No. 23: RECIT. & SONG (Lady Sophy)
"Oh, would some demon power the gift impart... When but a maid of fifteen year"
No. 24 RECIT. & DUET (Lady Sophy & King Paramount)
"Ah, Lady Sophy... Oh, rapture unrestrained"
Enter Lady Sophy.
| Lady Sophy. |
| Oh, would some demon power the gift impart To quell my over-conscientious heart — Unspeak the oaths that never had been spoken, And break the vows that never should be broken! |
When but a maid of fifteen year,
Unsought — unplighted —
Short petticoated — and, I fear,
Still shorter-sighted —
I made a vow, one early spring,
That only to some spotless King
Who proof of blameless life could bring
I'd be united.
For I had read, not long before,
Of blameless kings in fairy lore,
And thought the race still flourished here —
I was a maid of fifteen year!
Well, well —
Well, well —
I was a maid of fifteen year!
The King enters and overhears this verse.
Each morning I pursued my game
(An early riser);
For spotless monarchs I became
An advertiser:
But all in vain I searched each land,
So, kingless, to my native strand
Returned, a little older, and
A good deal wiser!
I learnt that spotless King and Prince
Have disappeared some ages since —
E'en Paramount's angelic grace —
Is but a mask on Nature's face!
Ah me! —
Ah me! —
Is but a mask on Nature's face,
On Nature's face!
King comes forward.
| King Paramount. |
| Ah, Lady Sophy — then you love me! For so you sing — |
| Lady Sophy. (Indignant and surprised. Producing "Palace Peeper".) |
| No,no, by the stars that shine above me, Degraded King! For while these rumours, through the city bruited, Remain uncontradicted, unrefuted, The object thou of my aversion rooted, Repulsive thing! |
| King Paramount. |
| Be just — the time is now at hand When truth may published be. These paragraphs were written and Contributed by me! |
| Lady Sophy. |
| By you? No, no! |
| King Paramount. |
| Yes, yes. I swear, by me! I, caught in Scaphio's ruthless toil, Contributed the lot! |
| Lady Sophy. |
| And that is why you did not boil The author on the spot! |
| King Paramount. |
| And that is why I did not boil The author on the spot! |
| Lady Sophy. |
| I couldn't think why you did not boil The author on the spot! |
| Both. |
| Boil him on the spot! |
DUET
| Lady Sophy. |
| Oh, rapture unrestrained Of a candid retractation! For my sovereign has deigned A convincing explanation — And the clouds that gathered o'er All have vanished in the distance, And of Kings of fairy lore One, at least, is in existence! Of Kings of fairy lore One, at least, is in existence! |
| King Paramount. |
| Oh, the skies are blue above, And the earth is red and rosal, Now the lady of my love Has accepted my proposal! For that asinorum pons I have crossed without assistance, And of prudish paragons One, at least, is in existence! Of prudish paragons One, at least, is in existence! |
| Lady Sophy. | King Paramount. |
| The clouds, | |
| The clouds, | |
| The clouds, | |
| The clouds | |
| The clouds | |
| That gathered o'er | That gathered o'er |
| Have vanished, | |
| Have vanished, | |
| Have vanished, | |
| Have vanished, | |
| Vanished in the distance, | Have vanished in the distance, |
| All have vanished, All have vanished, All have vanished, |
All have vanished, All have vanished, All have vanished, |
| Vanished, vanished in the distance! | Vanished, vanished in the distance! |
King and Lady Sophy dance gracefully. While this is going on Lord Dramaleigh enters unobserved with Nekaya and Capt. Fitzbattleaxe. The two girls direct Zara's attention to the King and Lady Sophy, who are still dancing affectionately together. At this point the King kisses Lady Sophy, which causes the Princesses to make an exclamation. The King and Lady Sophy are at first much confused at being detected, but eventually throw off all reserve, and the four couples break into a wild Tarantella, and at the end exeunt severally.
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Page Created 11 December, 2005