the complete plays-第42章
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Tra la；
Of a summer of roses and wine。
And that's what we mean when we say that a
thing
Is welcome as flowers that bloom in the
spring。
Tra la la la la la； etc。
ALL。 Tra la la la； etc。
KO。 The flowers that bloom in the spring；
Tra la；
Have nothing to do with the case。
I've got to take under my wing；
Tra la；
A most unattractive old thing；
Tra la；
With a caricature of a face
And that's what I mean when I say； or I sing；
〃Oh； bother the flowers that bloom in the spring。〃
Tra la la la la la； etc。
ALL。 Tra la la la； Tra la la la； etc。
＇Dance and exeunt Nanki…Poo； Yum…Yum； Pooh…Bah； Pitti…Sing； and
Ko…Ko。
Enter Katisha。
RECITATIVE and SONG。KATISHA。
Alone； and yet alive！ Oh； sepulchre！
My soul is still my body's prisoner！
Remote the peace that Death alone can give
My doom； to wait！ my punishment； to live！
SONG。
Hearts do not break！
They sting and ache
For old love's sake；
But do not die；
Though with each breath
They long for death
As witnesseth
The living I！
Oh； living I！
Come； tell me why；
When hope is gone；
Dost thou stay on？
Why linger here；
Where all is drear？
Oh； living I！
Come； tell me why；
When hope is gone；
Dost thou stay on？
May not a cheated maiden die？
KO。 （entering and approaching her timidly）。 Katisha！
KAT。 The miscreant who robbed me of my love！ But vengeance
pursuesthey are heating the cauldron！
KO。 Katishabehold a suppliant at your feet！
Katishamercy！
KAT。 Mercy？ Had you mercy on him？ See here； you！ You
have slain my love。 He did not love me； but he would have loved
me in time。 I am an acquired tasteonly the educated palate can
appreciate me。 I was educating his palate when he left me。
Well； he is dead； and where shall I find another？ It takes years
to train a man to love me。 Am I to go through the weary round
again； and； at the same time； implore mercy for you who robbed me
of my preyI mean my pupiljust as his education was on the
point of completion？ Oh； where shall I find another？
KO。 （suddenly； and with great vehemence）。 Here！Here！
KAT。 What！！！
KO。 （with intense passion）。 Katisha； for years I have
loved you with a white…hot passion that is slowly but surely
consuming my very vitals！ Ah； shrink not from me！ If there is
aught of woman's mercy in your heart； turn not away from a
love…sick suppliant whose every fibre thrills at your tiniest
touch！ True it is that； under a poor mask of disgust； I have
endeavoured to conceal a passion whose inner fires are broiling
the soul within me！ But the fire will not be smotheredit
defies all attempts at extinction； and； breaking forth； all the
more eagerly for its long restraint； it declares itself in words
that will not be weighedthat cannot be schooledthat should
not be too severely criticised。 Katisha； I dare not hope for
your lovebut I will not live without it！ Darling！
KAT。 You； whose hands still reek with the blood of my
betrothed； dare to address words of passion to the woman you have
so foully wronged！
KO。 I doaccept my love； or I perish on the spot！
KAT。 Go to！ Who knows so well as I that no one ever yet
died of a broken heart！
KO。 You know not what you say。 Listen！
SONGKO…KO。
On a tree by a river a little tom…tit
Sang 〃Willow； titwillow； titwillow！〃
And I said to him； 〃Dicky…bird； why do you sit
Singing Willow； titwillow； titwillow'？〃
〃Is it weakness of intellect； birdie？〃 I cried；
〃Or a rather tough worm in your little inside？〃
With a shake of his poor little head； he replied；
〃Oh； willow； titwillow； titwillow！〃
He slapped at his chest； as he sat on that bough；
Singing 〃Willow； titwillow； titwillow！〃
And a cold perspiration bespangled his brow；
Oh； willow； titwillow； titwillow！
He sobbed and he sighed； and a gurgle he gave；
Then he plunged himself into the billowy wave；
And an echo arose from the suicide's grave
〃Oh； willow； titwillow； titwillow！〃
Now I feel just as sure as I'm sure that my name
Isn't Willow； titwillow； titwillow；
That 'twas blighted affection that made him exclaim
〃Oh； willow； titwillow； titwillow！〃
And if you remain callous and obdurate； I
Shall perish as he did； and you will know why；
Though I probably shall not exclaim as I die；
〃Oh； willow； titwillow； titwillow！〃
（During this song Katisha has been greatly affected； and at the
end is almost in tears。）
KAT。 （whimpering）。 Did he really die of love？
KO。 He really did。
KAT。 All on account of a cruel little hen？
KO。 Yes。
KAT。 Poor little chap！
KO。 It's an affecting tale； and quite true。 I knew the
bird intimately。
KAT。 Did you？ He must have been very fond of her。
KO。 His devotion was something extraordinary。
KAT。 （still whimpering）。 Poor little chap！ Andand if I
refuse you； will you go and do the same？
KO。 At once。
KAT。 No； noyou mustn't！ Anything but that！ （Falls on
his breast。） Oh； I'm a silly little goose！
KO。 （making a wry face）。 You are！
KAT。 And you won't hate me because I'm just a little teeny
weeny wee bit bloodthirsty； will you？
KO。 Hate you？ Oh； Katisha！ is there not beauty even in
bloodthirstiness？
KAT。 My idea exactly。
DUETKATISHA and KO…KO。
KAT。 There is beauty in the bellow of the blast；
There is grandeur in the growling of the gale；
There is eloquent outpouring
When the lion is a…roaring；
And the tiger is a…lashing of his tail！
KO。 Yes； I like to see a tiger
From the Congo or the Niger；
And especially when lashing of his tail！
KAT。 Volcanoes have a splendor that is grim；
And earthquakes only terrify the dolts；
But to him who's scientific
There's nothing that's terrific
In the falling of a flight of thunderbolts！
KO。 Yes； in spite of all my meekness；
If I have a little weakness；
It's a passion for a flight of thunderbolts！
BOTH。 If that is so；
Sing derry down derry！
It's evident； very；
Our tastes are one。
Away we'll go；
And merrily marry；
Nor tardily tarry
Till day is done！
KO。 There is beauty in extreme old age
Do you fancy you are elderly enough？
Information I'm requesting
On a subject interesting：
Is a maiden all the better when she's tough？
KAT。 Throughout this wide dominion
It's the general opinion
That she'll last a good deal longer when she's
tough。
KO。 Are you old enough to marry； do you think？
Won't you wait till you are eighty in the shade？
There's a fascination frantic
In a ruin that's romantic；
Do you think you are sufficiently decayed？
KAT。 To the matter that you mention
I have given some attention；
And I think I am sufficiently decayed。
BOTH。 If that is so；
Sing derry down derry！
It's evident； very；
Our tastes are one！
Away we'll go；
And merrily marry；
Nor tardily tarry
Till day is done！
＇Exeunt
together。
Flourish。 Enter the Mikado； attended by Pish…Tush and Court。
MIK。 Now then； we've had a capital lunch； and we're quite
ready。 Have all the painful preparations been made？
PISH。 Your Majesty； all is prepared。
MIK。 Then produce the unfortunate gentleman and his two
well…meaning but misguided accomplices。
Enter Ko…Ko； Katisha； Pooh…Bah； and Pitti…Sing。 They throw
themselves
at the Mikado's feet
KAT。 Mercy！ Mercy for Ko…Ko！ Mercy for Pitti…Sing！ Mercy
even for Pooh…Bah！
MIK。 I beg your pardon； I don't think I quite caught that
remark。
POOH。 Mercy even for Pooh…Bah。
KAT。 Mercy！ My husband that was to have been is dead； and
I have just married this miserable object。
MIK。 Oh！ You've not been long about it！
KO。 We were married before the Registrar。
POOH。 I am the Registrar。
MIK。 I see。 But my difficulty is that； as you have slain
the Heir Apparent
Enter Nanki…Poo and Yum…Yum。 They kneel。
NANK。 The Heir Apparent is not slain。
MIK。 Bless my heart； my son！
YUM。 And your daughter…in…law elected！
KAT。 （seizing Ko…Ko）。 Traitor； you have deceived me！
MIK。 Yes； you are entitled to a little explanation； but I
think he will give it better whole than in pieces。
KO。 Your Majesty； it's like this： It is true that I stated
that I had killed Nanki…Poo
MIK。 Yes； with most affecting particulars。
POOH。 Merely corroborative detail intended to give artistic
verisimilitude to a bald and
KO。 Will you refrain from putting in your oar？ （To
Mikado。） It's like this： When your Majesty says； 〃Let a thing be
done；〃 it's as good as donepractically； it is donebecause
your Majesty's will is law。 Your Majesty says； 〃Kill a
gentleman；〃 and a gentleman is told off to be killed。
Consequently； that gentleman is as good as deadpractically； he
is deadand if he is dead； why not say so？
MIK。 I see。 Nothing could possibly be more satisfactory！
FINALE。
PITTI。 For he's gone
