Thus disappointed, I gave up all hope of meeting her for whose sake I
had come to the ball. She was either _not_ there, or did not wish to be
recognised, even by _me_. The latter supposition was the more bitter of
the two; and goaded by it and one or two other uncongenial thoughts, I
paid frequent visits to the "refreshment-room," where wine flowed
freely. A cup or two drove the _one idea_ out of my mind; and after a
while, I grew more companionable, and determined to enjoy myself like
others around me. I had not danced as yet, but the wine soon got to my
toes as well as into my head; and I resolved to put myself in motion
with the first partner that offered.
I soon found one--a blue domino--that came right in my way, as if the
fates had determined we should dance together. The lady was "_not_
engaged for the next;" she would be "most happy."
This, by the way, was said in _French_, which would have taken me by
surprise, had I not known that there were many French people living in
C--, as in all the large cities of Mexico. They are usually jewellers,
dentists, milliners, or rather artisans of that class who drive a
lucrative trade among the luxury-loving _Mexicanos_. To know there were
French people in the place, was to be certain you would find them at the
ball; and there were they, numbers of them, pirouetting about, and
comporting themselves with the gay _insouciance_ characteristic of their
nation. I was not surprised, then, when my blue domino addressed me in
French.
"A French _modiste_!" conjectured I, as soon as she spoke.
Milliner or no, it mattered not to me; I wanted a dancing partner; and
after another phrase or two in the same sweet tongue, away went she and
I in the curving whirl of a waltz.
After sailing once round the room, I had two quite new and distinct
impressions upon my mind: the first, that I had a partner _who could
waltz_, a thing not to be met with every day. My blue domino seemed to
have no feet under her, but floated around me as if borne upon the air!
For the moment, I fancied myself in Ranelagh or Mabille!
My other impression was, that my arm encircled as pretty a waist as ever
was clasped by a lover. There was a pleasing rotundity about it,
combined with a general symmetry of form and serpentine yieldiness of
movement that rendered dancing with such a partner both easy and
delightful. My observation at the moment was, that if the face of the
modiste bore any sort of proportion to her figure, she needed not have
come so far from France to push her fortune.
With such a partner I could not otherwise than waltz well; and never
better than upon that occasion. We were soon under the observation of
the company, and became the cynosure of a circle. This I did not
relish, and drawing my blue domino to one side, we waltzed towards a
seat, into which I handed her with the usual polite expression of
thanks.
This seat was in a little recess or blind window, where two persons
might freely converse without fear of an eaves-dropper. I had no desire
to run away from a partner who danced so well, though she were a
modiste. There was room for two upon the bench, and I asked permission
to sit beside her.
"Oh, certainly," was the frank reply.
"And will you permit me to remain with you till the music recommences?"
"If you desire it."
"And dance with you again?"
"With pleasure, monsieur, if it suit your convenience. But is there no
other who claims you as a partner?--no other in this assemblage you
would prefer?"
"Not one, I assure you. You are the only one present with whom I care
to dance."
As I said this, I thought I perceived a slight movement, that indicated
some emotion.
"It was a gallant speech, and the modiste is pleased with the
compliment," thought I.