them roses. The girls immediately sprang to the spot to collect the
flowers: but the cavaliers also wished to have them, and they were
the stronger; they, therefore, boldly pushed the ladies aside, so
that some seated themselves on the stone pavement and got no roses:
that was a merry bit of fun! "Thou art a foolish thing! It fell
upon thy shoulder and thou couldst not catch it!" said the first
lover to his lady, and stuck the rose into his waistcoat-pocket.

All got partners--all the girls; even the children, they leaped
about to their own singing out upon the bridge. Only ONE stood
forlorn,--Sidsel, with the grown-together eyebrows; she smiled,
laughed aloud; no one would become her partner. Peter Cripple
handed his violin to one of the young men and asked him to play,
for he himself wished to stretch his legs a little. The girls drew
back and talked with each other; but Peter Cripple stepped quietly
forward toward Sidsel, flung his arms around her, and they danced a
whirling dance. Sophie laughed aloud at it, but Sidsel directed her
extraordinary glance maliciously and piercingly toward her. Otto
saw it, and the girl was doubly revolting and frightful in his
eyes. With the increasing darkness the assembly became more
animated; the two parties of dancers were resolved into one. At
length, when it was grown quite dark, the ale barrels become empty,
the tankard again filled and once more emptied, the company
withdrew in pairs, singing. Now commenced the first joy, the
powerful operation of the ale. They now wandered through the wood,
accompanying each other home, as they termed it; but this was a
wandering until the bright morning.

Otto and Wilhelm were gone out into the avenue, and the peasants
shouted to them a grateful "Good night!" for the merry afternoon.