The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-29

Inc nuntSmen ana musiclanS, VINO, I'M
til then, had not made any gestures,
bowed the head in token of adhesion.
THE maestro raised his wand and lively
dance music sounded from one end Of
the room. The first dance was minuet.
i But the rapid notes of the score har-
nlonized badly with those grave courte-
sizes, and so aftera few minutes each of
the couples began to plrouette like a
Dutch top. The silk dresses of the
women, crumpled in tile giddy maze Of
the dance, gave forth an odd sound, like
the sound Of the whirlring pigeons wings.
The wind filling them from beneath
pnffed them out SO that they looked like
swinging bells. ..--..
The bows of the iddlers passed so rap
idly over the strings that the electric
sparks few out. The fingers of the flute
players moved up and down like quick
silver; the cheeks Of the huntsmen were
swollen out like balloons, and all that
formed deluge OF notes and trills 50
hurried and of ascending and descend
ing gamut so complicated, so incon-
ceivable, that the very demons could not
have followed such measure for two
minutes. 1t was pitiful to see all the
efforts of those dancers to catch the
time. They bounded and whirled round,
and pirouetted until the sweat poured
down from their foreheads over their
eyes, and carried away their paint and
patches. But it was all in vain, the Or
chestra was always three or four notes in
advance.
The clock struck /; they stopped. I
then saw something which had escaped
my notice. woman who was not dam
cling. She was seated on a low chair in
the chimney corner, and did not seem to
take the least part in the world in what
was going on around her
Never, even in a dream, had anything
so perfect presented itself to my eyes; a
skin of dazzling brightness, hair blond
cendre, long eye-lashes and blue eyes, SO
clear and transparent that | saw ber soul
through them as distinctly as stone in
a brook. And I felt that if ever came
to love anybody it would be her. l
jumped out Of bed, from which had not
yet dared to stir, and l went toward her,
conducted by some instinct in me which
| could notexplain. found myself at her
knees, one of her hands in mine, talking
with her as if I had known her for TWEEN
ty years.
But by strange prodigy, while speak
ing to her, | marked the music with a
movement of my head. 1t had not
ceased to play; and, although it was for
me the height of happiness to talk with
such a beautiful woman, my feet We're
burning to dance with her. Still, l did
not dare to make the proposition. 1t
seems she understood what wanted, for,
raising her hand toward the dial of the
clock, she said:
"When the needle shall be there, we
will see, my dear Theodore"
know not how it happened, but l was
in no way surprised to hear myself called
by my name, and we continued to talk.
At last, when the appointed hour struck,
the silyery voice vibrated once more in
the chamber and said:
"Angele, you may dance with this
gentleman if you please, but you know
what will be the result"
"No matter" replied Angelo in pout-
ing tone.
She passed her ivory arm around my
neck.
"PrestissimoH cried the voice.
And we began to valse. The velvet
cheek OF the young girl touched mine.
Never in my life had [ experienced such
emotion; my nerves quivered like springs
of steel, my blood flowed in my veins
like torrents Of lava, and I heard my
| heart beat as if watch were tick.
! ing in my ear Still this state had moth.
ing painful in it. l was in a food OF
inefable joy, and I could have wished tc
remain always as / was, and, remarkably
enough, although the orchestra had
tripled its quickness, we needed no efor,
to follow it.
The bystanders, astonished at GU,
agility, cried bravo and clapped theil
hands with all their might without pro
ducing any noise. Il ''' ..''
Angelo, who until then had waltzed
with surprising energy and precision
seemed suddenly to become fatigued
she hung on my shoulder as if her limb.
had failed her; her little feet, which &
minute ago had barely touched the
floor, rose slowly, as il they had beer
weighted with lead.
"Angele, you are weary" 1 said tc
her; "let us rest"
| eyes" she replied, wiping her brow
with her handkerchief; "but while W.
| have been dancing they have all sa
t down; there is only one chair, and We
t are two"
| What does that matter, my angel
r | will take you on my knees"
) Without making the slightest obiec
j ton Angelo sat down, threw her arm,
| like white scarf round my neck, hid
her head in my bosom to warm herself q
' little, for she had become cold as m marble.
/ know not how long we remained in
( that position, for my senses were all alb
| sorbed in the contemplation Of this mvs
| terious and fantastic creature. 1 had nc
| longer any idea of time or of place; thu
' real world no longer existed for me, anc
| all the bonds which bound me to it were