From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: Eleven four-line stanzas, rhyming alternately.
This was apparently first printed in "Le Speronare," in 1842, Chapter V., "Messine le Noble." They are the verses of Margaret awaiting Faust while at her spinning-wheel ("Faust," lines 3031-3070).
The next year, 1843, it was published with music by F. Masini; Paris, Bernard Latte, 2 Boulevard des Italiens, with designs by M. Alophe. Only eight stanzas appeared here, in the following order, as compared with those in "Le Speronare :" 1, 4, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10. There are a number of alterations and transpositions.
It was next issued—eight stanzas only—in "Le Dilettante," Third Year, No. 14, J. E. Liban, lithographer, 29 Rue de Rollelseck, Brussels.
Under the title of "Marguerite, Romance," with music by M. V. Capecelatro, it was issued at Paris, Pacini's Magasin de Musique, Boulevard des Italiens.
Later again, under the title of "L'Absence, melodie," it appeared with a few variations and some transpositions, with music by Arthur de Sinety, dedicated to his sister-in-law. Madame la Comtesse de Sinety, 31 bis Rue du Faubourg Montmartre. In this instance there are nine stanzas, but which these are, M. Glinel does not indicate.
In 1863 there was performed for the first time, at the Belleville Theatre, on the 21st of November, a one-act drama by Bernard Lopez. It was published; Paris, Dentu, 1864, 8vo., the title being "La Veillée Allemande." Glinel mentions considerable difficulty about its production, which was eventually solved by the collaborator of Lopez, to wit Dumas, abstaining from having his name upon the bills. (Refer to 1863.) In this drama the song in the first scene is no other than Dumas' Marguerite au Rouet."
Seven stanzas, with the first literally repeated to make an eighth, are also quoted by Dumas in "Le Capitaine Richard," Chapter XIX. (1858.)
