CHAPTER XXI. IDA GREYSON'S PARTY.

 When Dick and his friend reached Mr. Greyson's house, two carriages stood before the door, from each of which descended¹ young guests, who, like themselves, had been invited to the party. One of these brought two young girls of twelve, the other two boys of twelve and fourteen, and their sister of ten. Entering with this party, the two boys felt less embarrassed than if they had been alone. The door was opened by a servant, who said, "Young ladies' dressing-room, second floor, left-hand room. Young gentlemen's dressing-room opposite."

 

Following directions, the boys went upstairs and entered a spacious² chamber³, where they deposited their outer garments, and had an opportunity to arrange their hair and brush their clothes.

 

"Is your sister here this evening?" asked one of the boys, addressing Dick.

 

"No," said Dick, soberly; "she couldn't come."

 

"I'm sorry for that. She promised to dance with me the first Lancers."

 

"Wouldn't I do as well?" asked Dick.

 

"I don't think you would," said the other, laughing. "But I'll tell you what,—you shall dance with my sister."

 

"I will, with pleasure," said Dick, "if you'll introduce me."

 

"Why, I thought you knew her," said the other, in surprise.

 

"Perhaps I did," said Dick; "but I exchanged myself off for another boy just before I came, and that makes a difference, you know. I shouldn't have known you, if you hadn't spoken to me."

 

"Do you know me now?" asked the other boy, beginning to understand that he had made a mistake.

 

"You live on Twenty-First Street,—don't you?"

 

"Yes," was the unexpected reply, for Dick had by a curious chance guessed right. "You're Henry Cameron, after all."

 

"No," said Dick; "my name is Richard Hunter."

 

"And mine is Theodore Selden; but I suppose you knew that, as you knew where I live. If you're ready, we'll go downstairs."

 

"Come, Fosdick," said Dick.

 

"We're going to have the Lancers first," said Theodore. "Ida told my sister so. Have you a partner engaged?"

 

"No."

 

"Then I'll introduce you to my sister. Come along."

 

I may explain here that Dick, and Fosdick also, had several times danced the Lancers in the parlor⁴ at the boarding-house in the evening, so that they felt reasonably confident of getting through respectably. Still his new friend's proposal made Dick feel a little nervous. He was not bashful with boys, but he had very little acquaintance with girls or young ladies, and expected to feel ill at ease with them. Still he could not think of a good reason for excusing himself from the promised introduction, and, after going up to Ida in company with his new friend, and congratulating her on her birthday (he would not have known how to act if Theodore had not set him an example), he walked across the room to where one of the young ladies who had entered at the time he did was seated.

 

"Alice," said Theodore, "this is my friend Mr. Hunter, who would like to dance with you in the first Lancers."

 

Dick bowed, and Alice, producing a card, said, "I shall be most happy. Will Mr. Hunter write his name on my card?"

 

Dick did so, and was thankful that he could now write a handsome hand.

 

"Now," said Theodore, unceremoniously, "I'll leave you two to amuse each other, while I go off in search of a partner."

 

"I'm in for it," thought Dick, seating himself on the sofa beside Alice. "I wish I knew what to say."

 

"Do you like the Lancers?" inquired the young lady.

 

"Yes, I like it," said Dick, "but I haven't danced it much. I'm afraid I shall make some mistakes."

 

"I've no doubt we shall get along well," said Alice. "Where did you learn?"

 

"I learned at home," said Dick.

 

"I thought I had not met you at Dodworth's. I attended dancing school there last winter."

 

"No," said Dick; "I never took lessons."

 

"Don't you like Ida Greyson?" inquired Alice.

 

"Yes, I like her very much," said Dick, sincerely.

 

"She's a sweet girl. She's a very intimate friend of mine. Who is that boy that came into the room with you?"

 

"His name is Henry Fosdick."

 

"He's going to dance with Ida. Come, let us hurry and get in the same set."

 

Dick offered his arm, and, as the sets were already being formed, led his partner to the upper end of the room, where they were just in time to get into the same set with Ida.

 

Theodore, with a girl about his own age, had already taken his position opposite Dick. Fosdick and Ida were the first couple, and opposite them Isaac and Isabella Selden, cousins of Theodore and Alice.

 

They had scarcely taken their places when the music struck up. Dick felt a little flustered⁵, but determined⁶ to do his best. Being very quick in learning figures, and naturally gracefully⁷ in his movements, he got through very creditably, and without a mistake.

 

"I thought you expected to make mistakes," said Alice Selden, as Dick led her back to her seat. "I think you dance very well."

 

"It was because I had such a good partner," said Dick.

 

"Thank you for the compliment," said Alice, courtesying profoundly.

 

"Seems to me you're very polite, Alice," said Theodore, coming up.

 

"Mr. Hunter was paying me a compliment," said Alice.

 

"I wish you'd tell me how," said Theodore to Dick.

 

"I wish he would," interrupted Alice. "All your compliments are of the wrong kind."

 

"It isn't expected that brothers should compliment their sisters," said Theodore.

 

Mrs. Greyson came into the room during the dancing, and was pleased to see that Dick and Henry Fosdick, instead of sitting awkwardly in the corner, were taking their part in the evening's amusement. Dick made an engagement with Alice for another dance later in the evening, but danced the second with Ida Greyson, with whom, by this time, he felt very well acquainted.

 

 

"I didn't know you knew Alice Selden," said Ida. "Where did you meet her?"

 

"Her brother Theodore introduced me this evening. I did not know her before."

 

"You haven't been here lately, Dick," said Ida, familiarly.

 

"No," said he. "It's because I've been very busy."

 

"You don't work in the evening,—do you?"

 

"I study in the evening."

 

"What do you study, Dick?"

 

"French, for one thing."

 

"Can you speak French?"

 

"A little. Not much."

 

"I'm going to try you 'Comment vous portez-vous, monsieur?'"

 

"'Très bien, mademoiselle. Et vous?'"

 

"That's right," said Ida, gravely. "I can't talk much yet myself. Who teaches you?"

 

"I have a private teacher."

 

"So have I. She comes twice a week. When I don't know my lesson, she boxes my ears. Is your teacher cross?"

 

"No," said Dick, laughing. "He doesn't box my ears."

 

"That's because you're so large. I wish I could have you for my teacher. I'd ask papa, if you could only speak it like a native."

 

"So I can," said Dick.

 

"You can, really?"

 

"Yes, like a native of New York."

 

Ida laughed, and was afraid that wouldn't do.

 

When the dance was over, and Dick was leading Ida to her seat, a surprise awaited him. A boy came forward hastily, and said in a tone blending amazement⁸ with gratification, "Is it possible that this is Dick Hunter?"

 

"Frank Whitney!" exclaimed Dick, clasping his hand cordially. "How came you here?"

 

"Just the question I was going to ask you, Dick. But I'll answer first. I am spending a few days with some cousins in Thirty-Seventh Street. They are friends of the Greysons, and were invited here this evening, and I with them. I little dreamed of meeting you here. I must say, Dick, you seem quite at home."

 

"Mr. Greyson has been a kind friend of mine," said Dick, "and I've met Ida quite often. But I felt a little nervous about coming to this party. I was afraid I'd be like a cat in a strange garret."

 

"You're a wonderful boy, Dick. You look as if you had been used to such scenes all your life. I can hardly believe you're the same boy I met in front of the Astor House a little more than a year ago."

 

"If I'm changed, it's because of what you said to me then, you and your father. But for those words I might still have been Ragged⁹ Dick."

 

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Dick; but, for all that, a great deal of credit is due to yourself."

 

"I've worked hard," said Dick, "because I felt that I had something to work for. When are you going to enter college?"

 

"I expect to apply for admission in about two months."

 

"At Columbia College?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I am glad of that. I shall hope to see you sometimes."

 

"You will see me often, Dick."

 

Here the music struck up, and the boys parted. It is unnecessary to speak farther of the events of the evening. Dick made several other acquaintances, and felt much more at ease than he had anticipated. He returned home, feeling that his first party had been a very agreeable one, and that he had on the whole appeared to advantage.

1 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

2 spacious   

adj.广阔的，宽敞的

参考例句：

• Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。
• The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

3 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

5 flustered   

adj.慌张的；激动不安的v.使慌乱，使不安( fluster的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The honking of horns flustered the boy. 汽车喇叭的叫声使男孩感到慌乱。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She was so flustered that she forgot her reply. 她太紧张了，都忘记了该如何作答。 来自辞典例句

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 gracefully   

ad.大大方方地；优美地

参考例句：

• She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

8 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

9 ragged   

adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的

参考例句：

• A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
• Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。