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A line 'twixt rich and poor； you'll find no tufts
To mark nobility； except such tufts
As indicate nobility of brain。
As for your fellow…students； mark me well：
There are a hundred maids within these walls；
All good； all learned； and all beautiful：
They are prepared to love you： will you swear
To give the fullness of your love to them？
Hilarion： Upon our words and honours； Ma'am； we will！
Princess： But we go further： Will you undertake
That you will never marry any man？
Florian： Indeed we never will！
Princess： Consider well；
You must prefer our maids to all mankind！
Hilarion： To all mankind we much prefer your maids！
Cyril： We should be dolts indeed； if we did not； seeing how
fair
Hilarion： （Aside to Cyril） Take care that's rather strong！
Princess： But have you left no lovers at your home
Who may pursue you here？
Hilarion： No； madam； none。
We're homely ladies； as no doubt you see；
And we have never fished for lover's love。
We smile at girls who deck themselves with gems；
False hair and meretricious ornament；
To chain the fleeting fancy of a man；
But do not imitate them。 What we have
Of hair； is all our own。 Our colour； too；
Unladylike； but not unwomanly；
Is Nature's handiwork； and man has learnt
To reckon Nature an impertinence。
Princess： Well； beauty counts for naught within these walls；
If all you say is true； you'll pass with us
A happy； happy time！
Cyril： If； as you say；
A hundred lovely maidens wait within；
To welcome us with smiles and open arms；
I think there's very little doubt we shall！
QUARTET （Princess； Cyril； Hilarion and Florian）
〃The World is But a Broken Toy〃
Princess： The world is but a broken toy；
Its pleasure hollow false its joy；
Unreal its loveliest hue；
Alas！
Its pains alone are true；
Alas！
Its pains alone are true。
Hilarion： The world is ev'rything you say；
The world we think has had its day。
Its merriment is slow。
Alas！
We've tried it； and we know；
Alas！
We've tried it and we know。
All： Unreal its loveliest hue；
Its pains alone are true；
Princess： Alas！
All： The world is but a broken toy；
Its pleasure hollow false its joy；
Unreal its loveliest hue；
Alas！
Its pains alone are true；
Alas！
Its pains alone are true！
Florian： Unreal its loveliest hue；
3 Men： Unreal its loveliest hue；
Princess： Cyr。 & Flor： A… Hilarion： Un…
Un… las！ real its
loveliest hue
real… Alas！ Alas！
…
its loveliest hue
All： Alas！
Alas！
Its pains alone are true。
（Exit Princess。 The three Gentlemen
watch her off。
Lady Psyche enters； and regards them with
amazement）
Hilarion： I'faith； the plunge is taken； gentlemen！
For； willy…nilly； we are maidens now；
And maids against our will we must remain。
＇All laugh
heartily。＇
Psyche： （Aside） These ladies are unseemly in their mirth。
（The gentlemen see her； and； in confusion；
resume their
modest
demeanour。）
Florian： （Aside） Here's a catastrophe； Hilarion！
This is my sister！ She'll remember me；
Though years have passed since she and I have met！
Hilarion： （Aside to Florian） Then make a virtue of necessity；
And trust our secret to her gentle care。
Florian： （To Psyche； who has watched Cyril in amazement）
Psyche！ Why； don't you know me？ Florian！
Psyche： （Amazed） Why； Florian！
Florian： My sister！ （Embraces her）
Psyche： Oh； my dear！ What are you doing here and who are
these？
Hilarion： I am that Prince Hilarion to whom
Your Princess is betrothed。 I come to claim
Her plighted love。 Your brother Florian
And Cyril came to see me safely through。
Psyche： The Prince Hilarion？ Cyril too？ How strange！
My earliest playfellows！
Hilarion： Why； let me look！
Are you that learned little Psyche who
At school alarmed her mates because she called
A buttercup 〃ranunculus bulbosus〃？
Cyril： Are you indeed that Lady Psyche； who
At children's parties； drove the conjuror wild；
Explaining all his tricks before he did them？
Hilarion： Are you that learned little Psyche； who
At dinner parties； brought in to dessert；
Would tackle visitors with 〃You don't know
Who first determined longitude I do
Hipparchus 'twas B。 C。 one sixty…three！〃
Are you indeed that small phenomenon？
Psyche： That small phenomenon indeed am I！
But gentlemen； 'tis death to enter here：
We have all promised to renounce mankind！
Florian： Renounce mankind！？ On what ground do you base
This senseless resolution？
Psyche： Senseless？ No。
We are all taught； and； being taught； believe
That Man； sprung from an Ape； is Ape at heart。
Cyril： That's rather strong。
Psyche： The truth is always strong！
SONG （Lady Psyche； with Cyril； Hilarion and Florian）
〃A Lady Fair； of Lineage High〃
Psyche： A Lady fair； of lineage high；
Was loved by an Ape； in the days gone by。
The Maid was radiant as the sun；
The Ape was a most unsightly one；
The Ape was a most unsightly one
So it would not do
His scheme fell through；
For the Maid； when his love took formal shape；
Express'd such terror
At his monstrous error；
That he stammer'd an apology and made his 'scape；
The picture of a disconcerted Ape。
With a view to rise in the social scale；
He shaved his bristles and he docked his tail；
He grew mustachios； and he took his tub；
And he paid a guinea to a toilet club；
He paid a guinea to a toilet club
But it would not do；
The scheme fell through
For the Maid was Beauty's fairest Queen；
With golden tresses；