University of Virginia Library

The dancing flagged that night because
Phil, who had waltzed with scarce a pause
On yule night with Maud Morrison,
Was so unsettled by the tone
Kit had maintained while going to
And coming back from Linlithgow,
Though she was his companion
Through the delicious afternoon,
That he was fain to spend the night
In hanging by her side to right
That which was keeping them apart,
Not knowing in his blinded heart
That he was wooing his ill-fate
By striving to ingratiate.
“Leave well alone” 's a proverb old,
And truly, if the truth were told,
“Leave everything alone” should be
A proverb too. The more that we
Multiply schemes and work we do
Multiply our misfortunes too.
The worst misfortunes of my life
I've brought down on my head by strife,
To lessen or to obviate
Misfortunes of a lighter weight
Which I anticipated and
Which would have, had I held my hand,
By a mysterious Power, been
Diverted from me (as I've seen
By the event). And thus poor Phil
Forced on his crisis. Pretty Lil
And the Professor somehow found
That although waltzing round and round
Has its own pleasures, maid and man
By sitting still together can
Equal, if not more joy obtain:
So they too left the mazy train,
And as young ladies entertain
A fear that if, e'en once they let
A man not in their dancing set
Dance with them much, because there are
None of the real caviare
At hand, they afterwards may find
The barrier thus undermined
Hard to shore up to its old strength,
Poor Maud was satisfied at length
That she would have no dance that night:
So, wearing an expression bright
Which did not in the least express
Her frame of mind, she went to press
Her services on Mrs Forte
As the musician, cutting short
Remonstrance with insistance stern
That she must be allowed her turn
Or could not bear to dance again.
A threefold end did she attain
By this manœuvre. Firstly, she
Did honestly desire to be
Considerate; and secondly,
It saved her having to comply
With undesirable requests
For dances, which good taste's behests
Would not permit her to refuse;
And thirdly, 'twould be an excuse
If while she stayed there, she should chance
Again to deprecate a dance.
And further she could play so well
That, like most people who excel,
It flattered her to thus display
Her skill. And playing chased away
The demonry of jealousy
Which haunted her when Phil stood by
The Queenly Kit, who, ill at ease
With his mistimed attempts to please,
Was scarce her royal self that night,
Though she made some few sallies bright,
But occupied with all her strength
In keeping him at sword-arm's length.
The dancing lapsed, and left therewith
Maud to the clutch of Lachlan Smith,
And Hall and Will in sheer despair
Taking to billiards;—the whole air
Was thundercharged with discontent.

Meanwhile the very contrast lent
Fresh graces to the laughing girl,
Baring a gleaming rim of pearl
At each fresh anecdote and jest
Related to her with such zest
By the Professor, who began
To feel himself a happier man
When good hap let him wile away
An hour alone in converse gay
With this warm-hearted gentle fay.

It certainly beatifies
Those who are not too worldly-wise
To have bright tender maiden's eyes
Sharing one's gaze at everything,
And white hands always dallying
Before one; and it pleases well
If, when one has a tale to tell,
A pretty Lil with little ear
Is stretched on the “qui vive” to hear
Each word one says; nor does one's mind,
If not too seriously inclined,
Object to a companion graced
With girlhood's flower, summer-faced
And sunny-haired and fairy-light,
Though not below the middle height.