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Show 48 THE CODE OF TERPSICHORE. springs, and in that spring she strikes her feet twice together, and strongly agitates every lower limb **. From her greatest elevation she descends, but slowly; and so lightly she regains the ground, that no one can distinguish when her noiseless foot alights. Around she flies! h o w admirable ! and with what truth she finds again her first position ! The darting lightning, or the winged arrow, goes not a swifter course than she, while flying o'er the soil with agile springs and airy bounds«. THE FANDANGO. A young girl, of bold character, places in her hand two castagnettes of sonorous wood. By the aid of her fingers she produces a clattering noise, and to that she keeps time with the graceful motions of her feet. The young m a n holds a tamboureen (or a tambour de basque, which, however, is now out of use), this he strikes with little bells, seeming, as it were, to invite his companion to accompany him in gesticulation. While dancing, both alternately playing the same air, both keep time to its measure. Every description of lascivious motion, every gesture that is offensive to modesty, and whatever can corrupt innocence and honesty is represented by these dancers, to the life. Alternately do they salute, exchanging amorous looks ; they give to their hips a certain immodest motion, then they meet and press their breasts together; their eyes appear half closed, and they seem, even while dancing, to be approaching the final embrace. |
