MAROTTE, ALMANZOR, AND MUSICIANS.
MAD. Lawk! my dears, we beg your pardon. These gentlemen had a fancy to
put life into our heels; we sent for you to fill up the void of our
assembly.
LUC. We are certainly much obliged to you for doing so.
MASC. This is a kind of extempore ball, ladies, but one of these days we
shall give you one in form. Have the musicians come?
ALM. Yes, sir, they are here.
CAT. Come then, my dears, take your places.
MASC. (_Dancing by himself and singing_). La, la, la, la, la, la, la,
la.
MAD. What a very elegant shape he has.
CAT. He looks as if he were a first-rate dancer.
MASC. (_Taking out Madelon to dance_). My freedom will dance a Couranto
as well as my feet. Play in time, musicians, in time. O what ignorant
wretches! There is no dancing with them. The devil take you all, can you
not play in time? La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la? Steady, you
country-scrapers!
[Footnote: A Couranto was a very grave, Spanish dance, or rather march,
but in which the feet did not rise from the ground.]
JOD. (_Dancing also_). Hold, do not play so fast. I have but just
recovered from an illness.