登陆注册
15729600000125

第125章

King: Omitted something? Yes, that's all very well, but---(Sir Bailey Barre whispers to Zara.)Zara: (suddenly) Of course! Now I remember! Why, I had forgot-ten the most essential element of all!

King: And that is?---

Zara: Government by Party! Introduce that great and glorious element--at once the bulwark and foundation of England's greatness--and all will be well! No political measures will endure, because one Party will assuredly undo all that the other Party has done; and while grouse is to be shot, and foxes worried to death, the legislative action of the coun-try will be at a standstill.Then there will be sickness in plenty, endless lawsuits, crowded jails, interminable confu-sion in the Army and Navy, and, in short, general and unex-ampled prosperity!

All: Ulahlica! Ulahlica!

Phantis: (aside) Baffled!

Scaphio: But an hour will come!

King: Your hour has come already--away with them, and let them wait my will! (Scaphio and Phantis are led off in custody.)From this moment Government by Party is adopted, with all its attendant blessings; and henceforward Utopia will no longer be a Monarchy Limited, but, what is a great deal better, a Limited Monarchy!

FINALE

Zara: There's a little group of isles beyond the wave--So tiny, you might almost wonder where it is--That nation is the bravest of the brave, And cowards are the rarest of all rarities.

The proudest nations kneel at her command;She terrifies all foreign-born rapscallions;And holds the peace of Europe in her hand With half a score invincible battalions!

Such, at least, is the tale Which is born on the gale, From the island which dwells in the sea.

Let us hope, for her sake That she makes no mistake--That she's all the professes to be!

King: Oh, may we copy all her maxims wise, And imitate her virtues and her charities;And may we, by degrees, acclimatize Her Parliamentary peculiarities!

By doing so, we shall in course of time, Regenerate completely our entire land--Great Britain is the monarchy sublime, To which some add (others do not) Ireland.

Such at least is the tale, etc.

CURTAIN.

THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD

orThe Merryman and His Maid Book by W.S.GILBERTMusic by ARTHUR SULLIVANFirst produced at the Savoy Theatre in London, England, on October 3, 1888.

THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

SIR RICHARD CHOLMONDELEY [pronounced Chum'lee]

(Lieutenant of the Tower) BaritoneCOLONEL FAIRFAX (under sentence of death)TenorSERGEANT MERYLL (of the Yeomen of the Guard) Bass/BaritoneLEONARD MERYLL (his son) TenorJACK POINT (a Strolling Jester) Light BaritoneWILFRED SHADBOLT(Head Jailer and Assistant Tormentor) Bass/BaritoneTHE HEADSMAN Non-singingFIRST YEOMAN BaritoneSECOND YEOMANTenorTHIRD YEOMAN [optional] BaritoneFOURTH YEOMAN [optional] TenorFIRST CITIZENChorusSECOND CITIZEN ChorusELSIE MAYNARD (a Strolling Singer) SopranoPHOEBE MERYLL (Sergeant Meryll's Daughter) Mezzo-SopranoDAME CARRUTHERS (Housekeeper to the Tower) ContraltoKATE (her Niece) Soprano Chorus of YEOMEN of the Guard, GENTLEMEN, CITIZENS, etc.

SCENE: Tower Green16th CenturyACT I[Scene.-- Tower Green]

[Phoebe discovered spinning.

No.1.When maiden loves, she sits and sighs (INTRODUCTION and SONG)PhoebePHOEBE When maiden loves, she sits and sighs, She wanders to and fro;Unbidden tear-drops fill her eyes, And to all questions she replies, With a sad "Heigh-ho!"'Tis but a little word--"Heigh-ho!"So soft, 'tis scarcely heard--"Heigh-ho!"An idle breath--

Yet life and death May hang upon a maid's "Heigh-ho!"When maiden loves, she mopes apart, As owl mopes on a tree;Although she keenly feels the smart, She cannot tell what ails her heart, With its sad "Ah, me!"'Tis but a foolish sigh--"Ah, me!"Born but to droop and die--"Ah, me!"

Yet all the sense Of eloquence Lies hidden in a maid's "Ah, me!"Yet all the sense Of eloquence Lies hidden in a maid's "Ah, me!""Ah, me!", "Ah, me!"Yet all the sense Of eloquence Lies hidden in a maid's "Ah, me!"[PHOEBE weeps[Enter WILFREDWILFRED Mistress Meryll!

PHOEBE[looking up] Eh! Oh! it's you, is it? You may go away,if you like.Because I don't want you, you know.

WILFRED Haven't you anything to say to me?

PHOEBEOh yes! Are the birds all caged? The wild beasts all littered down? All the locks, chains, bolts, and bars in good order? Is the Little Ease sufficiently comfortable? The racks, pincers, and thumbscrews all ready for work? Ugh! you brute!

WILFRED These allusions to my professional duties are in doubtful taste.I didn't become a head-jailer because I like head-jailing.I didn't become an assistant-tormentor because I like assistant-tormenting.We can't all be sorcerers, you know.[PHOEBE is annoyed]

Ah! you brought that upon yourself.

PHOEBEColonel Fairfax is not a sorcerer.He's a man of science and an alchemist.

WILFRED Well, whatever he is, he won't be one for long, for he's to be beheaded to-day for dealings with the devil.His master nearly had him last night, when the fire broke out in the Beauchamp [pronounced Bee'cham]

Tower.

PHOEBEOh! how I wish he had escaped in the confusion! But take care; there's still time for a reply to his petition for mercy.

WILFRED Ah! I'm content to chance that.This evening at half-past seven-- ah! [Gesture of chopping off a head.]

PHOEBEYou're a cruel monster to speak so unfeelingly of the death of a young and handsome soldier.

WILFRED Young and handsome! How do you know he's young and handsome?

PHOEBEBecause I've seen him every day for weeks past taking his exercise on the Beauchamp [pronounced Bee'cham]

Tower.

WILFRED Curse him!

PHOEBEThere, I believe you're jealous of him, now.Jealous of a man I've never spoken to! Jealous of a poor soul who's to die in an hour!

WILFRED I am! I'm jealous of everybody and everything.I'm jealous of the very words I speak to you-- because they reach your ears-- and I mustn't go near 'em!

PHOEBEHow unjust you are! Jealous of the words you speak to me! Why, you know as well as I do that I don't even like them.

同类推荐
  • 谷风之什

    谷风之什

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 东林十八高贤传

    东林十八高贤传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 金石簿九五数诀

    金石簿九五数诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说释摩男本经

    佛说释摩男本经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大乘中观释论

    大乘中观释论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 沧海如尘

    沧海如尘

    神界浩瀚无穷,存在着无数大陆,万族鼎立,群雄争霸,无数天骄之子都演绎着自己的传奇经历,追求那无上的成神之路一位出自北冥大陆小小青山镇的少年,励志成为这片天地的神,为了这一梦想,少年走向外面更广阔的世界闯荡成神之路,艰难险阻重重,让我们来拭目以待吧1
  • 邪肆天下:穿越绝色七小姐

    邪肆天下:穿越绝色七小姐

    一次意外,曾经失忆过得神秘少女,月逍遥玩在网游时穿越到异世界,成了月家五岁的废物嫡出小姐,还被卖到了别的地方做杀手,看她如何开着挂邪肆天下,玩转异世界。此处剧透请小心月逍遥曾经是当年称霸杀手界的三大王牌杀手,一次爆炸,拆散了她和她的两个伙伴,同时让她失忆,一番番场景的重合,又会发生些什么呢?
  • 曹三狗抗日记

    曹三狗抗日记

    纪念反法西斯战争胜利七十周年。曹三狗,抗日记
  • 我的兼职同事

    我的兼职同事

    校园爱情现实小说。钱河,一个总爱多愁善感的人,对爱情胆小懦弱,默默地陪在喜欢的人身边。为了暗恋的女孩,报考X大,在X大,遇到了同寝的四个兄弟,遇到了同在书店兼职的女同学。在校园里,经历了一件又一件的事情,有爆笑,有悲伤,有感人,有励志,有现实。一个不一样的大学生活。愿每个人都能保持乐观心态,去看待这个世界,找到适合自己的人。
  • 甜宠娇妻:老公霸道爱

    甜宠娇妻:老公霸道爱

    【新书《重生大明星:隐婚老公宠上瘾》已发布,求关注!】本以为只是一桩交易,她用自己的身体换家族生意的起死回生!谁知他食髓知味,纠缠不休!“乖,不准跑!”面对猛扑而来的某狼,苏软毫不留情地挥手!“亲爱的,火气太大了,还是滋润的不够呢!”苏软呲牙,恨不得咬死这个不守信用的男人……
  • 鬻婴提要说

    鬻婴提要说

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 穿越:抗战风云

    穿越:抗战风云

    我是美国黑水公司王牌雇佣兵,代号白狼。机缘巧合之下我穿越到了抗战年代,以身为中国人为骄傲的我,决定为祖国做点什么!炸机场、夺军火、搞暗杀、杀汉奸,尽在书中!【热血抗战,壮我中华族魂】【剧情需要文中部分描述不实】【本文纯属虚构,如有雷同不胜荣幸】
  • 新界辉煌

    新界辉煌

    世界在一夜之间完全变了一个样子,但是一些细微之处还是有迹可循,而传说中的一些东西,也在慢慢浮现。
  • 重生之画中仙

    重生之画中仙

    重生的司归,活在一个书香门第之中,逐渐长大才发现,这是个异能者的世界,世界末日逐渐到来,应对未来瞬息万变的局势,司归进入哈佛觉醒者学院,梦幻的校园生活,为未来末日战局做最波澜壮阔的铺垫。
  • 都市异能:血神劫

    都市异能:血神劫

    枫一直被自己的身世之谜所困扰,零散的记忆片段中,只有一个笑容慈祥的长者给予过自己关怀。但有一天,吸血鬼找上门来,确定了他体内那异于常人的血脉,并向教廷发起了进攻!修真者,吸血鬼,教廷,日本忍者,地狱鬼魄,上到无尽宇宙,下到幽冥三千,围绕着五件震慑天地的宝物,无数的阴谋在虚无中酝酿。女忍者,俏公主,靓仙女,在红颜的陪伴之下,一个个骇人听闻的事实在千万年的迷雾中展现出来……