>Act
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Dialogue following No. 9
| Selene. | That form is not in vogue in Fairyland. Still, as it holds on earth, no doubt 'twill have Far greater weight with you, poor sons of earth, Than any formula we could impose. |
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| Ethais. | Its weight is overpowering! [About to kiss her.. | |
| Selene. | But stay - | |
| We would not wrest this homage from you, sir. Or give it willingly, or not at all. |
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| Phyllon. | Most willingly, fair Queen, we give it you! | |
| Selene. | Good - then proceed. | |
SIR ETHAIS kisses SELENE. SIR PHYLLON kisses DARINE.
| Ethais. | There - does it not convey | |
| A pleasant sense of influence? | ||
| Selene. | It does. | |
| (to DARINE). Some earthly forms seem rational enough! | ||
| [SIR ETHAIS staggers as though about to faint. | ||
| Why, Ethais, what ails thee? | ||
| Ethais. | Nothing grave - | |
| I'm weak from loss of blood. Here,
take this scarf, And bind it round my arm - so - have a care! There, that will do till I return to earth, Then Lutin, who's a very skilful leech, Shall doctor it. |
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| Selene. (amazed). | Didst thou say Lutin? | |
| Ethais. | Yes. | |
| Darine. | How strange. Sir Ethais has a Lutin too! | |
LUTIN has entered unobserved.
| Ethais. | Yes, he's my squire - a poor half-witted
churl, Who shudders at the rustling of a leaf. He hath a potion that will heal my wound, A draught whose power works instantaneously. Were he here I should soon - (sees FAIRY LUTIN). Why, here he is! By all the gods, pranked out in masquerade! |
| (to LUTIN). | Give me the potion! |
| Lutin. (in amazement). | Give thee what? |
| Ethais. (impatiently). | The draught! |
| Dost thou not see my wound? |
| Lutin. (contemptuously). | I have no draught! |
| Ethais. | Thou scurvy rogue, I bade thee never leave thy home without it! Thy hide shall pay! |
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| Lutin. | Who is this insolent? | |
| A mortal here in Fairyland? | ||
| Locrine. | Yes - two! | |
| Lutin. | Who are these men? | |
| Selene. | The mortal counterparts | |
| Of Ethais and Phyllon. Look at
them! Dost thou not love them? |
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| Lutin. (indignantly). | No! | ||
| Cora. | How very strange! | ||
| Why, we all loved them from the very first! | |||
| Lutin. | Is this indeed the truth? | ||
| Darine. (demurely). | It is indeed. |
| Obedient to our Queen's command,
we have Subdued our natural antipathies. (fondling PHYLLON). |
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| Zayda. (demurely). | |
| They are our guests, all odious though they
be, And we must bid them welcome to our home, As though e'en now they were what they will be When they have seen what we shall be to them. (fondling PHYLLON). |
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| Lutin. | Be warned in time and send these mortals
hence! Why, don't you see that in each word they speak They breathe of Love? |
| Selene. (enthusiastically). | They do! | ||
| Lutin. | Why, Love's, the germ | ||
| Of every sin that stalks upon the earth! | |||
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Page modified 13 August 2011