(no subject)
Jonathan Strange has the most lovely description of a Faerie dance. This is fairly nonspoilery - no major events encapsulated below. But, wow, how lovely, and eerie, and spine=chilling!
He made his way to the narrow, unglazed window and looked out upon a dark, tangled wood under starlight. "And this must be the wood which Robert talks about. How malevolent it looks! And is there a bell, I wonder?"
"Oh, yes!" said a lady who was standing close by. She wore a gown the colour of storms, shadows and rain and a necklace of broken promises and regrets. He was surprised to find himself addressed by her since he was quite certain that he had not spoken his thoughts out loud.
...
When the other ladies saw how well Stephen danced, he found he could have any partner he wished for. After the lady in the gown he danced with a young woman who had no hair, but who wore a wig of shining beetles that swarmed and seethed upon her head. His third partner complained bitterly whenever Stephen's hand happened to brush against her gown; she said it put her gown off its singing; and, when Stephen looked down, he saw that her gown was indeed covered with tiny mouths which opened and sang a little tune in a series of high, eerie notes.
But [the gentleman with the thistledown hair ] had not forgotten Stephen. Whenever Stephen happened to catch his eye, [he] smiled and bowed his head and gave every sign of wishing to convey that, of all the delightful circumstances of the ball, what pleased him most was to see Stephen Black there.
He made his way to the narrow, unglazed window and looked out upon a dark, tangled wood under starlight. "And this must be the wood which Robert talks about. How malevolent it looks! And is there a bell, I wonder?"
"Oh, yes!" said a lady who was standing close by. She wore a gown the colour of storms, shadows and rain and a necklace of broken promises and regrets. He was surprised to find himself addressed by her since he was quite certain that he had not spoken his thoughts out loud.
...
When the other ladies saw how well Stephen danced, he found he could have any partner he wished for. After the lady in the gown he danced with a young woman who had no hair, but who wore a wig of shining beetles that swarmed and seethed upon her head. His third partner complained bitterly whenever Stephen's hand happened to brush against her gown; she said it put her gown off its singing; and, when Stephen looked down, he saw that her gown was indeed covered with tiny mouths which opened and sang a little tune in a series of high, eerie notes.
But [the gentleman with the thistledown hair ] had not forgotten Stephen. Whenever Stephen happened to catch his eye, [he] smiled and bowed his head and gave every sign of wishing to convey that, of all the delightful circumstances of the ball, what pleased him most was to see Stephen Black there.