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I lit a beacon fire；
But on a stormy day
Of frost and rime；
In wintertime；
My fire had died away；
Had died away！
Ah； coward steel；
That fear can un…anneal！
False fire indeed；
To fail me in my need；
To fail me in my need！
（Princess Sinks upon a rock。 Enter Chloe and all the Ladies）
Chloe： Madam； your father and your brothers claim
An audience！
Princess： What do they do here？
Chloe： They come
To fight for you！
Princess： Admit them！
Blanche： Infamous！
One's brothers； ma'am； are men！
Princess： So I have heard。
But all my women seem to fail me when
I need them most。 In this emergency；
Even one's brothers may be turned to use。
Gama： （Entering； pale and unnerved） My daughter！
Princess： Father！ Thou art free！
Gama： Aye； free！
Free as a tethered ass！ I come to thee
With words from Hildebrand。 Those duly given
I must return to blank captivity。
I'm free so far。
Princess： Your message。
Gama： Hildebrand
Is loth to war with women。 Pit my sons；
My three brave sons； against these popinjays；
These tufted jack…a…dandy featherheads；
And on the issue let thy hand depend！
Princess： Insult on insult's head！ Are we a stake
For fighting men？ What fiend possesses thee；
That thou has come with offers such as these
From such as he to such an one as I？
Gama： I am possessed
By the pale devil of a shaking heart！
My stubborn will is bent。 I dare not face
That devilish monarch's black malignity！
He tortures me with torments worse than death；
I haven't anything to grumble at！
He finds out what particular meats I love；
And gives me them。 The very choicest wines；
The costliest robes the richest rooms are mine。
He suffers none to thwart my simplest plan；
And gives strict orders none should contradict me！
He's made my life a curse！ （Weeps）
Princess： My tortured father！
SONG （King GAMA with CHORUS of GIRLS）
〃Whene'er I Spoke〃
Gama： Whene'er I poke
Sarcastic joke
Replete with malice spiteful；
This people mild
Politely smil'd；
And voted me delightful！
Now； when a wight
Sits up all night
Ill…natur'd jokes devising；
And all his wiles
Are met with smiles
It's hard； there's no disguising！
Ah！ Oh； don't the days seem lank and long
When all goes right and nothing goes wrong；
And isn't your life extremely flat
With nothing whatever to grumble at！
Chorus： Oh； isn't your life extremely flat
With nothing whatever to grumble at！
Gama： When German bands
From music stands
Play'd Wagner imperfectly
I bade them go
They didn't say no；
But off they went directly！
The organ boys
They stopp'd their noise；
With readiness surprising；
And grinning herds
Of hurdy…gurds
Retired apologising！
Ah！ Oh； don't the days seem lank and long
When all goes right and nothing goes wrong；
And isn't your life extremely flat
With nothing whatever to grumble at！
Chorus： Oh； isn't your life extremely flat
With nothing whatever to grumble at！
Gama： I offer'd gold
In sums untold
To all who'd contradict me
I said I'd pay
A pound a day
To any one who kick'd me
I've brib'd with toys
Great vulgar boys
To utter something spiteful；
But； bless you； no！
They would be so
Confoundedly politeful！
Ah！ In short； these aggravating lads；
They tickle my tastes； they feed my fads；
They give me this and they give me that；
And I've nothing whatever to grumble at！
Chorus： Oh； isn't your life extremely flat
With nothing whatever to grumble at！
（Gama Bursts into tears and falls sobbing
on a seat。）
Princess： My poor old father！ How he must have suffered！
Well； well； I yield！
Gama： （Hysterically） She yields！ I'm saved； I'm saved！
（Exit）
Princess： Open the gates admit these warriors；
Then get you all within the castle walls。
（Exit）
（The gates are opened and the Girls mount the
battlements as the
Soldiers enter。 Arac； Guron and Scynthius
also enter。）
Chorus of Soldiers
〃When anger spreads his wing〃
Chorus： When anger spread his wing；
And all seems dark as night for it；
There's nothing but to fight for it；
But ere you pitch your ring；
Select a pretty site for it；
（This spot is suited quite for it；）
And then you gaily sing；
And then you gaily sing：
〃Oh I love the jolly rattle
Of an orde…al by battle；
There's an end of tittle…tattle
When your enemy is dead。
It's an arrant molly…coddle
Fears a crack upon his noddle
And he's only fit to swaddle
In a downy feather…bed！
Ladies： For a Soldiers： Oh； I
fight's love the
a jolly
kind rattle
of Of an
thing orde…al by battle
That I There's an
love end of
to tittle
look tattle；
up… When your
on； enemy is dead。
So It's an
let arrant
us molly…
sing； coddle
Long Fears a
live crack upon
the his
King； noddle；
And his And he's
son only fit to
Hi… swaddle； In a
la… downy fea…
ri…on！ ther bed！
（During this； Hilarion； Florian；
and Cyril are
brought out by the 〃Daughters of
the Plough〃。
They are still bound and wear
the robes。
Enter GAMA。）
Gama： Hilarion！ Cyril！ Florian！ dressed as women！
Is this indeed Hilarion？
Hilar。： Yes； it is！
Gama： Why； you look handsome in your women's clothes！
Stick to 'em！ Men's attire becomes you not！
（To CYRIL and FLO