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Our obvious course is nowto hide。
POLICE： Tarantara！ Tarantara！ etc。
（Police conceal themselves in aisle。 As they do so； the Pirates；
with RUTH and FREDERIC； are seen appearing at ruined window。
They enter cautiously； and come down stage on tiptoe。
SAMUEL is laden with burglarious tools and pistols； etc。）
CHORUSPIRATES （very loud）
With cat…like tread；
Upon our prey we steal；
In silence dread；
Our cautious way we feel。
No sound at all！
We never speak a word；
A fly's foot…fall
Would be distinctly heard
POLICE： （softly） Tarantara； tarantara！
PIRATES： So stealthily the pirate creeps；
While all the household soundly sleeps。
Come； friends； who plough the sea；
Truce to navigation；
Take another station；
Let's vary piracee
With a little burglaree！
POLICE： （softly） Tarantara； tarantara！
SAMUEL： （distributing implements to various members of the
gang）
Here's your crowbar and your centrebit；
Your life…preserveryou may want to hit！
Your silent matches； your dark lantern seize；
Take your file and your skeletonic keys。
POLICE： Tarantara！
PIRATES： With cat…like tread
POLICE： Tarantara！
PIRATES： in silence dread；
（Enter KING； FREDERIC and RUTH）
ALL （fortissimo）。 With cat…like tread； etc。
RECIT
FREDERIC： Hush； hush！ not a word； I see a light inside！
The Major…Gen'ral comes； so quickly hide！
PIRATES： Yes； yes； the Major…General comes！
（Exeunt KING； FREDERIC； SAMUEL； and RUTH）
POLICE： Yes； yes； the Major…General comes！
GENERAL： （entering in dressing…gown； carrying a light）
Yes； yes； the Major…General comes！
SOLOGENERAL
Tormented with the anguish dread
Of falsehood unatoned；
I lay upon my sleepless bed；
And tossed and turned and groaned。
The man who finds his conscience ache
No peace at all enjoys；
And as I lay in bed awake；
I thought I heard a noise。
MEN： He thought he heard a noise ha！ ha！
GENERAL： No； all is still
In dale； on hill；
My mind is set at ease
So still the scene；
It must have been
The sighing of the breeze。
BALLADGENERAL
Sighing softly to the river
Comes the loving breeze；
Setting nature all a…quiver；
Rustling through the trees。
MEN： Through the trees。
GENERAL： And the brook； in rippling measure；
Laughs for very love；
While the poplars； in their pleasure；
Wave their arms above。
MEN： Yes； the trees； for very love；
Wave their leafy arms above。
ALL： River； river； little river；
May thy loving prosper ever！
Heaven speed thee； poplar tree；
May thy wooing happy be。
GENERAL： Yet； the breeze is but a rover；
When he wings away；
Brook and poplar mourn a lover
Sighing ；〃Well…a…day！〃
MEN： Well…a…day！
GENERAL： Ah！ the doing and undoing；
That the rogue could tell！
When the breeze is out a…wooing；
Who can woo so well？
MEN： Shocking tales the rogue could tell；
Nobody can woo so well。
ALL： Pretty brook； thy dream is over；
For thy love is but a rover；
Sad the lot of poplar trees；
Courted by a fickle breeze！
（Enter the MAJOR…GENERAL's daughters； led by MABEL； all in white
peignoirs and night…caps； and carrying lighted candles。）
GIRLS： Now what is this； and what is that； and why does father
leave his rest
At such a time of night as this； so very incompletely
dressed？
Dear father is； and always was； the most methodical of
men！
It's his invariable rule to go to bed at half…past ten。
What strange occurrence can it be that calls dear
father from his rest
At such a time of night as this； so very incompletely
dressed？
（Enter KING； SAMUEL； and FREDERIC）
KING： Forward； my men； and seize that General there！ His
life is over。 （They seize the GENERAL）
GIRLS： The pirates！ the pirates！ Oh； despair！
PIRATES： （springing up） Yes； we're the pirates； so despair！
GENERAL： Frederic here！ Oh； joy！ Oh。 rapture！
Summon your men and effect their capture！
MABEL： Frederic； save us！
FREDERIC： Beautiful Mabel；
I would if I could； but I am not able。
PIRATES： He's telling the truth； he is not able。
KING： With base deceit
You worked upon our feelings！
Revenge is sweet；
And flavours all our dealings！
With courage rare
And resolution manly；
For death prepare；
Unhappy Gen'ral Stanley。
MABEL： （wildly） Is he to die； unshriven； unannealed？
GIRLS： Oh； spare him！
MABEL： Will no one in his cause a weapon wield？
GIRLS： Oh； spare him！
POLICE： （springing up） Yes； we are here； though hitherto
concealed！
GIRLS： Oh； rapture！
POLICE： So to Constabulary； pirates yield！
GIRLS： Oh； rapture！
（A struggle ensues between Pirates and Police； RUTH tackling the
SERGEANT。 Eventually the Police are overcome and fall
prostrate； the Pirates standing over them with drawn
swords。）
CHORUS OF PIRATES AND POLICE
PIRATES POLICE
We triumph now； for well we You triumph now； for well we
trow trow
Your mortal career's cut short； Our mortal career's cut
short；
No pirate band will take its No pirate band will take its
stand stand
At the Central Criminal Court。 At the Central Criminal
Court。
SERGEANT： To gain a brief advantage you've contrived；
But your proud triumph will not be long…lived
KING： Don't say you are orphans； for we know that game。
SERGEANT： On your allegiance we've a stronger claim。
We charge you yield； we charge you yield；
In Queen Victoria's name！
KING： （baffled） You do？
POLICE： We do！
We charge you yield；
In Queen Victoria's name！
（PIRATES kneel； POLICE stand over them triumphantly。）
KING： We yield at once； with humbled mien；
Because； with all our faults； we love our Queen。
POLICE： Yes； yes； with all their faults； they love their Queen。
ALL： Yes； yes； with all their faults； they love their Queen。
（POLICE； holding PIRATES by the collar； take out handkerchiefs
and weep。）
GENERAL： Away with them； and place them at the bar！
（Enter RUTH）
RUTH： One moment！ let me tell you who they are。
They are no members of the common throng；
They are all noblemen who have gone wrong。
ALL： They are all noblemen who have gone wrong。
GENERAL： No Englishman unmoved that statement hears；
Because； with all our faults； we love our House of
Peers。 （All kneel）
I pray you； pardon me； ex…Pirate King！
Peers will be peers； and youth will have its fling。
Resume your ranks and legislative duties；
And take my daughters； all of whom are beauties。
FINALEMABEL； EDITH and ENSEMBLE
Poor wandering ones！
Though ye have surely strayed；
Take heart of grace；
Your steps retrace；
Poor wandering ones！
Poor wandering ones！
If such poor love as ours
Can help you find
True peace of mind；
Why； take it； it is yours！
ALL： Poor wandering ones！ etc。
END OF OP