Page:Eliot - Daniel Deronda, vol. I, 1876.djvu/217

 the truth of change—only to give stability to one beautiful moment.

"The dancing will come next," said Mrs Davilow. "You are sure to enjoy that."

"I shall only dance in the quadrille. I told Mr Clintock so. I shall not waltz or polk with any one."

"Why in the world do you say that all on a sudden?"

"I can't bear having ugly people so near me."

"Whom do you mean by ugly people?"

"Oh, plenty."

"Mr Clintock, for example, is not ugly." Mrs Davilow dared not mention Grandcourt.

"Well, I hate woollen cloth touching me."

"Fancy!" said Mrs Davilow to her sister who now came up from the other end of the room. "Gwendolen says she will not waltz or polk."

"She is rather given to whims, I think," said Mrs Gascoigne, gravely. "It would be more be- coming in her to behave as other young ladies do on such an occasion as this; especially when she has had the advantage of first-rate dancing lessons."

"Why should I waltz if I don't like it, aunt? It is not in the Catechism."

"My dear!" said Mrs Gascoigne, in a tone of severe check, and Anna looked frightened at