man (a rare creature), who suddenly discovering
that he had lost his partner, plunged
about the room in search of her, and found
her actively pointing her toes at a young
English lieutenant of gigantic stature. Jacques
Bonhomme, being small, had some trouble to
strike his rival in the face; the rival with
much courtesy requested him to walk down-
stairs, and promised a sufficient explanation
when the dance was over. Jacques remained
upstairs, wandering about the room like a
wolf in a cage. A duel impended, and the
Asiatics very much enjoyed the prospect of
this unexpected addition to their evening's
entertainment. Somebody, however, procured
uhe intervention of police, and in a corner of
a ball-room there took place the episode of
arrest, bail, aiid those other details preliminary
to civil action against Jacques Bonhomme for
assault and battery.

Having shared several dances with my
young Asiatic Netherlander, I next found
myself opposite a Spanish lady, from Manilla,
who smoked between the figures, and spoke
very bad English. This, however, she declared
to me was her favourite language, though she
knew both Malay and French; I was therefore
bound, in politeness, to conceal my ignorance
as to the import of about two words in
every three with which she favoured me.

The cluster of faces peering out from
between the pillars was now and then
lighted up with laughter, as odd groups of
dancers whirled past; even the dancers
themselves often found it impossible to preserve
their gravity. Some little awkwardness,
moreover, was occasionally displayed by the
strangely united couples. For example, a
young lady from Calcutta, dressed after the
most elaborate fashion of the city of palaces,
got fearfully entangled in a Schottische with a
Chinese Mandarin, whose large, jet-black
tail descended considerably below his waist.
As he hopped and frisked, the tail flew about
iu the most dangerous manner. No doubt
could be entertained, however, that the
gentleman had been taking lessons for a fortnight
or three weeks, because he really went through
the business of the dance very respectably.
At length, however, as ill-luck would have it,
one of his red slippers came off. A burst of
laughter, which it was impossible to restrain,
shook the fat sides of the host at this disaster,
while the unhappy How-Guim-Foo quitted
his partner, and rushed, with his long tail like
a comet, to regain the shoe—for to be shoeless
is to be disgraced in Celestial eyes.

At another time, and in another part of the
room, the tails of two of the Chinese, as they
passed one another, back to back, hooked
together: perhaps by the strings which tied
them. While the gentlemen butted forward
with their heads, after the manner of rams, to
dissolve their involuntary partnership, their
chosen partners ran into each other's arms,
and whirled on in the waltz without them.

Becoming by degrees a little tired, I slipped
behind the pillars fur rest. Here I observed
neat little tables in front of luxurious sofas,
on which several Celestials reclined at their
full length, smoking opium. They appeared
to be in a delicious state of dreaminess,
imagining themselves, perhaps, in the vicinity
of the Lake of Lilies, with orange and tea-
trees blossoming around them. Near these,
were two or three Hindoos smoking the
hookah; in their neighbourhood a solitary
Turk, who bore in his countenance an expression
of infinite disdain for the infidels of
all colours whom he saw around him. As
I had recently come from his part of the
world, I accosted him at once, and great was
his delight, when he heard a greeting in the
language of Stamboul. The whole economy
of his features immediately underwent a
complete change. He would gladly have
prolonged our conversation until morning, had
I not been reminded of an engagement to
waltz with a houri from Manilla.

To describe fitly the supper which followed,
I ought to have studied for three years under
some Parisian gastronome. It was a chaos of
dainties, each more tempting than the other.
All the fruits of the Indian Archipelago, of
India, China, and the West—some in their
natural state, others exquisitely preserved,
were piled around us. There were birds'
nest soups, puppy ragouts, pillaus of kanga-
roos' tails, fish of all kinds, and pastry in
profusion. And then for the wines—all
the wines that France, Germany, and
Hungary could produce, sparkled on the board,
and the most anxious care was taken that
every one should be supplied with what
he most desired. While we were regaling
ourselves, delicious strains of music, issuing from
I know not where, stole into the apartment.
This I thought much better than a noisy band,
destroying or bewildering one's appetite from
a gallery immediately over-head. In this case,
the music seemed to form part of the flavour of
the fruits and wines, so finely did it steal into
the air. Two or three songs, sung by female
singers from Italy, forcibly carried me back by
association to old happy days in Europe. By
way of variety, we had a little Asiatic music
also, which several of the Europeans present
thought themselves compelled, by the laws of
taste, to pronounce detestable. I differed from
them greatly. Though inartificial, it seemed
to me full of sweetness, and strikingly
characteristic of wild, fierce, and impassioned races.
Not, however, being a connoisseur in these
matters, I may of course be wrong. Besides,
I judged (after such a supper) in a spirit of
extreme good humour towards all the world.

It was between two and three o'clock in
the morning when we separated; and as I
had to take a ride of three or four miles
into the country before going to bed, I felt so
refreshed by the cool night air, that on
reaching home, I lay down to rest as
tranquilly as a child might, after no more fatiguing
pleasure than a frolic in the garden.