...is that the ballroom was dusty in the first place. Wouldn't the hosts do a bit of housecleaning before the party? On the other hand, I must admit I have a mental picture of large, Hollywood-movie-style ballrooms, with acres of open space and everything polished to a high gleam, and must remind myself that the ballrooms JA knew were probably considerably smaller and narrower, with dust-catching curtains and other fabric hanging around! I sympathize with her last line: