You canna for shame stand still, Adam, an' you a fine young
fellow and can dance as well as anybody."
"Nay, nay," said Mrs. Poyser, "it 'ud be unbecomin'. I know the dancin's
nonsense, but if you stick at everything because it's nonsense, you
wonna go far i' this life. When your broth's ready-made for you, you mun
swallow the thickenin', or else let the broth alone."
"Then if Hetty 'ull dance with me," said Adam, yielding either to Mrs.
Poyser's argument or to something else, "I'll dance whichever dance
she's free."
"I've got no partner for the fourth dance," said Hetty; "I'll dance that
with you, if you like."
"Ah," said Mr. Poyser, "but you mun dance the first dance, Adam, else
it'll look partic'ler. There's plenty o' nice partners to pick an'
choose from, an' it's hard for the gells when the men stan' by and don't
ask 'em."
Adam felt the justice of Mr. Poyser's observation: it would not do for
him to dance with no one besides Hetty; and remembering that Jonathan
Burge had some reason to feel hurt to-day, he resolved to ask Miss Mary
to dance with him the first dance, if she had no other partner.
"There's the big clock strikin' eight," said Mr. Poyser; "we must make
haste in now, else the squire and the ladies 'ull be in afore us, an'
that wouldna look well.
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