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Music by Sir Arthur Sullivan
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre； an Elderly Baronet
Alexis； of the Grenadier GuardsHis Son
Dr。 Daly； Vicar of Ploverleigh
John Wellington Wells； of J。 W。 Wells & Co。； Family Sorcerers
Lady Sangazure； a Lady of Ancient Lineage
Aline； Her Daughterbetrothed to Alexis
Mrs。 Partlet； a Pew…Opener
Constance； her Daughter
Chorus of Villagers
ACT IGrounds of Sir Marmaduke's Mansion； Mid…day
（Twelve hours are supposed to elapse between Acts I and II）
ACT II Grounds of Sir Marmaduke's Mansion； Midnight
Act I。
SCENEExterior of Sir Marmaduke's Elizabethan Mansion； mid…day。
CHORUS OF VILLAGERS
Ring forth； ye bells；
With clarion sound
Forget your knells；
For joys abound。
Forget your notes
Of mournful lay；
And from your throats
Pour joy to…day。
For to…day young Alexisyoung Alexis Pointdextre
Is betrothed to Alineto Aline Sangazure；
And that pride of his sex isof his sex is to be next her
At the feast on the greenon the green； oh； be sure！
Ring forth； ye bells etc。
（Exeunt the men
into house。）
（Enter Mrs。 Partlet with Constance； her daughter）
RECITATIVE
MRS。 P。 Constance； my daughter； why this strange depression？
The village rings with seasonable joy；
Because the young and amiable Alexis；
Heir to the great Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre；
Is plighted to Aline； the only daughter
Of Annabella； Lady Sangazure。
You； you alone are sad and out of spirits；
What is the reason？ Speak； my daughter； speak！
CON。 Oh； mother； do not ask！ If my complexion
From red to white should change in quick succession；
And then from white to red； oh； take no notice！
If my poor limbs should tremble with emotion；
Pay no attention； motherit is nothing！
If long and deep…drawn sighs I chance to utter；
Oh； heed them not； their cause must ne'er be known！
Mrs。 Partlet motions to Chorus to leave her with Constance。 Exeunt
ladies of Chorus。
ARIACONSTANCE
When he is here；
I sigh with pleasure
When he is gone；
I sigh with grief。
My hopeless fear
No soul can measure
His love alone
Can give my aching heart relief！
When he is cold；
I weep for sorrow
When he is kind；
I weep for joy。
My grief untold
Knows no to…morrow
My woe can find
No hope； no solace； no alloy！
MRS。 P。 Come； tell me all about it！ Do not fear
I； too； have loved； but that was long ago！
Who is the object of your young affections？
CONST。 Hush； mother！ He is here！ （Looking off）
Enter Dr。 Daly。 He is pensive and does not see them
MRS。 P。 （amazed） Our reverend vicar！
CONST。 Oh； pity me； my heart is almost broken！
MRS。 P。 My child； be comforted。 To such an union
I shall not offer any opposition。
Take himhe's yours！ May you and he be happy！
CONST。 But； mother dear； he is not yours to give！
MRS。 P。 That's true； indeed！
CONST。 He might object！
MRS。 P。 He might。
But cometake heartI'll probe him on the subject。
Be comfortedleave this affair to me。
（They
withdraw。）
RECITATIVEDR。 DALY
The air is charged with amatory numbers
Soft madrigals； and dreamy lovers' lays。
Peace； peace； old heart！ Why waken from its slumbers
The aching memory of the old； old days？
BALLAD
Time was when Love and I were well acquainted。
Time was when we walked ever hand in hand。
A saintly youth； with worldly thought untainted；
None better…loved than I in all the land！
Time was； when maidens of the noblest station；
Forsaking even military men；
Would gaze upon me； rapt in adoration
Ah me； I was a fair young curate then！
Had I a headache？ sighed the maids assembled；
Had I a cold？ welled forth the silent tear；
Did I look pale？ then half a parish trembled；
And when I coughed all thought the end was near！
I had no careno jealous doubts hung o'er me
For I was loved beyond all other men。
Fled gilded dukes and belted earls before me
Ah me； I was a pale young curate them！
（At the conclusion of the ballad； Mrs。 Partlet comes forward with
Constance。）
MRS。 P。 Good day； reverend sir。
DR。 D。 Ah； good Mrs。 Partlet； I am glad to see you。 And
your little daughter； Constance！ Why； she is quite a little
woman； I declare！
CONST。 （aside） Oh； mother； I cannot speak to him！
MRS。 P。 Yes； reverend sir； she is nearly eighteen； and as
good a girl as ever stepped。 （Aside to Dr。 Daly） Ah； sir； I'm
afraid I shall soon lose her！
DR。 D。 （aside to Mrs。 Partlet） Dear me； you pain me very
much。 Is she delicate？
MRS。 P。 Oh no； sirI don't mean thatbut young girls look
to get married。
DR。 D。 Oh； I take you。 To be sure。 But there's plenty of
time for that。 Four or five years hence； Mrs。 Partlet； four or
five years hence。 But when the time does come； I shall have much
pleasure in marrying her myself
CONST。 （aside） Oh； mother！
DR。 D。 To some strapping young fellow in her own rank of
life。
CONST。 （in tears） He does not love me！
MRS。 P。 I have often wondered； reverend sir （if you'll
excuse the liberty）； that you have never married。
DR。 D。 （aside） Be still； my fluttering heart！
MRS。 P。 A clergyman's wife does so much good in a village。
besides that； you are not as young as you were； and before very
long you will want somebody to nurse you； and look after your
little comforts。
DR。 D。 Mrs。 Partlet； there is much truth in what you say。
I am indeed getting on in years； and a helpmate would cheer my
declining days。 Time was when it might have been； but I have
left it too longI am an old fogy； now； am I not； my dear？ （to
Constance）a very old fogy； indeed。 Ha！ ha！ No； Mrs。 Partlet；
my mind is quite made up。 I shall live and die a solitary old
bachelor。
CONST。 Oh； mother； mother！ （Sobs on Mrs。 Partlet's bosom）
MRS。 P。 Come； come； dear one； don't fret。 At a more
fitting time we will try againwe will try again。
（Exeunt Mrs。 Partlet and
Constance。）
DR。 D。 （looking after them） Poor little girl！ I'm afraid
she has something on her mind。 She is rather comely。 Time was
when this old heart would have throbbed in double…time at the
sight of such a fairy form！ But tush！ I am puling！ Here comes
the young Alexis with his proud and happy father。 Let me dry
this tell…tale tear！
Enter Sir Marmaduke and Alexis
RECITATIVE
DR。 D。 Sir Marmadukemy dear young friend； Alexis
On this most happy； most auspicious plighting
Permit me as a true old friend to tender
My best； my very best congratulations！
SIR M。 Sir； you are most obleeging！
ALEX。 Dr。 Daly
My dear old tutor； and my valued pastor；
I thank you from the bottom of my heart！
（Spoken
through music）
DR。 D。 May fortune bless you！ may the middle distance
Of your young life be pleasant as the foreground
The joyous foreground！ and； when you have reached it；
May that which now is the far…off horizon
（But which will then become the middle distance）；
In fruitful promise be exceeded only
By that which will have opened； in the meantime；
Into a new and glorious horizon！
SIR M。 Dear Sir； that is an excel