University of Virginia Library

Scene Sixth.

—The Steel Castle of the Yellow Dwarf and Enchanted Gardens—Allfair, still insensible, is reclining on a couch of flowers, and the Yellow Dwarf is standing at her side, gazing upon her.
Dwarf.
“Sleep, that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care,”
Has most completely sewed up fair Allfair;
Tacked her sweet lips together, and pretended
To darn a pair of eyes that can't be mended.
So much their brilliancy my soul bewitches,
I am afraid to cut those careful stitches
And blink again before the fiery flashes
Which have almost reduced my heart to ashes.
What, shall this heart—a marble to a foeman—
Now knuckle down at ring-taw with a woman?
No; far gone as I own it is, with shame,
I'll see it further ere I lose the game.
Let strains as magical as those of Orpheus
Gently release her from the arms of Morpheus.
How happy that chap Morpheus must be.
Would that I were Morpheus, and Morpheus me!
Then he would be a dwarf, deformed and yellow,
And I should be a much more downy fellow.

(music)
Allf.
(waking)
“What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?”

Dwarf.
I am that angel.

Allf.
(starting at sight of him)
Angel? Had'st thou said
Quite the reverse, the fact I might not question.

Dwarf.
I understand the delicate suggestion;
But with that gentleman if you're acquainted,
You'll own I'm not so black as he is painted.

Allf.
To colour o'er thy deeds thou can'st not hope.

Dwarf.
(aside)
I'll try how I am off for yellow soap.
(aloud)
Vouchsafe, divine perfection of a woman,
To give the Dwarf leave to be his own showman.

Allf.
Vouchsafe, deformed infection of an elf,
To take thy leave and go and hang thyself.

Dwarf.
By such despair I should myself accuse.

Allf.
Didst thou not kill the king I chose to choose?

Dwarf.
I'm not aware of it: but put the case,
I only sent him to a better place.

Allf.
Thou art unfit for any place but one,
That I could name—

Dwarf.
Don't—it is never done
To ears polite. But say I did the act;
You an accomplice were, before the fact.

Allf.
You'll have some pains to prove that, I suspect.

Dwarf.
Thy beauty was the cause of that effect.

Allf.
If I thought so, I'd spoil it in a trice.

Dwarf.
I couldn't let you, ma'am, at any price.
To scratch those cheeks would be a crime most scrubby.
He who bereft thee, lady, of thy hubby,
Did it to help thee to a spouse more proper.

Allf.
Where is he?

Dwarf.
Here.

Allf.
Well, if that ain't a whopper
I never heard one, and shan't while I live.

Dwarf.
If thy revengeful heart cannot forgive,
Lo, here I lend thee this sharp-pointed sword,
And humbly beg my death.

(kneeling)
Allf.
(taking the sword)
Upon your word?

Dwarf.
Aye; do not pause I cribbed your mother's cake,
But then I stole it only for your sake.
(Allfair gives him a poke with the sword, but it does not pierce him)
Go it again! I floored King Meliodorus,
But 'twas your face made me so indecorus.
(she gives him another poke, without effect, and then flings the sword down)
Why drop the sword?

Allf.
The deuce is in his luck,—
I try to stick him and he won't be stuck.

Dwarf.
Take up the sword again, or take up me.

Allf.
You are much sharper than your sword, I see.
What is the reason through I haven't thrusted you?

Dwarf.
(rising)
Because you can't—or I should not have trusted you.
You don't think such a fool I could have been?
I'm jolly yellow, but not jolly green.
This sword a fairy for my father made;
No cutler ever knew so keen a blade;
A better tempered weapon cannot be,—
It makes a point of never hurting me!
With plates of the same steel I've faced yon walls,
Which, by a magic light that on them falls,
Like burning glasses can reduce to tinder
The ragamuffin whose approach I'd hinder.
Once in these groves you cannot leave 'em; so
If you attempt it, you'll find it's no go.
Then make your mind up like a girl of sense,
And marry me at once.

Allf.
On no pretence.

Dwarf.
I will surround you with all pomps and joys,
And thou wilt have no end of yellow boys.

Allf.
Go, get along to Old Virginny—do,
And find some yellow girl to marry you;
To Meliodorus I'll be true for ever.

Dwarf.
(aside)
That name gives me a fit of yellow fever.
Ha! could I make her fancy him untrue,
I might give her the yellow fever too;
I'll try a spell that ne'er to fail was known,
And raise some spirits that may raise my own.
(aloud)
What if your Meliodorus should deceive you?

Allf.
Though you should swear it, I would not believe you.

Dwarf.
He has done so.

Allf.
You jest!

Dwarf.
I'm not so jocular.

Allf.
Give me some proof he has.

Dwarf.
You shall have ocular.
Music—He waves his hand—The trees open, and discover the form of the King of the Gold Mines kneeling at the feet of a beautiful Nymph.
Behold your faithless lover on his knees
To something like a beauty, if you please!

Allf.
Start eyes! stern creditors, from out your sockets,
And strike against my bankrupt heart your dockets.
But no! I doubt this proof, though 'tis autoptical!
Such base delusion can be only optical;
Some wicked trick contrived my mind to trouble,—
Some juggling stereoscope that shews his double.

Dwarf.
Right, but you know that stereoscopic cases
Are made to shew up folks with double faces.
She is so much more beautiful than you,
You cannot doubt.

Allf.
Oh, now I see 'tis true!
For the gay bold-faced baggage smiles on me,
And points at him for hers!

Dwarf.
(aside)
It works, I see—
With yellow she's completely overcast,
To this complexion she has come at last.

(he waves his hand—Tableau disappears)
Allf.
Gone? Let this hour be henceforth marked with black,
And stand accursed in the almanack!
Oh, give me death by anything but slow means.

Dwarf.
But you are satisfied?

Allf.
No—not by no means.

Dwarf.
Take vengeance on him by rewarding me.

Allf.
That would be with a vengeance—certainly.
No, though he's treated me so very sadly,
I'm not a going to behave so badly.

Dwarf.
Ha! Flour of sulphur! what prevents my taking you
At your own word, and an example making you
Of all who would the Yellow Dwarf defy?
Answer me.

Allf.
I don't know.

Dwarf.
No more do I.
My head spins like a top—my sight grows hazy!
'Twixt love and rage this girl will drive me crazy!

Duet—Dwarf and Allfair—“Norma.”
Dwarf.
In my power at last I hold you,
Just exactly as I told you.
You must wed me.

Allf.
No, I shan't, sir!

Dwarf.
But I'll make you.

Allf.
You can't, sir!
Hear me!
Spite of all we've seen before us,
Here I swear that I will never
Marry any, save Meliodorus!
So to make me you'd be clever.

Dwarf.
This the last time is of asking—
You'll repent it if you refuse me.

Allf.
All your power it would be tasking,
Still more cruelly to use me.
I defy you—I detest you!
This true heart you cannot shake!

Dwarf.
In my bank then I invest you,
Till more interest I can make.

At a sign from the Dwarf the bank of roses on which Allfair was discovered at the opening of the scene, changes into a rock and encloses her—The scene changes to