y more
couples gave evidence of imbibing more freely than wisely. Occasionally
a hysterical laugh burst shrilly above the pounding of the drums and the
moaning of the saxophones. A couple would stagger awkwardly against
another couple and then continue unevenly on an uncertain way.

The stags seemed to be the worst offenders. Many of them were joyously
drunk, dashing dizzily across the floor to find a partner, and once
having taken her from a friend, dragging her about, happily unconscious
of anything but the girl and the insistent rhythm of the music.

The musicians played as if in a frenzy, the drums pound-pounding a
terrible tom-tom, the saxophones moaning and wailing, the violins
singing sensuously, shrilly as if in pain, an exquisite searing pain.

Boom, boom, boom, boom. "Stumbling all around, stumbling all around,
stumbling all around so funny--" Close-packed the couples moved slowly
about the gymnasium, body pressed tight to body, swaying in place--boom,
boom, boom, boom--"Stumbling here and there, stumbling everywhere--"
Six dowagers, the chaperons, sat in a corner, gossiped, and idly watched
the young couples.... A man suddenly released his girl and raced
clumsily for the door, one hand pressed to his mouth, the other
stretched uncertainly in front of him.

Always the drums beating their terrible tom-tom, their primitive,
blood-maddening tom-tom.... Boom, boom, boom, boom--"I like it just a
little bit, just a little bit, quite a little bit." The music ceased,
and some of the couples disentangled themselves; others waited in frank
embrace for the orchestra to begin the encore.... A boy slumped in a
chair, his head in his hands. His partner sought two friends. They
helped the boy out of the gymnasium.

The orchestra leader lifted his bow. The stags waited in a broken line,
looking for certain girls. The music began, turning a song with comic
words into something weirdly sensuous--strange syncopations, uneven,
startling drum-beats--a mad tom-tom. The couples pressed close together
again, swaying, barely moving in place--boom, boom, boom,
boom--"Second-hand hats, second-hand clothes--That's why they call me
second-hand Rose...." The saxophones sang the melody with passionate
despair; the violins played tricks with a broken heart; the clarinets
rose shrill in pain; the drums beat on--boom, boom, boom, boom.... A
boy and girl sought a dark corner. He shielded her with his body while
she took a drink from a flas