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about twenty minutes since。 （Looking at her watch。）
LUIZ。 About that。 In such a matter one cannot be too
precise。
CAS。 And now our love； so full of life； is but a silent；
solemn memory！
LUIZ。 Must it be so； Casilda？
CAS。 Luiz； it must be so！
DUETCASILDA and LUIZ。
LUIZ。 There was a time
A time for ever goneah； woe is me！
It was no crime
To love but thee aloneah； woe is me！
One heart； one life； one soul；
One aim； one goal
Each in the other's thrall；
Each all in all； ah； woe is me！
BOTH。 Oh； bury； burylet the grave close o'er
The days that werethat never will be more！
Oh； bury； bury love that all condemn；
And let the whirlwind mourn its requiem！
CAS。 Dead as the last year's leaves
As gathered flowersah； woe is me！
Dead as the garnered sheaves；
That love of oursah； woe is me！
Born but to fade and die
When hope was high；
Dead and as far away
As yesterday！ah； woe is me！
BOTH。 Oh； bury； burylet the grave close o'er； etc。
（Re…enter from the Ducal Palace the Duke and Duchess； followed by
Don Alhambra del Bolero； the Grand Inquisitor。）
DUKE。 My child； allow me to present to you His Distinction
Don Alhambra del Bolero； the Grand Inquisitor of Spain。 It was
His Distinction who so thoughtfully abstracted your infant
husband and brought him to Venice。
DON AL。 So this is the little lady who is so unexpectedly
called upon to assume the functions of Royalty！ And a very nice
little lady； too！
DUKE。 Jimp； isn't she？
DON AL。 Distinctly jimp。 Allow me！ （Offers his hand。 She
turns away scornfully。） Naughty temper！
DUKE。 You must make some allowance。 Her Majesty's head is
a little turned by her access of dignity。
DON AL。 I could have wished that Her Majesty's access of
dignity had turned it in this direction。
DUCH。 Unfortunately； if I am not mistaken； there appears to
be some little doubt as to His Majesty's whereabouts。
CAS。 （aside）。 A doubt as to his whereabouts？ Then we may
yet be saved！
DON AL。 A doubt？ Oh dear； nono doubt at all！ He is
here； in Venice； plying the modest but picturesque calling of a
gondolier。 I can give you his addressI see him every day！ In
the entire annals of our history there is absolutely no
circumstance so entirely free from all manner of doubt of any
kind whatever！ Listen； and I'll tell you all about it。
SONGDON ALHAMBRA
（with DUKE； DUCHESS； CASILDA； and LUIZ）。
I stole the Prince； and I brought him here；
And left him gaily prattling
With a highly respectable gondolier；
Who promised the Royal babe to rear；
And teach him the trade of a timoneer
With his own beloved bratling。
Both of the babes were strong and stout；
And； considering all things； clever。
Of that there is no manner of doubt
No probable； possible shadow of doubt
No possible doubt whatever。
ALL。 No possible doubt whatever。
But owing； I'm much disposed to fear；
To his terrible taste for tippling；
That highly respectable gondolier
Could never declare with a mind sincere
Which of the two was his offspring dear；
And which the Royal stripling！
Which was which he could never make out
Despite his best endeavour。
Of that there is no manner of doubt
No probable； possible shadow of doubt
No possible doubt whatever。
ALL。 No possible doubt whatever。
Time sped； and when at the end of a year
I sought that infant cherished；
That highly respectable gondolier
Was lying a corpse on his humble bier
I dropped a Grand Inquisitor's tear
That gondolier had perished。
A taste for drink； combined with gout；
Had doubled him up for ever。
Of that there is no manner of doubt
No probable； possible shadow of doubt
No possible doubt whatever。
ALL。 No possible doubt whatever。
The children followed his old career
（This statement can't be parried）
Of a highly respectable gondolier：
Well； one of the two （who will soon be here）
But which of the two is not quite clear
Is the Royal Prince you married！
Search in and out and round about；
And you'll discover never
A tale so free from every doubt
All probable； possible shadow of doubt
All possible doubt whatever！
ALL。 A tale free from every doubt； etc。
CAS。 Then do you mean to say that I am married to one of
two gondoliers； but it is impossible to say which？
DON AL。 Without any doubt of any kind whatever。 But be
reassured： the nurse to whom your husband was entrusted is the
mother of the musical young man who is such a past…master of that
delicately modulated instrument （indicating the drum）。 She can；
no doubt； establish the King's identity beyond all question。
LUIZ。 Heavens； how did he know that？
DON AL。 My young friend； a Grand Inquisitor is always up to
date。 （To Cas。） His mother is at present the wife of a highly
respectable and old…established brigand； who carries on an
extensive practice in the mountains around Cordova。 Accompanied
by two of my emissaries； he will set off at once for his mother's
address。 She will return with them； and if she finds any
difficulty in making up her mind； the persuasive influence of the
torture chamber will jog her memory。
RECITATIVECASILDA and DON ALHAMBRA。
CAS。 But； bless my heart； consider my position！
I am the wife of one； that's very clear；
But who can tell； except by intuition；
Which is the Prince； and which the Gondolier？
DON AL。 Submit to Fate without unseemly wrangle：
Such complications frequently occur
Life is one closely complicated tangle：
Death is the only true unraveller！
QUINTETDUKE； DUCHESS； CASILDA； LUIZ； and GRAND INQUISITOR。
ALL。 Try we life…long； we can never
Straighten out life's tangled skein；
Why should we； in vain endeavour；
Guess and guess and guess again？
LUIZ。 Life's a pudding full of plums；
DUCH。 Care's a canker that benumbs。
ALL。 Life's a pudding full of plums；
Care's a canker that benumbs。
Wherefore waste our elocution
On impossible solution？
Life's a pleasant institution；
Let us take it as it comes！
Set aside the dull enigma；
We shall guess it all too soon；
Failure brings no kind of stigma
Dance we to another tune！
LUIZ。 String the lyre and fill the cup；
DUCH。 Lest on sorrow we should sup。
ALL。 Hop and skip to Fancy's fiddle；
Hands across and down the middle
Life's perhaps the only riddle
That we shrink from giving up！
（Exeunt all into Ducal Palace except Luiz； who goes off in
gondola。）
（Enter Gondoliers and Contadine； followed by Marco； Gianetta；
Giuseppe； and Tessa。）
CHORUS。
Bridegroom and bride！
Knot that's insoluble；
Voices all voluble
Hail it with pride。
Bridegroom and bride！
We in sincerity
Wish you prosperity；
Bridegroom and bride！
SONGTESSA。
TESS。 When a merry maiden marries；
Sorrow goes and pleasure tarries；
Every sound becomes a song；
All is right； and nothing's wrong！
From to…day and ever after
Let our tears be tears of laughter。
Every sigh that finds a vent
Be a sigh of sweet content！
When you marry； merry maiden；
Then the air with love is laden；
Every flower is a rose；
Every goose becomes a