ssed abnormally forward
against the waist, with their pink palms glowing outwards. In this pose
poor Laura's limbs looked obdurate as sawdust, while Betty's had bent
like wax to the will of the modeller. Meanwhile, the fiddle fluttered,
and the master now and then exemplified the grace of any particular
attitude he desired. You could observe his beautiful build, the symmetry
of every movement, despite the impediment of two gouty-looking feet
encased in cloth-covered boots of original design. His features were
certainly distinguished, and the trimness of his prematurely blanched
hair made a curious contrast to the general dilapidation of the
surroundings. His poses, one quickly following the other, were all
picturesque. With every turn of the head, or bend of a knee, or stretch
of an arm, some fresh revelation of physical equipoise delighted the
eye.

Laura went through various new movements of a Spanish Carmen-like
fandango with head uplifted and a bravura pout of the chin, after which
we preceded her through the dressing-room, where she was left to
readjust her walking dress. A sense of disappointment weighed on me. All
these attitudes, all these evolutions I had seen in their perfection
through the medium of Betty. No grace of motion could equal hers, no
actuality portrayed by another could be half as exquisite as even the
baldest reminiscence of her.

On the wall of the little bed-chamber where M. Dupres courteously
accompanied me were many photographs, faded but still recognisable, of
himself dressed in tights or other theatrical frippery. He took evident
pleasure in watching my appreciation of the curious attitudes in
which--to show off in their fullest perfection the lithe muscles and
magnificent symmetry of his agile frame--he had been portrayed.

"You must have danced a great deal?" I questioned, seeing that some
remark was required of me.

"Danced!" he said, lifting his eyes to the smudgy ceiling. "Yes, it is
feefteen year ago, but I remember it like jesterday. All overe in vone
moment; a coup de fouet ve call it."

I begged for an explanation.

"I vas ze first--ze very first. One leap into ze air I could do--so
high," he said, lifting his hand descriptively; "a leap zat no vone
vould dare--my fortune vas made. Pupils came from all ze countries to
learn from me some leetle 'pas,' but zere vas no time. Zen, vone night
zere came a king to see me--me, ze king of ze dance--ah! I may say zat
now it is all go