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Let us make of this moment the most；
We may not be so lucky again。
So drink to our sovereign host
And his highly intelligent reign
His health and his bride's let us toast
In a magnum of merry champagne！
SONGBARONESS with CHORUS。
I once gave an evening party
（A sandwich and cut…orange ball）；
But my guests had such appetites hearty
That I couldn't enjoy it； enjoy it at all。
I made a heroic endeavour
To look unconcerned； but in vain；
And I vow'd that I neveroh never
Would ask anybody again！
But there's a distinction decided…
A difference truly immense
When the wine that you drink is provided； provided；
At somebody else's expense。
So bumpersaye； ever so many
The cost we may safely ignore！
For the wine doesn't cost us a penny；
Tho' it's Pommry seventy…four！
CHORUS。 So bumpersaye； ever so manyetc。
Come； bumpersaye； ever so many
And then； if you will； many more！
This wine doesn't cost us a penny；
Tho' it's Pommry； Pommry seventy…four！
Old wine is a true panacea
For ev'ry conceivable ill；
When you cherish the soothing idea
That somebody else pays the bill！
Old wine is a pleasure that's hollow
When at your own table you sit；
For you're thinking each mouthful you swallow
Has cost you； has cost you a threepenny…bit！
So bumpersaye； ever so many
And then； if you will； many more！
This wine doesn't cost us a penny；
Tho' it's Pommry seventy…four！
CHORUS。 So； bumpersaye； ever so manyetc。
（March heard。）
LUD。 （recit。）。 Why； who is this approaching；
Upon our joy encroaching？
Some rascal come a…poaching
Who's heard that wine we're broaching？
ALL。 Who may this be？
Who may this be？
Who is he？ Who is he？ Who is he？
Enter HERALD。
HER。 The Prince of Monte Carlo；
From Mediterranean water；
Has come here to bestow
On you his beautiful daughter。
They've paid off all they owe；
As every statesman oughter
That Prince of Monte Carlo
And his be…eautiful daughter！
CHORUS。 The Prince of Monte Carlo； etc。
HER。 The Prince of Monte Carlo；
Who is so very partickler；
Has heard that you're also
For ceremony a stickler
Therefore he lets you know
By word of mouth auric'lar
（That Prince of Monte Carlo
Who is so very particklar）
CHORUS。 The Prince of Monte Carlo； etc。
HER。 That Prince of Monte Carlo；
From Mediterranean water；
Has come here to bestow
On you his be…eautiful daughter！
LUD。 （recit。）。 His Highness we know notnor the locality
In which is situate his Principality；
But； as he guesses by some odd fatality；
This is the shop for cut and dried formality！
Let him appear
He'll find that we're
Remarkable for cut and dried formality。
（Reprise of March。 Exit HERALD。
LUDWIG beckons his Court。）
LUD。 I have a planI'll tell you all the plot of it
He wants formalityhe shall have a lot of it！
（Whispers to them； through symphony。）
Conceal yourselves； and when I give the cue；
Spring out on himyou all know what to do！
（All conceal themselves behind the draperies that enclose the
stage。）
Pompous March。 Enter the PRINCE and PRINCESS OF MONTE CARLO；
attended by six theatrical…looking nobles and the Court
Costumier。
DUETPrince and PRINCESS。
PRINCE。 We're rigged out in magnificent array
（Our own clothes are much gloomier）
In costumes which we've hired by the day
From a very well…known costumier。
COST。 （bowing）。 I am the well…known costumier。
PRINCESS。 With a brilliant staff a Prince should make a show
（It's a rule that never varies）；
So we've engaged from the Theatre Monaco
Six supernumeraries。
NOBLES。 We're the supernumeraries。
ALL。 At a salary immense；
Quite regardless of expense；
Six supernumeraries！
PRINCE。 They do not speak； for they break our grammar's laws；
And their language is lamentable
And they never take off their gloves； because
Their nails are not presentable。
NOBLES。 Our nails are not presentable！
PRINCESS。 To account for their shortcomings manifest
We explain； in a whisper bated；
They are wealthy members of the brewing interest
To the Peerage elevated。
NOBLES。 To the Peerage elevated。
ALL。 They're/We're very； very rich；
And accordingly； as sich；
To the Peerage elevated。
PRINCE。 Well； my dear； here we are at lastjust in time
to
compel Duke Rudolph to fulfil the terms of his marriage contract。
Another hour and we should have been too late。
PRINCESS。 Yes； papa； and if you hadn't fortunately
discovered a means of making an income by honest industry； we
should never have got here at all。
PRINCE。 Very true。 Confined for the last two years within
the precincts of my palace by an obdurate bootmaker who held a
warrant for my arrest； I devoted my enforced leisure to a study
of the doctrine of chancesmainly with the view of ascertaining
whether there was the remotest chance of my ever going out for a
walk againand this led to the discovery of a singularly
fascinating little round game which I have called Roulette； and
by which； in one sitting； I won no less than five thousand
francs！ My first act was to pay my bootmakermy second； to
engage a good useful working set of second…hand noblesand my
third； to hurry you off to Pfennig Halbpfennig as fast as a train
de luxe could carry us！
PRINCESS。 Yes； and a pretty job…lot of second…hand nobles
you've scraped together！
PRINCE （doubtfully）。 Pretty； you think？ Humph！ I don't
know。 I should say tol…lol； my loveonly tol…lol。 They are not
wholly satisfactory。 There is a certain air of unreality about
themthey are not convincing。
COST。 But； my goot friend； vhat can you expect for
eighteenpence a day！
PRINCE。 Now take this Peer； for instance。 What the deuce
do you call him？
COST。 Him？ Oh； he's a swellhe's the Duke of Riviera。
PRINCE。 Oh； he's a Duke； is he？ Well； that's no reason
why
he should look so confoundedly haughty。 （To Noble。） Be affable；
sir！ （Noble takes attitude of affability。） That's better。
（Passing to another。） Now； who's this with his moustache coming
off？
COST。 Vhy； you're Viscount Mentone； ain't you？
NOBLE。 Blest if I know。 （Turning up sword…belt。） It's
wrote hereyes； Viscount Mentone。
COST。 Then vhy don't you say so？ 'Old yerself upyou
ain't carryin' sandwich boards now。 （Adjusts his moustache。）
PRINCE。 Now； once for all； you Peerswhen His Highness
arrives； don't stand like sticks； but appear to take an
intelligent and sympathetic interest in what is going on。 You
needn't say anything； but let your gestures be in accordance with
the spirit of the conversation。 Now take the word from me。
Affability！ （attitude）。 Submission！ （attitude）。 Surprise！
（attitude）。 Shame！ （attitude）。 Grief！ （attitude）。 Joy！
（attitude）。 That's better！ You can do it if you like！
PRINCESS。 But； papa； where in the world is the Court？
There is positively no one here to receive us！ I can't help
feeling that Rudolph wants to get out of it because I'm poor。
He's a miserly little wretchthat's what he is。
PRINCE。 Well； I shouldn't go so far as to say that。 I
should rather describe him as an enthusiastic collector of
coinsof the realmand we must not be too hard upon a
numismatist if he feels a certain disinclination to part with
some of his really very valuable specimens。 It's a pretty hobby：
I've often thought I should like to collect some coins myself。
PRINCESS。 Papa； I'm sure there's some one behind that
curtain。 I saw it move！
PRINCE。 Then no doubt they are coming。 Now mind； you
Peershaughty affability combined with a sense of what is due to
your exalted ranks； or I'll fine you half a franc eachupon my
soul I will！
（Gong。 The curtains fly back and the Court are discovered。 They
give a wild yell and rush on to the