{ms, 021}

Professor Maghinni ^|1inserts leg on toepoint of which spins his silk hat. With a deft jerk he sends it to his crown and, sidewise hatted, &^1| parts the curtains and presents himself. He wears a slate caftan frockcoat with ^|1claret car vermillion^1| silk lapels, ^|1|xgorget of cream tulle^x|1| a green lowcut waistcoat, stock collar with black white kerchief tie, tight lavender trousers, patent pumps, canary gloves. In his buttonhole he has an immense ^|1white blue^1| dahlia, in his left eye a flashing eyeglass. He places his hand lightly on his chest and bows. Then minuets ^|1forward in advance^1| three paces.

Maghinni

^|1(murmurs) The poetry of motion is the art of calisthenics. ^|aNo connection with ^|bMadame^b| Legget Byrne or Levinstone's dancing academy. Fancy dress balls arranged.^{a| |x}The Katty Lanner step deportment ^|a|btradition school^b|a|x| So. Watch me. ^|aBreathe evenly ^|xmy terpsichorean abilities^{x|a| |a}To ^|btune hot refrain^b| of My Girl's^a| The light fantastic^{1| |1|x}(on tripping bees' feet)^{x|1| |1|x}(claps hands)^x|1| Tout le monde en avant. Réverence. Tout le monde en place.

^|1The couples ^|aof balletgirls & cavaliers^a| arise and stand ^|aadvance to each others, preening, shaping their forms, bowing, bowing visavis.^{a| |x}They waltz in their places turning lilting lilt^x|1|

^|1The Balletgirls

Yes, quite lightly^1|

Behind the ^|1|xswaying drawn^x|1| curtains Ponchielli's dance sounds, damped. ^|1|aFrom the corner From the north^a| From the south^1| The morning hours run out ^|1|agirlish, waspwaisted,^a| with skipping ropes ^|abin their innocent hands ^|bdecked out^b| with May flowers^a|1|, goldhaired, slimsandalled, in robes of blue. The hours of noon follows, in amber gold. ^|1|xlifting arms,^x| They catch the dancing sun in metal mirrors. ^|alaughing mouthed, their high haircombs flashing^a|1|

Maghinni

(claps his gloved hands) Carré! Avant deux! Balancé.

The evening hours ^|1run advance ^|ain ^|bminuet step^b|a|1| out, dispersed, lagging: ^|1languideyed, their cheeks delicate with cipria powder & false ^|afaint^a| bloom^1| They are in grey gauze with darker bat sleeves.

Maghinni

Avant huit! Traversé.

The night hours ^|1stand ^|astep steal^a|, one by one,^1| to the last place. They are in black, masked, with daggered hair. Each has a bracelet of dull bells. ^|1Fatigued, they curchycurchy ^|aunder veils^a|.^1|

The Bells

Heigho! Heigho!

Maghinni

Saluts! Cours de mains! Croisé! Les Tiroirs! Chaine de Dames! La Corbeille. Dos à Dos. Boulangère. Les Ronds. Les Ponts. Escargot.
{ms, 022}

Arabesquing, they weave a pattern on the floor, curtseying, twirling, simply swirling, twining, receding, with interchanging hands, linked each to each, with arching arms, a mosaic of their movements.

^|1Maghinni

They leap forward, interchanging^1| They ^|1The All^1| veils fall, floating, fall.