e evening George
asked her to sing the song of the "Dark-Brown Maid." She began without
much hesitation, and George fell in with the second voice so finely and
sonorously that all the others who had joined in also lapsed into
silence one by one, and contented themselves with listening to the two
who sang so well. Mary Ann, finding herself unsupported by her
companions, found her voice trembling a little, and nudged her
companions to go on singing; but, as they would not, she took courage,
and sang with much spirit, while George seemed to uphold her as with
strong arms. They sang:--

"Oh, to-morrow I must leave you,
My beloved dark-brown maid:
Out at the upper gate we travel,
My beloved dark-brown maid.

"When I march in foreign countries,
Think of me, my dearest one;
With the sparkling glass before you,
Often think how I adore you;
Drink a health to him that's gone.

"Now I load my brace of pistols,
And I fire and blaze away,
For my dark-brown lassie's pleasure;
For she chose me for her treasure,
And she sent the rest away.

"In the blue sky two stars are shining:
Brighter than the moon they glow;
This looks on the dark-brown maiden,
And that looks where I must go.

"I've bought a ribbon for my sabre,
And a nosegay for my hat,
And a kerchief in my keeping,
To restrain my eyes from weeping:
From my love I must depart.

"Now I spur my horse's mettle,
Now I rein him in and wait:
So good-bye, dear dark-brown maiden;
I must ride out at the gate."

When each of the girls had filled four or five spindles, the table was
pushed into a corner, to clear a space of three or four paces in length
and breadth, on which they took turns in dancing, those who sat singing
the music. When George brought out Mary Ann, he sang his own song,
dancing to it like a spindle: indeed, he did not need much more space
than a spindle, for he used to say that no one was a good waltzer who
could not turn around quickly and safely on a plate. When he stopped at
last,--with a whirl which made the skirts of Mary Ann's wadded dress
rise high above her feet,--she suddenly left him alone, as if afraid of
him