The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-03-29
CHAPTER vi.
Continued.

that every remostest object on sea
and land stands out, as though 'twere
chiseled in silver, against the pro-
found purple of the sky.
Roger Temple lights his pipe and
begins--a little way Roger has in
most feminine society-to feel his
heart grow soft. Belinda whistles.
at was good fun" she then says
'that waltz we had, down at the Ca
sino, Roger-if you call me my dear,
why should I not call you Roger.
steppapa Roger?' enjoyed it all
the more because knew how my es-
pargottes and my stockings and
everything about me riled Rosie!
But for real dancing-bah! if you
want to see that, you should come
with me to the Place Ithurbida and
see how the peasant girls dance the
bolero. 1t is not the third OF kilo
away, I can hear the tambourines
from this, and I'll promise to bring
you back, safe and sound, Roger,
and Rosie is SO happy with her young
men!"
She pleads to him, the soft night
shining on her lips and eyes, and for
the first time it occurs to Roger Tenn
pie that this wild little Arab child
will be pretty girl some day.
"Take me where you will, Belinda.
I do not believe in you overmuch,
but will believe in Costa. I am sure
Costa would not stand quietly by and
see me murdered"
She leads the way down a rough
bullock track or gully, that DIVORCES
at this point from the shore, and a
few minutes walk brings them out
upon the main road. From the Place
Ithurbida, thicket of olive and cork
trees close at hand, rises sounds of
music; barbaric, blood-stirring, dance
music, about as much like the thread
bare Partisan tinkle-tinkle of the Ca
sino waltzes as the smell of the moor
lands in September is like BARRIERS
shop.
Nov you shall see dancing in
earnest" says Belinda, arching her
slender arms cachuca fashion above
her head, and her whole 1.-THE figure
seeming to become instinct on the mo-
ment with life and music. IRA, la,
la, la, la, Ira, la, Ira, lira!"
The orchestra is composed of a
Basque tambourine and bagpipe, both
instruments played by an old woman
in rags; with castanet accompani-
ment, ad libitum, from the fingers of
the performers. The corps de ballet
consists of three couples of men and
girls, all Of the lowest order of the
people, not shoe or stocking among
them, but "artistes," every one, if
originality and fire, Joined to the
most perfect power of expression, the
most finished neatness in execution,
may be said to constitute art.
Belinda, at Rogers side, remains a
silent spectator throughout one
dance. With the first notes of the
next her feet begin to twinkle.
"This is the Basque bolero, the ma
tional Dance" she whispers to him /;
but there are none of the best
dancers here tonight. You should
see the Gitanas who come down from
the hill country at fair-time, Or
little witch, as if the thought had
suddenly struck heri as if it were not
expressly for this that she had lured
him hither!-"or you should see me.
VIII you see me dance bolero, Cap
tain Temple?"
Some time or another, my dear
child. Some evening at Rosie S
hotel, when
Nov, this moment, out-of-doors,
to real Basque music, or neverl
What, do you think would dance a
bolero on floor, with Rose shaking
her head and describing how nicely
the young ladies used to turn their
ties out at Miss Ingram's? ] dance
for you, sir, now or never! If you
are shocked, you know you can easily
walk off in another direction and pre-
tend you don't belong to me-"
Her slight form trips away into an
open space between the trees, six OF
eight yards distant from the principal
performers; and there, partnerless
unashamed as was ever court duchess
during the stately performance of q
minuet, the Earl of Liskeard's grand
daughter dances her bolero.
Roger watches her with pleasure as
regards the qualification of his artis-
tic sense, and at the same time with
curiously poignant pain. He has
lived too long in India not to be re-
minded of Nautch girls and their
performances by this kind of exhibit
ton; and Rosie's animadversions on
the subject of Belinda's return, with
unpleasant clearness, to his mind
The peasants, with the perfect natural
breeding that characterizes their race
take no further notice of the child
than by smile or a nod as they pass
her in the evolutions of the dance
When it is over they seat themselves
on the turf, the girls together, the
men little part, and all begin chat
tering in that liquid bastard Sanscrit
of theirs which of itself lis music. Be
linda trips gayly back to Rogers side
II dance tolerably WE'LL dance
better than any of those fine die-awa,
Hermiones and Dolores at the Casino
don't II" she exclaims, holding w
her eager face within about foot Of
Rogers in the moonlight.
you dance a vast deal too well
Belinda too well for the preseni
company, mean"
"Ah, those are your English preju
4AAr KEsans =. 1.