eremony, though it had no such connection. Some of
them were decidedly pretty, though their style of beauty was not entirely
to the taste of the Americans. They had black eyes, and they looked the
visitors full in the face, and with entire self-possession.

"Now what are these girls, Sir Modava?" asked Mrs. Belgrave.

"They are professional dancers, and that is their sole occupation," replied
he. "They are engaged by rich people when they give parties, and for
weddings and other festive occasions."

"Is that man the only musician?"

"He is the only one for this entertainment, and he plays the tom-tom with
his fingers. I am afraid you do not appreciate our native music, and we did
not engage any more of it. They are about to begin."

The musician beat the tom-tom, and the girls rose from the floor, shook out
their dresses as any lady would, and then it appeared that the ornaments on
their ankles were bells, which rattled as though it were sleighing-time as
they moved about. They formed in a semicircle before the audience; one of
them stepped forward, and turned herself around very slowly and gracefully,
with a quivering of the body, like the gypsy girls of Spain, which caused
her bells to jingle.

With eyes half-closed, and with a languishing expression on her dusky face,
she made a variety of gestures, posturing frequently as she continued to
turn. When this one seemed to have exhausted her material, another advanced
to the front, and proceeded to exhibit her variety of gestures and
postures, which were but slightly different from those of the first one,
though she went through the movements of a snake-charmer. In like manner
all the performers went through their several parts, imitating various
musicians on different native instruments.

Two of them went through a very lively performance, leaping and whirling
very rapidly. The exhibition concluded with a round dance, which was
thought to be very pretty, perhaps because it was exceedingly lively. Mrs.
Belgrave and Mrs. Blossom had never been to a theatre in their lives, never
saw a ballet, and were not capable of appreciating the posturing, though
the animated dance pleased them. The Nautch girls retired, and the
"Nautch," as such an occasion is called, was ended.

"Perhaps you have seen snakes enough for one day," said Lord Tremlyn; "but
I thought you ought to see the performance of the snake-charmers. We will
have it here instead of in the open street; and it i