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RUTH： Yes； I should be deceiving you if I told you otherwise。
FREDERIC： Thank you； Ruth。 I believe you； for I am sure you
would not practice on my inexperience。 I wish to do
the right thing； and if… I say if… you are really a
fine woman； your age shall be no obstacle to our union！
（Shakes hands with her。 Chorus of girls heard in the
distance； 〃climbing over rocky mountain；〃 etc。） Hark！
Surely I hear voices！ Who has ventured to approach our
all but inaccessible lair？ Can it be Custom House？ No；
it does not sound like Custom House。
RUTH： （aside） Confusion！ it is the voices of young girls！
If he should see them I am lost。
FREDERIC： （looking off） By all that's marvellous； a bevy of
beautiful maidens！
RUTH： （aside） Lost！ lost！ lost！
FREDERIC： How lovely； how surpassingly lovely is the plainest of
them！ What grace… what delicacy… what refinement！ And
Ruth Ruth told me she was beautiful！
RECITATIVE
FREDERIC： Oh； false one； you have deceived me！
RUTH： I have deceived you？
FREDERIC： Yes； deceived me！
（Denouncing her。）
FREDERIC： You told me you were fair as gold！
RUTH： （wildly） And； master； am I not so？
FREDERIC： And now I see you're plain and old。
RUTH： I'm sure I'm not a jot so。
FREDERIC： Upon my innocence you play。
RUTH： I'm not the one to plot so。
FREDERIC： Your face is lined； your hair is grey。
RUTH： It's gradually got so。
FREDERIC： Faithless woman； to deceive me；
I who trusted so！
RUTH： Master； master； do not leave me！
Hear me； ere you go！
My love without reflecting；
Oh； do not be rejecting！
Take a maiden tender； her affection raw and green；
At very highest rating；
Has been accumulating
Summers seventeen； summers seventeen。
Don't； beloved master；
Crush me with disaster。
What is such a dower to the dower I have here？
My love unabating
Has been accumulating
Forty…seven yearforty…seven year！
ENSEMBLE
RUTH FREDERIC
Don't； beloved master； Yes； your former master
Crush me with disaster。 Saves you from disaster。
What is such a dower to the Your love would be uncomfortably
dower I have here fervid； it is clear
My love unabating If； as you are stating
Has been accumulating It's been accumulating
Forty…seven year； forty…seven Forty…seven yearforty…seven year！
year！ Faithless woman to deceive me； I
who trusted so！
Master； master； do not leave Faithless woman to deceive me； I
me； hear me； ere I go！ who trusted so！
RECITFREDERIC
What shall I do？ Before these gentle maidens
I dare not show in this alarming costume！
No； no； I must remain in close concealment
Until I can appear in decent clothing！
（Hides in cave as they enter climbing over the rocks and through
arched rock）
GIRLS： Climbing over rocky mountain；
Skipping rivulet and fountain；
Passing where the willows quiver；
Passing where the willows quiver
By the ever…rolling river；
Swollen with the summer rain； the summer rain
Threading long and leafy mazes
Dotted with unnumbered daisies；
Dotted； dotted with unnumbered daisies；
Scaling rough and rugged passes；
Climb the hardy little lasses；
Till the bright sea…shore they gain；
Scaling rough and rugged passes；
Climb the hardy little lasses；
Till the bright sea…shore they gain！
EDITH： Let us gaily tread the measure；
Make the most of fleeting leisure；
Hail it as a true ally；
Though it perish by…and…by。
GIRLS： Hail it as a true ally；
Though it perish by…and…by。
EDITH： Every moment brings a treasure
Of its own especial pleasure；
Though the moments quickly die；
Greet them gaily as they fly；
Greet them gaily as they fly。
GIRLS： Though the moments quickly die；
Greet them gaily as they fly。
KATE： Far away from toil and care；
Revelling in fresh sea…air；
Here we live and reign alone
In a world that's all our own。
Here； in this our rocky den；
Far away from mortal men；
We'll be queens； and make decrees
They may honour them who please。
GIRLS： We'll be queens； and make decrees
They may honour them who please。
Let us gaily tread the measure； etc。
KATE： What a picturesque spot！ I wonder where we are！
EDITH： And I wonder where Papa is。 We have left him ever so
far behind。
ISABEL： Oh； he will be here presently！ Remember poor Papa is
not as young as we are； and we came over a rather
difficult country。
KATE： But how thoroughly delightful it is to be so entirely
alone！ Why； in all probability we are the first human
beings who ever set foot on this enchanting spot。
ISABEL： Except the mermaidsit's the very place for mermaids。
KATE： Who are only human beings down to the waist
EDITH： And who can't be said strictly to set foot anywhere。
Tails they may； but feet they cannot。
KATE： But what shall we do until Papa and the servants arrive
with the luncheon？
EDITH： We are quite alone； and the sea is as smooth as glass。
Suppose we take off our shoes and stockings and paddle？
ALL： Yes； yes！ The very thing！ （They prepare to carry； out
the suggestion。 They have all taken off one shoe； when
FREDERIC comes forward from cave。）
FREDERIC： （recitative）。 Stop； ladies； pray！
GIRLS： （Hopping on one foot） A man！
FREDERIC： I had intended
Not to intrude myself upon your notice
In this effective but alarming costume；
But under these peculiar circumstances；
It is my bounden duty to inform you
That your proceedings will not be unwitnessed！
EDITH： But who are you； sir？ Speak！ （All hopping）
FREDERIC： I am a pirate！
GIRLS： （recoiling； hopping） A pirate！ Horror！
FREDERIC： Ladies； do not shun me！
This evening I renounce my vile profession；
And； to that end； O pure and peerless maidens！
Oh； blushing buds of ever…blooming beauty！
I； sore at heart； implore your kind assistance。
EDITH： How pitiful his tale！
KATE： How rare his beauty
GIRLS： How pitiful his tale！ How rare his beauty！
SONGFREDERIC
Oh； is there not one maiden breast
Which does not feel the moral beauty
Of making worldly interest
Subordinate to sense of duty？
Who would not give up willingly
All matrimonial ambition；
To rescue such a one as I
From his unfortunate position？
From his position；
To rescue such an one as I
From his unfortunate position？
GIRLS： Alas！ there's not one maiden breast
Which seems to feel the moral beauty
Of making worldly interest
Subordinate to sense of duty！
FREDERIC： Oh； is there not one maiden here
Whose homely face and bad complexion
Have caused all hope to disappear
Of ever winning man's affection？
Of such a one； if such there be；
I swear by Heaven's arch above you；
If you will cast your eyes on me；
However plain you be； I'll love you；
However plain you be；
If you will cast your eyes on me；
However plain you be I'll love you；
I'll love you； I'll love； I'll love you！
GIRLS： Alas！ there's not one maiden here
Whose homely face and bad complexion
Have caused all hope to disappear
Of ever winning man's affection！
FREDERIC： （in despair） Not one？
GIRLS： No； no not one！
FREDERIC： Not one？
GIRLS：