University of Virginia Library

Scene II.

—A Street on Earth.
Enter Mercury and Pandora.
Mer.
Well, ma'am, I hope your journey has been pleasant,

Pan.
Couldn't be otherwise with you, sir, present.

Mer.
Madam, you flatter me, you make me proud.

Pan.
How easily one travels on a cloud!

Mer.
And swiftly, too, ma'am, when the wind is fair,
And we'd a very favourable air.
They talk of steam upon our royal mail-road,
And Juno vows and swears she'll have a railroad.
But come, 'tis time for us to look about,
And see if we can find Prometheus out;
This is the street, I think, and near the spot—
But if I know the number, I'll be shot.

Pan.
There's some one coming—what if we ask this boy?

Mer.
With all my heart—he seems to be a Swiss boy.

Enter Swiss Boy, with milk pails.
Trio—Boy, Mercury, and Pandora—“The Swiss Boy.”
Boy.
Am not I, am not I, say, a big Swiss boy,
Weighing hard upon twenty stone?
I live free from cares, up three pair of stairs,
Beside a young frau of my own.
From morn till night my trade I ply,
And “milk below!” I call so high.
“Milk below, milk below;” still I cry as I go,
“Milk below, pretty maids—milk below.”

Mercury and Pandora.
Prithee say—prithee say—now, my brave Swiss boy,
Where Prometheus lives do you know?

Boy.
I were surely a flat, if I couldn't tell that;
For he made me not three weeks ago.

Mercury and Pandora.
Then, lead us there, you can't say nay;
For we have come from the milky way.
Milk above! milk above, has prepared us to love.
Milk below! milk below! milk below!

Mer.
Friend, there's strong sympathy 'twixt me and you—
I skim the blue sky, you skim the sky-blue.
This is—

Boy.
Some star, of course, sir, by her brightness?

Pan.
(aside)
Sweet milk-boy! he's the cream of all politeness.

Mer.
You're right—she is a star, and hither flown,
To light a little system of her own.
Feeling her way—twinkling 'midst hope and doubt,
You wouldn't be the man to put her out?

Boy.
The man who would, deserves to walk in blindness!
I trust I bear the milk of human kindness.

Trio—Boy, Mercury, and Pandora—“La Galopade.”
Come, follow me, I'll lead you straight,
Prometheus shuts up shop at eight.
And if you wouldn't be too late,
Why you must gallop hard.

Mercury.
In speed to fail
I shan't begin,
(stumbles over pail)
But curse that pail,
It's broke my shin.
My legs and wings accommodate,
Or I can't gallop hard.

All.
Come along, come along. without more debate.
Prometheus shuts up shop at eight,
And we shall surely be too late,
Unless we gallop hard.

(They dance off)