the complete plays-第80章
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As an old Crusader
Struck his Paynim foe！
Melissa： Thus our courage； all untarnish'd；
We're instructed to display；
But to tell the truth unvarnish'd；
We are more inclined to say；
〃Please you； do not hurt us；〃
All： 〃Do not hurt us； if it please you！〃
Melissa： 〃Please you let us be。〃
All： 〃Let us be let us be！〃
Melissa： 〃Soldiers disconcert us。〃
All： 〃Disconcert us； if it please you！〃
Melissa： 〃Frighten'd maids are we！〃
All： 〃Maids are we； maids are we！〃
Melissa： Please you；
All： Do not hurt us；
Melissa： Please you；
All： Let us be。
Mel & Cho： Frighten'd maids are we； frighten'd maids are we！
Melissa： But 'twould be an error
To confess our terror；
So in Ida's name；
Boldly we exclaim：
Mel & Cho： Death to the invader！
Strike a deadly blow；
As an old Crusader
Struck his Paynim foe！
（Flourish。 Enter Princess； armed； attended by Blanche and Psyche。）
Princess： I like your spirit； girls！ We have to meet
Stern bearded warriors in fight to…day；
Wear naught but what is necessary to
Preserve your dignity before their eyes；
And give your limbs full play。
Blanche： One moment； ma'am；
Here is a paradox we should not pass
Without inquiry。 We are prone to say
〃This thing is Needful that； Superfluous〃
Yet they invariably co…exist！
We find the Needful comprehended in
The circle of the grand Superfluous；
Yet the Superfluous cannot be brought
Unless you're amply furnished with the Needful。
These singular considerations are
Princess： Superfluous； yet not Needful so you see
The terms may independently exist。
（To Ladies） Women of Adamant； we have to show
That women； educated to the task；
Can meet Man； face to face； on his own ground；
And beat him there。 Now； let us set to work；
Where is our lady surgeon？
Sach。： Madam； here！
Princess： We shall require your skill to heal the wounds
Of those that fall。
Sach。： （Alarmed） What； heal the wounded？
Princess： Yes！
Sach。： And cut off real live legs and arms？
Princess： Of course！
Sach。： I wouldn't do it for a thousand pounds！
Princess： Why； how is this？ Are you faint…hearted； girl？
You've often cut them off in theory！
Sach。： In theory I'll cut them off again
With pleasure； and as often as you like；
But not in practice。
Princess： Coward！ Get you hence；
I've craft enough for that； and courage too；
I'll do your work！ My fusiliers； advance！；
Why； you are armed with axes！ Gilded toys！
Where are your rifles； pray？
Chloe： Why； please you； ma'am；
We left them in the armoury； for fear
That in the heat and turmoil of the fight；
They might go off！
Princess： 〃They might！〃 Oh； craven souls！
Go off yourselves！ Thank heaven I have a heart
That quails not at the thought of meeting men；
I will discharge your rifles！ Off with you！
（Exit Chloe）
Where's my bandmistress？
Ada： Please you； ma'am； the band
Do not feel well； and can't come out today！
Princess： Why； this is flat rebellion！ I've no time
To talk to them just now。 But； happily；
I can play several instruments at once；
And I will drown the shrieks of those that fall
With trumpet music； such as soldiers love！
How stand we with respect to gunpowder？
My Lady Psyche you who superintend
Our lab'ratory are you well prepared
To blow these bearded rascals into shreds？
Psyche： Why； madam
Princess： Well？
Psyche： Let us try gentler means。
We can dispense with fulminating grains
While we have eyes with which to flash our rage！
We can dispense with villainous saltpetre
While we have tongues with which to blow them up！
We can dispense； in short； with all the arts
That brutalize the practical polemist！
Princess： （Contemptuously） I never knew a more dispensing
chemist！
Away； away I'll meet these men alone
Since all my women have deserted me！
（Exeunt all but Princess； singing
refrain of
〃Please you； do not hurt us〃；
pianissimo。）
Princess： So fail my cherished plans so fails my faith
And with it hope； and all that comes of hope！
Song … Princess
〃I Built upon a Rock〃
Princess： I built upon a rock；
But ere Destruction's hand
Dealt equal lot
To Court and cot；
My rock had turn'd to sand！
I leant upon an oak；
But in the hour of need；
Alack…a…day；
My trusted stay
Was but a bruis…ed reed！
A bruis…ed reed！
Ah faithless rock；
My simple faith to mock！
Ah trait'rous oak；
Thy worthlessness to cloak；
Thy worthlessness to cloak！
I drew a sword of steel
But when to home and hearth
The battle's breath
Bore fire and death；
My sword was but a lath！
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 f
