But the best of the joke was, the moment he spoke Those words which the party seem'd almost to choke, As by mentioning Noah some spell had been broke, Every soul in the house at that instant awoke! And, hearing the din from barrel and binn, Drew at once the conclusion that thieves had got in. Up jump'd the Cook and caught hold of her spit; Up jump'd the Groom and took bridle and bit; Up jump'd the Gardener and shoulder'd his spade; Up jump'd the Scullion,--the Footman,--the Maid; (The two last, by the way, occasioned some scandal, By appearing together with only one candle, Which gave for unpleasant surmises some handle;) Up jump'd the Swineherd,--and up jump'd the big boy, A nondescript under him, acting as Pig-boy; Butler, Housekeeper, Coachman--from bottom to top Everybody jump'd up without parley or stop, With the weapon which first in their way chanced to drop,-- Whip, warming-pan, wig-block, mug, musket, and mop. [Illustration: GRANDPAPA'S STORY; OR, THE WITCHES' FROLIC.] Last of all doth appear, With some symptoms of fear, Sir Thopas in person to bring up the rear, In a mix'd kind of costume half _Pontificalibus_, Half what scholars denominate Pure _Naturalibus_; Nay, the truth to express, As you'll easily guess, They have none of them time to attend much to dress; But He, or She, As the case may be, He or She seizes what He or She pleases, Trunk-hosen or kirtles, and shirts or chemises, And thus one and all, great and small, short and tall, Muster at once in the Vicarage-hall, With upstanding locks, starting eyes, shorten'd breath, Like the folks in the Gallery Scene in Macbeth, When Macduff is announcing their Sovereign's death. And hark!--what accents clear and strong, To the listening throng came floating along! 'Tis Robin encoring himself in a song-- "Very good song! very well sung! Jolly companions every one!" On, on to the cellar! away! away! On, on to the cellar without more delay! The whole _posse_ rush onwards in battle array-- Conceive the dismay of the party so gay, Old Goody Jones, Goody Price, and Madge Gray, When the door bursting wide, they descried the allied Troops, prepared for the onslaught, roll in like a tide, And the spits, and the tongs, and the pokers beside!-- "Boot and saddle's the word! mount, Cummers, and ride!"-- Alarm was ne'er caused more strong and indigenous By cats among rats, or a hawk in a pigeon-house; Quick from the view Away they all flew, With a yell, and a screech, and a halliballoo, "Hey up the chimney! Hey after you!"-- The Volscians themselves made an exit less speedy From Corioli, "flutter'd like doves" by Macready.