There was a sound of revelry by night, And Belgium's capital had gather'd then Her Beauty and her Chivalry, and bright The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men.

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

The music, and the banquet, and the wine-- The garlands, the rose odors, and the flowers, The sparkling eyes, and flashing ornaments-- The white arms and the raven hair--the braids, And bracelets; swan-like bosoms, and the necklace, An India in itself, yet dazzling not.

A feast not profuse but elegant; more of salt [refinement] than of expense. [Lat., Non ampliter, sed munditer convivium; plus salis quam sumptus.]

Not fewer than three nor more than nine. [Lat., Neque pauciores tribus, neque plures novem.]

And dreams in their development have breath, And tears, and tortures, and the touch of joy; They have a weight upon our waking thoughts, They take a weight from off our waking toils, They do divide our being.