the complete plays-第40章
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I was on the point of making you my own！ Oh； it's too muchit's
too much！
IOL。 （to Strephon； who is in tears）。 My son in tearsand on
his wedding day！
STREPH。 My wedding day！ Oh； mother； weep with me； for the
Law has interposed between us； and the Lord Chancellor has
separated us for ever！
IOL。 The Lord Chancellor！ （Aside。） Oh； if he did but know！
STREPH。 （overhearing her）。 If he did but know what？
IOL。 No matter！ The Lord Chancellor has no power over you。
Remember you are half a fairy。 You can defy himdown to the
waist。
STREPH。 Yes； but from the waist downwards he can commit me to
prison for years！ Of what avail is it that my body is free； if my
legs are working out seven years' penal servitude？
IOL。 True。 But take heartour Queen has promised you her
special protection。 I'll go to her and lay your peculiar case
before her。
STREPH。 My beloved mother！ how can I repay the debt I owe
you？
FINALEQUARTET。
（As it commences； the Peers appear at the back； advancing unseen
and on tiptoe。 Lord Mountararat and Lord Tolloller lead Phyllis
between them； who listens in horror to what she hears。）
STREPH。 （to Iolanthe）。 When darkly looms the day；
And all is dull and grey；
To chase the gloom away；
On thee I'll call！
PHYL。 （speaking aside to Lord Mountararat）。 What was that？
LORD MOUNT。 （aside to Phyllis）。
I think I heard him say；
That on a rainy day；
To while the time away；
On her he'd call！
CHORUS。 We think we heard him say； etc。
（Phyllis much agitated at her lover's supposed faithlessness。）
IOL。 （to Strephon）。 When tempests wreck thy bark；
And all is drear and dark；
If thou shouldst need an Ark；
I'll give thee one！
PHYL。 （speaking aside to Lord Tolloller）。 What was that？
LORD TOLL。 （aside to Phyllis）。
I heard the minx remark；
She'd meet him after dark；
Inside St James's Park；
And give him one！
CHORUS。 We heard the minx remark； etc。
PHYL。 The prospect's very bad。
My heart so sore and sad
Will never more be glad
As summer's sun。
PHYL。； IOL。； LORD TOLL。； STREPH。
The prospect's not so bad；
My/Thy heart so sore and sad
May very soon be glad
As summer's sun；
PHYL。； IOL。； LORD TOLL。； STEPH。； LORD MOUNT。
For when the sky is dark
And tempests wreck his/thy/my bark；
he should
If thou shouldst need an Ark；
I should
She'll him
I'll give thee one！
me
PHYL。 （revealing herself）。 Ah！
（Iolanthe and Strephon much confused。）
PHYL。 Oh； shameless one； tremble！
Nay； do not endeavour
Thy fault to dissemble；
We partand for ever！
I worshipped him blindly；
He worships another
STREPH。 Attend to me kindly；
This lady's my mother！
TOLL。 This lady's his what？
STREPH。 This lady's my mother！
TENORS。 This lady's his what？
BASSES。 He says she's his mother！
（They point derisively to Iolanthe； laughing heartily at her。 She
goes for protection to Strephon。）
（Enter Lord Chancellor。 Iolanthe veils herself。）
LORD CH。 What means this mirth unseemly；
That shakes the listening earth？
LORD TOLL。 The joke is good extremely；
And justifies our mirth。
LORD MOUNT。 This gentleman is seen；
With a maid of seventeen；
A…taking of his dolce far niente；
And wonders he'd achieve；
For he asks us to believe
She's his motherand he's nearly five…and…twenty！
LORD CH。 （sternly）。 Recollect yourself； I pray；
And be careful what you say
As the ancient Romans said； festina lente。
For I really do not see
How so young a girl could be
The mother of a man of five…and…twenty。
ALL。 Ha！ ha！ ha！ ha！ ha！
STREPH。 My Lord； of evidence I have no dearth
She ishas beenmy mother from my birth！
BALLAD。
In babyhood
Upon her lap I lay；
With infant food
She moistened my clay；
Had she withheld
The succour she supplied；
By hunger quelled；
Your Strephon might have died！
LORD CH。 （much moved）。
Had that refreshment been denied；
Indeed our Strephon might have died！
ALL （much affected）。
Had that refreshment been denied；
Indeed our Strephon might have died！
LORD MOUNT。 But as she's not
His mother； it appears；
Why weep these hot
Unnecessary tears？
And by what laws
Should we so joyously
Rejoice； because
Our Strephon did not die？
Oh rather let us pipe our eye
Because our Strephon did not die！
ALL。 That's very truelet's pipe our eye
Because our Strephon did not die！
（All weep。 Iolanthe； who has succeeded in hiding her face from
Lord Chancellor； escapes unnoticed。）
PHYL。 Go； traitorous onefor ever we must part：
To one of you； my Lords； I give my heart！
ALL。 Oh； rapture！
STREPH。 Hear me； Phyllis； ere you leave me。
PHYL。 Not a wordyou did deceive me。
ALL。 Not a wordyou did deceive her。
（Exit
Strephon。）
BALLADPHYLLIS。
For riches and rank I do not long
Their pleasures are false and vain；
I gave up the love of a lordly throng
For the love of a simple swain。
But now that simple swain's untrue；
With sorrowful heart I turn to you
A heart that's aching；
Quaking； breaking；
As sorrowful hearts are wont to do！
The riches and rank that you befall
Are the only baits you use；
So the richest and rankiest of you all
My sorrowful heart shall choose。
As none are so noblenone so rich
As this couple of lords； I'll find a niche
In my heart that's aching；
Quaking； breaking；
For one of you two…and I don't care which！
ENSEMBLE。
PHYL。 （to Lord Mountararat and Lord Tolloller）。
To you I give my heart so rich！
ALL （puzzled）。 To which？
PHYL。 I do not care！
To you I yieldit is my doom！
ALL。 To whom？
PHYL。 I'm not aware！
I'm yours for life if you but choose。
ALL。 She's whose？
PHYL。 That's your affair！
I'll be a countess； shall I not？
ALL。 Of what？
PHYL。 I do not care！
ALL。 Lucky little lady！
Strephon's lot is shady；
Rank； it seems； is vital；
