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Thy cold disdain；
It gives no pain
'Tis mercy； played
In masquerade！
BOTH。 Ah； well…beloved； etc。
CAS。 O Luiz； Luizwhat have you said？ What have I done？
What have I allowed you to do？
LUIZ。 Nothing； I trust； that you will ever have reason to
repent。 （Offering to embrace her。）
CAS。 （withdrawing from him）。 Nay； Luiz； it may not be。 I
have embraced you for the last time。
LUIZ （amazed）。 Casilda！
CAS。 I have just learnt； to my surprise and indignation；
that I was wed in babyhood to the infant son of the King of
Barataria！
LUIZ。 The son of the King of Barataria？ The child who was
stolen in infancy by the Inquisition？
CAS。 The same。 But； of course； you know his story。
LUIZ。 Know his story？ Why； I have often told you that my
mother was the nurse to whose charge he was entrusted！
CAS。 True。 I had forgotten。 Well； he has been discovered；
and my father has brought me here to claim his hand。
LUIZ。 But you will not recognize this marriage？ It took
place when you were too young to understand its import。
CAS。 Nay； Luiz； respect my principles and cease to torture
me with vain entreaties。 Henceforth my life is another's。
LUIZ。 But staythe present and the futurethey are
another's； but the pastthat at least is ours； and none can take
it from us。 As we may revel in naught else； let us revel in
that！
CAS。 I don't think I grasp your meaning。
LUIZ。 Yet it is logical enough。 You say you cease to love
me？
CAS。 （demurely）。 I say I may not love you。
LUIZ。 Ah； but you do not say you did not love me？
CAS。 I loved you with a frenzy that words are powerless to
expressand that but ten brief minutes since！
LUIZ。 Exactly。 My ownthat is； until ten minutes since；
my ownmy lately loved； my recently adoredtell me that until；
say a quarter of an hour ago； I was all in all to thee！
（Embracing her。）
CAS。 I see your idea。 It's ingenious； but don't do that。
（Releasing herself。）
LUIZ。 There can be no harm in revelling in the past。
CAS。 None whatever； but an embrace cannot be taken to act
retrospectively。
LUIZ。 Perhaps not！
CAS。 We may recollect an embraceI recollect manybut we
must not repeat them。
LUIZ。 Then let us recollect a few！ （A moment's pause； as
they recollect； then both heave a deep sigh。）
LUIZ。 Ah； Casilda； you were to me as the sun is to the
earth！
CAS。 A quarter of an hour ago？
LUIZ。 About that。
CAS。 And to think that； but for this miserable discovery；
you would have been my own for life！
LUIZ。 Through life to deatha quarter of an hour ago！
CAS。 How greedily my thirsty ears would have drunk the
golden melody of those sweet words a quarterwell； it's now
about twenty minutes since。 （Looking at her watch。）
LUIZ。 About that。 In such a matter one cannot be too
precise。
CAS。 And now our love； so full of life； is but a silent；
solemn memory！
LUIZ。 Must it be so； Casilda？
CAS。 Luiz； it must be so！
DUETCASILDA and LUIZ。
LUIZ。 There was a time
A time for ever goneah； woe is me！
It was no crime
To love but thee aloneah； woe is me！
One heart； one life； one soul；
One aim； one goal
Each in the other's thrall；
Each all in all； ah； woe is me！
BOTH。 Oh； bury； burylet the grave close o'er
The days that werethat never will be more！
Oh； bury； bury love that all condemn；
And let the whirlwind mourn its requiem！
CAS。 Dead as the last year's leaves
As gathered flowersah； woe is me！
Dead as the garnered sheaves；
That love of oursah； woe is me！
Born but to fade and die
When hope was high；
Dead and as far away
As yesterday！ah； woe is me！
BOTH。 Oh； bury； burylet the grave close o'er； etc。
（Re…enter from the Ducal Palace the Duke and Duchess； followed by
Don Alhambra del Bolero； the Grand Inquisitor。）
DUKE。 My child； allow me to present to you His Distinction
Don Alhambra del Bolero； the Grand Inquisitor of Spain。 It was
His Distinction who so thoughtfully abstracted your infant
husband and brought him to Venice。
DON AL。 So this is the little lady who is so unexpectedly
called upon to assume the functions of Royalty！ And a very nice
little lady； too！
DUKE。 Jimp； isn't she？
DON AL。 Distinctly jimp。 Allow me！ （Offers his hand。 She
turns away scornfully。） Naughty temper！
DUKE。 You must make some allowance。 Her Majesty's head is
a little turned by her access of dignity。
DON AL。 I could have wished that Her Majesty's access of
dignity had turned it in this direction。
DUCH。 Unfortunately； if I am not mistaken； there appears to
be some little doubt as to His Majesty's whereabouts。
CAS。 （aside）。 A doubt as to his whereabouts？ Then we may
yet be saved！
DON AL。 A doubt？ Oh dear； nono doubt at all！ He is
here； in Venice； plying the modest but picturesque calling of a
gondolier。 I can give you his addressI see him every day！ In
the entire annals of our history there is absolutely no
circumstance so entirely free from all manner of doubt of any
kind whatever！ Listen； and I'll tell you all about it。
SONGDON ALHAMBRA
（with DUKE； DUCHESS； CASILDA； and LUIZ）。
I stole the Prince； and I brought him here；
And left him gaily prattling
With a highly respectable gondolier；
Who promised the Royal babe to rear；
And teach him the trade of a timoneer
With his own beloved bratling。
Both of the babes were strong and stout；
And； considering all things； clever。
Of that there is no manner of doubt
No probable； possible shadow of doubt
No possible doubt whatever。
ALL。 No possible doubt whatever。
But owing； I'm much disposed to fear；
To his terrible taste for tippling；
That highly respectable gondolier
Could never declare with a mind sincere
Which of the two was his offspring dear；
And which the Royal stripling！
Which was which he could never make out
Despite his best endeavour。
Of that there is no manner of doubt
No probable； possible shadow of doubt
No possible doubt whatever。
ALL。 No possible doubt whatever。
Time sped； and when at the end of a year
I sought that infant cherished；
That highly respectable gondolier
Was lying a corpse on his humble bier
I dropped a Grand Inquisitor's tear
That gondolier had perished。
A taste for drink； combined with gout；
Had doubled him up for ever。
Of that there is no manner of doubt
No probable； possible shadow of doubt
No possible doubt whatever。
ALL。 No possible doubt whatever。
The children followed his old career
（This statement can't be parried）
Of a highly respectable gondolier：
Well； one of the two （who will soon be here）
But which of the two is not quite clear
Is the Royal Prince you married！
Search in and out and round about；
And you'll discover never
A tale