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No. 8: Song (Selene) & Chorus

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Selene.
    Poor, purblind, untaught youths,
We seek to teach ye truths
  Which now ye wot not of, as we suppose!
    Our aid ye sorely need.
For ye are frail indeed —
Each a poor fragile reed
  Swayed to and fro by every breeze that blows!
    [Taking his hand and stroking it tenderly.
    And we are good and pure,
Safe from temptations lure.
  (There are no temptations to disturb our rest!)
    Unknown the fierce delights
That lure attractive knights
Into disastrous plights,
Into disastrous plights!
(aside to DARINE).1
  They are attractive, it must be confessed!
Chorus.
  Though worldly passions animate each breast,
They are attractive, it must be confessed!
Selene.
    Poor maidens to deceive
A potent spell ye weave,
  To which those all-too-willing victims yield!
    [Kissing his hand.
    We fairies hope to show
The ills that from it flow,
And teach you to forgo
  The marv'lous enchantment,
The marv'lous enchantment that ye wield.
    [Gently stroking his face.
    Homeward returning then,
Pure, simple, guileless men,
  Say this to all the maids with whom ye are in touch,2
    "Would ye live free from harm?
Then shun, in wild alarm,
Our strange mysterious charm!
(Aside to ZAYDA, sighing).
  The maids may shun it, but I doubt it much.
Chorus.
    Would ye escape the plights
That spring from love's delights,
Shun all attractive knights!
(Aside to each other, sighing).
  The maids may do so, but I doubt it much!

Selene. Chorus.
  Ah! I doubt it much, doubt it much!   Ah!
  Ah! I doubt   Ah!
  it much!   The maids may do so,
  But I doubt it much,   But I doubt it much, I doubt
  I doubt it much!   it, doubt it much!

During SELENE's song and the chorus, DARINE, ZAYDA, and others have been dealing tenderly with PHYLLON. All show that they are deeply impressed by the two knights.

ENSEMBLE. — Sir Ethais and Sir Phyllon (nudging each other).

13 August, 2011ake offence —
Phyllon.
  With keen remorse
    We tell you penitentially,
  Our lives are course
    And villainous essentially —
  But bred and born
    In Pagan Principality,
  We view with scorn
    Our former immorality.
Ethais.
  Of blameless state
    We've hope infinitesimal
  (We calculate
    Its value to a decimal),
  Unless at once
    You give, experimentally,
  Each wayward dunce
    A polish-up, parentally!
Phyllon. (to DARINE).
  This humble pie
    Is but a tough comestible
  Which he and I
    Find rather indigestible!
Ethais (to SELENE).
  That's just his way —
    An ill-bred Oriental man.
  Forgive him, pray —
    Of course he's not a gentleman!
Phyllon.
  My penitence
    Perhaps is unconventional.
Ethais (to SELENE).
    I'm sure it's unintentional.
Both.
  For both are bound
    For fairy course probational;
  So pray expound
    This system educational!
Chorus.
  With keen remorse, keen remorse
    They tell us penitentially
  Their lives are coarse
    And villianous essentially.

Darine, Zayda and Locrine.
  Oh, gentle knights, with joy elate,
    We'll teach you to abjure
  All earthly dross, and cultivate
    The blameless and the pure!
  Be docile pupils in our school,
    While we, with earnest heart,
  Of all that's good, of all that's good
      And all that's beautiful
    The theories3 impart!

Chorus.
  Be docile pupils in our school,
    While we, with earnest heart,
  Of all that's good, of all that's good
      And all that's beautiful
    The theories impart!

Darine, Zayda and Locrine. Chorus.
  Of all that's beautiful   The theories impart!
  The theories impart!   The theories impart!

Selene. (recit.)
  If my obedient pupils you would be,
You must avow your loyalty to me.
    No doubt you recognise
Some formula, world-wise,
  That binds your heart in solemn fealty?


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