the complete plays-第16章
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Your Monarch am Iyour Monarch am Iyour Monarch am I！
Though I do not pretend to be very prophetic；
I fancy I know what you're going to say
By a pushing young Monarch； of turn energetic；
A very great deal may be done in a day！
ALL （astonished）。
Oh； it's simply uncanny； his power prophetic
It's perfectly rightwe were going to say；
By a pushing； etc。
Enter JULIA； at back。
LUD。 （recit。）。 This very afternoonat two （about）
The Court appointments will be given out。
To each and all （for that was the condition）
According to professional position！
ALL。 Hurrah！
JULIA （coming forward）。 According to professional position？
LUD。 According to professional position！
JULIA Then； horror！
ALL。 Why； what's the matter？ What's the matter？ What's the
matter ？
SONGJULIA。 （LISA clinging to her。）
Ah； pity me； my comrades true；
Who love； as well I know you do；
This gentle child；
To me so fondly dear！
ALL。 Why； what's the matter？
JULIA Our sister love so true and deep
From many an eye unused to weep
Hath oft beguiled
The coy reluctant tear！
ALL。 Why； what's the matter？
JULIA Each sympathetic heart 'twill bruise
When you have heard the frightful news
（O will it not？）
That I must now impart！
ALL。 Why； what's the matter？
JULIA。 Her love for him is all in all！
Ah； cursed fate！ that it should fall
Unto my lot
To break my darling's heart！
ALL。 Why； what's the matter？
LUD。 What means our Julia by those fateful looks？
Please do not keep us all on tenter…hooks…
Now； what's the matter？
JULIA。 Our duty； if we're wise；
We never shun。
This Spartan rule applies
To every one。
In theatres； as in life；
Each has her line
This partthe Grand Duke's wife
（Oh agony！） is mine！
A maxim new I do not start
The canons of dramatic art
Decree that this repulsive part
（The Grand Duke's wife）
Is mine！
ALL。 Oh； that's the matter！
LISA （appalled； to LUDWIG）。 Can that be so？
LUD。 I do not know
But time will show
If that be so。
CHORUS。 Can that be so？ etc。
LISA （recit。）。 Be merciful！
DUETLISA and JULIA。
LISA。 Oh； listen to me； dear
I love him only； darling！
Remember； oh； my pet；
On him my heart is set
This kindness do me； dear…
Nor leave me lonely； darling！
Be merciful； my pet；
Our love do not forget！
JULIA。 Now don't be foolish； dear
You couldn't play it； darling！
It's 〃leading business〃； pet
And you're but a soubrette。
So don't be mulish； dear…
Although I say it； darling；
It's not your line； my pet
I play that part； you bet！
I play that part
I play that part； you bet！
（LISA overwhelmed with grief。）
NOT。 The lady's right。 Though Julia's engagement
Was for the stage meant
It certainly frees Ludwig from his
Connubial promise。
Though marriage contractsor whate'er you call 'em
Are very solemn；
Dramatic contracts （which you all adore so）
Are even more so！
ALL。 That's very true！
Though marriage contracts； etc。
SONGLISA。
The die is cast；
My hope has perished！
Farewell； O Past；
Too bright to last；
Yet fondly cherished！
My light has fled；
My hope is dead；
Its doom is spoken
My day is night；
My wrong is right
In all men's sight
My heart is broken！
＇Exit
weeping。
LUD。 （recit。）。 Poor child； where will she go？ What will she
do？
JULIA。 That isn't in your part； you know。
LUD。 （sighing）。 Quite true！
（With an effort。） Depressing topics we'll not touch upon
Let us begin as we are going on！
For this will be a jolly Court； for little and for big！
ALL。 Sing hey； the jolly jinks of Pfennig Halbpfennig！
LUD。 From morn to night our lives shall be as merry as a grig！
ALL。 Sing hey； the jolly jinks of Pfennig Halbpfennig！
LUD。 All state and ceremony we'll eternally abolish
We don't mean to insist upon unnecessary polish
And； on the whole； I rather think you'll find our rule
tollolish！
ALL。 Sing hey； the jolly jinks of Pfennig Halbpfennig！
JULIA。 But stayyour new…made Court
Without a courtly coat is
We shall require
Some Court attire；
And at a moment's notice。
In clothes of common sort
Your courtiers must not grovel
Your new noblesse
Must have a dress
Original and novel！
LUD。 Old Athens we'll exhume！
The necessary dresses；
Correct and true
And all brand…new；
The company possesses：
Henceforth our Court costume
Shall live in song and story；
For we'll upraise
The dead old days
Of Athens in her glory！
ALL。 Yes； let's upraise
The dead old days
Of Athens in her glory！
ALL。 Agreed！ Agreed！
For this will be a jolly Court for little and for big！ etc
（They carry LUDWIG round stage and deposit him on the ironwork of
well。 JULIA stands by him； and the rest group round them。）
END OF ACT I。
ACT II。
（THE NEXT MORNING。）
SCENE。Entrance Hall of the Grand Ducal Palace。
Enter a procession of the members of the theatrical company （now
dressed in the costumes of Troilus and Cressida）； carrying
garlands； playing on pipes； citharae； and cymbals； and
heralding the return of LUDWIG and JULIA from the marriage
ceremony； which has just taken place。
CHORUS。
As before you we defile；
Eloia！ Eloia！
Pray you； gentles； do not smile
If we shout； in classic style；
Eloia！
Ludwig and his Julia true
Wedded are each other to
So we sing； till all is blue；
Eloia！ Eloia！
Opoponax！ Eloia！
Wreaths of bay and ivy twine；
Eloia！ Eloia！
Fill the bowl with Lesbian wine；
And to revelry incline
Eloia！
For as gaily we pass on
Probably we shall； anon；
Sing a Diergeticon
Eloia！ Eloia！
Opoponax！ Eloia！
RECIT。LUDWIG。
Your loyalty our Ducal heartstrings touches：
Allow me to present your new Grand Duchess。
Should she offend； you'll graciously excuse her
And kindly recollect I didn't choose her！
SONGLUDWIG。
At the outset I may mention it's my sovereign intention
To revive the classic memories of Athens at its best；
For the company possesses all the necessary dresses
And a course of quiet cramming will supply us with the
rest。
We've a choir hyporchematic （that is； ballet…operatic）
Who respond to the choreut of that cultivated age；
And our clever chorus…master； all but captious criticaster
Would accept as the choregus of the early Attic stage。
This return to classic ages is considered in their wages；
Which are always calculated by the day or by the week
And I'll pay 'em （if they'll back me） all in oboloi and drachm；
Which they'll get （if they prefer it） at the Kalends that
are Greek！
（Confidentially to audience。）
At this juncture I may mention
That this erudition sham
Is but classical pretension；
The result of steady 〃cram。〃：
Periphrastic methods spurning；
To this audience discerning
I admit this show of learning
Is the fruit of steady 〃cram。〃！
CHORUS。 Periphrastic methods； etc。
In the period Socratic every dining…room was Attic
（Which suggests an architecture of a topsy…turvy kind）；
There they'd satisfy their thirst on a recherche cold ｛Greek
word｝
Which is what they called their lunchand so may you if
you're inclined。
As they gradually got on； they'd ｛four Greek words）
（Which is Attic for a steady and a conscientious drink）。
But they mixed their wine with waterwhich I'm sure they didn't
oughter
And we modern Saxons know a trick worth two of that； I
think！
Then came rather risky dances （under certain circumstances）
Which would shock that worthy gentleman； the Licenser of
Plays；
Corybantian maniac kickDionysiac or Bacchic
And the Dithyrambic revels of those undecorous days。
（Confidentially to audience。）
And perhaps I'd better mention；
Lest alarming you I am；
That it isn't our intention
To perform a Dithyramb
It displays a lot of stocking；
Which is always very shocking；
And of course I'm only mocking
At the prevalence of 〃cram〃！
CHORUS。 It displays a lot； etc。
Yes； on reconsideration； there are customs of that nation
Which are not in strict accordance with the habits of our
day；
And when I come to codify； their rules I mean to modify；
Or Mrs。 Grundy； p'r'aps； may have a word or two to say。
For they ha
