University of Virginia Library

Scene Third.

—The Whispering Gallery.
Enter Florina.
Flor.
Air—Florina—“Pretty Mocking Bird”—Bishop.

Enter Valet de Chambre.
Val.
Holloa, young woman, are you taken poorly?
Were you not cautioned, ere you came this hall in,
That it was not a place to shout or squall in?
What do you think his Majesty would say,
If he should hear you?

Flor.
If! alack the day!
Has he not heard me, then?

Val.
'Tis well for you
I gave him his composing draught at two.

Flor.
Composing draught!

Val.
A potent preparation,
To calm down his great nervous irritation.
It locks him so fast in the arms of Morpheus,
To move him I defy the strains of Orpheus.

Flor.
Alas! that's not at all the way to cure him;
I know a charm that would relief ensure him—
And if you choose, your fortune it would make.

Val.
My fortune? tell it me, for goodness sake!

Flor.
D'ye see these bracelets!

(producing the bracelets given her by the Blue Bird)
Val.
Yes, to my surprise!
They're made of emeralds of the largest size!

Flor.
They're yours, on one condition.

Val.
Name it quickly!

Flor.
That you obey my orders very strictly;
Don't give the King his sleeping draught to-night,
And let him of these bracelets get a sight.

Val.
But if the King his medicine doesn't take,
As sure as fate, he will be wide awake.

Flor.
Exactly! And will bless the new physician,
Who made him wide awake to his position.

Val.
Give me the bracelets, I the risk will run.

Flor.
It is a bargain, then?

Val.
Conclude it done.
(Exit Valet)

Enter Queen, King Henpeckt, Attendants.
Flor.
The Queen! 'tis well, she comes upon a wish!

Queen.
Girl, have you got another pretty dish
To set before a king, at the same price?

Flor.
I have, and you shall see it in a trice.
(aside)
Oh, my last egg, in you my hopes are cradled,
I shall go smash, if you should turn out addled.
(cracks the egg—A silver goose appears sitting in a golden nest)
There, madam, that's a very curious bird,
Of which perhaps the history you've heard.

King.
Why, it's a goose, as sure as—

Queen.
You're another!

Flor.
This goose is that which gave the name of mother
To the old fairy in the children's books.

King.
The Mother Goose's goose! why then, odzooks
It can lay golden eggs.

Queen.
(aside to him)
You cackling gander,
You'll drive me crazy with your blund'ring candour!
What stuff! this bird's of metal, I should say.

Flor.
Of course, or metal eggs how could it lay?

King.
To think that story's been told o'er and o'er,
And no one ever thought of that before!

Queen.
You wouldn't have me credit such a fable?

Flor.
Here is a sample, new laid on the table.

King.
She reports progress to the house, 'tis plain,
And for the goose, asks leave to sit again.

Flor.
Exactly, sir, I'd with this gift requite
The privilege of staying here all night.

King.
As she's in petticoats who so beseeches,
She can't of privilege commit great breaches.

Queen.
(aside)
The girl's an idiot—well, so much the better!
On such terms the whole palace I would let her—
More by this wondrous goose I shall by far gain,
Than by the blackbird pie. (aloud)
Well, it's a bargain.
(to King)
This goose I'll draw on to a large amount,
And straight at Gosling's open an account.

King.
(to Queen)
This bird is of the Californian breed,
And would, to eat, be very rich, indeed.
With common ones let's try the breed to cross,
And dine on silver geese, with golden pippin sauce!

Queen.
(to Florina)
Good night!

Flor.
(aside)
I almost feared she smelt a rat!

Queen.
Take the goose in!

Flor.
(aside)
I hope I have done that!

(Exeunt King, Queen, and Attendants—Florina remains. Scene closes)