"Others may more sweetly sing, Lighter through the dancers swing, Never a straw I care! Prattle half an hour free, Marion's rosy lips to me, That's a pleasure rare! Prettier, wittier ne'er was known, Than my Marion, darling one!" This time the whole audience sang the _réfrain_ with her, and then resounded loud cheerings for the songstress, who stood with the tears still in her eyes, frightened at her own boldness, but lovelier than ever on the stage. Adam sprang from the back of the scene and cried, "Silence, good burghers all! I too have a word to say." All were silent, and curious to know how he would manage to bring himself into grace again. He said, "There is not one amongst you who cannot perceive that my dear wife here has blamed me terribly, and managed to get all the laughter on her side; for that, I thank her from the very bottom of my soul: I tell you all truly that my heart quivered with joy at each word she spoke, and when, at last, she hit upon the charming idea of making my own words witness against me, I said quietly to myself, Master Adam, you are a rogue if you desert such a model of a wife, though it rained honours and doubloons in Paris! and so I come penitently hoping that my dear fellow-townsmen will intercede for me with my wife, that she may take her insolent, reckless husband back to her heart and love, and forget what his slanderous tongue has said of her." As he said this with ah emotion, which no one had ever seen him under before, there was a deep silence in the court--Marion smiled at him with an assuring kindness--fell upon his neck, and said, "You dear, mischievous man." Then broke from all the windows and benches a universal shout of congratulation. But Adam, freeing himself from the arms of his wife, grasped her hand firmly, and cried, "I owe you the third song." it runs thus-- "Let those who will to Paris wander, And time and gold for learning squander, For me I mean at home to rest! All the knowledge that's worth knowing Lies, fresh springing, ever blowing, In a gentle woman's breast. Wiser woman ne'er was known Than the one----I call mine own!"