<p>There was this phrase:
"'Are you afraid she will be insipid? My dear brother, it is I who supply the butter; so you needn't fear!' said Mrs. Penniman, who had taken in hand the child's 'accomplishments,' overlooking her at the piano, where Catherine displayed a certain talent, and going with her to the dancing-class, where it must be confessed that she made but a modest figure."</p>
<p>I couldn't really get the usage of "but" in the last line. I could not interpret it, to be brutally frank.</p>
<p>I know the usage of "but" in these ways:
*He was all but dying = He was almost dying
*I did nothing but skiing = I only skied</p>
<p>So my point of contention is that I do not know what the last line (or the last part of the sentence) signifies... </p>
<p>Does it mean that Catherine (she) made "only" a modest figure? So she wasn't good at dancing..? (And by the way, "modest figure" does not mean "modest physique," here? It rather refers to dancing ability, right??)</p>
<p>Please address these two conceptual problems for me :D Thanx in advance</p>