the complete plays-第69章
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A kind； well…spoken gentleman？
Hildebd： Oh； no！
For； adder…like； his sting lay in his tongue。
（His 〃sting〃 is present； though his 〃stung〃 is past。）
Florian： （looking through glass）
But stay； my liege； o'er yonder mountain's brow
Comes a small body； bearing Gama's arms；
And now I look more closely at it； sir；
I see attached to it King Gama's legs；
From which I gather this corollary
That that small body must be Gama's own！
Hildebd： Ha！ Is the Princess with him？
Florian： Well； my liege；
Unless her highness is full six feet high；
And wears mustachios too and smokes cigars
And rides en cavalier in coat of steel
I do not think she is。
Hildebd： One never knows。
She's a strange girl； I've heard； and does odd
things！
Come； bustle there！
For Gama place the richest robes we own
For Gama place the coarsest prison dress
For Gama let our best spare bed be aired
For Gama let our deepest dungeon yawn
For Gama lay the costliest banquet out
For Gama place cold water and dry bread！
For as King Gama brings the Princess here；
Or brings her not； so shall King Gama have
Much more than everything much less than nothing！
SONG （Hildebrand and Chorus）
〃Now Hearken to my Strict Command〃
Hildebd： Now hearken to my strict command
On every hand； on every hand
Chorus： To your command；
On every hand；
We dutifully bow。
Hildebd： If Gama bring the Princess here；
Give him good cheer； give him good cheer。
Chorus： If she come here
We'll give him a cheer；
And we will show you how。
Hip； hip； hurrah！ hip； hip； hurrah！
Hip； hip； hurrah！ hurrah！ hurrah！
We'll shout and sing
Long live the King；
And his daughter； too； I trow！
Then shout ha！ ha！ hip； hip； hurrah！
Hip； hip； hip； hip； hurrah！
For the fair Princess and her good papa；
Hurrah； hurrah！
Hildebd： But if he fail to keep his troth；
Upon our oath； we'll trounce them both！
Chorus： He'll trounce them both；
Upon his oath；
As sure as quarter…day！
Hildebd： We'll shut him up in a dungeon cell；
And toll his knell on a funeral bell。
Chorus： From his dungeon cell；
His funeral knell
Shall strike him with dismay！
Hip； hip； hurrah！ hip； hip； hurrah！
Hip； hip； hurrah！ hurrah！ hurrah！
As up we string
The faithless King；
In the old familiar way！
We'll shout ha！ ha！ hip； hip； hurrah！
Hip； hip； hip； hip； hurrah！
As we make an end of her false papa；
Hurrah； hurrah！
（Exeunt all）
（Enter Hilarion）
RECITATIVE AND SONG （Hilarion）
〃Today we meet〃
RECITATIVE … Hilarion
To…day we meet； my baby bride and I
But ah； my hopes are balanc'd by my fears！
What transmutations have been conjur'd by
The silent alchemy of twenty years！
BALLAD … Hilarion
Ida was a twelve…month old；
Twenty years ago！
I was twice her age； I'm told；
Twenty years ago！
Husband twice as old as wife
Argues ill for married life
Baleful prophecies were rife；
Twenty years ago；
Twenty years ago！
Still； I was a tiny prince
Twenty years ago。
She has gained upon me； since
Twenty years ago。
Though she's twenty…one； it's true；
I am barely twenty…two
False and foolish prophets you
Twenty years ago；
Twenty years ago！
（Enter Hildebrand）
Hilarion： Well； father； is there news for me at last？
Hildebd： King Gama is in sight； but much I fear
With no Princess！
Hilarion： Alas； my liege； I've heard；
That Princess Ida has forsworn the world；
And； with a band of women； shut herself
Within a lonely country house； and there
Devotes herself to stern philosophies！
Hildebd： Then I should say the loss of such a wife
Is one to which a reasonable man
Would easily be reconciled。
Hilarion： Oh； no！
Or I am not a reasonable man。
She is my wife has been for twenty years！
（Holding glass） I think I see her now。
Hildebd： Ha！ Let me look！
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；
