Liza of Lambeth by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham
page 9 of 169 (05%)
page 9 of 169 (05%)
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They all stopped waltzing. 'Talk of the ballet at the Canterbury and South London. You just wite till you see the ballet at Vere Street, Lambeth--we'll knock 'em!' She went up to the organ-grinder. 'Na then, Italiano,' she said to him, 'you buck up; give us a tune that's got some guts in it! See?' She caught hold of his big hat and squashed it down over his eyes. The man grinned from ear to ear, and, touching the little catch at the side, began to play a lively tune such as Liza had asked for. The men had fallen out, but several girls had put themselves in position, in couples, standing face to face; and immediately the music struck up, they began. They held up their skirts on each side, so as to show their feet, and proceeded to go through the difficult steps and motions of the dance. Liza was right; they could not have done it better in a trained ballet. But the best dancer of them all was Liza; she threw her whole soul into it; forgetting the stiff bearing which she had thought proper to the waltz, and casting off its elaborate graces, she gave herself up entirely to the present pleasure. Gradually the other couples stood aside, so that Liza and Sally were left alone. They paced it carefully, watching each other's steps, and as if by instinct performing corresponding movements, so as to make the whole a thing of symmetry. 'I'm abaht done,' said Sally, blowing and puffing. 'I've 'ad enough of |
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