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:
ratherNo!
think I No!
dare, but No!
never, never mind!never never mind!
Enough of No, parleyno, 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 hisPrincess: 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 isla-rion's fair and fair, strong and and tall,strong and tall, tall, Is - - - - -- - - - - - Avery 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 IIACT IIISCENE -- 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 To Court and cot, My rock had turn'd to sand!