the complete plays-第39章
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My behaviour is rustic but hearty；
And I know where to turn for the best；
When I want a particular Party！
PHYLLIS； LORD TOLL。； and LORD MOUNT。
Though her station is none of the best；
I suppose she was born like the rest；
And she knows where to look for her hearty；
When she wants a particular Party！
RECITATIVEPHYLLIS。
Nay； tempt me not。
To rank I'll not be bound；
In lowly cot
Alone is virtue found！
CHORUS。 No； no； indeed high rank will never hurt you；
The Peerage is not destitute of virtue。
BALLADLORD TOLLOLLER。
Spurn not the nobly born
With love affected；
Nor treat with virtuous scorn
The well…connected。
High rank involves no shame
We boast an equal claim
With him of humble name
To be respected！
Blue blood！ blue blood！
When virtuous love is sought
Thy power is naught；
Though dating from the Flood；
Blue blood！ Ah； blue blood！
CHORUS。 When virtuous love is sought； etc。
Spare us the bitter pain
Of stern denials；
Nor with low…born disdain
Augment our trials。
Hearts just as pure and fair
May beat in Belgrave Square
As in the lowly air
Of Seven Dials！
Blue blood！ blue blood！
Of what avail art thou
To serve us now？
Though dating from the Flood；
Blue blood！ Ah； blue blood！
CHORUS。 Of what avail art thou； etc。
RECITATIVEPHYLLIS。
My Lords； it may not be。
With grief my heart is riven！
You waste your time on me；
For ah！ my heart is given！
ALL。 Given！
PHYL。 Yes； given！
ALL。 Oh； horror！！！
RECITATIVELORD CHANCELLOR。
And who has dared to brave our high displeasure；
And thus defy our definite command？
（Enter Strephon。）
STREPH。 'Tis Iyoung Strephon！ mine this priceless treasure！
Against the world I claim my darling's hand！
（Phyllis rushes to his arms。）
A shepherd I
ALL。 A shepherd he！
STREPH。 Of Arcady…
ALL。 Of Arcadee！
STREPH。 Betrothed are we！
ALL。 Betrothed are they
STREPH。 And mean to be…
ALL。 Espoused to…day！
ENSEMBLE。
STREPH。 THE OTHERS。
A shepherd I A shepherd he
Of Arcady； Of Arcadee；
Betrothed are we； Betrothed is he；
And mean to be And means to be
Espoused to…day！ Espoused to…day！
DUETLORD MOUNTARARAT and LORD TOLLOLLER
（aside to each other）。
'Neath this blow；
Worse than stab of dagger
Though we mo…
Mentarily stagger；
In each heart
Proud are we innately
Let's depart；
Dignified and stately！
ALL。 Let's depart；
Dignified and stately！
CHORUS OF PEERS。
Though our hearts she's badly bruising；
In another suitor choosing；
Let's pretend it's most amusing。
Ha！ ha！ ha！ Tan…ta…ra！
（Exeunt all the Peers； marching round stage with much dignity。
Lord Chancellor separates Phyllis from Strephon and orders her off。
She follows Peers。 Manent Lord Chancellor and Strephon。）
LORD CH。 Now； sir； what excuse have you to offer for having
disobeyed an order of the Court of Chancery？
STREPH。 My Lord； I know no Courts of Chancery； I go by
Nature's Acts of Parliament。 The beesthe breezethe seasthe
rooksthe brooksthe galesthe valesthe fountains and the
mountains cry； 〃You love this maidentake her； we command you！〃
'Tis writ in heaven by the bright barbed dart that leaps forth into
lurid light from each grim thundercloud。 The very rain pours forth
her sad and sodden sympathy！ When chorused Nature bids me take my
love； shall I reply； 〃Nay； but a certain Chancellor forbids it〃？
Sir； you are England's Lord High Chancellor； but are you Chancellor
of birds and trees； King of the winds and Prince of thunderclouds？
LORD CH。 No。 It's a nice point。 I don't know that I ever
met it before。 But my difficulty is that at present there's no
evidence before the Court that chorused Nature has interested
herself in the matter。
STREPH。 No evidence！ You have my word for it。 I tell you
that she bade me take my love。
LORD CH。 Ah！ but； my good sir； you mustn't tell us what she
told youit's not evidence。 Now an affidavit from a thunderstorm；
or a few words on oath from a heavy shower； would meet with all the
attention they deserve。
STREPH。 And have you the heart to apply the prosaic rules of
evidence to a case which bubbles over with poetical emotion？
LORD CH。 Distinctly。 I have always kept my duty strictly
before my eyes； and it is to that fact that I owe my advancement to
my present distinguished position。
SONGLORD CHANCELLOR。
When I went to the Bar as a very young man；
（Said I to myselfsaid I）；
I'll work on a new and original plan；
（Said I to myselfsaid I）；
I'll never assume that a rogue or a thief
Is a gentleman worthy implicit belief；
Because his attorney has sent me a brief；
（Said I to myselfsaid I！）。
Ere I go into court I will read my brief through
（Said I to myselfsaid I）；
And I'll never take work I'm unable to do
（Said I to myself…said I）；
My learned profession I'll never disgrace
By taking a fee with a grin on my face；
When I haven't been there to attend to the case
（Said I to myselfsaid I！）。
I'll never throw dust in a juryman's eyes
（Said I to myselfsaid I）；
Or hoodwink a judge who is not over…wise
（Said I to myselfsaid I）；
Or assume that the witnesses summoned in force
In Exchequer； Queen's Bench； Common Pleas； or Divorce；
Have perjured themselves as a matter of course
（Said I to myselfsaid I！）。
In other professions in which men engage
（Said I to myself said I）；
The Army； the Navy； the Church； and the Stage
（Said I to myselfsaid I）；
Professional licence； if carried too far；
Your chance of promotion will certainly mar
And I fancy the rule might apply to the Bar
（Said I to myselfsaid I！）。
（Exit Lord
Chancellor。）
（Enter Iolanthe）
STREPH。 Oh； Phyllis； Phyllis！ To be taken from you just as
I was on the point of making you my own！ Oh； it's too muchit's
too much！
IOL。 （to Strephon； who is in tear
