Page:The Works of J. W. von Goethe, Volume 9.djvu/149

Rh Then all at full gallop make haste to advance, Each chooses his place in the hall; With whirling and waltzing, and light joyous dance, They begin with their sweethearts the ball. The fife and the fiddle all merrily sound, They twine, and they glide, and with nimbleness bound, They whisper, and chatter, and clatter around; The Count on the scene casts his eye. And seems in a fever to lie.

They hustle, and bustle, and rattle away On table, on bench, and on stool; Then all who had joined in the festival gay With their partners attempt to grow cool. The hams and the sausages nimbly they bear, And meat, fish, and poultry in plenty are there, Surrounded with wine of the vintage most rare; And when they have revelled full long, They vanish at last with a song. ········· And if we're to sing all that further occurred, Pray cease ye to bluster and prate; For what he so gladly in small saw and heard, He enjoyed and he practised in great. For trumpets, and singing, and shouts without end On the bridal-train, chariots and horsemen attend, They come and appear, and they bow and they bend, In merry and countless array. Thus was it, thus is it to-day.