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LISA （curtseying）。
Though malcontents abuse you；
We're much distressed to lose you！
You were； when you were living；
So liberal； so forgiving！
BERTHA。 So merciful； so gentle！
So highly ormamental！
OLGA。 And now that you've departed；
You leave us broken…hearted！
ALL （pretending to weep）。 Yes； truly； truly； truly； truly
Truly broken…hearted！
Ha！ ha！ ha！ ha！ ha！ ha！ （Mocking him。）
RUD。 （furious）。 Rapscallions； in penitential fires；
You'll rue the ribaldry that from you falls！
To…morrow afternoon the law expires。
And thenlook out for squalls！
＇Exit RUDOLPH； amid general
ridicule。
CHORUS。 Give thanks； give thanks to wayward fate
By mystic fortune's sway；
Our Ludwig guides the helm of State
For one delightful day！
（To LUDWIG。） We hail you； sir！
We greet you； sir！
Regale you； sir！
We treat you； sir！
Our ruler be
By fate's decree
For one delightful day！
NOT。 You've done it neatly！ Pity that your powers
Are limited to four…and…twenty hours！
LUD。 No matter； though the time will quickly run；
In hours twenty…four much may be done！
SONGLUDWIG。
Oh； a Monarch who boasts intellectual graces
Can do； if he likes； a good deal in a day
He can put all his friends in conspicuous places；
With plenty to eat and with nothing to pay！
You'll tell me； no doubt； with unpleasant grimaces；
To…morrow； deprived of your ribbons and laces；
You'll get your dismissalwith very long faces
But wait！ on that topic I've something to say！
（Dancing。） I've something to sayI've something to
sayI've something to say！
Oh； our rule shall be merryI'm not an ascetic
And while the sun shines we will get up our hay
By a pushing young Monarch； of turn energetic；
A very great deal may be done in a day！
CHORUS。 Oh； his rule will be merry； etc。
（During this； LUDWIG whispers to NOTARY； who writes。）
For instance； this measure （his ancestor drew it）；
（alluding to NOTARY）
This law against duelsto…morrow will die
The Duke will revive； and you'll certainly rue it
He'll give you 〃what for〃 and he'll let you know why！
But in twenty…four hours there's time to renew it
With a century's life I've the right to imbue it
It's easy to doand； by Jingo； I'll do it！
（Signing paper； which NOTARY presents。）
It's done！ Till I perish your Monarch am I！
Your Monarch am Iyour Monarch am Iyour Monarch am I！
Though I do not pretend to be very prophetic；
I fancy I know what you're going to say
By a pushing young Monarch； of turn energetic；
A very great deal may be done in a day！
ALL （astonished）。
Oh； it's simply uncanny； his power prophetic
It's perfectly rightwe were going to say；
By a pushing； etc。
Enter JULIA； at back。
LUD。 （recit。）。 This very afternoonat two （about）
The Court appointments will be given out。
To each and all （for that was the condition）
According to professional position！
ALL。 Hurrah！
JULIA （coming forward）。 According to professional position？
LUD。 According to professional position！
JULIA Then； horror！
ALL。 Why； what's the matter？ What's the matter？ What's the
matter ？
SONGJULIA。 （LISA clinging to her。）
Ah； pity me； my comrades true；
Who love； as well I know you do；
This gentle child；
To me so fondly dear！
ALL。 Why； what's the matter？
JULIA Our sister love so true and deep
From many an eye unused to weep
Hath oft beguiled
The coy reluctant tear！
ALL。 Why； what's the matter？
JULIA Each sympathetic heart 'twill bruise
When you have heard the frightful news
（O will it not？）
That I must now impart！
ALL。 Why； what's the matter？
JULIA。 Her love for him is all in all！
Ah； cursed fate！ that it should fall
Unto my lot
To break my darling's heart！
ALL。 Why； what's the matter？
LUD。 What means our Julia by those fateful looks？
Please do not keep us all on tenter…hooks…
Now； what's the matter？
JULIA。 Our duty； if we're wise；
We never shun。
This Spartan rule applies
To every one。
In theatres； as in life；
Each has her line
This partthe Grand Duke's wife
（Oh agony！） is mine！
A maxim new I do not start
The canons of dramatic art
Decree that this repulsive part
（The Grand Duke's wife）
Is mine！
ALL。 Oh； that's the matter！
LISA （appalled； to LUDWIG）。 Can that be so？
LUD。 I do not know
But time will show
If that be so。
CHORUS。 Can that be so？ etc。
LISA （recit。）。 Be merciful！
DUETLISA and JULIA。
LISA。 Oh； listen to me； dear
I love him only； darling！
Remember； oh； my pet；
On him my heart is set
This kindness do me； dear…
Nor leave me lonely； darling！
Be merciful； my pet；
Our love do not forget！
JULIA。 Now don't be foolish； dear
You couldn't play it； darling！
It's 〃leading business〃； pet
And you're but a soubrette。
So don't be mulish； dear…
Although I say it； darling；
It's not your line； my pet
I play that part； you bet！
I play that part
I play that part； you bet！
（LISA overwhelmed with grief。）
NOT。 The lady's right。 Though Julia's engagement
Was for the stage meant
It certainly frees Ludwig from his
Connubial promise。
Though marriage contractsor whate'er you call 'em
Are very solemn；
Dramatic contracts （which you all adore so）
Are even more so！
ALL。 That's very true！
Though marriage contracts； etc。
SONGLISA。
The die is cast；
My hope has perished！
Farewell； O Past；
Too bright to last；
Yet fondly cherished！
My light has fled；
My hope is dead；
Its doom is spoken
My day is night；
My wrong is right
In all men's sight
My heart is broken！
＇Exit
weeping。
LUD。 （recit。）。 Poor child； where will she go？ What will she
do？
JULIA。 That isn't in your part； you know。
LUD。 （sighing）。 Quite true！
（With an effort。） Depressing topics we'll not touch upon
Let us begin as we are going on！
For this will be a jolly Court； for little and for big！
ALL。 Sing hey； the jolly jinks of Pfennig Halbpfennig！
LUD。 From morn to night our lives shall be as merry as a grig！
ALL。 Sing hey； the jolly jinks of Pfennig Halbpfennig！
LUD。 All state and ceremony we'll eternally abolish
We don't mean to insist upon unnecessary polish
And； on the whole； I rather think you'll find our rule
tollolish！
ALL。 Sing hey； the jolly jinks of Pfennig Halbpfennig！
JULIA。 But stayyour new…made Court
Without a courtly coat is
We shall require
Some Court attire；
And at a moment's notice。
In clothes of common sort
Your courtiers must not grovel
Your new noblesse
Must have a dress
Original and novel！