“You do me much honour, sir,” I answered, “but I must beg you to excuse me.”

“I hope not,” cried he, “I hope out of charity you will dance, as it is the last ball, and the company is so thin.”

“Oh, it will do Very Well without me; Mr. Wade himself says he dies to-night a very respectable death.”

“And will you not have the goodness to help it on a little in its last stage ? "

“No,” said I, laughing; “why should we wish it to be kept lingering?”

“Lingering!” repeated he, looking round at the dancers, “no, surely it is not quite so desperate; and if you will but join in, you will give it new existence.”

I was a little thrown off my guard at this unexpected earnestness, so different to the ton of the day, and I began hardly to know What to answer, my real objection being such as I could by no means publish, though his urgency and his politeness joined would have made me give up any other.

“This is a very quiet dance,” he continued. “there is nothing fatiguing in it.”

“You are very good,” said I, “but I cannot really dance to-night.”

I was sorry to seem so obstinate, but he was just the man to make every body inquire whom he danced with; and any one Who wished for general attention could do no better than to be his partner.  The ever-mischievous Mrs. Thrale, calling to Mr. Selwyn, who stood by us, said,-

“Why, here’s a man in love !-quite, downright in love with Miss Burney, if ever I saw one!”

“He is quite mortified, at least,” he answered; “I never saw a man look more mortified.”

“Well, he did not deserve it,” said she; “he knew how to beg, and he ought not to have been so served.”

I begged her to be silent, for Mr. Metcalf returned to me. "

“Were you too much tired,” he said, “with your walk this morning, to try at a dance?”

I excused myself as well as I could, and we presently went 247

into the card-room to vary the scene.  When we returned to the ball-room I was very glad to see my new captain had just taken out Lady Anne Lindsay, who is here with Lady Margaret Fordyce, and who dances remarkably well, and was every way a more suitable partner for him.  He was to leave the town, with his regiment, the next day.

Tuesday.-Mrs. Thrale took me out to walk with her.  We met Lady De Ferrars and Miss Ellerker in our ramble, and the very moment the ball was mentioned, this dear and queer creature called out,—­

“Ay, there was a sad ado, ladies dancing with ladies, and all sorts of odd things; and that handsome and fine Mr. Kaye broke his heart almost to dance with Miss Burney; but she refused him, and so, in despair, he took out Lady Anne Lindsay.”

Dr. Johnson held in general dread.