’Thekitchenwasclearedoffurniturefordancing，andtheoldfolkplayedat“Put“and“All-fours“intheparlour，thoughatlasttheygavethatuptojoininthedance。Thetopofthefigurewasbythelargefrontwindowoftheroom，andthereweresomanycouplesthatthelowerpartofthefigurereachedthroughthedoorattheback，andintothedarknessoftheout-house；infact，youcouldn’tseetheendoftherowatall，and’twasneverknownexactlyhowlongthatdancewas，thelowestcouplesbeinglostamongthefaggotsandbrushwoodintheout-house。
’Whenwehaddancedafewhours，andthecrownsofwetallermenwereswellingintolumpswithbumpingthebeamsoftheceiling，thefirstfiddlerlaiddownhisfiddle-bow，andsaidheshouldplaynomore，forhewishedtodance。Andinanotherhourthesecondfiddlerlaiddownhis，andsaidhewantedtodancetoo；sotherewasonlythethirdfiddlerleft，andhewasa’old，veteranman，veryweakinthewrist。However，hemanagedtokeepupafalteringtweedle-dee；buttherebeingnochairintheroom，andhiskneesbeingasweakashiswrists，hewasobligedtosituponasmuchofthelittlecorner-tableasprojectedbeyondthecorner-cupboardfixedoverit，whichwasnotaverywideseatforamanadvancedinyears。
’Amongthosewhodancedmostcontinuallywerethetwoengagedcouples，aswasnaturaltotheirsituation。Eachpairwasverywellmatched，andveryunliketheother。JamesHardcome’sintendedwascalledEmilyDarth，andbothsheandJamesweregentle，nice-minded，in-doorpeople，fondofaquietlife。Steveandhischosen，namedOlivePawle，weredifferent；theywereofamorebustlingnature，fondofracketingaboutandseeingwhatwasgoingonintheworld。
Thetwocoupleshadarrangedtogetmarriedonthesameday，andthatnotlongthence；Tony’sweddingbeingasortofstimulant，asisoftenthecase；I’venoticeditprofessionallymanytimes。
’Theydancedwithsuchawillasonlyyoungpeopleinthatstageofcourtshipcandance；andithappenedthatastheeveningworeonJameshadforhispartnerStephen’splightedone，Olive，atthesametimethatStephenwasdancingwithJames’sEmily。Itwasnoticedthatinspiteo’theexchangetheyoungmenseemedtoenjoythedancenolessthanbefore。Byandbytheyweretreadinganothertuneinthesamechangedorderaswehadnoticedearlier，andthoughatfirsteachonehadheldtheother’smistressstrictlyathalf-arm’slength，lestthereshouldbeshownanyobjectiontotooclosequartersbythelady’sproperman，astimepassedtherewasalittlemoreclosenessbetween’em；andpresentlyalittlemoreclosenessstill。