Even while quaffing the third draught of the Fountain of Youth , they were almost awed by the expression of his mysterious visage . But the next moment the exhilarating gush of young life shot through their veins . They were now in the happy prime of youth . Age , with its miserable train of cares and sorrows and diseases , was remembered only as the trouble of a dream from which they had joyously awoke . The fresh gloss of the soul , so early lost and without which the world 's successive scenes had been but a gallery of faded pictures , again threw its enchantment over all their prospects . They felt like new-created beings in a new-created universe . `` We are young ! We are young ! '' they cried , exultingly . Youth , like the extremity of age , had effaced the strongly-marked characteristics of middle life and mutually assimilated them all . They were a group of merry youngsters almost maddened with the exuberant frolicsomeness of their years . The most singular effect of their gayety was an impulse to mock the infirmity and decrepitude of which they had so lately been the victims . They laughed loudly at their old-fashioned attire -- the wide-skirted coats and flapped waistcoats of the young men and the ancient cap and gown of the blooming girl . One limped across the floor like a gouty grandfather ; one set a pair of spectacles astride of his nose and pretended to pore over the black-letter pages of the book of magic ; a third seated himself in an arm-chair and strove to imitate the venerable dignity of Dr. Heidegger . Then all shouted mirthfully and leaped about the room . The widow Wycherly -- if so fresh a damsel could be called a widow -- tripped up to the doctor 's chair with a mischievous merriment in her rosy face . `` Doctor , you dear old soul , '' cried she , `` get up and dance with me ; '' and then the four young people laughed louder than ever to think what a queer figure the poor old doctor would cut . `` Pray excuse me , '' answered the doctor , quietly . `` I am old and rheumatic , and my dancing-days were over long ago . But either of these gay young gentlemen will be glad of so pretty a partner . ''
`` Dance XXXXX me , Clara , '' cried Colonel Killigrew .
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