To blighted love's distracting woes! A thorough-paced absurdity, explain it if you can!

Thy sh.e.l.l-like ears, ah, do not close Now is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?

To blighted love's distracting woes! A thorough-paced absurdity, explain it if you can!

To love's, to love's distracting woes! Explain, explain it if you can!

love's woes! you can!

ELLA, SAPHIR, ANGELA, JANE MAIDENS

Oh, list while we our love confess Oh, list while we a love confess That words imperfectly express. That words imperfectly express.

Thy sh.e.l.l-like ears, ah, do not close Those sh.e.l.l-like ears, ah, do not close To love's distracting woes! To love's distracting woes!

Thy sh.e.l.l-like ears, ah, do not close Those sh.e.l.l-like ears, ah, do not close To blighted love's distracting woes! To blighted love's distracting woes!

Thy sh.e.l.l-like ears, ah, do not close Those sh.e.l.l-like ears, ah, do not close To blighted love's distracting woes! To blighted love's distracting woes!

To love's, to love's distracting woes! To love's, to love's distracting love's woes woes! love's woes!

BUNTHORNE MAJOR and COLONEL

My jealousy I can't express, My jealousy I can't express, Their love they openly confess. Their love they openly confess.

His sh.e.l.l-like ears he does not close His sh.e.l.l-like ears he does not close To love's distracting woes! To love's distracting woes!

His sh.e.l.l-like ears he does not close Now is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?

To blighted love's distracting A thorough-paced absurdity, woes! explain it if you can!

His sh.e.l.l-like ears he does not close Now is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?

To blighted love's distracting A thorough-paced absurdity, woes! explain it if you can!

To love's, to love's distracting woes! Explain, explain it if you can!

love's woes! you can!

GROSVENOR MALE CHORUS

Again my cursed comeliness Oh, list while they a love confess Spreads hopeless anguish and That words imperfectly express.

distress; Thine ears, oh, Fortune, do not close His sh.e.l.l-like ears He does not close To love's distracting woes! To love's distracting woes!

My sh.e.l.l-like ears I can not close Now is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?

To blighted love's distracting A thorough-paced absurdity, woes! explain it if you can!

My sh.e.l.l-like ears I can not close Now is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?

To blighted love's distracting A thorough-paced absurdity, woes! explain it if you can!

To love's, to love's distracting woes! Explain, explain it if you can!

love's woes! you can!

[GROSVENOR makes a wild effort to escape up-stage; the GIRLS drag him back and kneel as the curtain falls.]

END OF ACT I

ACT II

[SCENE -- A wooded glade, with a view of open country in the background. The chorus of MAIDENS is heard singing in the distance. JANE is discovered leaning on a violoncello, which she has propped up on a tree-stump, L., and upon which she will presently accompany herself. As the Chorus ends, she speaks.]

No. 10. On such eyes as maidens cherish (Opening Chorus)

Maidens

On such eyes as maidens cherish Lest thy fond adorers gaze, Or incontinently perish, In their all-consuming rays!

Or incontinently perish, In their all-consuming rays!

JANE The fickle crew have deserted Reginald and sworn allegiance to his rival, and all, forsooth, because he has glanced with pa.s.sing favour on a puling milkmaid! Fools! Of that fancy he will soon weary -- and then, I, who alone am faithful to him, shall reap my reward. But do not dally too long, Reginald, for my charms are ripe, Reginald, and already they are decaying.

Better secure me ere I have gone too far!

No. 11. Sad is that woman's lot (Recitative and Solo) Jane

JANE Sad is that woman's lot who, year by year, Sees, one by one, her beauties disappear, When Time, grown weary of her heart-drawn sighs, Impatiently begins to dim her eyes!

Compelled, at last, in life's uncertain gloamings, To wreathe her wrinkled brow with well-saved "combings,"

Reduced, with rouge, lip-shade, and pearly grey, To "make up" for lost time as best she may!

Silvered is the raven hair, Spreading is the parting straight, Mottled the complexion fair, Halting is the youthful gait, Hollow is the laughter free, Spectacled the limpid eye, Little will be left of me In the coming bye and bye!

Little will be left of me In the coming bye and bye!

Fading is the taper waist, Shapeless grows the shapely limb, And although severely laced, Spreading is the figure trim!

Stouter than I used to be, Still more corpulent grow I-- There will be too much of me In the coming by and bye!

There will be too much of me In the coming by and bye!

[Exit, L., carrying her violoncello.]

[Enter GROSVENOR, R., followed by MAIDENS, two and two, playing on archaic instruments as in Act I. He is reading abstractedly, as BUNTHORNE did in Act I, and pays no attention to them.]

No. 12. Turn, oh, turn in this direction (Chorus) Maidens

Turn, oh, turn in this direction, Shed, oh, shed a gentle smile, With a glance of sad perfection, Our poor fainting hearts beguile!

On such eyes as maidens cherish Let thy fond adorers gaze, Or incontinently perish, In their all-consuming rays!

Or incontinently perish, In their all-consuming rays!

[GROSVENOR sits, R.; they group themselves around him in a formation similar to that which opens Act I.]

GROS. [aside, not looking up] The old, old tale. How rapturously these maidens love me, and how hopelessly! [He looks up.] Oh, Patience, Patience, with the love of thee in my heart, what have I for these poor mad maidens but an unvalued pity?

Alas, they will die of hopeless love for me, as I shall die of hopeless love for thee!

ANGELA Sir, will it please you read to us?

GROS. [sighing] Yes, child, if you will. What shall I read?

ANGELA One of your own poems.

GROS. One of my own poems? Better not, my child. They will not cure thee of thy love. [All sigh.]