"Now, gentlemen, you are not dancing. Come, come this won't do. I've let you off the Minuets and Gavottes, but I insist on the Country Dances. Let me see, Lieutenant Blewforth, I have the very Vis a Vis you are looking for--Mrs. Georgina Bean, widow of the late Captain Bean, of your own Service. She will like to hear the latest Marine Information." Blewforth struck his colours with an almost humble salute. "Mr. Chalkley," the Beau continued, "Miss Margery Mansel a young lady fresh from boarding-school, will certainly suit your accomplishments. Treat her kindly, sir. Mr. Golightly, I insist on your dancing with Lady Jane Vane--your father and hers were intimate friends. Mr. Harthe-Brusshe, your respected father tells me that he has a particular desire you should dance with Miss Mimsy; she's an heiress, sir, and as good as she is wealthy. Come, come, gentlemen, make no doubt that I shall find a partner for every one of you." The young gentlemen, a little stiffer, a little more awkward, followed Mr. Ripple very mildly across the room. The rest of the Assembly fluttered quite perceptibly at their approach. Lovely had no opportunity of asking Phyllida to dance with him as by the time he had crossed the room, she was standing opposite Mr. Moon. So he hurried up to Miss Sukey Morton who flashed her black eyes and took his arm with all the grace in the world and discussed the attraction of the British Army with much fan-play and volubility. He met Phyllida in the course of the dance and begged her hand for the Cotillon, but she shook her head gravely with a glance in the direction of old General Morton, and Charles passed on to less interesting encounters much exasperated by the impertinence of old age. "Why aren't you a soldier, Mr. Lovely?" asked Miss Morton in a wondering voice. "I like to pull the sheets over my head when I sleep," said Charles very solemnly, "but soldiers always have to put them on top of a pole." "Oh! but think of war and fortresses and sieges and bivouacks." "I dislike war, I object to fortresses. For sieges I lack the patience and I abominate bivouacks." "But the uniform is so gay," persisted Miss Morton, "and so martial." "A footman's, ma'am, is twice as gay and three times as martial." "Nay, I vow you're jealous of the Army." "Madam, is that surprizing, when Miss Morton inclines so much to scarlet?" "Nay, now you are laughing at me,", she pouted, "and I hate to be laughed at. Are you a friend of Mr. Chalkley?" "Indeed, I hope I may describe myself as such," said Charles. "Does he paint landskips as an Amateur?" inquired cunning Miss Sukey Morton. "Not that I am aware of." The disappointment visible on her countenance recalled the incident of the Valentine, and he made haste to add: "Though now I come to think of it, I found him cutting out an ace of hearts one day last week." "An ace of hearts?" said Miss Morton very innocently, "why what would he do that for?"