>Act
I
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Dialogue following No. 4
| Darine. | Why, what have we in
all our Fairyland To bear comparison with such a gift! |
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| Zayda. | Oh for one hour of such
a love as that, O'er all things paramount! Why, after all, That wicked world is the true Fairyland! |
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| Zara. | Why, who can wonder
that poor, erring Man Clings to the world, all poisoned though it be, When on it grows this glorious antidote! |
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| Zayda. | And may we never love as mortals love? | |
| Selene. | No, that can never be.
Of earthly things, This love of theirs ranks as the earthliest. We do not need it in our perfect land. Moreover, there's this gulf 'tween it and us — Only a mortal can inspire such love, And mortal foot may never touch our land. |
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| Zayda. | But — is that so? | |
| Selene. (surprised). | Of course! | |
| Zayda. | Yet I have heard | |
| That there's a half-forgotten law which
says That, when a fairy quits his fairy home To visit earth, those whom he leaves behind May summon from that wicked world below That absent fairy's mortal counterpart, And that that mortal counterpart may stay In Fairyland and fill that fairy's place Till he return. Is there not some such law? |
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| Selene. (horrified). | ||
| And if there were, wouldst put that law in force? | ||
| Zayda. (frightened). | ||
| No, not for all the love of all the world! | ||
| Selene. | A man in Fairyland! Oh, horrible! He would exhale the poison of his soul, And we should even be as mortals are - Hating as man hates! |
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| Darine. (enthusiastically). | Loving as man loves! | |
| [SELENE looks at her in blank surprise. | ||
| Too horrible! Still — | ||
| Selene. | Well? | |
| Darine. | I see a trace | |
| Of wisdom lurking in this ancient law. | ||
| Selene. | Where lurks that wisdom, then? I see it not! | |
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Page modified 13 August 2011