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Stick to 'em！ Men's attire becomes you not！
（To CYRIL and FLORIAN） And you； young ladies； will you please to
pray
King Hildebrand to set me free again？
Hang on his neck and gaze into his eyes；
He never could resist a pretty face！
Hilar。： You dog； you'll find； though I wear woman's garb；
My sword is long and sharp！
Gama： Hush； pretty one！
Here's a virago！ Here's a termagant！
If length and sharpness go for anything；
You'll want no sword while you can wag your tongue！
Cyril： What need to waste your words on such as he？
He's old and crippled。
Gama： Aye； but I've three sons；
Fine fellows； young and muscular； and brave；
They're well worth talking to！ Come； what d'ye say？
Arac： Aye； pretty ones； engage yourselves with us；
If three rude warriors affright you not！
Hilar。： Old as you are； I'd wring your shrivelled neck
If you were not the Princess Ida's father。
Gama： If I were not the Princess Ida's father；
And so had not her brothers for my sons；
No doubt you'd wring my neck in safety too！
Come； come； Hilarion； begin； begin！
Give them no quarter they will give you none。
You've this advantage over warriors
Who kill their country's enemies for pay；
You know what you are fighting for look there！
（Pointing to Ladies on the
battlements）
（Exit Gamma。 Hilarion； Florian； and Cyril
are led off。）
SONG （Arac； Guron； Scynthius and Chorus）
〃This Helmet； I Suppose〃
Arac： This helmet； I suppose；
Was meant to ward off blows；
It's very hot
And weighs a lot；
As many a guardsman knows；
As many a guardsman knows；
As many a guardsman knows；
As many a guardsman knows；
So off； so off that helmet goes。
Others： Yes； yes； yes；
So off that helmet goes！
（Giving their helmets to
attendants）
Arac： This tight…fitting cuirass
Is but a useless mass；
It's made of steel；
And weighs a deal；
This tight…fitting cuirass
Is but a useless mass；
A man is but an ass
Who fights in a cuirass；
So off； so off goes that cuirass。
Others： Yes； yes； yes；
So off goes that cuirass！
（Removing
cuirasses）
Arac： These brassets； truth to tell；
May look uncommon well；
But in a fight
They're much too tight；
They're like a lobster shell；
They're like a lobster shell！
Others： Yes； yes； yes；
They're like a lobster shell。
（Removing
their brassets）
Arac： These things I treat the same
（indicating leg pieces）
（I quite forget their name。）
They turn one's legs
To cribbage pegs
Their aid I thus disclaim；
Their aid I thus disclaim；
Though I forget their name；
Though I forget their name；
Their aid； their aid I thus disclaim！
Others： Yes； yes； yes；
All： Their aid （we/they） thus disclaim！
（They remove their leg pieces and wear close…fitting shape suits。）
Enter Hilarion； Florian； and Cyril
（Desperate fight between the three Princes
and the three
Knights； during which the Ladies on the
battlements and
the Soldiers on the stage sing the
following chorus）：
CHORUS DURING THE FIGHT
〃This is our Duty〃
Chorus： This is our duty plain towards
Our Princess all immaculate；
We ought to bless her brothers' swords；
And piously ejaculate：
Oh； Hungary！
Oh； Hungary！
Oh； doughty sons of Hungary！
May all success
Attend and bless
Your warlike ironmongery！
Hilarion！ Hilarion！ Hilarion！
（By this time； Arac； Guron； and
Scynthius are
on the ground； wounded
Hilarion； Cyril and
Florian stand
over them。）
Princess： （Entering through gate and followed by Ladies；
Hildebrand； and Gama。）
Hold！ stay your hands！ we yield ourselves to you！
Ladies； my brothers all lie bleeding there！
Bind up their wounds but look the other way。
（Coming down） Is this the end？ （Bitterly to Lady
Blanche）
How say you； Lady Blanche
Can I with dignity my post resign？
And if I do； will you then take my place？
Blanche： To answer this； it's meet that we consult
The great Potential Mysteries； I mean
The five Subjunctive Possibilities
The May； the Might； the Would； the Could； the Should。
Can you resign？ The Prince May claim you； if
He Might； you Could and if you Should； I Would！
Princess： I thought as much！ Then to my fate I yield
So ends my cherished scheme！ Oh； I had hoped
To band all women with my maiden throng；
And make them all abjure tyrannic Man！
Hildebd： A noble aim！
Princess： You ridicule it now；
But if I carried out this glorious scheme；
At my exalted name Posterity
Would bow in gratitude！
Hildebd： But pray
reflect
If you enlist all women in your cause；
And make them all abjure tyrannic Man；
The obvious question then arises； 〃How
Is this Posterity to be provided？〃
Princess： I never thought of that！ My Lady Blanche；
How do you solve the riddle？
Blanche： Don't ask me
Abstract Philosophy won't answer it。
Take him he is your Shall。 Give in to Fate！
Princess： And you desert me。 I alone am staunch！
Hilarion： Madam； you placed your trust in Woman well；
Woman has failed you utterly try Man；
Give him one chance； it's only fair besides；
Women are far too precious； too divine；
To try unproven theories upon。
Experiments； the proverb says； are made
On humble subjects try our grosser clay；
And mould it as you will！
Cyril： Remember； too
Dear Madam； if at any time you feel
A…weary of the Prince； you can return
To Castle Adamant； and rul