’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。
’Thelateritgotthemoredideachofthetwocousinsdancewiththewrongyounggirl，andthetighterdidheholdhertohissideashewhirledherround；and，whatwasveryremarkable，neitherseemedtomindwhattheotherwasdoing。Thepartybegantodrawtowardsitsend，andIsawnomorethatnight，beingoneofthefirsttoleave，onaccountofmymorning’sbusiness。ButIlearnttherestofitfromthosethatknew。
’Afterfinishingaparticularlywarmingdancewiththechangedpartners，asI’vementioned，thetwoyoungmenlookedatoneanother，andinamomentortwowentoutintotheporchtogether。
’“James，“saysSteve，“whatwereyouthinkingofwhenyouweredancingwithmyOlive？“
’“Well，“saidJames，“perhapswhatyouwerethinkingofwhenyouweredancingwithmyEmily。“
’“Iwasthinking，“saidSteve，withsomehesitation，“thatIwouldn’tmindchangingforgoodandall!“
’“ItwaswhatIwasfeelinglikewise，“saidJames。
’“Iwillinglyagreetoit，ifyouthinkwecouldmanageit。“
’“SodoI。Butwhatwouldthegirlssay？“
’“’Tismybelief，“saidSteve，“thattheywouldn’tparticularlyobject。YourEmilyclungasclosetomeasifshealreadybelongedtome，deargirl。“
’“AndyourOlivetome，“saysJames。“Icouldfeelherheartbeatinglikeaclock。“
’Well，theyagreedtoputittothegirlswhentheywereallfourwalkinghometogether。Andtheydidso。Whentheypartedthatnighttheexchangewasdecidedon——allhavingbeendoneunderthehotexcitementofthatevening’sdancing。ThusithappenedthatonthefollowingSundaymorning，whenthepeopleweresittinginchurchwithmouthswideopentohearthenamespublishedastheyhadexpected，therewasnosmallamazementtohearthemcoupledthewrongway，asitseemed。Thecongregationwhispered，andthoughttheparsonhadmadeamistake；tilltheydiscoveredthathisreadingofthenameswasverilythetrueway。Astheyhaddecided，sotheyweremarried，eachonetotheother’soriginalproperty。
’Well，thetwocoupleslivedonforayearortwoordinarilyenough，tillthetimecamewhentheseyoungpeoplebegantogrowalittlelesswarmtotheirrespectivespouses，asistheruleofmarriedlife；andthetwocousinswonderedmoreandmoreintheirheartswhathadmade’emsomadatthelastmomenttomarrycrosswiseastheydid，whentheymighthavemarriedstraight，aswasplannedbynature，andastheyhadfalleninlove。’TwasTony’spartythathaddoneIT，plainenough，andtheyhalfwishedtheyhadnevergonethere。James，beingaquiet，fireside，perusingman，feltattimesawidegapbetweenhimselfandOlive，hiswife，wholovedridinganddrivingandout——doorjauntstoadegree；whileSteve，whowasalwaysknockingabouthitherandthither，hadaverydomesticwife，whoworkedsamplers，andmadehearthrugs，scarcelyeverwishedtocrossthethreshold，andonlydroveoutwithhimtopleasehim。
’However，theysaidverylittleaboutthismismatingtoanyoftheiracquaintances，thoughsometimesStevewouldlookatJames’swifeandsigh，andJameswouldlookatSteve’swifeanddothesame。Indeed，atlastthetwomenwerefrankenoughtowardseachothernottomindmentioningitquietlytothemselves，inalong-faced，sorry-smiling，whimsicalsortofway，andwouldshaketheirheadstogetherovertheirfoolishnessinupsettingawell-consideredchoiceonthestrengthofanhour’sfancyinthewhirlandwildnessofadance。
Still，theyweresensibleandhonestyoungfellowsenough，anddidtheirbesttomakeshiftwiththeirlotastheyhadarrangedit，andnottorepineatwhatcouldnotnowbealteredormended。
’Sothingsremainedtillonefinesummerdaytheywentfortheiryearlylittleoutingtogether，astheyhadmadeittheircustomtodoforalongwhilepast。ThisyeartheychoseBudmouth-Regisastheplacetospendtheirholidayin；andofftheywentintheirbestclothesatnineo’clockinthemorning。
’WhentheyhadreachedBudmouth-Registheywalkedtwoandtwoalongtheshore——theirnewbootsgoingsqueakity-squashupontheclammyvelvetsands。Icanseemtosee’emnow!Thentheylookedattheshipsintheharbour；andthenwentuptotheLook-out；andthenhaddinnerataninn；andthenagainwalkedtwoandtwo，squeakity-
squash，uponthevelvetsands。AseveningdrewontheysatononeofthepublicseatsupontheEsplanade，andlistenedtotheband；andthentheysaid“Whatshallwedonext？“
’“Ofallthings，“saidOliveMrs。JamesHardcome，thatis，“I
shouldliketorowinthebay!Wecouldlistentothemusicfromthewateraswellasfromhere，andhavethefunofrowingbesides。“
’“Theverything；soshouldI，“saysStephen，histastesbeingalwayslikehers。
Heretheclerkturnedtothecurate。
’Butyou，sir，knowtherestofthestrangeparticularsofthatstrangeeveningoftheirlivesbetterthananybodyelse，havinghadmuchofitfromtheirownlips，whichIhadnot；andperhapsyou’llobligethegentleman？’
’Certainly，ifitiswished，’saidthecurate。Andhetookuptheclerk’stale：-
’Stephen’swifehatedthesea，exceptfromland，andcouldn’tbearthethoughtofgoingintoaboat。James，too，dislikedthewater，andsaidthatforhisparthewouldmuchsoonerstayonandlistentothebandintheseattheyoccupied，thoughhedidnotwishtostandinhiswife’swayifshedesiredarow。TheendofthediscussionwasthatJamesandhiscousin’swifeEmilyagreedtoremainwheretheyweresittingandenjoythemusic，whiletheywatchedtheothertwohireaboatjustbeneath，andtaketheirwater-excursionofhalfanhourorso，tilltheyshouldchoosetocomebackandjointhesittersontheEsplanade；whentheywouldallstarthomewardtogether。
’Nothingcouldhavepleasedtheothertworestlessonesbetterthanthisarrangement；andEmilyandJameswatchedthemgodowntotheboatmanbelowandchooseoneofthelittleyellowskiffs，andwalkcarefullyoutuponthelittleplankthatwaslaidontrestlestoenablethemtogetalongsidethecraft。TheysawStephenhandOlivein，andtakehisseatfacingher；whentheyweresettledtheywavedtheirhandstothecouplewatchingthem，andthenStephentookthepairofscullsandpulledofftothetunebeatbytheband，shesteeringthroughtheotherboatsskimmingabout，fortheseawasassmoothasglassthatevening，andpleasure-seekerswererowingeverywhere。
’“Howprettytheylookmovingon，don’tthey？“saidEmilytoJamesasI’vebeenassured。“Theybothenjoyitequally。Ineverythingtheirlikingsarethesame。“
’“That’strue，“saidJames。
’“Theywouldhavemadeahandsomepairiftheyhadmarried，“saidshe。
’“Yes，“saidhe。“’Tisapityweshouldhaveparted’em“
’“Don’ttalkofthat，James，“saidshe。“Forbetterorforworsewedecidedtodoaswedid，andthere’sanendofit。“
’Theysatonafterthatwithoutspeaking，sidebyside，andthebandplayedasbefore；thepeoplestrolledupanddown；andStephenandOliveshranksmallerandsmallerastheyshotstraightouttosea。
ThetwoonshoreusedtorelatehowtheysawStephenstoprowingamoment，andtakeoffhiscoattogetathisworkbetter；butJames’swifesatquitestillinthestern，holdingthetiller-ropesbywhichshesteeredtheboat。Whentheyhadgotverysmallindeedsheturnedherheadtoshore。
’“Sheiswavingherhandkerchieftous，“saidStephen’swife，whothereuponpulledoutherown，andwaveditasareturnsignal。
’Theboat’scoursehadbeenalittleawrywhileMrs。JamesneglectedhersteeringtowaveherhandkerchieftoherhusbandandMrs。
Stephen；butnowthelightskiffwentstraightonwardagain，andtheycouldsoonseenothingmoreofthetwofiguresitcontainedthanOlive’slightmantleandStephen’swhiteshirtsleevesbehind。
’Thetwoontheshoretalkedon。“’Twasverycurious——ourchangingpartnersatTonyKytes’swedding，“Emilydeclared。“Tonywasofaficklenaturebyallaccount，anditreallyseemedasifhischaracterhadinfectedusthatnight。Whichofyoutwowasitthatfirstproposednottomarryaswewereengaged？“
’“H’m——Ican’trememberatthismoment，“saysJames。“Wetalkeditover，youknow；andnosoonersaidthandone。“
’“’Twasthedancing，“saidshe。“Peoplegetquitecrazysometimesinadance。“
’“Theydo，“heowned。
’“James——doyouthinktheycareforoneanotherstill？“asksMrs。
Stephen。
’JamesHardcomemusedandadmittedthatperhapsalittletenderfeelingmightflickerupintheirheartsforamomentnowandthen。
“Still，nothingofanyaccount，“hesaid。
’“IsometimesthinkthatOliveisinSteve’smindagooddeal，“
murmursMrs。Stephen；“particularlywhenshepleaseshisfancybyridingpastourwindowatagallopononeofthedraught-horses……
Inevercoulddoanythingofthatsort；Icouldnevergetovermyfearofahorse。“
’“AndIamnohorseman，thoughIpretendtobeonheraccount，“