I didn't
feel him especially clever, but easy and pleasant--and friendly. Also a
little shy--even after we had gone up to the ball-room. I'm afraid that
made me more talkative than ever; you know how shyness in another man makes
me all the more confident and rackety. Be sure that voice of mine rang out!
But not in song. There was a piano up stairs, of course, and that led to a
little dancing. Different people took turns in playing. I danced--once--
with each of the three girls, and twice with my hostess; then I let Ryder
and the two young business-men do the rest. Randolph danced once with Mrs.
Phillips, and that ended it for him. My own dancing, as you know, is
nothing to brag of: I think the young ladies were quite satisfied with the
little I did. I'm sure _I_ was. You also know my views on round
dances. Why dancing should be done exclusively by couples arranged strictly
on the basis of contrasted sexes...! I think of the good old days of the
Renaissance in Italy, when women, if they wanted to dance, just got up and
danced--alone, or, if they didn't want to dance alone, danced together. I
like to see soldiers or sailors dance in pairs, as a straightforward outlet
for superfluous physical energy.
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