按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
（In good Queen Bess's time）
The House of Peers made no pretence
To intellectual eminence；
Or scholarship sublime；
Yet Britain won her proudest bays
In good Queen Bess's glorious days！
CHORUS。 Yes； Britain won； etc。
When Wellington thrashed Bonaparte；
As every child can tell；
The House of Peers； throughout the war；
Did nothing in particular；
And did it very well：
Yet Britain set the world ablaze
In good King George's glorious days！
CHORUS。 Yes； Britain set； etc。
And while the House of Peers withholds
Its legislative hand；
And noble statesmen do not itch
To interfere with matters which
They do not understand；
As bright will shine Great Britain's rays
As in King George's glorious days！
CHORUS。 As bright will shine； etc。
LEILA。 （who has been much attracted by the Peers during this
song）。 Charming persons； are they not？
CELIA。 Distinctly。 For self…contained dignity； combined with
airy condescension； give me a British Representative Peer！
LORD TOLL。 Then pray stop this protege of yours before it's
too late。 Think of the mischief you're doing！
LEILA （crying）。 But we can't stop him now。 （Aside to Celia。）
Aren't they lovely！ （Aloud。） Oh； why did you go and defy us； you
great geese！
DUETLEILA and CELIA。
LEILA。 In vain to us you plead
Don't go！
Your prayers we do not heed
Don't go！
It's true we sigh；
But don't suppose
A tearful eye
Forgiveness shows。
Oh； no！
We're very cross indeed
Yes； very cross；
Don't go！
FAIRIES。 It's true we sigh； etc。
CELIA。 Your disrespectful sneers
Don't go！
Call forth indignant tears
Don't go！
You break our laws
You are our foe：
We cry because
We hate you so！
You know！
You very wicked Peers！
You wicked Peers！
Don't go！
FAIRIES。 LORDS MOUNT。 and TOLL。
You break our laws Our disrespectful sneers；
You are our foe： Ha； ha！
We cry because Call forth indignant tears；
We hate you so！ Ha； ha！
You know！ If that's the case； my dears
You very wicked Peers！ FAIRIES。 Don't go！
Don't go！ PEERS。 We'll go！
（Exeunt Lord Mountararat； Lord Tolloller； and Peers。 Fairies gaze
wistfully after them。）
（Enter Fairy Queen。）
QUEEN。 Oh； shameshame upon you！ Is this your fidelity to
the laws you are bound to obey？ Know ye not that it is death to
marry a mortal？
LEILA。 Yes； but it's not death to wish to marry a mortal！
FLETA。 If it were； you'd have to execute us all！
QUEEN。 Oh； this is weakness！ Subdue it！
CELIA。 We know it's weakness； but the weakness is so strong！
LEILA。 We are not all as tough as you are！
QUEEN。 Tough！ Do you suppose that I am insensible to the
effect of manly beauty？ Look at that man！ （Referring to Sentry。）
A perfect picture！ （To Sentry。） Who are you； sir？
WILLIS （coming to 〃attention〃）。 Private Willis； B Company；
1st Grenadier Guards。
QUEEN。 You're a very fine fellow； sir。
WILLIS。 I am generally admired。
QUEEN。 I can quite understand it。 （To Fairies。） Now here is
a man whose physical attributes are simply godlike。 That man has
a most extraordinary effect upon me。 If I yielded to a natural
impulse； I should fall down and worship that man。 But I mortify
this inclination； I wrestle with it； and it lies beneath my feet！
That is how I treat my regard for that man！
SONGFAIRY QUEEN。
Oh； foolish fay；
Think you； because
His brave array
My bosom thaws；
I'd disobey
Our fairy laws？
Because I fly
In realms above；
In tendency
To fall in love；
Resemble I
The amorous dove？
（Aside。） Oh； amorous dove！
Type of Ovidius Naso！
This heart of mine
Is soft as thine；
Although I dare not say so！
CHORUS。 Oh； amorous dove； etc。
On fire that glows
With heat intense
I turn the hose
Of common sense；
And out it goes
At small expense！
We must maintain
Our fairy law；
That is the main
On which to draw
In that we gain
A Captain Shaw！
（Aside。） Oh； Captain Shaw！
Type of true love kept under！
Could thy Brigade
With cold cascade
Quench my great love； I wonder！
CHORUS。 Oh； Captain Shaw！ etc。
（Exeunt Fairies and Fairy Queen； sorrowfully。）
（Enter Phyllis。）
PHYL。 （half crying）。 I can't think why I'm not in better
spirits。 I'm engaged to two noblemen at once。 That ought to be
enough to make any girl happy。 But I'm miserable！ Don't suppose
it's because I care for Strephon； for I hate him！ No girl could
care for a man who goes about with a mother considerably younger
than himself！
（Enter Lord Mountararat and Lord Tolloller。）
LORD MOUNT。 Phyllis！ My darling！
LORD TOLL。 Phyllis！ My own！
PHYL。 Don't！ How dare you？ Oh； but perhaps you're the two
noblemen I'm engaged to？
LORD MOUNT。 I am one of them。
LORD TOLL。 I am the other。
PHYL。 Oh； then； my darling！ （to Lord Mountararat）。 My own！
（to Lord Tolloller）。 Well； have you settled which it's to be？
LORD TOLL。 Not altogether。 It's a difficult position。 It
would be hardly delicate to toss up。 On the whole we would rather
leave it to you。
PHYL。 How can it possibly concern me？ You are both EarIs；
and you are both rich； and you are both plain。
LORD MOUNT。 So we are。 At least I am。
LORD TOLL。 So am I。
LORD MOUNT。 No； no！
LORD TOLL。 I am indeed。 Very plain。
LORD MOUNT。 Well； wellperhaps you are。
PHYL。 There's really nothing to choose between you。 If one
of you would forgo his title； and distribute his estates among his
Irish tenantry； why； then； I should then see a reason for accepting
the other。
LORD MOUNT。 Tolloller； are you prepared to make this
sacrifice？
LORD TOLL。 No！
LORD MOUNT。 Not even to oblige a lady？
LORD TOLL。 No！ not even to oblige a lady。
LORD MOUNT。 Then； the only question is； which of us shall
give way to the other？ Perha