The other wedding guests talked of their business or played tricks behind each other's backs, egging one another on in advance to be jolly.

Those who listened could always catch the squeaking of the fiddler, who went on playing across the fields.

When he saw that the rest were far behind he stopped to take breath, slowly rosined his bow, so that the strings should sound more shrilly, then set off again, by turns lowering and raising his neck, the better to mark time for himself.

The noise of the instrument drove away the little birds from afar.
The table was laid under the cart-shed.

On it were four sirloins, six chicken fricassees, stewed veal, three legs of mutton, and in the middle a fine roast suckling pig, flanked by four chitterlings with sorrel.