It was hard work to stand for two hours or more, and Mrs.
Tracy had impressed it upon him that he was not to sit down.

But when Mrs.St.Claire came from the dressing-room and stood before him a moment in her crimson satin and pearls, he forgot his weariness and forgot that he was not to talk, and said to her, involuntarily: 'Oh, Mrs.St.Claire, how handsome you look! Handsomer than anybody yet, and different, too, somehow.' Edith knew the compliment was genuine, and she replied: 'Thank you, Harold,' then, laying her hand on the boy's head and parting his soft, brown hair, she said, as she noticed a look of fatigue in his eyes, 'are you not tired, standing so long?
Why don't you bring a chair from one of the rooms and sit when you can ?' 'She told me to stand,' Harold replied, nodding toward the parlors, from which a strain of music then issued.
The dancing had commenced, and Harold's feet and hands beat time to the lively strains of the piano and violin, until he could contain himself no longer.

The dancing he must see at all hazards and know what it was like, and when the last guests came up the stairs there was no hall boy there to tell them, 'Ladies this way, gentlemen that,' for Harold was in the thickest of the crowd, standing on a chair so as to look over the heads of those in front of him and see the dancers.

But, alas, for poor Harold! He was soon discovered by Mrs.Tracy, who, asking him if he did not know his place better than that, ordered him back to his post, where he was told to stay until the party was over.
Wholly unconscious of the nature of his offence, but very sorry that he had offended, Harold went up the stairs, wondering why he could not see the dancing, and how long the party would last.

His head was beginning to ache with the glare and gas; his little legs were tired, and he was growing sleepy.