TheCompleteMemoirsOfGeorgeSherston

part of the world. There was to be a dance at Mrs.
Shotney's the next Friday, and I wasn't looking
forward to it much until my aunt told me that she
had heard from Mrs. Cofferdam that Lady Bum-
borough was going to be there with a large party of
jolly young people. "So perhaps you'll see your little
hunting friend again," she added.

"He's not little; he looks about two years older than
me," I retorted huffily, and at once regretted my
stupidity. "My hunting friend!" I had been allow-
ing her to assume that we had "made friends" out
hunting. And when we were at the party she would
be sure to find out that he didn't know me. But per-
haps he wouldn't be there after all. Whereupon I
realized that I should be bitterly disappointed if he
wasn't.

At seven o'clock on Friday we set off in the village
fly. While we jolted along in that musty-smelling
vehicle with its incessantly rattling windows I was
anxious and excited. These feelings were augmented
by shyness and gawkiness by the time I had entered
the ballroom, which was full of antlers and old
armour. Standing by myself in a corner I fidgetled
with my gloves. Now and again 1 glanced nervously '
round the room. Sleek-haired little boys in Eton
jackets were engaging themselves for future dances
with pert little girls in short frocks. Shyness was being
artificially dispelled by solicitous ladies, one of whom
now swooped down on me and led me away to be intro-
duced to equally unenterprising partners. The room
was filling up, and I was soon jostling and bumping
round with a demure little girl in a pink dress, while
the local schoolmaster, a solemn man with a walrus
moustache, thrummed out "The Blue Danube'* on
au elderly upright piano, reinforced by a scjucaky