You always found that knight, ha, ha!
That celebrated, Cultivated, Underrated n.o.bleman, The Duke of Plaza-Toro!
DUKE. When, to evade Destruction"s hand, To hide they all proceeded, No soldier in that gallant band Hid half as well as he did.
He lay concealed throughout the war, And so preserved his gore, O!
That unaffected, Undetected, Well-connected Warrior, The Duke of Plaza-Toro!
ALL. In every doughty deed, ha, ha!
He always took the lead, ha, ha!
That unaffected, Undetected, Well-connected Warrior, The Duke of Plaza-Toro!
DUKE. When told that they would all be shot Unless they left the service, That hero hesitated not, So marvellous his nerve is.
He sent his resignation in, The first of all his corps, O!
That very knowing, Overflowing, Easy-going Paladin, The Duke of Plaza-Toro!
ALL. To men of grosser clay, ha, ha!
He always showed the way, ha, ha!
That very knowing, Overflowing, Easy-going Paladin, The Duke of Plaza-Toro!
(Exeunt Duke and d.u.c.h.ess into Grand Ducal Palace. As soon as they have disappeared, Luiz and Casilda rush to each other"s arms.)
RECITATIVE AND DUET--CASILDA AND LUIZ.
O rapture, when alone together Two loving hearts and those that bear them May join in temporary tether, Though Fate apart should rudely tear them.
CAS. Necessity, Invention"s mother, Compelled me to a course of feigning-- But, left alone with one another, I will atone for my disdaining!
AIR
CAS. Ah, well-beloved, Mine angry frown Is but a gown That serves to dress My gentleness!
LUIZ. Ah, well-beloved, Thy cold disdain, It gives no pain-- "Tis mercy, played In masquerade!
BOTH. Ah, well-beloved, etc.
CAS. O Luiz, Luiz--what have you said? What have I done?
What have I allowed you to do?
LUIZ. Nothing, I trust, that you will ever have reason to repent. (Offering to embrace her.) CAS. (withdrawing from him). Nay, Luiz, it may not be. I have embraced you for the last time.
LUIZ (amazed). Casilda!
CAS. I have just learnt, to my surprise and indignation, that I was wed in babyhood to the infant son of the King of Barataria!
LUIZ. The son of the King of Barataria? The child who was stolen in infancy by the Inquisition?
CAS. The same. But, of course, you know his story.
LUIZ. Know his story? Why, I have often told you that my mother was the nurse to whose charge he was entrusted!
CAS. True. I had forgotten. Well, he has been discovered, and my father has brought me here to claim his hand.
LUIZ. But you will not recognize this marriage? It took place when you were too young to understand its import.
CAS. Nay, Luiz, respect my principles and cease to torture me with vain entreaties. Henceforth my life is another"s.
LUIZ. But stay--the present and the future--they are another"s; but the past--that at least is ours, and none can take it from us. As we may revel in naught else, let us revel in that!
CAS. I don"t think I grasp your meaning.
LUIZ. Yet it is logical enough. You say you cease to love me?
CAS. (demurely). I say I may not love you.
LUIZ. Ah, but you do not say you did not love me?
CAS. I loved you with a frenzy that words are powerless to express--and that but ten brief minutes since!
LUIZ. Exactly. My own--that is, until ten minutes since, my own--my lately loved, my recently adored--tell me that until, say a quarter of an hour ago, I was all in all to thee!
(Embracing her.) CAS. I see your idea. It"s ingenious, but don"t do that.
(Releasing herself.) LUIZ. There can be no harm in revelling in the past.
CAS. None whatever, but an embrace cannot be taken to act retrospectively.
LUIZ. Perhaps not!
CAS. We may recollect an embrace--I recollect many--but we must not repeat them.
LUIZ. Then let us recollect a few! (A moment"s pause, as they recollect, then both heave a deep sigh.) LUIZ. Ah, Casilda, you were to me as the sun is to the earth!
CAS. A quarter of an hour ago?
LUIZ. About that.
CAS. And to think that, but for this miserable discovery, you would have been my own for life!
LUIZ. Through life to death--a quarter of an hour ago!
CAS. How greedily my thirsty ears would have drunk the golden melody of those sweet words a quarter--well, it"s now about twenty minutes since. (Looking at her watch.) LUIZ. About that. In such a matter one cannot be too precise.
CAS. And now our love, so full of life, is but a silent, solemn memory!
LUIZ. Must it be so, Casilda?
CAS. Luiz, it must be so!
DUET--CASILDA and LUIZ.
LUIZ. There was a time-- A time for ever gone--ah, woe is me!
It was no crime To love but thee alone--ah, woe is me!
One heart, one life, one soul, One aim, one goal-- Each in the other"s thrall, Each all in all, ah, woe is me!
BOTH. Oh, bury, bury--let the grave close o"er The days that were--that never will be more!
Oh, bury, bury love that all condemn, And let the whirlwind mourn its requiem!
CAS. Dead as the last year"s leaves-- As gathered flowers--ah, woe is me!
Dead as the garnered sheaves, That love of ours--ah, woe is me!
Born but to fade and die When hope was high, Dead and as far away As yesterday!--ah, woe is me!
BOTH. Oh, bury, bury--let the grave close o"er, etc.
(Re-enter from the Ducal Palace the Duke and d.u.c.h.ess, followed by Don Alhambra del Bolero, the Grand Inquisitor.)
DUKE. My child, allow me to present to you His Distinction Don Alhambra del Bolero, the Grand Inquisitor of Spain. It was His Distinction who so thoughtfully abstracted your infant husband and brought him to Venice.
DON AL. So this is the little lady who is so unexpectedly called upon to a.s.sume the functions of Royalty! And a very nice little lady, too!
DUKE. Jimp, isn"t she?
DON AL. Distinctly jimp. Allow me! (Offers his hand. She turns away scornfully.) Naughty temper!
DUKE. You must make some allowance. Her Majesty"s head is a little turned by her access of dignity.
DON AL. I could have wished that Her Majesty"s access of dignity had turned it in this direction.
DUCH. Unfortunately, if I am not mistaken, there appears to be some little doubt as to His Majesty"s whereabouts.
CAS. (aside). A doubt as to his whereabouts? Then we may yet be saved!
DON AL. A doubt? Oh dear, no--no doubt at all! He is here, in Venice, plying the modest but picturesque calling of a gondolier. I can give you his address--I see him every day! In the entire annals of our history there is absolutely no circ.u.mstance so entirely free from all manner of doubt of any kind whatever! Listen, and I"ll tell you all about it.
SONG--DON ALHAMBRA (with DUKE, d.u.c.h.eSS, CASILDA, and LUIZ).
I stole the Prince, and I brought him here, And left him gaily prattling With a highly respectable gondolier, Who promised the Royal babe to rear, And teach him the trade of a timoneer With his own beloved bratling.
Both of the babes were strong and stout, And, considering all things, clever.