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.
