the complete plays-第51章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Hilarion： In my mind's eye； I mean a blushing bride
All bib and tucker； frill and furbelow！
How exquisite she looked as she was borne；
Recumbent； in her foster…mother's arms！
How the bride wept nor would be comforted
Until the hireling mother…for…the…nonce
Administered refreshment in the vestry。
And I remember feeling much annoyed
That she should weep at marrying with me。
But then I thought； 〃These brides are all alike。
You cry at marrying me？ How much more cause
You'd have to cry if it were broken off！〃
These were my thoughts； I kept them to myself；
For at that age I had not learnt to speak。
（Exeunt Hildebrand
and Hilarion）
（Enter Courtiers）
CHORUS
〃From the distant panorama〃
Chorus： From the distant panorama
Come the sons of royal Gama。
They are heralds evidently；
And are sacred consequently；
Sons of Gama； hail！ oh； hail！
（Enter Arac； Guron； and Scynthius）
TRIO （Arac； Guron； Scynthius and Chorus）
〃We are Warriors Three〃
SONG … Arac
Arac： We are warriors three；
Sons of Gama； Rex；
Like most sons are we；
Masculine in sex。
All Three： Yes； yes； yes；
Masculine in sex。
Arac： Politics we bar；
They are not our bent；
On the whole we are
Not intelligent。
All Three： No； no； no；
Not intelligent。
Arac： But with doughty heart；
And with trusty blade
We can play our part
Fighting is our trade。
All Three： Yes； yes； yes；
Fighting is our trade。
Bold and fierce； and strong； ha！ ha！
For a war we burn；
With its right or wrong； ha！ ha！
We have no concern。
Order comes to fight； ha！ ha！
Order is obey'd；
We are men of might； ha！ ha！
Fighting is our trade。
Yes yes； yes；
Fighting is our trade； ha！ ha！
THE THREE PRINCIPALS CHORUS
Fighting is our trade； ha
ha！ They are men of might； ha！ ha！
Fighting is their trade。
Order comes to fight； ha！ ha！
Order is obey'd！
Order comes to fight！
Ha； Ha！
Order is obey'd！
Fighting Fighting
is。 Yes； yes； yes； is
Fighting is our trade； ha their
Ha！ trade！
（Enter King Gama）
SONG （Gama）
〃If you give me your Attention〃
Gama： If you give me your attention； I will tell you what I
am：
I'm a genuine philanthropist all other kinds are
sham。
Each little fault of temper and each social defect
In my erring fellow…creatures； I endeavour to correct。
To all their little weaknesses I open people's eyes；
And little plans to snub the self…sufficient I devise；
I love my fellow creatures I do all the good I
can
Yet ev'rybody says I'm such a disagreeable man！
And I can't think why！
To compliments inflated I've a withering reply；
And vanity I always do my best to mortify；
A charitable action I can skillfully dissect；
And interested motives I'm delighted to detect；
I know ev'rybody's income and what ev'rybody earns；
And I carefully compare it with the income…tax
returns；
But to benefit humanity however much I plan；
Yet ev'rybody says I'm such a disagreeable man！
And I can't think why！
I'm sure I'm no ascetic； I'm as pleasant as can be；
You'll always find me ready with a crushing repartee；
I've an irritating chuckle； I've a celebrated sneer；
I've an entertaining snigger； I've a fascinating leer。
To ev'rybody's prejudice I know a thing or two；
I can tell a woman's age in half a minute and I do。
But although I try to make myself as pleasant as I
can；
Yet ev'rybody says I'm such a disagreeable man！
And I can't think why！
Chorus： He can't think why！
He can't think why！
（Enter Hildebrand； Hilarion； Cyril and Florian）
Gama： So this is Castle Hildebrand？ Well； well！
Dame Rumour whispered that the place was grand；
She told me that your taste was exquisite；
Superb； unparalleled！
Hildebnd： （Gratified） Oh； really； King！
Gama： But she's a liar！ Why； how old you've grown！
Is this Hilarion？ Why； you've changed too
You were a singularly handsome child！
（To Florian） Are you a courtier？ Come； then ply your trade；
Tell me some lies。 How do you like your King？
Vile rumour says he's all but imbecile。
Now； that's not true？
Florian： My lord； we love our King。
His wise remarks are valued by his court
As precious stones。
Gama： And for the self…same cause。
Like precious stones； his sensible remarks
Derive their value from their scarcity！
Come now； be honest； tell the truth for once！
Tell it of me。 Come； come； I'll harm you not。
This leg is crooked this foot is ill…designed
This shoulder wears a hump！ Come； out with it！
Look； here's my face！ Now； am I not the worst
Of Nature's blunders？
Cyril： Nature never errs。
To those who know the workings of your mind；
Your face and figure； sir； suggest a book
Appropriately bound。
Gama： （Enraged） Why； harkye； sir；
How dare you bandy words with me？
Cyril： No need
To bandy aught that appertains to you。
Gama： （Furiously） Do you permit this； King？
Hildebd： We are in doubt
Whether to treat you as an honoured guest
Or as a traitor knave who plights his word
And breaks it。
Gama： （Quickly） If the casting vote's with me；
I give it for the former！
Hildebd： We shall see。
By the terms of our contract； signed and sealed；
You're bound to bring the Princess here to…day：
Why is she not with you？
Gama： Answer me this：
What think you of a wealthy purse…proud man；
Who； when he calls upon a starving friend；
Pulls out his gold and flourishes his notes；
And flashes diamonds in the pauper's eyes？
What name have you for such an one？
Hildebd： A snob。
Gama： Just so。 The girl has beauty； virtue； wit；
Grace； humour； wisdom； charity and pluck。
Would it be kindly； think you； to parade
These brilliant qualities before your eyes？
Oh no； King Hildebrand； I am no snob！
Hildebd： （Furiously） Stop that tongue；
Or you shall lose the monkey head that holds it！
Gama： Bravo！ Your King deprives me of my head；
That he and I may meet on equal terms！
Hildebd： Where is she now？ （Threatening）
Gama： In Castle Adamant；
One of my many country houses。 There
She rules a woman's University；
With full a hundred girls； who learn of her。
Cyril： A hundred girls！ A hundred ecstasies！
Gama： But no mere girls； my good young gentleman；
With all the college learning that you boast；
The youngest there will prove a match for you。
Cyril： With all my heart； if she's the prettiest！
（To Florian） Fancy； a hundred matches all alight！
That's if I strike them as I hope to do！
Gama： Despair your hope； their hearts are dead to men。
He who desires to gain their favour must
Be qualified to strike their teeming brains；
And not their hearts。 They're safety matches； sir；
And they light only on the knowledge box
So you've no chance！
Florian： And there are no males whatever in those walls？
Gama： None； gentlemen； excepting letter mails
And they are driven （as males often are
In other large communities） by women。
Why； bless my heart； she's so particular
She'll hardly suffer Dr。 Watts's hymns
And all the animals she owns are 〃hers〃！
The ladies rise at cockcrow every morn
Cyril： Ah； then they have male poultry？
Gama： Not at all；
（Confidentially） The crowing's done by an accomplished hen！
FINALE
（Gama； Hildebrand； Cyril； Hilarion； Florian
and Chorus of Girls and Men）
DUET （Gama and Hildebrand）
〃P'raps if you Address the Lady〃
Gama： P'raps if you address the lady
Most politely； most politely
Fl
