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MRS。 P。 That's true； indeed！
CONST。 He might object！
MRS。 P。 He might。
But cometake heartI'll probe him on the subject。
Be comfortedleave this affair to me。
（They
withdraw。）
RECITATIVEDR。 DALY
The air is charged with amatory numbers
Soft madrigals； and dreamy lovers' lays。
Peace； peace； old heart！ Why waken from its slumbers
The aching memory of the old； old days？
BALLAD
Time was when Love and I were well acquainted。
Time was when we walked ever hand in hand。
A saintly youth； with worldly thought untainted；
None better…loved than I in all the land！
Time was； when maidens of the noblest station；
Forsaking even military men；
Would gaze upon me； rapt in adoration
Ah me； I was a fair young curate then！
Had I a headache？ sighed the maids assembled；
Had I a cold？ welled forth the silent tear；
Did I look pale？ then half a parish trembled；
And when I coughed all thought the end was near！
I had no careno jealous doubts hung o'er me
For I was loved beyond all other men。
Fled gilded dukes and belted earls before me
Ah me； I was a pale young curate them！
（At the conclusion of the ballad； Mrs。 Partlet comes forward with
Constance。）
MRS。 P。 Good day； reverend sir。
DR。 D。 Ah； good Mrs。 Partlet； I am glad to see you。 And
your little daughter； Constance！ Why； she is quite a little
woman； I declare！
CONST。 （aside） Oh； mother； I cannot speak to him！
MRS。 P。 Yes； reverend sir； she is nearly eighteen； and as
good a girl as ever stepped。 （Aside to Dr。 Daly） Ah； sir； I'm
afraid I shall soon lose her！
DR。 D。 （aside to Mrs。 Partlet） Dear me； you pain me very
much。 Is she delicate？
MRS。 P。 Oh no； sirI don't mean thatbut young girls look
to get married。
DR。 D。 Oh； I take you。 To be sure。 But there's plenty of
time for that。 Four or five years hence； Mrs。 Partlet； four or
five years hence。 But when the time does come； I shall have much
pleasure in marrying her myself
CONST。 （aside） Oh； mother！
DR。 D。 To some strapping young fellow in her own rank of
life。
CONST。 （in tears） He does not love me！
MRS。 P。 I have often wondered； reverend sir （if you'll
excuse the liberty）； that you have never married。
DR。 D。 （aside） Be still； my fluttering heart！
MRS。 P。 A clergyman's wife does so much good in a village。
besides that； you are not as young as you were； and before very
long you will want somebody to nurse you； and look after your
little comforts。
DR。 D。 Mrs。 Partlet； there is much truth in what you say。
I am indeed getting on in years； and a helpmate would cheer my
declining days。 Time was when it might have been； but I have
left it too longI am an old fogy； now； am I not； my dear？ （to
Constance）a very old fogy； indeed。 Ha！ ha！ No； Mrs。 Partlet；
my mind is quite made up。 I shall live and die a solitary old
bachelor。
CONST。 Oh； mother； mother！ （Sobs on Mrs。 Partlet's bosom）
MRS。 P。 Come； come； dear one； don't fret。 At a more
fitting time we will try againwe will try again。
（Exeunt Mrs。 Partlet and
Constance。）
DR。 D。 （looking after them） Poor little girl！ I'm afraid
she has something on her mind。 She is rather comely。 Time was
when this old heart would have throbbed in double…time at the
sight of such a fairy form！ But tush！ I am puling！ Here comes
the young Alexis with his proud and happy father。 Let me dry
this tell…tale tear！
Enter Sir Marmaduke and Alexis
RECITATIVE
DR。 D。 Sir Marmadukemy dear young friend； Alexis
On this most happy； most auspicious plighting
Permit me as a true old friend to tender
My best； my very best congratulations！
SIR M。 Sir； you are most obleeging！
ALEX。 Dr。 Daly
My dear old tutor； and my valued pastor；
I thank you from the bottom of my heart！
（Spoken
through music）
DR。 D。 May fortune bless you！ may the middle distance
Of your young life be pleasant as the foreground
The joyous foreground！ and； when you have reached it；
May that which now is the far…off horizon
（But which will then become the middle distance）；
In fruitful promise be exceeded only
By that which will have opened； in the meantime；
Into a new and glorious horizon！
SIR M。 Dear Sir； that is an excellent example
Of an old school of stately compliment
To which I have； through life； been much addicted。
Will you obleege me with a copy of it；
In clerkly manuscript； that I myself
May use it on appropriate occasions？
DR。 D。 Sir； you shall have a fairly…written copy
Ere Sol has sunk into his western slumbers！
（Exit
Dr。 Daly）
SIR M。 （to Alexis； who is in a reverie） Come； come； my
sonyour fiancee will be here in five minutes。 Rouse yourself
to receive her。
ALEXIS Oh rapture！
SIR M。 Yes； you are a fortunate young fellow； and I will
not disguise from you that this union with the House of Sangazure
realizes my fondest wishes。 Aline is rich； and she comes of a
sufficiently old family； for she is the seven thousand and
thirty…seventh in direct descent from Helen of Troy。 True； there
was a blot on the escutcheon of that ladythat affair with
Parisbut where is the family； other than my own； in which there
is no flaw？ You are a lucky fellow； sira very lucky fellow！
ALEXIS Father； I am welling over with limpid joy！ No
sicklying taint of sorrow overlies the lucid lake of liquid love；
upon which； hand in hand； Aline and I are to float into eternity！
SIR M。 Alexis； I desire that of your love for this young
lady you do not speak so openly。 You are always singing ballads
in praise of her beauty； and you expect the very menials who wait
behind your chair to chorus your ecstasies。 It is not delicate。
ALEXIS Father； a man who loves as I love
SIR M。 Pooh pooh； sir！ fifty years ago I madly loved your
future mother…in…law； the Lady Sangazure； and I have reason to
believe that she returned my love。 But were we guilty of the
indelicacy of publicly rushing into each other's arms；
exclaiming
〃Oh； my adored one！〃 〃Beloved boy！〃
〃Ecstatic rapture！〃 〃Unmingled joy！〃
which seems to be the modern fashion of love…making？ No！ it was
〃Madam； I trust you are in the enjoyment of good health〃〃Sir；
you are vastly polite； I protest I am mighty well〃and so forth。
Much more delicatemuch more respectful。 But seeAline
approacheslet us retire； that she may compose herself for the
interesting ceremony in which she is to play so important a part。
（Exeunt Sir Marmaduke and
Alexis。）
（Enter Aline on terrace； preceded by Chorus of Girls。）
CHORUS OF GIRLS
With heart and with voice
Let us welcome this mating：
To the youth of her choice；
With a heart palpitating；
Comes the lovely Aline！
May their love never cloy！