The obnoxious picture was immediately removed, and the ball
was opened by Lady Ashton, with a grace and dignity which supplied the
charms of youth, and almost verified the extravagant encomiums of the
elder part of the company, who extolled her performance as far exceeding
the dancing of the rising generation.
When Lady Ashton sat down, she was not surprised to find that her
daughter had left the apartment, and she herself followed, eager to
obviate any impression which might have been made upon her nerves by an
incident so likely to affect them as the mysterious transposition of the
portraits. Apparently she found her apprehensions groundless, for she
returned in about an hour, and whispered the bridegroom, who extricated
himself from the dancers, and vanished from the apartment. The
instruments now played their loudest strains; the dancers pursued their
exercise with all the enthusiasm inspired by youth, mirth, and high
spirits, when a cry was heard so shrill and piercing as at once to
arrest the dance and the music. All stood motionless; but when the yell
was again repeated, Colonel Ashton snatched a torch from the sconce,
and demanding the key of the bridal-chamber from Henry, to whom, as
bride's-man, it had been entrusted, rushed thither, followed by Sir
William Ashton and Lady Ashton, and one or two others, near relations
of the family.
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