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JULIA （in a rage； to LUDWIG）。 Am I to stand this？ Am I
not
to be allowed to pull her to pieces？
LUD。 （aside to JULIA）。 No； noit isn't Greek。 Be a
violet； I beg。
BAR。 And now tell me all about this distressing
circumstance。 How did the Grand Duke die？
LUD。 He perished noblyin a Statutory Duel。
BAR。 In a Statutory Duel？ But that's only a civil
death！and the Act expires to…night； and then he will come to
life again！
LUD。 Well； no。 Anxious to inaugurate my reign by
conferring some inestimable boon on my people； I signalized this
occasion by reviving the law for another hundred years。
BAR。 For another hundred years？ Then set the merry
joybells ringing！ Let festive epithalamia resound through these
ancient halls！ Cut the satisfying sandwichbroach the
exhilarating Marsalaand let us rejoice to…day； if we never
rejoice again！
LUD。 But I don't think I quite understand。 We have
already
rejoiced a good deal。
BAR。 Happy man； you little reck of the extent of the good
things you are in for。 When you killed Rudolph you adopted all
his overwhelming responsibilities。 Know then that I； Caroline
von Krakenfeldt； am the most overwhelming of them all！
LUD。 But stop； stopI've just been married to somebody
else！
JULIA。 Yes； ma'am； to somebody else； ma'am！ Do you
understand； ma'am？ To somebody else！
BAR。 Do keep this young woman quiet； she fidgets me！
JULIA。 Fidgets you！
LUD。 （aside to JULIA）。 Be a violeta crushed； despairing
violet。
JULIA。 Do you suppose I intend to give up a magnificent
part without a struggle？
LUD。 My good girl； she has the law on her side。 Let us
both bear this calamity with resignation。 If you must struggle；
go away and struggle in the seclusion of your chamber。
SONGBARONESS and CHORUS。
Now away to the wedding we go；
So summon the charioteers
No kind of reluctance they show
To embark on their married careers。
Though Julia's emotion may flow
For the rest of her maidenly years；
ALL。 To the wedding we eagerly go；
So summon the charioteers！
Now away； etc。
（All dance off to wedding except JULIA。）
RECIT。JULIA。
So ends my dreamso fades my vision fair！
Of hope no gleamdistraction and despair！
My cherished dream； the Ducal throne to share
That aim supreme has vanished into air！
SONGJULIA。
Broken every promise plighted
All is darksomeall is dreary。
Every new…born hope is blighted！
Sad and sorryweak and weary
Death the Friend or Death the Foe；
Shall I call upon thee？ No！
I will go on living； though
Sad and sorryweak and weary！
No； no！ Let the bygone go by！
No good ever came of repining：
If to…day there are clouds o'er the sky；
To…morrow the sun may be shining！
To…morrow； be kind；
To…morrow； to me！
With loyalty blind
I curtsey to thee！
To…day is a day of illusion and sorrow；
So viva To…morrow； To…morrow； To…morrow！
God save you； To…morrow！
Your servant； To…morrow！
God save you； To…morrow； To…morrow； To…morrow！
＇Exit JULIA。
Enter ERNEST。
ERN。 It's of no useI can't wait any longer。 At any risk
I must gratify my urgent desire to know what is going on。
（Looking off。） Why； what's that？ Surely I see a wedding
procession winding down the hill； dressed in my Troilus and
Cressida costumes！ That's Ludwig's doing！ I see how it ishe
found the time hang heavy on his hands； and is amusing himself by
getting married to Lisa。 Noit can't be to Lisa； for here she
is！
Enter LISA。
LISA （not seeing him）。 I really cannot stand seeing my
Ludwig married twice in one day to somebody else！
ERN。 Lisa！
（LISA sees him； and stands as if transfixed with horror。）。
ERN。 Come heredon't be a little foolI want you。
（LISA suddenly turns and bolts off。）
ERN。 Why； what's the matter with the little donkey？ One
would think she saw a ghost！ But if he's not marrying Lisa； whom
is he marrying？ （Suddenly。） Julia！ （Much overcome。） I see it
all！ The scoundrel！ He had to adopt all my responsibilities；
and he's shabbily taken advantage of the situation to marry the
girl I'm engaged to！ But no； it can't be Julia； for here she is！
Enter JULIA。
JULIA （not seeing him）。 I've made up my mind。 I won't
stand it！ I'll send in my notice at once！
ERN。 Julia！ Oh； what a relief！
（JULIA gazes at him as if transfixed。）
ERN。 Then you've not married Ludwig？ You are still true
to
me？
（JULIA turns and bolts in grotesque horror。 ERNEST follows and
stops her。）
ERN。 Don't run away！ Listen to me。 Are you all crazy？
JULIA （in affected terror）。 What would you with me；
spectre？ Oh； ain't his eyes sepulchral！ And ain't his voice
hollow！ What are you doing out of your tomb at this time of
dayapparition？
ERN。 I do wish I could make you girls understand that I'm
only technically dead； and that physically I'm as much alive as
ever I was in my life！
JULIA。 Oh； but it's an awful thing to be haunted by a
technical bogy！
ERN。 You won't be haunted much longer。 The law must be on
its last legs； and in a few hours I shall come to life
againresume all my social and civil functions； and claim my
darling as my blushing bride！
JULIA。 Ohthen you haven't heard？
ERN。 My love； I've heard nothing。 How could I？ There are
no daily papers where I come from。
JULIA。 Why； Ludwig challenged Rudolph and won； and now
he's
Grand Duke； and he's revived the law for another century！
ERN。 What！ But you're not seriousyou're only joking！
JULIA。 My good sir； I'm a light…hearted girl； but I don't
chaff bogies。
ERN。 Well； that's the meanest dodge I ever heard of！
JULIA。 Shabby trick； I call it。
ERN。 But you don't mean to say that you're going to cry
off！
JULIA。 I really can't afford to wait until your time is
up。
You know； I've always set my face against long engagements。
ERN。 Then defy the law and marry me now。 We will fly to
your native country； and I'll play broken…English in London as
you play broken…German here！
JULIA。 No。 These legal technicalities cannot be defied。
Situated as you are； you have no power to make me your wife。 At
best you could only make me your widow。
ERN。 Then be my widowmy little； dainty； winning； winsome
widow！
JULIA。 Now what would be the good of that？ Why； you
goose；
I should marry again within a month！
DUETERNEST and JULIA。
ERN。 If the light of love's lingering ember
Has faded in gloom；
You cannot neglect； O remember；
A voice from the tomb！
That stern supernatural diction
Should act as a solemn restriction；
Although by a mere legal fiction
A voice from the tomb！
JULIA （in affected terror）。
I own that that utterance chills me
It withers my bloom！
With awful emotion it thrills me
That voice from the tomb！
Oh； spectre； won't anything lay thee？
Though pained to deny or gainsay thee；
In this case I cannot obey thee；
Thou voice from the tomb！
（Dancing。） So； spectre； appalling；
I bid you good…day
Perhaps you'll be calling
When passing this way。
Your bogydom scorning；
And all your love…lorning；
I bid you good…morning；
I bid you good…day。
ERN。 （furious）。 My offer recalling；
Your words I obey
Your fate is appalling；
And full of dismay。
To pay for this scorning
I give you fair warning
I'll haunt you each morning；
Each night； and each day！
（Repeat Ensemble； and exeunt in opposite directions。）
Re…enter the Wedding Procession dancing。
CHORUS。
Now bridegroom and bride let us toast
In a magnum of merry champagne
Let us make of this moment the most；
We may not be so lucky again。