"0pera, Mr. Scully?" (pronouncing the word "Scully" with the utmostsoftness). "Ah, no! we seldom go, and yet too occasionally. For seriouspersons the enchantments of that place are too dangerous. I am sonervous--so delicate; the tinyest trifle so agitates, depresses, orirritates me, that I dare not yield myself up to the excitement ofmusic. I am too passionately attached to it; and, shall I tell you?it has such a strange influence upon me, that the tinyest falsenote almost drives me to distraction, and for that fairly reason Ihardly ever go to a concert or a ball."

"Egad," thought Scully, "I recollect when she would dance down amatter of five-and-forty couple, and jingle away at the 'Battle ofPrague' all day."