DR. D. (aside to Mrs. Partlet) Dear me, you pain me very much. Is she delicate?
MRS. P. Oh no, sir--I don"t mean that--but young girls look to get married.
DR. D. Oh, I take you. To be sure. But there"s plenty of time for that. Four or five years hence, Mrs. Partlet, four or five years hence. But when the time does come, I shall have much pleasure in marrying her myself-- CONST. (aside) Oh, mother!
DR. D. To some strapping young fellow in her own rank of life.
CONST. (in tears) He does not love me!
MRS. P. I have often wondered, reverend sir (if you"ll excuse the liberty), that you have never married.
DR. D. (aside) Be still, my fluttering heart!
MRS. P. A clergyman"s wife does so much good in a village.
besides that, you are not as young as you were, and before very long you will want somebody to nurse you, and look after your little comforts.
DR. D. Mrs. Partlet, there is much truth in what you say.
I am indeed getting on in years, and a helpmate would cheer my declining days. Time was when it might have been; but I have left it too long--I am an old fogy, now, am I not, my dear? (to Constance)--a very old fogy, indeed. Ha! ha! No, Mrs. Partlet, my mind is quite made up. I shall live and die a solitary old bachelor.
CONST. Oh, mother, mother! (Sobs on Mrs. Partlet"s bosom) MRS. P. Come, come, dear one, don"t fret. At a more fitting time we will try again--we will try again.
(Exeunt Mrs. Partlet and Constance.)
DR. D. (looking after them) Poor little girl! I"m afraid she has something on her mind. She is rather comely. Time was when this old heart would have throbbed in double-time at the sight of such a fairy form! But tush! I am puling! Here comes the young Alexis with his proud and happy father. Let me dry this tell-tale tear!
Enter Sir Marmaduke and Alexis
RECITATIVE
DR. D. Sir Marmaduke--my dear young friend, Alexis-- On this most happy, most auspicious plighting-- Permit me as a true old friend to tender My best, my very best congratulations!
SIR M. Sir, you are most obleeging!
ALEX. Dr. Daly My dear old tutor, and my valued pastor, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
(Spoken through music) DR. D. May fortune bless you! may the middle distance Of your young life be pleasant as the foreground-- The joyous foreground! and, when you have reached it, May that which now is the far-off horizon (But which will then become the middle distance), In fruitful promise be exceeded only By that which will have opened, in the meantime, Into a new and glorious horizon!
SIR M. Dear Sir, that is an excellent example Of an old school of stately compliment To which I have, through life, been much addicted.
Will you obleege me with a copy of it, In clerkly ma.n.u.script, that I myself May use it on appropriate occasions?
DR. D. Sir, you shall have a fairly-written copy Ere Sol has sunk into his western slumbers!
(Exit Dr. Daly)
SIR M. (to Alexis, who is in a reverie) Come, come, my son--your fiancee will be here in five minutes. Rouse yourself to receive her.
ALEXIS Oh rapture!
SIR M. Yes, you are a fortunate young fellow, and I will not disguise from you that this union with the House of Sangazure realizes my fondest wishes. Aline is rich, and she comes of a sufficiently old family, for she is the seven thousand and thirty-seventh in direct descent from Helen of Troy. True, there was a blot on the escutcheon of that lady--that affair with Paris--but where is the family, other than my own, in which there is no flaw? You are a lucky fellow, sir--a very lucky fellow!
ALEXIS Father, I am welling over with limpid joy! No sicklying taint of sorrow overlies the lucid lake of liquid love, upon which, hand in hand, Aline and I are to float into eternity!
SIR M. Alexis, I desire that of your love for this young lady you do not speak so openly. You are always singing ballads in praise of her beauty, and you expect the very menials who wait behind your chair to chorus your ecstasies. It is not delicate.
ALEXIS Father, a man who loves as I love-- SIR M. Pooh pooh, sir! fifty years ago I madly loved your future mother-in-law, the Lady Sangazure, and I have reason to believe that she returned my love. But were we guilty of the indelicacy of publicly rushing into each other"s arms, exclaiming--
"Oh, my adored one!" "Beloved boy!"
"Ecstatic rapture!" "Unmingled joy!"
which seems to be the modern fashion of love-making? No! it was "Madam, I trust you are in the enjoyment of good health"--"Sir, you are vastly polite, I protest I am mighty well"--and so forth.
Much more delicate--much more respectful. But see--Aline approaches--let us retire, that she may compose herself for the interesting ceremony in which she is to play so important a part.
(Exeunt Sir Marmaduke and Alexis.)
(Enter Aline on terrace, preceded by Chorus of Girls.)
CHORUS OF GIRLS
With heart and with voice Let us welcome this mating: To the youth of her choice, With a heart palpitating, Comes the lovely Aline!
May their love never cloy!
May their bliss me unbounded!
With a halo of joy May their lives be surrounded!
Heaven bless our Aline!
RECITATIVE--ALINE.
My kindly friends, I thank you for this greeting And as you wish me every earthly joy, I trust your wishes may have quick fulfillment!
ARIA--ALINE.
Oh, happy young heart!
Comes thy young lord a-wooing With joy in his eyes, And pride in his breast-- Make much of thy prize, For he is the best That ever came a-suing.
Yet--yet we must part, Young heart!
Yet--yet we must part!
Oh, merry young heart, Bright are the days of thy wooing!
But happier far The days untried-- No sorrow can mar, When love has tied The knot there"s no undoing.
Then, never to part, Young heart!
Then, never to part!
Enter Lady Sangazure
RECITATIVE--LADY S.
My child, I join in these congratulations: Heed not the tear that dims this aged eye!
Old memories crowd upon me. Though I sorrow, "Tis for myself, Aline, and not for thee!
Enter Alexis, preceded by Chorus of Men
CHORUS OF MEN AND WOMEN
With heart and with voice Let us welcome this mating; To the maid of his choice, With a heart palpitating, Comes Alexis, the brave!.
(Sir Marmaduke enters. Lady Sangazure and he exhibit signs of strong emotion at the sight of each other which they endeavor to repress. Alexis and Aline rush into each other"s arms.)
RECITATIVE
ALEXIS Oh, my adored one!
ALINE Beloved boy!
ALEXIS Ecstatic rapture!
ALINE Unmingled joy!
(They retire up.)
DUET--SIR MARMADUKE and LADY SANGAZURE
SIR M. (with stately courtesy) Welcome joy, adieu to sadness!
As Aurora gilds the day, So those eyes, twin orbs of gladness, Chase the clouds of care away.