University of Virginia Library

Scene III.

—Market-place at Presburg, with fair going on. Justice Hall.—Crowd of nobles, peasants, gipsies, &c. Slow music, to which enters Count Arnheim, R. U. E., followed by Florestein (who carries a small umbrella), and Rudolph. The Count's whole appearance is suggestive of exaggerated sorrow.
Count.
It's very strange, but since that fatal day,
When Arline from my arms was whipped away,
There have elapsed, exactly, as I've reckoned,
Twelve years, two months, one day, (looks at watch)
and half a second!
(to followers)
Haven't I quite convinced you of my woe?
Doesn't slow music play where e'er I go?
Haven't I flown into tremendous rages?
Haven't I cut down everybody's wages?
With measured step in public don't I walk too?
And am I not a dismal chap to talk to?
And yet, although the fates our futures sever,
Don't I love everybody more than ever?
In personal appearance altered quite,
Old age has nearly robbed me of my sight,
And as I'm paradoxically told
I see no longer, now that I be'old.
Ain't I a damper in the strictest sense?

All.
You are.

Count.
All right, then let the sports commence!

Solo and chorus—Count Arnheim.
Air—“Voici le Sabre.”
Count.
Tea in the arbour I'll prepare,
Cake, shrimps, and water cresses too;
Though yon may quarrel with your fare,
It will not disagree with you.
When I was quite a little kiddy,
A con-siderable time ago,
My mother, then a lovely widdy,
Used always for to feed me so.
Tea in the arbour—the arbour—the arbour,
Tea in the arbour—the arbour, I'll prepare!
Chorus—
Tea in arbour, &c., &c., &c.

(During the chorus two ordinary chop-house waiters appear at the back, R. and L., each carrying a tray of tea things, which he holds up in the air, after the manner of Nepomuc with the sabre in the “Grande Duchesse.” They come down and hand refreshments to the people).
Grand Ballet of Gipsies. At its conclusion the Queen of the Gipsies enters, followed by gipsies and populace.
Queen.
Walk up, walk up, walk up. At once apply;
The pretty gipsy's going to prophecy
This is the mystic Sybil from Cremorne.
Give your age, she'll say when you were born;
Inversely, too, she's so extremely sage;
Tell her when you were born, she'll tell your age.
This gifted creature can with surety say
If we had pleasant weather yesterday;
She'll even tell—her art you'd better borrow—
What kind of weather it may be to-morrow:
She can inform you, from her learning's stock,
What month comes next, and also what's o'clock;
A living essence, she, for weak digestions,
Of Pinnock, Walkingame, and Mangnall's Questions!

Enter Arline, dancing and singing.
Trio—Count, Arline, Flor.
Air—“Come, lasses and lads.”
Arl.
Perhaps you're aware I'm a Zingara fair;
And I come from my Norwood glades.

Count.
The love I bear to my race, I swear,
Extends to gipsy maids.

Flor.
It's a popple-y wopple-y wing,
And a pickle-y, ickle-y sing!

Count.
It's a tiddle-y, iddle-y, popple-y, wopple-y
Pickle-y, ickle-y sing!

All.
It's a tiddle-y, &c., &c., &c.

Flor.
Oh, say shall I marry a maiden fair,
Who money and lands will bring.

Arl.
Oh, please believe that I can't conceive
A more unlikely thing!

Flor.
It's a popple-y, &c., &c., &c.

Count.
It's a tiddle-y, &c., &c., &c.

All.
It's a tiddle-y, &c., &c., &c.

Flor.
Come, ply your trade—we'll listen to your talk.

Arl.
Well, then, attend—if you should ever walk
Beneath a ladder, which to do were plucky—
And some one falls on you,—why, that's unlucky!
(To Count.)
Remember this—if ever to a friend
Your new umbrella you should rashly lend,
E'en though it only be the road to cross—
That means you'll soon experience a loss!
Count crosses over to Florestein, takes the umbrella from him, and exit into Justice Hall.
(to a Retainer.)
To bring a friend to dine once in your life,
When a cold dinner's furnished by your wife;
By whom your friend is unexpected quite;
That signifies—no sleep for you that night.

Flor.
Haw! very good!

Queen.
Skilled are our clever band at it.
It isn't difficult.

Flor.
I'll try my hand at it.
(with meaning to Arline.)
When one appropriates what isn't his'n,
It signifies, when caught, he'll go to pris'n;
And though my prophecy refers to “he,”
The same remark holds good if it's a “she.”

Arl.
Whatever do you mean?

Flor.
Well, then, in fine,
That silver medal on your neck is mine! (all start.)

A dozen friends who round me now are rally'in,
With this medallion have seen me dallyin'.

Arl.
Oh, nonsense, sir, the thing you've never seen,
'Twas given me last night.

All.
By whom?

Arl.
Our Queen!
She will the statement that the toy is mine,
Be verifyin'.

Queen.
Oh, that's very fine!
Take her away, it's not the least use showing it,
It's evident, my dear, that you've been going it.
(Rudolph and Guards seize Arline)
That's an old hand, my dear, that there you've got,
I never could abide her, though my lot
With her to be associated, fated me.

Arl.
There now, I always said as how she hated me.

Thad.
(entering)
Why what's all this? my Arline in a strait?

Arl.
Oh, Thaddeus, I'm, alas, in danger great;
They say I've stolen this!

Thad.
Our Queen, I know,
Gave her that medal just six hours ago.

(looks at watch.)
Flor.
Why, that's my watch!

Arl.
Oh, you're in error quite,
'Twas given him by Devilshoof, last night.

Thad.
Yes, here he is, he'll speak to that, I'm sure.

Devil
(entering).
I never see the gentleman before.

Off.
I saw the robbery, they'll both be rueing it,
(aside to Flor.)
How many shall I swear I saw a doing it?

Flor.
These two.

Off.
Come on—of all thieves you're the worst.

Thad.
A thief? I'd go into the workhouse first,
On skilly and on toke my body charishing.

Off.
Come now, dis parish don't you be disparishing,
Come, there's the Justice Hall, your case the fust is.

Arl.
Is that the Hall of Justice?

Off.
Yes, it just is.

Quintette—Arline—Thaddeus—Queen—Devilshoof— and Florestien.
Air, from “Ernani Quadrilles,” p. 4.
Arl.
Oh, please; oh, please to let me go—to let me go—to let me go;
A grain of mercy, please to show,
To the pickle-y sing!

Thad.
This dreadful day you'll surely rue—you'll surely rue—you'll surely rue,
Upon my word, I never knew
Such a terrible thing!

Flor.
Away, away,

(p. 5.)

Rudolf.
Whatever you say, whatever you say,

(bis)

Queen.
To her doom,

(p. 4.)

To her doom, the tomb!
Take her off to her doom,
Her doom—the tomb—her doom—her terrible doom.

Devil.
I assume,
The tomb will loom,
When they show her her doom—the tomb!
Her doom—the terrible tomb!

All.
Oh! please, oh, please to let me/her go, &c., &c.

Air—Change to Crescendo Galop.
Arl.
Mussy, mussy, mussy, mussy! Vainly, vainly I implore!

Flor.
Hussy, hussy, hussy, hussy! Oft in custody before.

Thad.
(to Queen)
Cussy, cussy, cussy, cussy! on your noddle I'll ensure.

Queen.
Pooh, pooh, pooh, pooh, pooh, pooh, pooh, pooh!

Devil.
When her lot I have got in a knot with my plot,
I'll be trot, trot, trot, trot, trotting!

Queen.
But not to your cot, for I wot it's a spot,
They'll be jot, jot, jot, jot, jotting.

Thad.
Spare her, spare her. spare her, pray!

Flor.
Bear her, bear her, hence, away!

All.
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do.

Queen., Flor., Devil.
Pooh, pooh, pooh, &c., &c., &c.

All.
Mussy, mussy, mussy, vainly, vainly,
She'll implore, &c., &c, &c.

(Arline and Thaddeus are taken into custody, picture, and Scene closes in.)