CHAPTER VII
WHEN NANCY DANCED
Mrs. Marvin decided to make the weekly socials very different from whatthey had been.
It had been her custom to hire musicians from the city to give a littlerecital, and then serve light refreshments, and allow the latter part ofthe evening to be spent in indoor games, or dancing.
The social part of the evening was always enjoyed, but many of themusicians, both vocal and instrumental, had given selections of sostrictly classical character that some of the pupils complained thatthey did not care for it.
She determined to ask three pupils to arrange a program for eachevening, each of the three being expected to take part in theentertainment.
One Monday morning she unfolded her plan, and announced that on Fridayof that week would occur the first social having a pupils' program.
"I have asked Dorothy Dainty to take charge of the little recital, and Ibelieve we shall enjoy it."
When the eager applause had subsided, Mrs. Marvin continued:
"The girl in charge of the entertainment must not be annoyed withquestions as to the program because I wish the entertainment each weekto be a surprise.
"Dorothy, herself must contribute one or two numbers, and I haveappointed Nancy Ferris, and Patricia Levine to help her."
The pupils were wild with curiosity as to what the numbers were to be,but while a few hinted that they were eager to know just what they wereto hear and see, they did not ask Dorothy to tell them. They thought itwould be more fun to be surprised.
Dorothy found herself in an awkward place.
She had decided to sing a pretty waltz song, for which Nancy played theaccompaniment. Nancy had at first thought of playing a piano duet withDorothy, but Dorothy pointed out that a number of the girls, when itcame their turn to entertain, would surely play, and she urged Nancy todo a fine solo dance.
"It will be more of a treat," she urged, and Nancy agreed.
Patricia declared that she had studied with a fine vocal instructorsince they had heard her, and she also stated that she would sing asolo, or nothing.
Patricia, when at Merrivale private school with Dorothy and Nancy, haddone some very funny singing, and Dorothy felt a bit nervous as to whatshe would do now, but Patricia insisted that she had rapidly improved,and there seemed to be no choice but to let her sing.
"Do make her tell you what she's going to sing," Nancy said, onemorning, "because if she has chosen something you wouldn't like to haveher sing, you _might_ be able to coax her to change it."
Dorothy promised to question Patricia, but she laughed at the idea ofbeing able to make Patricia change her mind after she had decided whatshe should do.
"What am I to sing?" said Patricia, when at recess Dorothy questionedher. "I'm going to sing something from grand opera. It's called:
'I dreampt that I dwelt in marble halls,'
and my teacher coached me on it, and he said I sang it just as it shouldbe sung."
"If her teacher said that she sang it well, perhaps it will be allright," Dorothy said, but even as she said it she wondered just whatPatricia would do. Patricia _might_ do anything.
Dorothy took the time to practice when all of the pupils were out ofdoors at recess. She did not wish them to hear her song until she shouldsing it for them at the social.
Nancy practiced her solo at early morning. Mrs. Marvin had given herpermission to practice in their reception hall when she learned at whatan early hour Nancy was willing to rise in order to do it.
Patricia declared it entirely needless for her to practice, thus makingDorothy still more uneasy as to her performance.
At last the evening arrived.
Dorothy had told herself that if, after all, Patricia did anything as"queer" as she had been known to do, worrying beforehand would not mendmatters. She knew if she became nervous regarding Patricia, she couldnot do her own solo well. Patricia had asked that her number might bethe last on the program, and Dorothy had agreed.
As Patricia usually wished to be first in anything, and was offended ifnot given precedence, it certainly looked as if she were planning tohave her solo the crowning event of the evening.
Soon after seven a buzz of voices told Dorothy that the pupils hadassembled early, and she would have joined them, but Mrs. Marvin hadsaid that each of the soloists must be announced, and must come ontothe stage, and greet her audience as if she were a professional.
All had been carefully arranged, and Vera Vane was to announce eachperformer.
Dorothy had chosen a light-blue dress, her pumps and hose of the sameshade. The dress was charming, because of its lovely coloring, and itsgraceful lines.
Very clearly Vera announced:
"The first number to-night will be a waltz song by Dorothy Dainty."
Dorothy's voice had been carefully trained, and very sweetly she sang,one especial charm being that every word could be clearly heard, whichis more than can be said of many singers who have studied for years.
She had chosen "Asphodel's Song."
How sweet was the voice, how happy her smile as she sang:
"Oh, how lovely are my flowers In the morning wet with dew, Ah, they courtesy to the morning Off'ring gifts of fragrance new. Then the sound of bird wings whirring Wake again the drowsy trees, And the tiny brooks are stirring, Running onward to the sea. Oh, how lovely are my flowers When the twilight shadows creep, Hosts of fairy folks come trooping, Where my flowers lie asleep."
Surely no singer was ever more graciously received.
There were to be no encores because of limited time.
Lights were usually out at nine-thirty, but the socials were from eightto ten. The concert must be brief to allow sufficient time afterward forgames.
"The next number will be a dance by Nancy Ferris."
Nancy had stood in the upper hall, ready, when she heard her name calledto enter. Here and there a tiny spangle caught the light, and the softpink of her dress was repeated in her cheeks. She was happy. She wasgoing to give pleasure.
As she heard her name called, she bounded down the stairway, across thehall, and up on the stage, looking far smaller than in her usual schooldress. The pupils were spellbound.
Nancy had said nothing of her dancing nor had she spoken of having beena tiny performer at the theaters.
Now as they saw her whirling on the tips of her toes, dipping, swaying,doing steps of wondrous grace, they marveled at the skill with which shedid it. At home, at the Stone House, Dorothy had often played for her,but to-night she seemed to out-do herself.
Nancy swung forward, then with cunning steps retreated, crossed her feetand did the pretty rocking-step, whirled again, and yet again, did thepirouette to left, then to right, made a very low courtesy, and ran offthe stage, followed by tremendous clapping.
How they wished that she might have repeated the lovely dance!
Mrs. Marvin closely watched the nimble feet and determined to knowsomething more about the charming little dancer. And now--Dorothywondered _just what_ the next number would be. She took a long breathwhen, as Vera announced her, Patricia entered simply attired, wearing apretty white dress, with a pale yellow sash, no other color.
It was remarkable to see Patricia without at least six colors.
"Perhaps she'll sing well," Dorothy said to herself, "for the lovelysong that she chose for her number _couldn't_ be twisted into anythingfunny."
Was that really so, or was Dorothy trying to think so? Was thereanything that Patricia could not "twist" if she chose?
The charming old song is very sweet when properly sung, and the wordsfit the melody.
"I dreampt that I dwelt in marble halls, With vassals and serfs at my side, And of all who assembled within those walls, That I was the joy and the pride. I had riches too great to count, could boast Of a high ancestral name, But I also dreampt, and that charmed me most, That you loved me just the same."
So runs the first verse, but Patricia
had never seen the music. She hadheard the song a number of times, and felt competent to sing it.
Dorothy had asked her to practice it, then had offered to loan her themusic, but Patricia declared that she needed neither practice, nor theuse of the music.
"Are you sure you know the words?" Nancy had asked.
"Of course!" Patricia had said sharply.
Nancy played the prelude, and Patricia sang. Sang with all her might,one might say, but oh, the words as she sang them!
She had caught them as they sounded, giving never a thought as towhether they made sense.
"I dre-eampt that I dwe-e-lt in mar-ar-ble halls With _vessels_ and _safes_ at my side. And of all who had stumbled within those walls That I was the _joke_, and the _bride_, I had _witches_ to _mate_ and count, could boast Of a high and central name But I also dreampt, and that jarred me most, That Jew loved me just the same."
Was it strange that roars of laughter greeted the song? Even Mrs.Marvin, a model of all that was well-bred, covered her eyes for a momentwith her handkerchief, but when she removed it, the eyes were twinklingand it was evident that only her self-control kept her from laughingaloud.
Dorothy's first thought was for Patricia. She knew it must be dreadfulto be laughed at, and she was hoping that Patricia might not be toobadly hurt. She would draw her into the games later in the evening, andthus cheer her.
It happened that Patricia needed no cheering. She was disgusted, but nothurt. She believed herself to be a very fine singer, and thought thatthe only reason for laughter was that her audience was dull, so dullindeed that her romantic selection had been mistaken for a comic song.
"The idea of thinking that song funny enough to laugh at! Why it is nota comic song at all. There's nothing funny about it!" she declared. "Itreally doesn't pay to sing for folks here. They can't understand whatyou are doing! The next time I sing, I'll sing for my friends inN'York."
Dorothy was puzzled for a second, then, as she saw that Patricia reallymeant what she said, she was thankful that the laughter had not beenunderstood by the silly little singer.
Patricia had actually thought that they were foolishly amused by thesong.
It had been quite another thing that annoyed Patricia, and that was theevident pleasure that Nancy's dancing had given, and on the day afterthe social, she was vexed to have to hear the other girls talking aboutit.
"I'd think you never saw any one dance before," she said, when BettyChase said that Nancy's dancing was "simply lovely."
"Well, I never did see a girl dance like that," said Betty.
"Well, she _ought_ to dance. She's had enough training, besides she usedto dance on the stage. Who couldn't dance if they had a chance likethat?"
"A whole lot of people couldn't," said Betty, sharply. "_I_ couldn't forone, and I guess there are a few others."
"Do you mean me?" Patricia asked, sharply, her eyes flashing.
"I mean any one silly enough to say that Nancy's dancing was anythingbut wonderful," Betty said, and she turned to Valerie, leaving Patriciato talk to herself, or to no one, if she chose.
Patricia had hoped to lessen interest in Nancy, but what she had saidhad had an opposite effect.
It had increased their already lively interest to such an extent thatmany who had not yet met her were wild to know her, and those whoalready were her friends were eager to question her as to her career.They longed to hear all about her training, her first appearance at thetheater, and countless questions they wanted to ask her. Patricia hadmade Nancy more popular than before.