XII.] A BALL AT THRONDHJEM. 235 



I was led up in due form to a very pretty lady, and heard 

 my own name, followed by a singular sound purporting to be. 

 that of my charming partner, Madame Hghelghghagllaghem. 

 For the pronunciation of this polysyllabic cognomen, I can 

 only give you a few plain instructions ; commence it with a 

 slight cough, continue with a gurgling in the throat, and 

 finish with the first convulsive movement of a sneeze, 

 imparting to the whole operation a delicate nasal twang. 

 If the result is not something approaching to the sound 

 required, you must relinquish all hope of achieving it, as I 

 did. Luckily, my business was to dance, and not to apostro- 

 phize the lady ; and accordingly, when the waltz struck up, 

 I hastened to claim, in the dumbest show, the honour of her 

 hand. Although my dancing qualifications have rather 

 rusted during the last two or three years, I remembered that 

 the time was not so very far distant when even the fair 



Mad eIIe -'E had graciously pronounced me to be a very 



tolerable waltzer, " for an Englishman," and I led my 

 partner to the circle already formed with the "air capable" 

 which the object of such praise is entitled to assume. 

 There was a certain languid rhythm in the air they were 

 playing which rather offended my ears, but I suspected 

 nothing until, observing the few couples who had already 

 descended into the arena, I became aware that they were 

 twirling about with all the antiquated grace of " la valse a 

 trois temps.'" Of course ray partner would be no exception 

 to the general rule ! nobody had ever danced anything else 

 at Throndhjem from the days of Odin downwards ; and I 

 had never so much as attempted it. What was to be done ? 

 I could not explain the state of -the case to Madame 

 Hghelghghagllaghem; she could not understand English, 

 nor I speak Norse. My brain reeled with anxiety to find 

 some solution of the difficulty, or some excuse for rushing 

 from her presence. What if I were taken with a sudden 

 bleeding at the nose, or had an apoplectic fit on the spot ? 

 Either case would necessitate my being carried decently out, 

 and consigned to oblivion, which would have been a com- 



