 | The Invisible Prince ; or, The Island of Tranquil Delights |  |
Scene Second
—The Garden of an old Hunting Lodge—In centre an alcove with practicable door, open.Enter Leander.
Lean.
Banished the Court, where I by right should reign,
To these ancestral halls I haste again,
And hail the scenes where I was wont to play
At marbles, hopscotch, hoop, and widdy way.
How fond remembrance roves in all directions,
And conjures up the sweetest recollections,
Before this seat with moistened eyes I stop—
'Twas here I sucked my earliest lollipop!
Here, in a frolic mood, at evening's close,
With a new top I pegged my tutor's toes.
The dear old quiz! Ah! I remember well,
It wasn't on my top his vengeance fell!
Here, too, on a Guy Fawkes's day at night,
I tied a lighted cracker very tight
To his respected pig-tail! But ye are past!
Ye hours of innocence!—too bright to last!
And like the firework, having cracked your joke,
Leave but a tale behind, and end in smoke!
Air—Leander—“Sonnambula.”
To these ancestral halls I haste again,
And hail the scenes where I was wont to play
At marbles, hopscotch, hoop, and widdy way.
How fond remembrance roves in all directions,
And conjures up the sweetest recollections,
Before this seat with moistened eyes I stop—
'Twas here I sucked my earliest lollipop!
Here, in a frolic mood, at evening's close,
With a new top I pegged my tutor's toes.
The dear old quiz! Ah! I remember well,
It wasn't on my top his vengeance fell!
Here, too, on a Guy Fawkes's day at night,
I tied a lighted cracker very tight
To his respected pig-tail! But ye are past!
Ye hours of innocence!—too bright to last!
And like the firework, having cracked your joke,
Leave but a tale behind, and end in smoke!
When I played those tricks so charming,
With squibs and crackers old Wigsby warming,
In grim Guy Fawkes's and Jacks in boxes
I invested—I invested all my tin.
Guys as ugly still round me grin,
But those days, but those days don't come agin!
Man the bright squibs of childhood spurning,
Other wheels than “Catherine” turning;
To increase his fortune yearning,
Scheme on scheme sees explode and pass away,
Worse than ever his fingers burning—
No fun at all, and lots to pay.
(takes a flute out of his pocket and sits in the alcove)
Ye old familiar echoes! too long mute,
I'll wake ye with a warble on my flute!
(plays—an adder glides into the alcove and coils itself round his leg)
Holloa! what's this? As I'm alive an adder
Is making of my precious leg a ladder!
I'll seize him with my kerchief by the head.
(lays down flute, draws his handkerchief from his pocket, winds it round his hand, and seizes the adder)
Now, my fine fellow, you're as good as dead.
I meant to play upon the flute, but you
Shall find I can play on the serpent too.
Yes, you may shew your teeth, but you can't bite.
With squibs and crackers old Wigsby warming,
In grim Guy Fawkes's and Jacks in boxes
I invested—I invested all my tin.
Guys as ugly still round me grin,
But those days, but those days don't come agin!
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Other wheels than “Catherine” turning;
To increase his fortune yearning,
Scheme on scheme sees explode and pass away,
Worse than ever his fingers burning—
No fun at all, and lots to pay.
(takes a flute out of his pocket and sits in the alcove)
Ye old familiar echoes! too long mute,
I'll wake ye with a warble on my flute!
(plays—an adder glides into the alcove and coils itself round his leg)
Holloa! what's this? As I'm alive an adder
Is making of my precious leg a ladder!
I'll seize him with my kerchief by the head.
(lays down flute, draws his handkerchief from his pocket, winds it round his hand, and seizes the adder)
Now, my fine fellow, you're as good as dead.
I meant to play upon the flute, but you
Shall find I can play on the serpent too.
Yes, you may shew your teeth, but you can't bite.
Enter Gardener, hastily, with a hoe
Gar.
Ha! master, have you caught it? hold it tight.
The pois'nous warmint gave me such a race
Lean.
How piteously it looks me in the face,
As if beseeching me its life to spare;
To kill it, really now, I couldn't bear.
See what unusual tints its surface mottle.
I will preserve it!
Gar.
Do, sir, in a bottle.
But kill it first, or let me, with this hoe.
Lean.
The poor thing fled to me for succour. No!
Its touching confidence it ne'er shall rue.
Gar.
Then, sir, that's more than you are like to do.
Lean.
Do as you would be done by, cruel clown.
Gar.
You'll be done by it, sir, uncommon brown.
Lean.
See, in good spirits, now the creature twine.
Gar.
I'd rather see it in good spirits of wine.
Lean.
On flowers and milk it henceforth shall exist.
Gar.
You'll find a snake has got a famous twist.
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In the alcove for safety I will lock it!
(puts up his handkerchief, and shuts the adder in the alcove)
Gar.
(aside)
He's put his other wiper in his pocket.
(hunting horns)
Lean.
Horns! how I love the sound! Ha! there they go.
Oh, for a hunter! yoicks, yoicks! tally-oh!
Gar.
Yes, tally-oh, over our garden wall,
That sport don't tally with my hoe at all.
(runs off)
Lean.
(looks off)
The royal liveries! why it must be
Prince Furibond! Yes, sure as fate 'tis he,
And down, by Jupiter! his steed has stumbled,
And plump into the ditch his Highness tumbled.
The boar too, now on his pursuer turns;
To think on past offence Leander spurns.
Forth, my good sword, and shew thy temper true.
Music—Exit Leander—Four Huntsmen rush in.
Hunt.
Help! help! the Prince!
Re-enter Leander, supporting Furibond, who is covered with mud.
Lean.
He's safe!
Furi.
(to Huntsmen)
No thanks to you.
You cowards who can only cut and run,
When you should run and cut, as he has done.
Up with the game, of course, I wished to be,
But zounds, the game was nearly up with me!
My brave preserver—whom I must reward—
Allow me pray to ask you for your card!
Lean.
Leander, sir. Does not your Highness know me?
Furi.
(recognising him—aside)
Ha! if I am not in a fix now, blow me!
(aloud)
Rescued by you?
Lean.
As Tom Thumb said before,
“I've done my duty, and I've done no more.”
Furi.
(aside)
So, so, my gratitude this knowledge checks.
Come here, you rascals. (to Huntsmen)
If you'd save your necks,
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And nail my friend there fast against that door.
Music—As they turn upon Leander, a voice from the alcove calls “Forbear!” Thunder and lightning—The Prince and Huntsmen exeunt in terror.
The alcove changes to a Fairy Temple, and discovers the Fairy Gentilla seated on an enormous Serpent.
Lean.
A lady! seated on a snake!
Surely I dream?
Fairy.
Oh no, you're wide awake.
I am the adder of your preservation.
Lean.
An adder quite beyond my calculation.
Fairy.
You've heard, no doubt, of fairies, now you see one.
Lean.
I had a slight suspicion you might be one.
Fairy.
My name's Gentilla.
Lean.
None could be genteeler.
Fairy.
I see, sir, you're in compliments a dealer.
Lean.
Pardon me, madam, really in this case—
Fairy.
No matter—to your own—I'm of a race
Who live a hundred years in blooming youth.
Lean.
To see you, madam, is to feel that truth.
Fairy.
A change to vipers then we undergo.
Lean.
“I would not hear thine enemy say so.”
Fairy.
Fact on my honour—for eight days we pass
Our wretched lives as snakes amongst the grass,
And may be killed, like any mortal creatures,
And never more regain our fairy features.
You saved my life—in turn, as you're aware
I have saved yours, but I will not stop there;
What can I do to please you most?
Lean.
Stop here.
Fairy.
You are gallant, indeed, but that I fear
Would not be quite correct in your position.
But tell me—if to reign you've an ambition;
I'll make you king of any realm you'll name.
Lean.
No, but I thank you, madam, all the same.
Fairy.
Would you become a spirit?
Lean.
I should shew,
A more becoming spirit to say no.
Fairy.
You'd have the power invisible to be,
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Where'er you will, unseen, be ever present.
Lean.
Egad! sometimes that might be rather pleasant.
Fairy.
Aye, think again, and don't in haste refuse;
You are too good such power to abuse,
Or I'd not grant it.
Lean.
Now you flatter me!
But to be brief, I will a spirit be.
Fairy.
'Tis well.
Lean.
Stop, stop, one moment! Tho' an elf,
I still shall have a body like myself?
Fairy.
Oh, certainly, for tho' you need not fetter
Yourself to that, you couldn't get a better.
Lean.
A finer compliment was never uttered.
Fairy.
You're so well bred, you ought to be well butter'd.
(waves her wand; a golden arm rises through stage, bearing a scarlet cap and feather)
This little scarlet cap and feather see,
Fifty leagues off if you desire to be,
Just put it on and wish, and you are there.
Lean.
Licensed to carry one and charge no fare.
(takes cap, arm sinks)
Fairy.
To be invisible when you're inclined,
You've but to turn your cap the plume behind,
And though a hundred folks were looking right at you,
There's not a saucy boy can take a sight at you.
Lean.
Thus gifted, they at least can't see my fellow.
Fairy.
Now pluck three roses, red, and white, and yellow.
(music—Leander gathers them, and gives them to the Fairy)
This crimson flower (gives them to Leander one by one)
secures you florid health;
The yellow one wild yield exhaustless wealth;
The white will test the truth of woman's love—
Lean.
This last I prize all other gifts above!
Fairy.
Thus by investiture of cap and flower,
I create you, in virtue of the power
Granted to me as Fairy Grand Rewarder,
A Knight Companion of our Elfin Order,
Of the first class, by name of Lutin, and
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And now, until we meet again, good-bye.
Music—the Fairy mounts her Serpent and disappears.
Lean.
I'm all agog my magic gifts to try.
You in my vest I'll wear, sweet Rose of health,
You in my pocket, my rich Rose of wealth,
You nearest to my heart, pure Rose of true love,
Till drawn to test the heart of her I do love,
Or rather may, for though I've sighed for fashion,
I'm yet a stranger to the tender passion!
So in the hope some fair dame to fall in with,
I'll wish myself five miles off to begin with.
(Scene changes suddenly to
| The Invisible Prince ; or, The Island of Tranquil Delights | |