Scaphio: That is surely something.Come, take heart, boy! you are young and beautiful.What more could maiden want?
Phantis: Ah! Scaphio, remember she returns from a land where every youth is as a young Greek god, and where such beauty as Ican boast is seen at every turn.
Scaphio: Be of good cheer! Marry her, boy, if so your fancy wills, and be sure that love will come.
Phantis: (overjoyed) Then you will assist me in this?
Scaphio: Why, surely! Silly one, what have you to fear? We have but to say the word, and her father must consent.Is he not our very slave? Come, take heart.I cannot bear to see you sad.
Phantis: Now I may hope, indeed! Scaphio, you have placed me on the very pinnacle of human joy!
DUET -- Scaphio and Phantis.
Scaphio: Let all your doubts take wing--Our influence is great.
If Paramount our King Presume to hesitate Put on the screw, And caution him That he will rue Disaster grim That must ensue To life and limb, Should he pooh-pooh This harmless whim.
Both: This harmless whim--this harmless whim, It is as I/you say, a harmless whim.
Phantis: (dancing) Observe this dance Which I employ When I, by chance Go mad with joy.
What sentiment Does this express?
(Phantis continues his dance while Scaphio vainly endeavors to discover its meaning)Supreme content And happiness!
Both: Of course it does! Of course it does!
Supreme content and happiness.
Phantis: Your friendly aid conferred, I need no longer pine.
I've but to speak the word, And lo, the maid is mine!
I do not choose To be denied.
Or wish to lose A lovely bride--
If to refuse The King decide, The royal shoes Then woe betide!
Both: Then woe betide--then woe betide!
The Royal shoes then woe betide!
Scaphio: (Dancing) This step to use I condescend Whene'er I choose To serve a friend.
What it implies Now try to guess;
(Scaphio continues his dance while Phantis is vainly endeavouring to discover its meaning)It typifies Unselfishness!
Both: (Dancing) Of course it does! Of course it does!
It typifies unselfishness.
(Exeunt Scaphio and Phantis.)
March.Enter King Paramount, attended by guards and nobles, and preced-ed by girls dancing before him.
CHORUS
Quaff the nectar--cull the roses--
Gather fruit and flowers in plenty!
For our king no longer poses--
Sing the songs of far niente!
Wake the lute that sets us lilting, Dance a welcome to each comer;Day by day our year is wilting--Sing the sunny songs of summer!
La, la, la, la!
SOLO -- King.
A King of autocratic power we--
A despot whose tyrannic will is law--
Whose rule is paramount o'er land and sea, A presence of unutterable awe!
But though the awe that I inspire Must shrivel with imperial fire All foes whom it may chance to touch, To judge by what I see and hear, It does not seem to interfere With popular enjoyment, much.
Chorus:No, no--it does not interfere With our enjoyment much.
Stupendous when we rouse ourselves to strike, Resistless when our tyrant thunder peals, We often wonder what obstruction's like, And how a contradicted monarch feels.
But as it is our Royal whim Our Royal sails to set and trim To suit whatever wind may blow--What buffets contradiction deals And how a thwarted monarch feels We probably will never know.
Chorus:No, no--what thwarted monarch feels, You'll never, never know.
RECITATIVE -- King.
My subjects all, it is your with emphatic That all Utopia shall henceforth be modelled Upon that glorious country called Great Britain--To which some add--but others do not--Ireland.
Chorus: It is!
King: That being so, as you insist upon it, We have arranged that our two younger daughters Who have been "finished" by an English Lady--(tenderly) A grave and good and gracious English Lady--Shall daily be exhibited in public, That all may learn what, from the English standpoint, Is looked upon as maidenly perfection!
Come hither, daughters!
(Enter Nekaya and Kalyba.They are twins, about fifteen years old;they are very modest and demure in their appearance, dress and manner.
They stand with their hands folded and their eyes cast down.)CHORUSHow fair! how modest! how discreet!
How bashfully demure!
See how they blush, as they've been taught, At this publicity unsought!
How English and how pure!
DUET -- Nekaya and Kalyba.
Both: Although of native maids the cream, We're brought up on the English scheme--The best of all For great and small Who modesty adore.
Nek: For English girls are good as gold, Extremely modest (so we're told)Demurely coy--divinely cold--And that we are--and more.
Kal: To please papa, who argues thus--All girls should mould themselves on us Because we are By furlongs far The best of the bunch, We show ourselves to loud applause From ten to four without a pause--Nek: Which is an awkward time because It cuts into our lunch.
Both: Oh maids of high and low degree, Whose social code is rather free, Please look at us and you will see What good young ladies ought to be!
Nek: And as we stand, like clockwork toys, A lecturer whom papa employs Proceeds to prussia Our modest ways And guileless character--Kal: Our well-known blush--our downcast eyes--Our famous look of mild surprise.
Nek: (Which competition still defies)--Our celebrated "Sir!!!"
Kal: Then all the crowd take down our looks In pocket memorandum books.
To diagnose Our modest pose The Kodaks do their best:
Nek: If evidence you would possess Of what is maiden bashfulness You need only a button press--Kal:And we will do the rest.
Enter Lady Sophy -- an English lady of mature years and extreme gravity of demeanour and dress.She carries a lecturer's wand in her hand.She is led on by the King, who expresses great regard and admiration for her.
RECITATIVE -- Lady SophyThis morning we propose to illustrate A course of maiden courtship, from the start To the triumphant matrimonial finish.
(Through the following song the two Princesses illustrate in gesture the description given by Lady Sophy.)SONG -- Lady SophyBold-faced ranger (Perfect stranger)Meets two well-behaved young ladies.
He's attractive, Young and active--