The music scarcely touched my ears,

The figures fluttered me with fears.

I talked, but had not aught to say,

Danced, my instructions to obey;

E’en when with beautiful good-will

Emilia through the long quadrille

Conducted me, alas the day,

Ten times I wished myself away.

But she, invested with a dower

Of conscious, scarce-exerted power,