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[hadley_bright]

Mr William Hadley-Bright is in the library. He has a book open before him, and several in a stack off to the side. He is hunched over said volume, his chin resting in his hand, his finger poised to trace the words along the page. All in all, he is the perfect picture of a studious young gentleman. Assuming, naturally, that one overlooks the fact

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[thistledownking]

So, since he's asleep, he certainly won't notice when a pair of lecterns begin to waltz across the library floor.

[oddlittleman]

"A dancing master, but not an expert in the ways of lecterns, especially the dancing variety."

[hadley_bright]

'No? Why, I have been to dances where the ladies were so vastly outnumbered, many seemed about to take to dancing with their chairs. And mustn't a dancing master be prepared for every such circumstance?'

[oddlittleman]

"It is not truly the place of a dancing master to attend balls, only to teach the ladies and gentleman who do attend. And I would normally recommend leading a piece of furniture, but since these seem to have minds of their own, I am at a loss."

[hadley_bright]

'Well, perhaps, but surely you've been to at least one or two.' His attention, however, is drawn back to the furniture, and he seems to grow a bit uneasy. 'You are quite certain you have not done this?'

[oddlittleman]

"Absolutely positive, Mr Hadley-Bright." He tries to do one of the trickier dance steps, but it doesn't quite work when one's partner is a piece of furniture.

But other than that he actually seems to be enjoying himself. It's been a while since he had the opportunity to dance at all.

[hadley_bright]

So, though he can't entirely shake the unease, he sits back and watches Tom quite contentedly.

[oddlittleman]

Typist: And I suppose we shall wait for a gentleman then?

[thistledownking]

At which point an armchair will cut in to take the abandoned lectern--it is an unwieldy suitor, its legs not matching the rhythm of the dance at all, even though a whole score of books has begun keeping time.

[hadley_bright]

Hadley-Bright laughs. 'You are quite popular, Tom.'

[oddlittleman]

Levy turns to see what he is talking about and laughs as well. "It would appear so. You should join in, Mr Hadley-Bright."

[hadley_bright]

'I think I shall keep to human dance partners.'

[oddlittleman]

"But one never knows when one shall get the chance to dance in this place."

[hadley_bright]

'Why, whenever one pleases, I'd imagine. There's some-- some device which plays any sort of music you could imagine.'

[oddlittleman]

"Oh, yes, I've seen that. But there is a lack of partners, even furniture."

[hadley_bright]

He laughs. 'I had no idea you were so fond of dancing as that.'