Let us have wine and women, mirth and laughter, Sermons and soda water the day after.

Tinkles of sleigh bells and distant laughter, that seemed like the mirth of wood elves, came from every quarter.

Their mirth made the old vault ring again.

The instruments now played their loudest strains; the dancers pursued their exercise with all the enthusiasm inspired by youth, mirth, and high spirits, when a cry was heard so shrill and piercing as at once to arrest the dance and the music.