Misery me--lack-a-day-dee!
He sipped no sup, and he craved no crumb, As he sighed for the love of a ladye!
Heighdy! heighdy!
Heighdy! heighdy!
Heighdy! heighdy!
[FAIRFAX embraces ELSIE as POINT falls insensible at their feet.
CURTAIN
PATIENCE
orBunthorne's Bride Book by W.S.GILBERTMusic by ARTHUR SULLIVANFirst produced at the Opera Comique, London, on April 23, 1881.
PATIENCE
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Officers of Dragoon Guards COLONEL CALVERLEY Baritone MAJOR MURGATROYD Baritone LIEUT.THE DUKE OF DUNSTABLE TenorREGINALD BUNTHORNE (A Fleshly Poet)Light BaritoneARCHIBALD GROSVENOR (An Idyllic Poet) BaritoneMR.BUNTHORNE'S SOLICITOR Non-singingRapturous Maidens THE LADY ANGELA Mezzo-Soprano THE LADY SAPHIR Mezzo-Soprano THE LADY ELLA Soprano THE LADY JANE ContraltoPATIENCE (A Dairy Maid)SopranoChorus of Rapturous MAIDENS and Officers of DRAGOON GUARDSACT I--Exterior of Castle BunthorneACT II--A Glade ACT I[Scene: Exterior of Castle Bunthorne, the gateway to which is seen, R.U.E., and is approached by a drawbridge over a moat.
A rocky eminence R.with steps down to the stage.In front of it, a rustic bench, on which ANGELA is seated, with ELLAon her left.Young Ladies wearing aesthetic draperies are grouped about the stage from R.to L.C., SAPHIR being near the L.end of the group.The Ladies play on lutes, etc., as they sing, and all are in the last stage of despair.]
No.1.Twenty love-sick maidens we (Opening Chorus and Solos)Maidens, Angela, and EllaMAIDENS Twenty love-sick maidens we, Love-sick all against our will.
Twenty years hence we shall be Twenty love-sick maidens still!
Twenty love-sick maidens we, And we die for love of thee!
Twenty love-sick maidens we, Love-sick all against our will.
Twenty years hence we shall be Twenty love-sick maidens still!
ANGELALove feeds on hope, they say, or love will die;MAIDENSAh, miserie!
ANGELAYet my love lives, although no hope have I!
MAIDENSAh, miserie!
ANGELAAlas, poor heart, go hide thyself away, To weeping concords tune thy roundelay!
Ah, miserie!
MAIDENS All our love is all for one, Yet that love he heedeth not, He is coy and cares for none, Sad and sorry is our lot!
Ah, miserie!
ELLA Go, breaking heart, Go, dream of love requited!
Go, foolish heart, Go, dream of lovers plighted;Go, madcap heart, Go, dream of never waking;And in thy dream Forget that thou art breaking!
MAIDENS Ah, miserie!
ELLA Forget that thou art breaking!
MAIDENS Twenty love-sick maidens we, Love-sick all against our will.
Twenty years hence we shall be Twenty love-sick maidens still.
Ah, miserie!
ANGELA There is a strange magic in this love of ours! Rivals as we all are in the affections of our Reginald, the very hopelessness of our love is a bond that binds us to one another!
SAPHIR Jealousy is merged in misery.While he, the very cynosure of our eyes and hearts, remains icy insensible -- what have we to strive for?
ELLA The love of maidens is, to him, as interesting as the taxes!
SAPHIR Would that it were! He pays his taxes.
ANGELA And cherishes the receipts!
[Enter LADY JANE, L.U.E.]
SAPHIR Happy receipts! [All sigh heavily]
JANE [L.C., suddenly] Fools! [They start, and turn to her]
ANGELA I beg your pardon?
JANE Fools and blind! The man loves -- wildly loves!
ANGELA But whom? None of us!
JANE No, none of us.His weird fancy has lighted, for the nonce, on Patience, the village milkmaid!
SAPHIR On Patience? Oh, it cannot be!
JANE Bah! But yesterday I caught him in her dairy, eating fresh butter with a tablespoon.Today he is not well!
SAPHIR But Patience boasts that she has never loved -- that love is, to her, a sealed book! Oh, he cannot be serious!
JANE `Tis but a fleeting fancy -- `twill quickly wear away.
[aside, coming down-stage] Oh, Reginald, if you but knew what a wealth of golden love is waiting for you, stored up in this rugged old bosom of mine, the milkmaid's triumph would be short indeed!
[PATIENCE appears on an eminence, R.She looks down with pity on the despondent Ladies.]
No.2.Still brooding on their mad infatuation!
(Recitative)
Patience, Saphir, Angela, and MaidensPATIENCE Still brooding on their mad infatuation!
I thank thee, Love, thou comest not to me!
Far happier I, free from thy ministration, Than dukes or duchesses who love can be!
SAPHIR [looking up] `Tis Patience -- happy girl! Loved by a poet!
PATIENCE Your pardon, ladies.I intrude upon you! [Going]
ANGELA Nay, pretty child, come hither.[PATIENCE descends.] Is it true that you have never loved?
PATIENCE Most true indeed.
SOPRANOS Most marvelous!
ALTOS And most deplorable!
I cannot tell what this love may be (Solo)PatiencePATIENCE I cannot tell what this love may be [L.C.] That cometh to all but not to me.
It cannot be kind as they'd imply, Or why do these ladies sigh?
It cannot be joy and rapture deep, Or why do these gentle ladies weep?
It cannot be blissful as `tis said, Or why are their eyes so wondrous red?
Though ev'rywhere true love I see A-coming to all, but not to me, I cannot tell what this love may be!
For I am blithe and I am gay, While they sit sighing night and day.
PATIENCE ALL
For I am blithe and I am gay, Yes, she is blithe and she is gay, Think of the gulf `twixt Yes, she is blithe and them and me, she is gay, Think of the gulf `twixt them,Yes, she is blithe and and me,and she is gay, Fal la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la, and miserie! Ah, miserie!
[She dances across R.and back to R.C.]
PATIENCE If love is a thorn, they show no wit Who foolishly hug and foster it.
If love is a weed, how simple they Who gather it, day by day!
If love is a nettle that makes you smart, Then why do you wear it next your heart?
And if it be none of these, say I, Ah, why do you sit and sob and sigh?
Though ev'rywhere true love I see A-coming to all, but not to me, I cannot tell what this love may be!
For I am blithe and I am gay, While they sit sighing night and day.
PATIENCE ALL