"
But at this moment the orchestra began the slow music that intimated the
resumption of the minuet, and this recalled him to his senses; he had
hurriedly to take leave of her, and then he went and rejoined Miss
Burgoyne, who merely said, "Well, that's a pretty trick!" as she gave
him her hand for the dance.
A still stranger thing, however, happened in the next scene, where the
gay young officer, the French prisoner of war, makes love to the
innkeeper's daughter. Estelle noticed with great surprise that not only
did Nina deliver the English maiden's retorts without any of the saucy
spirit that the situation demanded, but also that she was quite confused
about the words, stammering and hesitating, and getting through them in
the most perfunctory manner. At last, when the little Capitaine Crepin
says, "Bewitching maid, say you will fly with me!" Clara's reply is,
"You forget I am to be married to-morrow--see, here comes my betrothed;"
but Nina only got as far as "married to-morrow"--then she
paused--hesitated--she put her hand to her head as if everything had
gone from her brain--and at the same moment Estelle, with the most
admirable presence of mind, continued, "See, here comes your betrothed,"
thus giving the lover his cue.
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