By this time, he had taken her under the arm, and was leading her away.

I stood irresolute, till a glance from my charmer caught me; when I rallied at once, and followed them down stairs.

Here the scene was the full as amusing as above; the cloaking, shawling, shoeing, &c., of the ladies being certainly as mirth-moving a process as I should wish to see.

Here were mothers trying to collect their daughters, as a hen her chickens, and as in that case, the pursuit of one usually lost all the others; testy papas swearing, lovers leering, as they twisted the boas round the fair throats of their sweethearts; vows of love, mingling with lamentations for a lost slipper, or a stray mantle.

Sometimes the candles were extinguished, and the melee became greater, till the order and light were restored together.