the complete plays-第58章
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To fit the wit of a bit of chit；
And that's the long and the short of it！
TRIO Arac； Guron & Scynthius
All 3： We may remark； though nothing can
Dismay us；
That if you thwart this gentleman；
He'll slay us。
We don't fear death； of course we're taught
To shame it；
But still upon the whole we thought
We'd name it。
（To each other）
Scynthius： Yes！
Guron： Yes！
Arac： Yes！
All 3： Better p'r'aps to name it。
Our interests we would not press
With chatter；
Three hulking brothers more or less
Don't matter；
If you'd pooh…pooh this monarch's plan
Pooh…pooh it；
But when he says he'll hang a man；
He'll do it。
（To each other）
Scynthius： Yes！
Guron： Yes！
Arac： Yes！
All 3： Devil doubt he'll do it。
Princess： Be reassured； nor fear his anger blind；
His menaces are idle as the wind。
He dares not kill you vengeance lurks behind！
3 Knights： We rather think he dares； but never mind！
Hildebd： I 3 Knights：
rather No！
think I No！
dare； but No！
never； never mind！ never never mind！
Enough of
No；
parley no；
never nev…
as a er
spe… mind！
cial
No！
boon。 no！ never； never mind！
We give you till tomorrow
afternoon；
Hildebd： Release Hilarion； then；
And be his bride
Or you'll incur the guilt of fratricide！
Princess： To yield at once to such a foe
With shame we're rife；
So quick！ away with him； although
He sav'd my life！
That he is fair； and strong； and tall
Is very evident to all；
Yet I will die；
Yet I will die； before I call myself his
Princess： All Others：
wife！ … … Oh； yield at once； 'twere better
so；
… … … … Than risk a strife！
And let the Prince Hilarion go。
He Saved thy life！
That Hi…
he is la…rion's
fair and fair；
strong and and
tall； strong and tall；
tall；
Is … … … … …
… … … … … … A
very worse mis…
evi… for…
dent to tune
all； might befall。
Yet
I will It's
die； will die before I call not so dreadful after all；
Myself his wife！ To be his wife！
Though I am but a girl
Defiance thus I hurl
Our banners all
On outer wall
We fearlessly unfurl
（The Princess stands； surrounded by girls kneeling。 Hildebrand and
soldiers stand on built rocks at back and sides of stage。
Picture。）
END OF ACT II ACT III
SCENE Outer Walls and Courtyard of Castle Adamant。 Melissa；
SachaRissa； and ladies discovered； armed with
battleaxes。
CHORUS
〃Death to the Invader！〃
Chorus： Death to the invader！
Strike a deadly blow；
As an old Crusader
Struck his Paynim foe！
Let our martial thunder
Fill his soul with wonder；
Tear his ranks asunder；
Lay the tyrant low！
Death to the invader！
Strike a deadly blow；
As an old Crusader
Struck his Paynim foe！
Melissa： Thus our courage； all untarnish'd；
We're instructed to display；
But to tell the truth unvarnish'd；
We are more inclined to say；
〃Please you； do not hurt us；〃
All： 〃Do not hurt us； if it please you！〃
Melissa： 〃Please you let us be。〃
All： 〃Let us be let us be！〃
Melissa： 〃Soldiers disconcert us。〃
All： 〃Disconcert us； if it please you！〃
Melissa： 〃Frighten'd maids are we！〃
All： 〃Maids are we； maids are we！〃
Melissa： Please you；
All： Do not hurt us；
Melissa： Please you；
All： Let us be。
Mel & Cho： Frighten'd maids are we； frighten'd maids are we！
Melissa： But 'twould be an error
To confess our terror；
So in Ida's name；
Boldly we exclaim：
Mel & Cho： Death to the invader！
Strike a deadly blow；
As an old Crusader
Struck his Paynim foe！
（Flourish。 Enter Princess； armed； attended by Blanche and Psyche。）
Princess： I like your spirit； girls！ We have to meet
Stern bearded warriors in fight to…day；
Wear naught but what is necessary to
Preserve your dignity before their eyes；
And give your limbs full play。
Blanche： One moment； ma'am；
Here is a paradox we should not pass
Without inquiry。 We are prone to say
〃This thing is Needful that； Superfluous〃
Yet they invariably co…exist！
We find the Needful comprehended in
The circle of the grand Superfluous；
Yet the Superfluous cannot be brought
Unless you're amply furnished with the Needful。
These singular considerations are
Princess： Superfluous； yet not Needful so you see
The terms may independently exist。
（To Ladies） Women of Adamant； we have to show
That women； educated to the task；
Can meet Man； face to face； on his own ground；
And beat him there。 Now； let us set to work；
Where is our lady surgeon？
Sach。： Madam； here！
Princess： We shall require your skill to heal the wounds
Of those that fall。
Sach。： （Alarmed） What； heal the wounded？
Princess： Yes！
Sach。： And cut off real live legs and arms？
Princess： Of course！
Sach。： I wouldn't do it for a thousand pounds！
Princess： Why； how is this？ Are you faint…hearted； girl？
You've often cut them off in theory！
Sach。： In theory I'll cut them off again
With pleasure； and as often as you like；
But not in practice。
Princess： Coward！ Get you hence；
I've craft enough for that； and courage too；
I'll do your work！ My fusiliers； advance！；
Why； you are armed with axes！ Gilded toys！
Where are your rifles； pray？
Chloe： Why； please you； ma'am；
We left them in the armoury； for fear
That in the heat and turmoil of the fight；
They might go off！
Princess： 〃They might！〃 Oh； craven souls！
Go off yourselves！ Thank heaven I have a heart
That quails not at the thought of meeting men；
I will discharge your rifles！ Off with you！
（Exit Chloe）
Where's my bandmistress？
Ada： Please you； ma'am； the band
Do not feel well； and can't come out today！
Princess： Why； this is flat rebellion！ I've no time
To talk to them just now。 But； happily；
I can play several instruments at once；
And I will drown the shrieks of those that fall
With trumpet music； such as soldiers love！
How stand we with respect to gunpowder？
My Lady Psyche you who superintend
Our lab'ratory are you well prepared
To blow these bearded rascals into shreds？
Psyche： Why； madam
Princess： Well？
Psyche： Let us try gentler means。
We can dispense with fulminating grains
While we have eyes with which to flash our rage！
We can dispense with villainous saltpetre
While we have tongues with which to blow them up！
We can dispense； in short； with all the arts
That brutalize the practical polemist！
Princess： （Contemptuously） I never knew a more dispensing
chemist！
Away； away I'll meet these men alone
Since all my women have deserted me！
（Exeunt all but Princess； singing
refrain of
〃Please you； do not hurt us〃；
pianissimo。）
Princess： So fail my cherished plans so fails my faith
And with it hope； and all that comes of hope！
Song … Princess
〃I Built upon a Rock〃
Princess： I built upon a rock；
But ere Destruction's hand
Dealt equal lot
