In a very few days after, Hiram Meeker was the pupil—­the private pupil—­of Signor Alberto, dancing master to the aristocracy of the town. [That is not what he called himself, but I wish to be intelligible.] Alberto had directions to perfect his pupil in every step practised in the world of fashion.  Hiram proved an apt and ready scholar.  He gave this new branch of education the same care and assiduity that he always practised in everything he undertook.  Mr. Bennett was not out of the way in praising his parts.  Signor Alberto was delighted with his pupil.  His rapid progress was a source of great pleasure to the master.  To be sure, he could not get on quite as well as if he had consented to go in with a class; but this Hiram would not think of.  Still the matter was managed without much difficulty, as the Signor could always command supernumeraries.

When it came to the waltz, Alberto was kind enough to introduce to Hiram a young lady—­a friend of his—­who, he said, was perfectly familiar with every measure; and who would, as a particular favor, take the steps with him, under the master’s special direction.  It took Hiram’s breath away, poor fellow, to be thrown so closely into the embraces of such a fine-looking, and by no means diffident damsel.  It was what he had not been accustomed to.  True, he had been in the habit at one time of playing the flirt, of holding the girls’ hands in his, and pressing them significantly, and sighing and talking sentimental nonsense; but here the tables were turned.  Hiram was the bashful one, and the young lady apparently the flirt.  She explained, with, tantalizing nonchalance, how he ought to take a more encircling hold of her waist.  She illustrated practically the different methods—­close waltzing, medium waltzing, and waltzing at arms’ length.  She would waltz light and heavy—­observing to Hiram that he might on some occasion have an awkward partner, and it was well to be prepared.

To better explain, the young lady would become the gentleman; and in whirling Hiram round, she exhibited a strength and vigor truly astonishing.

All the while Hiram, with quick breath, and heightened color, and whirling brain, was striving hard and failing fast to keep his wits about him.  What was most annoying of all, the young lady, though so accommodating and familiar as a partner to practise with under the master’s eye, when the exercise was over appeared perfectly and absolutely indifferent to Hiram.  She was quite insensible to every little byplay of his to attract her notice, which, as he advanced in her acquaintance, he began to practice before the lesson commenced, or after it was finished.  The fact is, whoever or whatever she might be, she evidently held Hiram in great contempt as a greenhorn.  Strange to say, for once all his powers of fascination failed; and the more he tried to call them forth, the more signal was his discomfiture.  It does not appear