⸺The sun was set—they had done their work; the nymphs had tied up their hair afresh—and the swains were preparing for a carousal⸺my mule made a dead point⸺’Tis the fife and tabourin, said I⸺I’m frighten’d to death, quoth he⸺They are running at the ring of pleasure, said I, giving him a prick⸺By saint Boogar , and all the saints at the backside of the door of purgatory, said he—(making the same resolution with the abbesse of Andoüillets ) I’ll not go a step further⸻’Tis very well, sir, said I⸺I never will argue a point with one of your family, as long as I live; so leaping off his back, and kicking off one boot into this ditch, and t’other into that—I’ll take a dance, said I—so stay you here.
A sunburnt daughter of Labour rose up from the group to meet me, as I advanced towards them; her hair, which was a dark chesnut approaching rather to a black, was tied up in a knot, all but a single tress.
We want a cavalier, said she, holding out both her hands, as if to offer them—And a cavalier ye shall have; said I, taking hold of both of them.
Hadst thou, Nannette , been array’d like a dutchesse!
⸺But that cursed slit in thy petticoat!
Nannette cared not for it.
We could not have done without you, said she, letting go one hand, with self-taught politeness, leading me up with the other.
A lame youth, whom Apollo had recompensed with a pipe, and to which he had added a tabourin of his own accord, ran sweetly over the prelude, as he sat upon the bank⸺Tie me up this tress instantly, said Nannette , putting a piece of string into my hand—It taught me to forget I was a stranger⸺The whole knot fell down⸺We had been seven years acquainted.