"And so graceful! She didn't dance like other people; she had her own peculiar way of dancing; many women tried to imitate her and failed."
"That is so; she had a way of doing the avant deux. I don't know what the steps were, but it was fascinating."
"I know, I remember perfectly; look, Freluchon, I'll show you."
And Monsieur Chamoureau rose, assumed the third position, hummed a dance tune and began to take steps and go through evolutions, saying:
"Wasn't it like this, eh? How's this for her little swagger, her free-and-easy way?"
"Yes, yes, that's it."
"And the poule—I'll just show you. Come and be my vis-à-vis, Freluchon—I can do it better. Forward, give the right hand. Tra la la la—tra la la la—la la la. Cross over! balancez! salute your partners!—Monsieur Edmond, come, be the lady—in the pastourelle figure.—Tra la la—tra la la."
But Edmond was unable to comply; he was laughing too heartily at Chamoureau's dancing.
The latter stopped at last, after a pirouette which he came very near ending on his nose, and, seeing that Edmond was roaring with laughter, he said:
"What on earth makes you laugh like that? Do you think I dance badly?"