University of Virginia Library

Scene Second.

—The Palace Gardens.
Enter Graciosa.
Air—“The Redowa Polka.”
Charming polka—Redowa polka!
Pink of polkas thou'rt to me!
Still in fancy here I can see
Cerito's fairy toes dancing thee!
Very fade is now the gallopade:
Ungenteel becomes the dull quadrille;
Full of faults appears the giddy waltz;
Patronised the polka now alone should be!
Gaily twirling—lightly whirling—
Toeing, heeling—full of grace and feeling;
Stupid folk, who cannot polk,
Alone will dare, my darling dance, to rail at thee!

Enter King.
Gra.
My royal father, welcome back to court;
I trust your Majesty has had good sport.

King.
Famous! I found in a preserve to-day,
Where, nestled snug, a golden pheasant lay.

Gra.
Was it alive?

King.
It was!

Gra.
Inhuman sire,
How could you on the pretty creature fire?

King.
I wasn't so inhuman.

Gra.
Did you not?

King.
No! yet I brought my bird down at one shot.

Gra.
Your Majesty is pleased to be most pleasant.

King.
'Tis living still.

Gra.
Then make it, sire, a present
To me, and I will of it take such care.

King.
Nay! 'tis a bird of plumage far too rare
To trust in hands like yours. I mean to pluck—

Gra.
And roast it?

King.
No, 'tis ready drest, my duck.

Gra.
Nay; now you're roasting me.

King.
Well, truth to say,
The golden pheasant I have caught to-day
Is a fair lady—rich as fifty Jews!

Gra.
(aside)
Oh, my prophetic soul! My mother's shoes
Some one would stand in. (aloud)
Tell me, sir, her name!

King.
The Duchess Grognon!

Gra.
You are making game
Of her indeed! A pheasant! that old fright?
A screech owl! raven! vulture!

King.
Be polite,
For know that lady I am pledged to marry,
And marry her I will, by the Lord Harry!
Therefore, respect your step-mother.

Gra.
Oh rather
Kill me, than in that course take one step farther.
She hates me mortally!

King.
She loves me dearly!

Gra.
She's near threescore!

King.
She has threescore millions yearly!

Gra.
She's but one eye!

King.
She's worth a Jew's eye, girl!

Gra.
Red hair—black teeth!

King.
Fine rubies! rows of pearl!

Gra.
Lame of one leg, and with one shoulder humpy!

King.
A lump of gold, and plenty of the stumpy!
So, taisez vous, and quick prepare to meet her.

(Exit)
Gra.
I am a most unfortunate young creature!
Ah, me! when will my sorrows have an end?
I have not now, on earth, a single friend!

Music—Percinet appears amongst the trees.
Per.
I am your friend, and single, matchless fair.

Gra.
A strange young man! however came he there?
Who are you, sir? I don't know you from Adam!

Per.
I am your very humble servant, madam,
Your page, your groom, or anything you please.

Gra.
What business has a page amongst these trees?

Per.
To find a page, amongst the leaves one looks,
And I would be a page in your good books.

Gra.
But you are not one of my father's pages!

Per.
No, I am yours alone—

Gra.
And at what wages?

Per.
Wages! I serve for love and not for money,
Pay me in smiles and kisses, sweet as honey.

Gra.
Kisses! Why, you audacious little varlet,
I kiss a page! my cheeks must sure be scarlet.
Have you forgot the distance, sir, between us?

Per.
We soon can lessen that, my little Venus.
Here at your feet, my passion I declare—

Gra.
Your passion, sirrah page! of mine beware!
I'm a king's daughter! Princess Graciosa!

Per.
And I am a king's son.

Gra.
You don't say so, sir.
A prince! in this disguise! oh, how romantic!

Per.
One who with love for you has long been frantic;
Yet, who had still in silence nursed his flame
But for your danger—

Gra.
Dear sir, what's your name?

Per.
'Tis Percinet! My mother is a fairy.

Gra.
A very useful friend in a quandary.

Per.
I practise, too, a little in that line,
So pray command whatever power is mine.

Gra.
I'm flatter'd by this proof of your affection,
And feel I may rely on your protection.
Somebody's coming; if thus caught together—

Per.
Fear nothing; I but turn my cap and feather
And I'm invisible!

Gra.
Oh, prince delusive!
Where are you?

Per.
Here. (kisses her)


Gra.
The proof is quite conclusive.

Enter Nimbletongue hastily.
Nim.
Madam, the new-elected Queen is near.

Gra.
My hateful stepmother! I sink with fear.

Nim.
She's the astonishment of all beholders,
Much padding has made even her odd shoulders;
A high-heeled shoe keeps her game leg from sinking,
A new glass eye rolls in her head like winking.
She's bought a set of teeth might even you fit,
And a black wig, that quite out-truefits Truefit.
The bells are ringing, and the guns are roaring
And citizens are out to meet her pouring;
And I'm commanded by your sire, the King,
To beg you'll haste, and do the civil thing!

Gra.
I come.

Nim.
I go.

(Exit)
Per.
My horse is at your service.

The tree opens and discovers a horse richly caparisoned, and attended by two Arabian grooms.
Gra.
Oh, dear, I couldn't, I'm so very nervous.

Per.
A true Arabian, the wild desert's ranger!
Mount! whilst I run beside you there's no danger,
But if I left him by himself to prance,
I wouldn't give much for his rider's chance!

Gra.
But I could never get a horse outside!

Per.
Fear not, nor you, nor he shall go a stride.
My Arab grooms shall hold him by the head,
And all the road shall run and trot instead!

Duo—“O give me but my Arab steed”—Percinet and Graciosa.
Per.
I give to you my Arab steed,
My Princess fair and bright,
And him I'll by the bridle lead,
And keep you right and tight;
Your colours I will proudly wear,
And gird your scarf around,
But we have now no time to spare,
For hark! the trumpets sound!
So mount upon my Arab steed,
My Princess fair and bright,
And him I'll by the bridle lead,
And keep you right and tight.

Gra.
Upon your Arab steed I go,
And cease to sob and sigh;
My sovereign father weds my foe,
But not a fig care I.
Good manners will my conduct sway,
Of course when Queen she's crown'd,
So I my duty haste to pay,
For hark! the trumpets sound!

Both.
So on your Arab steed I go, &c.
Then mount upon my Arab steed, &c.

Graciosa mounts horse, Percinet holds the bridle—Scene moves, and they appear to issue through gate of the Palace into the open country—The high road lined with People, Guards, &c., is seen with the city in the distance—The King and the Duchess Grognon, attended by the Court, advance—Flourish.
King.
Daughter! you haven't made much haste, methinks!

Gra.
Father, you've made too much!

Grog.
What means the minx?

King.
Salute your stepmother, as is your duty.

Gra.
Madam, your servant.

Grog.
So this is the beauty
Of whom I've heard so much. Beauty, indeed!
If she were half as handsome as her steed,
She might be called a beauty. Sir, d'ye mean
To let your daughter thus insult your Queen?

King.
Insult?

Grog.
You offered me a sorry hack,
Whilst her you've placed on an Arabian's back!

King.
Not I, I never saw the beast before.

Grog.
False man, farewell.

King.
(aside)
Confound it! Here's a bore.
(to Grognon)
My duck of diamonds! (to Graciosa)
Daughter, get you down,
And give place to the partner of my crown.

Gra.
(dismounts)
Remember, sir, 'twas your command.

King.
Of course.
Now, dearest (to Grognon)
, let me help you to your horse.

Grog.
(aside)
I triumph! (to Percinet)
Sirrah, run thou by my side.

Per.
(letting go the bridle)
I wish your Majesty a pleasant ride!

The moment Percinet lets go the bridle, the horse starts off with the Duchess, she screaming and holding on by the mane.
Chorus—“The Tank.”
King and Chorus.
Catch him! stop him! Zounds! what a pace he goes,
Sure he'll frighten her into fits.
Ah me—there see—down she is upon her nose!
Pick her up—she must be broke to bits.

King.
Oh, the sad, the terrible calamity!
Such a scurvy trick of fate was really never known,
Just as we were all in peace and amity,
And I with her had shared my crown, to go and crack her own!

Gentlemen, Guards, &c., who have rushed out, re-enter, bringing in the Duchess, very much dilapidated, in a chair.
King.
Revive, my treasure! live, my precious life!
But for an hour or so to be my wife!
You wouldn't die and leave me—nothing? No!
You'll make your will, at least, before you go.
Oh, speak one word; just name me your sole heir!
She don't—she won't!

Grog.
(starts up and points to Graciosa)
Seize on that traitress there.

King.
She lives! she speaks! and we may yet be married.

Grog.
(more furiously to Guards)
Seize her, I say! (Guards seize her)


Gra.
(to Grognon)
By rage too far you're carried.
(to King)
Will you behold your daughter treated so, sir?

Grog.
Aye, or we part for ever.

King.
(aside)
That's a poser!

Grog.
D'ye hesitate? Farewell, I'll marry no man!

King.
Hold! I'm a father! but I'll be a Roman!
Be justice done on my unhappy child;
The sword is in your hands, but draw it mild.

Chorus
—“Diamans de la Couronne.”

Solo.
Gra.

Chorus.

Closed in by