Hehadnearlymadethecircuitoftheroomwhenhewassurprisedbythefirststrainsofawaltz。WaltzingwasnotastrongfeatureofIndianSpringfestivity，partlythattheChurchpeoplehadseriousdoubtsifDavid’ssaltatoryperformancesbeforetheArkincluded\"rounddances，\"andpartlythattheyounghadnotyetmastereditsdifficulties。Whenheyieldedtohisimpulsetolookagainatthedancershefoundthatonlythreeorfourcoupleshadbeenboldenoughtotakethefloor。CressyMcKinstryandherformerpartnerwereoneofthem。Inhispresentexaltationhewasnotastonishedtofindthatshehadevidentlypickeduptheartinherlatevisit，andwasnowwaltzingwithquietgraceandprecision，buthewassurprisedthatherpartnerwasfarfrombeingequallyperfect，andthatafterafewturnsshestoppedandsmilinglydisengagedherwaistfromhisarm。Asshesteppedbacksheturnedwithunerringinstincttothatpartoftheroomwherethemasterstood，andraisedhereyesthroughthemultitudeofadmiringfacestohis。Theireyesmetinanisolationassupremeasiftheyhadbeenalone。Itwasanattractionthemoredangerousbecauseunformulated——apossessionwithoutpreviouspledge，promise，orevenintention——alovethatdidnotrequiretobe\"made。\"
Heapproachedherquietlyandevenmorecoollythanhethoughtpossible。\"Willyouallowmeatrial？\"heasked。
Shelookedinhisface，andasifshehadnotheardthequestionbutwasfollowingherownthought，said，\"Iknewyouwouldcome；I
sawyouwhenyoufirstcamein。\"Withoutanotherwordsheputherhandinhis，andasifitwerepartofaninstinctiveactionofdrawingclosertohim，caughtwithheradvancingfoottheaccentofthewaltz，andthenextmomenttheroomseemedtoslipawayfromthemintowhirlingspace。
Thewholethinghadpassedsorapidlyfromthemomentheapproachedhertothefirstgracefulswingofherfullskirtathisside，thatitseemedtohimalmostliketheembraceofalovers’meeting。Hehadoftenbeenasnearherbefore，hadstoodathersideatschool，andevenleanedoverherdesk，butalwayswithanirritatedinstinctofreservethathadequallyaffectedher，andwhichhenowunderstood。Withherconsciousbutpalefacesonearhisown，withthefaintodorofherhairclingingtoher，andwiththesweetconfusionofthehalflingering，halfwithheldcontactofherhandandarm，allhadchanged。Hedidnotdaretoreflectthathecouldneveragainapproachherexceptwiththisfeeling。Hedidnotdaretothinkofanything；heabandonedhimselftothesensethathadbegunwiththeinvasionofherhair-boundmyrtleinthesilentschool-room，andseemedtohaveatlastledhertohisarms。Theyweremovingnowinsuchperfectrhythmandunisonthattheyseemedscarcelyconsciousofmotion。Oncewhentheynearedtheopenwindowhecaughtaglimpseoftheroundmoonrisingabovethesolemnheightsoftheoppositeshore，andfeltthecoolbreathofmountainandriversweephischeekandmingleafewescapedthreadsofherfairhairwithhisown。Withthatglimpseandthatsensationthevulgarityandthetawdrinessoftheirsurroundings，thegutteringcandlesintheirsconces，thebizarrefigures，theunmeaningfacesseemedtobewhirledfarintodistantspace。Theywerealonewithnightandnature；itwastheywhowerestill；allelsehadrecededinavanishingperspectiveofdullreality，inwhichtheyhadnopart。