From Chambers' Journal. THE LITTLE DANCING-MASTER. POLYDORE JASMIN was, as he said himself, "a professor of the Terpsichorean art;" in plainer terms, a dancing-master. Being a short-legged, dumpy little man, nature did not seem to have intended him for any extraordinary feats of agility; but an irresistible vocation had enabled him to overcome every physical obstacle. As he was a married man, and the father of seven children, he remained poor, in spite of the almost supernatural industry with which he applied himself to his art both day and night. Instead of owning a handsome and fashionably-situated salon de danse, he was allowed to waste his talents in a damp cellar-like room, looking on the yard of a dingy house in the Rue St. Denis, where he daily revealed the mysteries of the light muse to the smart shopmen and pretty grisettes of the neighborhood. without giving offence, to any of the families which he daily visited-teasing the children, annoying the parents, and turning the household arrangements into ridicule, during the whole time of his stay. On a fine summer evening this amiable individual condescended to pay M. Jasmin a visit. To the dancing-master's suprise, he was unusually gracious. The high polish of Madame Jasmin's bees'-waxed floors seemed to transport him with admiration by an adroit transition he contrived to connect the subject with M. Jasmin's proficiency in his art; and he was so eloquent on both topics, that the heart of the dancing-master's wife swelled with pride, whilst equally gratifying feelings agitated her husband. In his sudden fit of amiability, M. Bourreux even attempted to pat the heads of the children, and say a few kind words, but they all drew away with instinctive mistrust. When his stay had been somewhat prolonged, M. Bourreux rose to depart; but, as though suddenly recollecting himself, he turned towards his host, and with a bland smile observed, "My dear Monsieur Jasmin, allow me to congratulate you before I go; I am indeed delighted." M. Jasmin opened his eyes very wide, and seemed bewildered; his wife looked at him as though for an explanation. M. Bourreux continued: "It is perhaps indiscreet in me to mention this so early; but I really could not command my feelings." The dancing-master and his wife exchanged glances: "What could this mean?" "What!" exclaimed the visitor; 66 can you be unacquainted with an event concerning you so nearly? Nay, then, let me have the pleasure"And without finishing the sentence, he drew a newspaper from his pocket, and handed it with a smile to M. Jasmin. The dancing-master mechanically glanced over the paragraph pointed out by M. Bourreux; but scarcely had he read a few lines, when he became very pale, and sank down on a seat. Still, Monsieur Jasmin was a contented, and even a happy man: the lightness and buoyancy of his profession seemed to have passed into his heart. His manners, however, were very grave and dignified; and when he danced, he became so solemn, that his pupils, like the courtiers of the Grand Monarque on a similar occasion, remained struck with awe at the imposing sight. To say the truth, M. Jasmin had a respect for dancing; he looked upon it as a very grave affair, and could not bear to hear it lightly spoken of, or turned into ridicule. If anything could tend to increase M. Jasmin's natural equanimity of temper, it must have been the high opinion he entertained of his art, his own person, and his family. Madame Polydore Jasmin, according to him, possessed the gift of eternal youth; at least he solemnly averred —and he believed it-that she had not altered in the least since the day of their first meeting, when her coal-black eyes, rosy cheeks, and pleasant smile first won his tender heart. Others averred that cares and anxiety had rendered the poor woman pale and thin, and that she was only the shadow of her former self; but of this he saw and knew nothing, and his love for his wife remained unabated. She was a good, simple-hearted woman, well deserving of affection, and entirely devoted to her family: her love and veneration for her husband were unbounded: she entertained, moreover, the deepest respect for dancing, and looked upon M. Jasmin as the high priest of that mysterious fow! I taught him how to dance: is it now come art. The children of this worthy couple were like to this?" and with another shake of the head, extheir parents-contented, good-humored, and simpressive of the deepest melancholy, he allowed the ple-hearted their education was very carefully paper to fall to the ground. Madame Jasmin hasattended to; for there had not been danced a pas in France since the days of Louis XIV. with which they were not thoroughly acquainted. : "What is the matter, Polydore?" cried the alarmed Madame Jasmin. ""T is only the effect of joy," coolly remarked M. Bourreux; "he will soon come round." But instead of coming round, M. Jasmin betrayed increasing emotion; his little gray eyes twinkled with tears; and mournfully shaking his head, he exclaimed in a broken tone, "Poor fel tily picked it up, looked over the paragraph which had so affected her husband, and fairly burst into. tears, whilst M. Bourreux eyed them both with unAmongst the few acquaintances of M. and disguised contempt. Not to keep the reader in Madame Jasmin, who were rather shy and re- suspense, we will state that the paper so officiously served, was one of their neighbors, M. Bourreux, produced by M. Bourreux announced the death of a disagreeable, satirical old man, who had no chil- Jaques Jasmin, merchant of New Orleans, where dren, was thought to be in easy circumstances, he had died of the yellow fever, on the eve of recontinually talked about making his will, and turning to his native country with a large fortune. seemed privileged to say whatever he pleased, As the deceased was a cousin of M. Jasmin, of whom he had not heard for several years, the | of Jaques Jasmin, and their joy of becoming at golden consequences of this event chiefly struck M. once so rich, the worthy couple spent, upon the Bourreux, who, when he saw the paltry light in whole, a rather miserable evening. which his friends beheld it, began to look upon them as more shallow and foolish beings than he had till then thought them to be. M. and Madame Jasmin were in the mean while relieving their grief by enumerating, as is usual in such cases, the manifold virtues of the deceased. "So good-tempered!" exclaimed madame. "So willing to learn too!" observed her husband. By the next morning they were more composed, and had settled how to act. The whole family immediately went into mourning; for what less could be done to honor the memory of a man who left them a fortune? Besides this, M. Jasmin had to write to his Norman cousin, M. Legros, who was the only other heir of the deceased. The next, and still more important step, was to remove from their present "low neighborhood to a more con "The newspaper says he died immensely rich," venient residence." So at least said Madame Jasurged M. Bourreux. min, who had a secret taste for grandeur. A "He deserved it," warmly cried M. Jasmin. fashionable apartment in the Chaussée d' Antin "Poor lad! when he went away ten years back, was accordingly found. It was horribly dear; and to seek his fortune, Trust me, Cousin Jasmin,' | though nominally consisting of four rooms, might says he, 'I shall make my way; and honestly be said to be all salon, every other convenience too,' he added proudly; for he was proud, poor being sacrificed to that one room. The kitchen Jaques was." was a square hole, where daylight had never penetrated; the dining-room could hold only about four full-grown persons at a time; and although the salon or drawing-room was handsome and well-proportioned, it unfortunately happened that the only spot in which the sofa could possibly be put, was precisely against the only door that led into the bed-room. This door, which would otherwise have spoiled the symmetry of the room, was supposed to be there incognito, and was papered over like the rest of the walls, in order to keep up Ay, and don't you recollect how, when you slipped the piece of gold into his little trunk, he pressed your hand, and could not speak?" observed Madame Jasmin, wiping her eyes. "I declare," replied her husband with surprise, "I had forgotten all about that. Well, he was welcome to it; but it was a loan, not a gift; and indeed, if ever his children come to France, I shall remind them, in a polite manner of course, of the debt." "Your cousin was never married, and has left the delusion; but as the bedroom, like the kitchen, no children," sharply said M. Bourreux. "Well, I might have known that," replied M. Jasmin; "for when he was going away,' Cousin,' says he, 'I shall never marry but a pretty, lively Frenchwoman like Madame Jasmin.' Here the dancing-master tenderly glanced towards his wife, who positively blushed. "Well, but do you also know," impatiently exclaimed M. Bourreux, "that your cousin has left no will ?" | had no window, the architect had humanely caused a few panes of glass to be inserted into the highest portion of the door already mentioned; so that, with a little camplaisance on the part of visitors, they might be supposed to be out of view altogether. After a long consultation, M. and Madame Jasmin agreed that the sofa must be put against the door, and that, as the glass panes fortunately opened and shut like a real window, the aperture "What about it?" calmly asked M. Jasmin. should serve to introduce them into their sleeping "What about it!" almost indignantly echoed apartment. It is true it was somewhat narrow; his neighbor; "why, if he died childless, and but, as M. Jasmin wisely observed, "you had only without making a will, does it not follow that his to step up on the sofa, pass your head through the large fortune-two millions of francs, the newspa- opening, and you were sure to come down, most pers say must be divided amongst his relations?" probably on the bed, and without being more than M. Jasmin opened and rolled his eyes in a man- slightly grazed at the utmost." Notwithstanding ner which showed that the thought now occurred these advantages, the dancing-master and his wife to him for the first time. For a while he seemed soon grew dissatisfied with their apartment, which, lost in thought, then incredulously exclaimed it they began to think, was not at all suited to them. could not be; a sentiment in which his wife fully Madame Jasmin's mind and cookery were perfectly concurred. On hearing this, M. Bourreux be- bewildered by the dark and narrow kitchen; the came indignant, then satirical, and at last, by a unhappy children were cooped up night and day natural transition, quite sentimental. He begged in the dining-room, lest they stould soil the elegant of his dear friends to believe him-what interest paper of the salon; and it was found that, upon had he in deceiving them? The dancing-master the whole, the manner of going in and out of the and his wife at length allowed themselves to be bedroom was anything but convenient, especially convinced; and after giving a few more tears to when it had to be repeated about a dozen times a the memory of Jaques, they agreed that the intel-day. "We shall get accustomed to it in time," ligence must be true. M. Bourreux having thus was M. Jasmin's comforting reflection. In the accomplished his errand, departed, leaving them mean while, he discovered, to his great chagrin, to their own reflections. These were dismal that his pupils of the Rue St. Denis refused to walk enough; and what with their grief for the death so far in order to take their lessons, and deserted him, altogther; another source of mortification who resided underneath offered M. Jasmin a cerwas to perceive that the fortune which he had ex-tain sum on condition of his removing instantly, pected would come to him of its own accord, delayed making its appearance; and the worst of it was, he could learn nothing more about it than what he had seen in the newspaper paragraph communicated to him by M. Bourreux. 66 which, from a sense of dignity, he refused to do. But the worst of it was, that the luckless dancingmaster was compelled to show his cousins about not only over all Paris, but also over every portion of the surrounding country that had ever possessed The family had not been more than three days the least celebrity. M. and Madame Legros were in their new apartment when they were surprised determined to make the best of their stay. As one morning by the sudden arrival of the country though to increase M. Jasmin's deep mortification, cousin, his wife, and his two sons. When the no tidings whatever could be had of Jaques Jasmin's first greetings were over, Mr Legros, who was fortune, a circumstance which caused M. Legros short and stout, and a very abrupt, business-like to hint, in a dark manner, that he strongly suslittle man, informed his cousin that, having learned pected the newspaper paragraph of being entirely living in a hotel was horribly dear in Paris, he groundless, and that he was not even far from had determined to give him a proof of his friend- considering his cousin as accessory to the fabricaship by lodging and boarding with him during the tion, which had been the means of involving him whole time of his stay. He partly apologized for in travelling expenses—and all in order to gratify bringing his two boys; "But the poor fellows," M. Jasmin's selfish wish of enjoying the company he said, were so very anxious to come, that he of himself and his amiable family! M. Jasmin really could not leave them behind." Words protested such an idea had never entered his could not describe the consternation which seized mind; but this of course only increased M. LeM. and Madame Jasmin on hearing this. The gros' suspicions. "But look ye, sir," he added, dancing-master made a feeble attempt to remon-in a threatening tone, it would be better for you strate, by urging want of room, and so forth but never to have made a dupe of me, sir; for I proM. Legros checked him in the very beginning, by test I shall leave neither this city nor this house, vowing to hear no apologies, and that it would all sir, until I have ascertained the truth of the whole do excellently well. He and Madame Legros affair." could sleep in the salon, or in the dining-room, and the two boys would do admirably in the kitchen; in short, a few matrasses, feather-beds, sheets, blankets, and coverlets, were all they required. Without giving his unfortunate relative time to recover from this stunning blow, M. Legros continued "We shall lead, I foresee, a very pleasant life. Madame Jasmin, I have no doubt, is an excellent cook; the boys and your children will be sure to agree together; and you, my wife, and I, shall go out sight-seeing; for you must know, cousin, this is our first visit to the capital. But first of all, what news on the business that brings us here?" : 66 This was an awful threat, and M. Jasmin felt it in all its force. Legros was one of those suspicious men who are always imagining that all sorts of conspiracies are going on to cheat them, and who are resolved never to believe anything which is opposed to their own preconceived notions. His wrong-headedness on the present occasion was very perplexing, but what could the simple-minded Jasmin do? It was altogether against his nature to be rude. During the whole of this time, M. Bourreux visited the family, and on learning that nothing was to be heard either of Jaques Jasmin or of his two millions, he appeared disappointed; but he "Why, none as yet," answered M. Jasmin. soon grew accustomed to the circumstance, which "Noue!" echoed M. Legros with an anxious even seemed to afford him peculiar pleasure, as was frown, and as though he strongly suspected his evident by the chuckle of satisfaction with which cousin of having fraudulently abstracted the two he alluded to it. One morning, when the whole millions for his own benefit. "Well, do you family were at breakfast in the drawing-room-the know," he continued, with a look meant to be par- only room which could contain them-M. Bourticularly cutting in case M. Jasmin was guilty-reux made his appearance at an earlier hour, and "do you know I think this very strange?" "To say the truth, so do I," ingenuously replied usual. On being asked to partake of the morning the dancing-master. with a more agreeable and pleasant look than meal, he readily consented; and whilst Madame M. Legros coughed doubtfully, and in a manner Jasmin was pouring him out a cup of coffee, cheerto show that, for the present, he would not decide fully hummed a merry tune. M. Legros opened on so grave an affair; but that he would, never-the conversation by asking if there were any news. theless, keep his eye on M. Jasmin. Why, yes, there are," answered M. BourWe will not attempt to describe the sufferings reux, with great liveliness; "and very good news M. Jasmin and his family had to endure during too. What do you think now of your cousin 66 Jaques not being dead?" 66 "Not dead!" echoed M. Legros, laying down his cup in indignant astonishment; not dead!" "Yes; excellent, is it not?" chuckled M. Bourreux, rubbing his hands. "But perhaps you the first week of the stay of their relatives. Matters went on, however, as M. Legros had predicted. The unfortunate Madame Jasmin cooked from morning till night; the children agreed or quarrelled as their fancy led them; and, whichever they did, always made such a fearful noise, that the lodger don't believe it? Read this, my dear sir-read Madame Jasmin made a faint attempt to smile; her husband, seeing that his friends enjoyed the joke so much, thought it must be a capital one, though he could not exactly see where the point of it lay; he therefore laughed as much as he could; but his eyes glistened, and his lips quivered, as he thought of his seven children, and wondered what he should do. 66 Well," said M. Bourreux, who had finished his breakfast by this time, "now that I have made you so merry and comfortable, I think I shall go." And away he went with a very satisfied air. this!" and with the utmost complaisance he wife and his two boys. reux. Still, it must be confessed that no particular signs of mirth or comfort were shown by the individuals whom he left behind him. Madame Jasmin had gone into the kitchen to cry; Madame Legros seemed to think that she had been mortally offended by her cousins, for she scarcely deigned to look upon them; her husband, who believed more in the truth of the newspaper paragraph than he chose to confess, was exceedingly snarlish and ill-tempered; M. Jasmin was overwhelmed by the news of the rival dancing-master: a reputation of twenty years' standing had been overthrown in a moment. After an hour's deep meditation, M. Legros rose, and stating that he was going out, asked his wife to accompany him; in a few minutes they walked out, without requesting, as usual, their cousin to come with them. M. Jasmin was not "But supposing it is true?" observed M. Bour- sorry for this; for, to say the truth, he wanted to speak to his wife. When they were alone, the "I will suppose no such thing!" exclaimed the children being all stowed away in the dining-room, irascible M. Legros. I would not recognize him on your authority," hastily exclaimed his cousin; "indeed, I should consider the whole affair so extremely suspicious, that I would turn my pretended cousin out of doors directly." "A very prudent course, indeed!" observed M. Bourreux, with a sneer. “But,” continued he, changing the conversation, “I have more news; and an excellent joke they will make too," he shrewdly added. “You must know, neighbor," addressing M. Jasmin, "that your old lodgings are let you would never guess to whom. Well, not to keep you in suspense—to a dancing-master, who has now all your scholars; so you see you are fairly in for it;" and M. Bourreux chuckled very merrily at the idea. This was pouring oil on M. Legros' wounded spirit: he laughed long and very loud; so did his he began pouring his sorrows into her faithful bosom, accusing himself of folly, and lamenting his imprudence. Madame Jasmin consoled him as well as she could: "he had done everything for the best, and everything might yet turn out well." M. Jasmin was easily comforted; he tried to persuade himself matters were not desperate, and that the best thing he could do would be to see about it directly. What "seeing about it" meant, neither he nor his wife exactly knew; but it must have been something pleasant, for it caused them to brighten up immediately. In order to effect this, it was necessary to dress and go out the first of these operations was not half over when a ring came at the bell. Madame Jasmin ascertained, by peeping through the key-hole, that it was a stranger. The worthy couple were in a terrible dilemma: M. Jasmin could not take refuge in the dining-room, for the children were there; neither could he enter the kitchen, lest the grease off some of the plates and saucepans should contaminate his new suit of clothes; it was impossible for him to remain in the salon, for there was no other place in which to receive the stranger; in short, M. Jasmin saw that his toilette must be finished in the bed-room. There was no time to lose; so, hastily catching up his clothes, he jumped up on the sofa, darted through the window, and alighted safely on the bed. Scarcely was this delicate operation concluded, when the stranger was ushered in by his wife. "Is Monsieur Jasmin at home?" he inquired. "Yes, sir," she somewhat hesitatingly replied. | plied M. Jasmin; "it is his, not mine. I confess "Could I speak with him?" "Oh, certainly, in a few minutes," answered Madame Jasmin, wondering how her husband was to get out. "He is a dancing-master, I believe?" continued the stranger; and on being answered in the affirmative, "Is he usually moderate in his terms?" Madame Jasmin was going to answer "Exceedingly so;" but her husband, who had been extremely fidgetty and nervous since the beginning of the interview, now thought it proper to interfere. Standing on the bed, he therefore thrust his head through the window, and coughed gently. The stranger immediately gave a start, and looked up. "Good-morning, sir," affably said M. Jasmin; "I believe you want to speak to me?" that I shall feel sorry to have ever heard of his death, as this has been the cause of a few disagreeable circumstances; but I shall feel still more pleased, sir, to hear that he is alive. But really there is enough of this. I believe you wished to speak to me on professional matters: my terms are very moderate," he added, with an insinuating smile. The stranger looked embarrassed. "Why, to say the truth -" he began, and then paused, hesitatingly. As M. Jasmin was wondering what this could mean, the drawing-room door opened, and M. Legros majestically stalked in. Without regarding the presence of the stranger, who, on seeing him, discreetly retired to the other end of the room, he indignantly exclaimed, "Well, sir, I am satisfied "You are Monsieur Jasmin, then ?" observed now; I know everything. Yes, sir," he fiercely the stranger, with the greatest gravity. M. Jasmin bowed. "And I believe you are a dancing-master?" "I have that honor," replied M. Jasmin; "but if we are to speak on professional matters, will you allow me "And by an appropriate gesture he indicated his wish to come out. "Oh, by all means!" cried the stranger. Out accordingly, in more senses than one, the dancing-master did come, performing the awkward feat with truly professional grace and agility; and, as he was now quite dressed, looking very dignified indeed. The stranger did not even smile; and when M. Jasmin had taken a seat, resumed the conversation as though nothing had occurred. After several inquiries, he suddenly asked, "Did you not formerly reside in the Rue St. Denis?" When M. Jasmin had answered in the affirmative, the stranger dryly observed he thought it was a great pity he had ever left that neighborhood. This mysterious speech led the dancing-master to conclude that his visitor resided in that quarter himself; and as, from the nature of his questions, he looked upon him in the light of a future pupil, he began to feel nervously alive to the danger of losing him beforehand. "Ah! sir," said he, sadly shaking his head, "it was indeed a melancholy event that brought me here!" And, as though he had known him for years, he began relating to his visitor how he had learned the death of Jaques Jasmin, and had been induced to remove to his present lodgings. "Poor fellow," he added, with glistening eyes, "I taught him how to dance !-poor Jaques! But there is yet hope," said he, checking himself; "yes, sir, there is yet hope: Cousin Legros says he could not recognize him, but I am sure I should. I have him even now in my mind's eye-a tall, good-looking young man; taller and younger than you, sir, a good bit, with darker hair too, and more color. Oh, I should know him instantly!" "Well," said the stranger, rather ironically, "if your cousin is alive, what becomes of your fortune?" "Sir, I will not think of that," manfully re continued, "I have been making inquiries, and have actually learned that Jaques Jasmin, or rather an impostor, taking the name of my deceased and respected relative, has been seen this very morning in the Rue St. Denis inquiring after you!" 66 Sir," ," said his cousin, with a glance of withering contempt, "you are mad, wretchedly insane; if I had my will, you should be sent to Charenton, (the Parisian bedlam.) If you were not so blind and deluded, I could prove to you, as clearly as two and two make four, that Monsieur Bourreux's intelligence was a vile calumny on the character of our late cousin, inasmuch as it accused him of the grossest inconsistency-namely, of being dead at one time, and actually alive again in less than two weeks afterwards! Where is the newspa per?" Whilst the eye of M. Legros was wandering about the room in search of the paper, it chanced to alight on the stranger, who was looking at him very fixedly. On meeting his glance, M. Legros started back, and even turned pale; but, rapidly recovering his presence of mind, he folded his arms upon his breast, and in a tone and attitude of defiance, exclaimed, "Well, sir, what about it? I suppose you are going to say you are Jaques Jasmin, and that I recognize you! You are mistaken, sir; I shall do no such thing; the fact is, I do not recognize you!" 66 Jaques!" cried M. Jasmin, sinking down on a chair in the height of his astonishment. "Oh," ironically observed M. Legros; "I suppose, sir, you recognize him: very good, sir. I have a witness, mind you, who has heard you say you would; so that it is evidently quite premeditated!" "Jaques! Jaques! can it indeed be you?" exclaimed the dancing-master, without heeding M. Legros. Jaques Jasmin-for the strange visitor was no other-merely smiled in reply, and warmly shook his relative by the hand. M. Polydore Jasmin, with all his simple-heartedness, was somewhat of |