 | Theseus and Ariadne ; or, The Marriage of Bacchus |  |
237
Scene Second.
—A Prison—Enter Theseus.Thes.
How long, I wonder, in this horrid limbo,
Shall I be left to stand with arms a-kimbo.
(noise of a key turning in lock)
The door opens, and Ariadne appears at it.
They come to lead me to my fate, no doubt.
Ariad.
Are you at home?
Thes.
Would I could say I'm out.
Ariad.
You shall say so, whate'er the consequences.
Thes.
“Mine eyes are made the fools of my other senses,
Or else worth all the rest!”—I'll bet a pony
You are the girl I saw in the balcony.
Ariad.
I am, and daughter of the King of Creta.
Thes.
In Creta never was a cretur sweeter!
A flood of rapture through my system rushes!
Say, is it love that brought you?
Ariad.
Spare my blushes.
Thes.
No; I could not spare anything so pretty.
Ariad.
I pity you, and love's akin to pity;
And I will save you from the monster's jaws.
Thes.
Ha! in your will honour has stuck her clause.
I cannot profit by the kind bequest.
I've sworn to die, or ransom all the rest.
Ariad.
But if I brought you means the rest to ransom?
Thes.
That would be like yourself—uncommon handsome.
Ariad.
Take then these articles—mind you don't lose 'em.
And follow me! I'll tell you how to use 'em.
Yet stay—one moment—for my heart is beating,
To think this may be our last time of meeting.
Air—Ariadne—“Jeannette and Jeannot.”
And follow me! I'll tell you how to use 'em.
Yet stay—one moment—for my heart is beating,
To think this may be our last time of meeting.
You'll be going far away when the monster you've upset,
And toco from my father I instead of yam shall get,
But still I'll think of you, love, wherever you may go.
Can you look me in the face, and say the same? No, no!
When you've killed the Minotaur, and no longer need my aid,
You'll pretty soon forget the fine speeches that you made.
With some lady on your arm, that you left the other side,
You'll be marching off to church with her, and making her your bride.
And toco from my father I instead of yam shall get,
But still I'll think of you, love, wherever you may go.
Can you look me in the face, and say the same? No, no!
238
You'll pretty soon forget the fine speeches that you made.
With some lady on your arm, that you left the other side,
You'll be marching off to church with her, and making her your bride.
Thes.
By all the gods to whom I am related;
By Neptune, who was once my father stated;
By Venus, who has always called me her man;
By mighty Hercules, my cousin-german;
By Phœbus, to whose shrine I dragged for sticking
The Bull of Marathon alive and kicking;
I swear, if out of this scrape you can get me,
To make you Mrs. Theseus—if you'll let me.
Air—Theseus—“Cheer up, my own Jeannette.”
By Neptune, who was once my father stated;
By Venus, who has always called me her man;
By mighty Hercules, my cousin-german;
By Phœbus, to whose shrine I dragged for sticking
The Bull of Marathon alive and kicking;
I swear, if out of this scrape you can get me,
To make you Mrs. Theseus—if you'll let me.
Cheer up—cheer up—if I'm not ate
By this mad bull, we'll go
To Athens, dear, across the sea,
And there be spliced, you know.
And surely you need not be told
To bear this truth in mind,—
That if we go together,
You cannot be left behind.
By this mad bull, we'll go
To Athens, dear, across the sea,
And there be spliced, you know.
And surely you need not be told
To bear this truth in mind,—
That if we go together,
You cannot be left behind.
There's not a girl on Grecian land,
That ever I have seen,
Could cut out you, my pretty pet,
So kind as you have been.
Nor should I care a button,
Had fate cast the lot on me,
To be the monster's dinner, love,
If my desert you'd be.
That ever I have seen,
Could cut out you, my pretty pet,
So kind as you have been.
Nor should I care a button,
Had fate cast the lot on me,
To be the monster's dinner, love,
If my desert you'd be.
Ariad.
(aside)
Methinks this gentleman protests too much.
But sure he'll keep his word, if he be such.
Oh, yes—to doubt the darling were a sin.
(aloud)
Come! To the labyrinth! Go in and win!
239
Then we together will live, will die,
Hymen's sweet bonds our hearts so tight in!
First fighting boldly, then fighting shy.
Taking French leave our bark so light in.
Roused is my/his Grecian mettle
The tough bull's hide to tan.
Soon he/I the hash will settle
Of this wild Oxon man.
(Exeunt)
| Theseus and Ariadne ; or, The Marriage of Bacchus | |