When ladies have made up their minds to dance they will dance let the circumstances of the moment be ever so antagonistic to that exercise. A ploughed field in February would not be too wet, nor the side of a house too uneven. In honest truth the sands of the seashore are not adapted for the exercise. It was all very well for Venus to make the promise, but when making it she knew that Adonis would not keep her to her word. Let any lightest-limbed nymph try it, and she will find that she leaves most palpable footing. The sands in question were doubtless compact, firm, and sufficiently moist to make walking on them comfortable; but they ruffled themselves most uncomfortably under the unwonted pressure to which they were subjected. Nevertheless our friends did dance on the sands; finding, however, that quadrilles and Sir Roger de Coverley suited them better than polkas and waltzes.
"No, my friend, no," Mrs. Greenow said to Mr. Cheesacre when that gentleman endeavoured to persuade her to stand up; "Kate will be delighted I am sure to join you,--but as for me, you must excuse me."
But Mr. Cheesacre was not inclined at that moment to ask Kate Vavasor to dance with him. He was possessed by an undefined idea that Kate had snubbed him, and as Kate's fortune was, as he said, literally nothing, he was not at all disposed to court her favour at the expense of such suffering to himself.

When ladies have made up their minds to dance, they will dance no matter what. A ploughed field in February would not be too wet. In truth the Yarmouth sands were not adapted for the exercise; nevertheless our friends danced; finding, however, that sedate dances were easier than polkas and waltzes.
"No, my friend," Mrs. Greenow said to Mr. Cheesacre when he asked her to dance. "I am sure Kate will be delighted to join you, but you must excuse me."
However, Mr. Cheesacre had a vague idea that Kate had snubbed him, and had no intention of courting her favour.
