Arac: Yes!
All 3: Devil doubt he"ll do it.
Princess: Be rea.s.sured, nor fear his anger blind, His menaces are idle as the wind.
He dares not kill you -- vengeance lurks behind!
3 Knights: We rather think he dares, but never mind!
Hildebd: I 3 Knights: rather No!
think I No!
dare, but No!
never, never mind! never never mind!
Enough of No, parley no, never nev- as a er spe- mind!
cial No!
boon. no! never, never mind!
We give you till tomorrow afternoon;
Hildebd: Release Hilarion, then, And be his bride Or you"ll incur the guilt of fratricide!
Princess: To yield at once to such a foe With shame we"re rife; So quick! away with him, although He sav"d my life!
That he is fair, and strong, and tall Is very evident to all, Yet I will die, Yet I will die, before I call myself his
Princess: All Others: wife! - --- Oh, yield at once, "twere better so, - - - --- Than risk a strife!
And let the Prince Hilarion go.
He Saved thy life!
That Hi- he is la-rion"s fair and fair, strong and and tall, strong and tall, tall, Is - - - - - - - - - - - A very worse mis- evi- for- dent to tune all, might befall.
Yet I will It"s die, will die before I call not so dreadful after all, Myself his wife! To be his wife!
Though I am but a girl Defiance thus I hurl Our banners all On outer wall We fearlessly unfurl
(The Princess stands, surrounded by girls kneeling. Hildebrand and soldiers stand on built rocks at back and sides of stage.
Picture.)
END OF ACT II
ACT III
SCENE -- Outer Walls and Courtyard of Castle Adamant. Melissa, SachaRissa, and ladies discovered, armed with battleaxes.
CHORUS "Death to the Invader!"
Chorus: Death to the invader!
Strike a deadly blow, As an old Crusader Struck his Paynim foe!
Let our martial thunder Fill his soul with wonder, Tear his ranks asunder, Lay the tyrant low!
Death to the invader!
Strike a deadly blow, As an old Crusader Struck his Paynim foe!
Melissa: Thus our courage, all untarnish"d, We"re instructed to display; But to tell the truth unvarnish"d, We are more inclined to say, "Please you, do not hurt us,"
All: "Do not hurt us, if it please you!"
Melissa: "Please you let us be."
All: "Let us be -- let us be!"
Melissa: "Soldiers disconcert us."
All: "Disconcert us, if it please you!"
Melissa: "Frighten"d maids are we!"
All: "Maids are we, maids are we!"
Melissa: Please you,
All: Do not hurt us;
Melissa: Please you,
All: Let us be.
Mel & Cho: Frighten"d maids are we, frighten"d maids are we!
Melissa: But "twould be an error To confess our terror, So in Ida"s name, Boldly we exclaim:
Mel & Cho: Death to the invader!
Strike a deadly blow, As an old Crusader Struck his Paynim foe!
(Flourish. Enter Princess, armed, attended by Blanche and Psyche.)
Princess: I like your spirit, girls! We have to meet Stern bearded warriors in fight to-day; Wear naught but what is necessary to Preserve your dignity before their eyes, And give your limbs full play.
Blanche: One moment, ma"am, Here is a paradox we should not pa.s.s Without inquiry. We are p.r.o.ne to say "This thing is Needful -- that, Superfluous"-- Yet they invariably co-exist!
We find the Needful comprehended in The circle of the grand Superfluous, Yet the Superfluous cannot be brought Unless you"re amply furnished with the Needful.
These singular considerations are--
Princess: Superfluous, yet not Needful -- so you see The terms may independently exist.
(To Ladies) Women of Adamant, we have to show That women, educated to the task, Can meet Man, face to face, on his own ground, And beat him there. Now, let us set to work; Where is our lady surgeon?
Sach.: Madam, here!
Princess: We shall require your skill to heal the wounds Of those that fall.
Sach.: (Alarmed) What, heal the wounded?