the complete plays-第57章
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＇Exeunt Mikado and
Katisha。
KO。 Well； a nice mess you've got us into； with your nodding
head and the deference due to a man of pedigree！
POOH。 Merely corroborative detail； intended to give
artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing
narrative。
PITTI。 Corroborative detail indeed！ Corroborative
fiddlestick！
KO。 And you're just as bad as he is with your cock
and…a…bull stories about catching his eye and his whistling an
air。 But that's so like you！ You must put in your oar！
POOH。 But how about your big right arm？
PITTI。 Yes； and your snickersnee！
KO。 Well； well； never mind that now。 There's only one
thing to be done。 Nanki…Poo hasn't started yethe must come to
life again at once。 （Enter Nanki…Poo and Yum…Yum prepared for
journey。） Here he comes。 Here； Nanki…Poo； I've good news for
youyou're reprieved。
NANK。 Oh； but it's too late。 I'm a dead man； and I'm off
for my honeymoon。
KO。 Nonsense！ A terrible thing has just happened。 It
seems you're the son of the Mikado。
NANK。 Yes； but that happened some time ago。
KO。 Is this a time for airy persiflage？ Your father is
here； and with Katisha！
NANK。 My father！ And with Katisha！
KO。 Yes； he wants you particularly。
POOH。 So does she。
YUM。 Oh； but he's married now。
KO。 But； bless my heart！ what has that to do with it？
NANK。 Katisha claims me in marriage； but I can't marry her
because I'm married alreadyconsequently she will insist on my
execution； and if I'm executed； my wife will have to be buried
alive。
YUM。 You see our difficulty。
KO。 Yes。 I don't know what's to be done。
NANK。 There's one chance for you。 If you could persuade
Katisha to marry you； she would have no further claim on me； and
in that case I could come to life without any fear of being put
to death。
KO。 I marry Katisha！
YUM。 I really think it's the only course。
KO。 But； my good girl； have you seen her？ She's something
appalling！
PITTI。 Ah！ that's only her face。 She has a left elbow
which people come miles to see！
POOH。 I am told that her right heel is much admired by
connoisseurs。
KO。 My good sir； I decline to pin my heart upon any lady's
right heel。
NANK。 It comes to this： While Katisha is single； I prefer
to be a disembodied spirit。 When Katisha is married； existence
will be as welcome as the flowers in spring。
DUETNANKI…POO and KO…KO。
（With YUM…YUM； PITTI…SING； and POOH…BAH。）
NANK。 The flowers that bloom in the spring；
Tra la；
Breathe promise of merry sunshine
As we merrily dance and we sing；
Tra la；
We welcome the hope that they bring；
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
