The Nautch girls were not the same the tourists had seen earlier in the
day. There were more of them, and they were of a finer grain; in fact, the
gentlemen, who were judges, declared that most of them were really pretty.
They were seated on the floor in native fashion. They had great black eyes;
their complexion was only the least tawny, and was paler than it would have
been if they had lived on a more invigorating diet than rice and fruits.
There were half a dozen musicians, who played upon tom-toms, instruments
like a fiddle, and one that was very nearly a hurdy-gurdy, with lutes and
flutes. They gave the preliminary strains, and the dancers formed the
semicircle. The performance was similar to that the party had seen at the
hotel, though it was more finished, and the attitudes and posturing
appeared to belong to a higher school of art than the other. But the whole
was so nearly like what the strangers had seen before, that they were not
absorbed by it, and gave more attention to the people attending the feast;
for they were an exceedingly interesting study to them.
After the performance had continued about a quarter of an hour there was a
pause, and the dancers retreated to a corner of the room, seating
themselves again on the floor. At this moment Sahib Perbut came into the
grand saloon leading a boy, who did not appear to be more than ten years
old, by the hand.
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