"