Edward, that sailor-fellow--a good free dashing sort of fellow he was--had been telling them various marvels concerning parrots, and mines, and Mexicans, and gold dust, when all at once he took it in his head to jump up from his seat and propose a dance; for Bertha's harp was there, and she had such a hand upon it as you seldom hear. Dot (sly little piece of affectation when she chose) said her dancing days were over; _I_ think because the Carrier was smoking his pipe, and she liked sitting by him, best. Mrs. Fielding had no choice, of course, but to say her dancing days were over, after that; and everybody said the same, except May; May was ready. [Illustration] So, May and Edward get up, amid great applause, to dance alone; and Bertha plays her liveliest tune. Well! if you'll believe me, they have not been dancing five minutes, when suddenly the Carrier flings his pipe away, takes Dot round the waist, dashes out into the room, and starts off with her, toe and heel, quite wonderfully. Tackleton no sooner sees this, than he skims across to Mrs. Fielding, takes her round the waist, and follows suit. Old Dot no sooner sees this, than up he is, all alive, whisks off Mrs. Dot into the middle of the dance, and is the foremost there. Caleb no sooner sees this, than he clutches Tilly Slowboy by both hands and goes off at score; Miss Slowboy, firm in the belief that diving hotly in among the other couples, and effecting any number of concussions with them, is your only principle of footing it. Hark! how the Cricket joins the music with its Chirp, Chirp, Chirp; and how the kettle hums! * * * * * But what is this! Even as I listen to them, blithely, and turn towards Dot, for one last glimpse of a little figure very pleasant to me, she and the rest have vanished into air, and I am left alone. A Cricket sings upon the Hearth; a broken child's-toy lies upon the ground; and nothing else remains. LONDON: BRADBURY AND EVANS PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. NEW EDITION OF OLIVER TWIST. _On the First of January will be published, to be completed in Ten Monthly Parts, price One Shilling each, No. I. of_ OLIVER TWIST. A NEW EDITION, REVISED BY THE AUTHOR, UNIFORM WITH "THE PICKWICK PAPERS," WITH TWENTY-FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS BY GEORGE CRUIKSHANK. * * * * * LONDON: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY BRADBURY AND EVANS, 90, FLEET STREET, AND WHITEFRIARS. Mr. Dickens's Works. MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT. With Forty Illustrations by "PHIZ." In one volume, price 21_s._ cloth boards. AMERICAN NOTES. FOR GENERAL CIRCULATION. _Fourth Edition._ In two volumes, post 8vo, price 21_s._ cloth. BARNABY RUDGE; A TALE OF THE RIOTS OF EIGHTY. With Seventy Eight Illustrations by G. CATTERMOLE and H. K. BROWNE. In one volume, price 13_s._ cloth.