Oh, never, oh never Oh, never, oh never our hearts will rangeour hearts, our hearts will range From that old, old love again!
SEXTET CHORUS
Oh, never, oh never,Oh, never, oh never our hearts, our hearts will range Oh, never, our hearts will range From that old, old From that old, old love love again! again!
[The GIRLS embrace the Officers.Re-enter PATIENCE and BUNTHORNE.L.]
[As the DRAGOONS and GIRLS are embracing, enter GROSVENOR, R.U.E., reading.He takes no notice of them, but comes slowly down, still reading.The GIRLS are all strangely fascinated by him.The Chorus divides, L.& R., and the GIRLS are held back by the DRAGOONS, as they attempt to throw themselves at GROSVENOR.Fury of BUNTHORNE, who recognizes a rival.]
ANGELA[R.C.] But who is this, whose god-like grace Proclaims he comes of noble race?
And who is this, whose manly face Bears sorrow's interesting trace?
CHORUSYes, who is this, whose god-like grace Proclaims he comes of noble race?
GROSVENOR [C.] I am a broken-hearted troubadour, Whose mind's aesthetic and whose tastes are pure!
ANGELAAesthetic! He is aesthetic!
GROSVENOR Yes, yes -- I am aesthetic And poetic!
MAIDENS Then, we love you!
[They break away from the DRAGOONS, and kneel to GROSVENOR.]
DRAGOONS They love him! Horror!
BUNTHORNE and PATIENCE They love him! Horror!
GROSVENOR They love me! Horror! Horror! Horror!
ENSEMBLE
[all parts sung at the same time]
PATIENCE DUKEList, Reginald, while I confess My jealousy I can't express, A love that's all unselfishness, Their love they openly confess;That it's unselfish, goodness knows, His shell-like ears he does not close You won't dispute it, I suppose! To their recital of their woes.
ELLA, SAPHIR, ANGELA, JANE CHORUSOh, list while we a love confess Oh, list while we/they a love confess That words imperfectly express.
Those shell-like ears, ah, do not close That words imperfectly express.
To blighted love's distracting woes!
ENSEMBLE
[all parts sung at the same time]
MAJOR, COLONEL & BUNTHORNEGROSVENORMy jealousy I can't express, Again my cursed comeliness Their love they openly confess! Spreads hopeless anguish and distress, Their love they openly confess, Spreads hopeless anguish and confess! distress, distress!
MAIDENSDRAGOONSYes, those shell-like ears, ah, do Yes, his shell-like ears not close he does not close To blighted love's distractingTo their recital of their woes!
woes!
To blighted love's distracting woes, To their recital of their woes, their woes! their woes!
ENSEMBLE
[all parts sung at the same time]
PATIENCE DUKEAh! Ah!
And I shall love you, I shall love.His shell-like ears he does not close Your ears, ah, do not close! To love's distracting woes!
Thy shell-like ears, ah, do not closeNow is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?
To blighted love's distracting woes! A thorough-paced absurdity, explain it if you can!
Thy shell-like ears, ah, do not closeNow is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?
To blighted love's distracting woes! A thorough-paced absurdity, explain it if you can!
To love's, to love's distracting woes! Explain, explain it if you can!
love's woes! you can!
ELLA, SAPHIR, ANGELA, JANE MAIDENSOh, list while we our love confess Oh, list while we a love confess That words imperfectly express.That words imperfectly express.
Thy shell-like ears, ah, do not closeThose shell-like ears, ah, do not close To love's distracting woes! To love's distracting woes!
Thy shell-like ears, ah, do not close Those shell-like ears, ah, do not close To blighted love's distracting woes! To blighted love's distracting woes!
Thy shell-like ears, ah, do not closeThose shell-like ears, ah, do not close To blighted love's distracting woes! To blighted love's distracting woes!
To love's, to love's distracting woes! To love's, to love's distracting love's woes woes! love's woes!
BUNTHORNE MAJOR and COLONELMy jealousy I can't express, My jealousy I can't express, Their love they openly confess.Their love they openly confess.
His shell-like ears he does not closeHis shell-like ears he does not close To love's distracting woes!To love's distracting woes!
His shell-like ears he does not closeNow is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?
To blighted love's distractingA thorough-paced absurdity, woes! explain it if you can!
His shell-like ears he does not closeNow is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?
To blighted love's distractingA thorough-paced absurdity, woes! explain it if you can!
To love's, to love's distracting woes! Explain, explain it if you can!
love's woes! you can!
GROSVENORMALE CHORUSAgain my cursed comeliness Oh, list while they a love confess Spreads hopeless anguish and That words imperfectly express.
distress;
Thine ears, oh, Fortune, do not closeHis shell-like ears He does not close To love's distracting woes!To love's distracting woes!
My shell-like ears I can not close Now is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?
To blighted love's distractingA thorough-paced absurdity, woes! explain it if you can!
My shell-like ears I can not close Now is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?
To blighted love's distractingA thorough-paced absurdity, woes! explain it if you can!
To love's, to love's distracting woes! Explain, explain it if you can!
love's woes! you can!
[GROSVENOR makes a wild effort to escape up-stage; the GIRLS drag him back and kneel as the curtain falls.]
END OF ACT I
ACT II
[SCENE -- A wooded glade, with a view of open country in the background.The chorus of MAIDENS is heard singing in the distance.JANE is discovered leaning on a violoncello, which she has propped up on a tree-stump, L., and upon which she will presently accompany herself.As the Chorus ends, she speaks.]
No.10.On such eyes as maidens cherish (Opening Chorus)MaidensOn such eyes as maidens cherish Lest thy fond adorers gaze, Or incontinently perish, In their all-consuming rays!