All of this was lost on the girls, but they saw that he had misunderstood them, and, falling back on pantomime, they signified that he was to follow them up-stairs and play for them to dance.
“Ah, si, si, si,” he cried, smiling at his own misapprehension, at them, and at the world at large, and obeyed them gladly.
In the nursery the impromptu ball began without loss of a moment. The wandering minstrel played well. Even Sydney’s indifference thawed beneath the strains of an inspiring waltz, and he swung the girls around with considerable enjoyment, while the others danced together, Jack also condescending, though he was at that mid-stage of boyhood when he regarded all social customs as not only a bore, but a conspiracy against true freedom.
The impromptu ball began without the loss of a moment.
But Jack was certainly in a trying mood that morning. He contrived to be exasperating in a dozen ways, suited to each person’s weaknesses, and Gwen threatened to banish him if he did not reform at once, while Jan—usually so patient with mischief—informed him that he was a nuisance, and had begun the year about as badly as he could.
This stern remark made Jack both angry and ashamed, angry enough, unfortunately, not to allow the shame to bring forth fruit. As the smiling musician struck up a polka that must have made it hard for the chairs to keep their legs still, and did make Jerry pick up her skirts in an improvised dance all her own, Jack grew more obstreperous.
Gwen and Jan were dancing together, Sydney was trying the heel-and-toe with Gladys, and Viva was polkaing with her largest doll, her face as sweetly grave as usual, and her little form swaying most gracefully, for serious Viva was a born dancer.
Suddenly the music became irregular in time, and Gwen called over Jan’s shoulder as they whirled: “What are you doing, boy? You would have to have crutches to dance that time, it is so hitchy!”
The Italian only smiled. To all blame as well as to praise he presented the same unvarying smile, as a safe way to meet the uncertainties of an unknown race and clime.