L.,
chairs for spectators.
Enter a procession of Guards, Courtiers, Women, &c., Leontes, Polixenes, Camillo, Florizel, Perdita,
Autolycus, Blocus, Paulina, &c. They take their
seats, and two guards stand one on each side of the recess,
like beef-eaters at the Royal box.
Paul.
Your Majesties, the honour you bestow
By this state visit on my humble show
On this its opening night—
Leon.
Nay, we'll dispense
With ceremony. ring up and commence.
Flor.
Don't keep us waiting, pray.
Paul.
Well, then, prepare.
Aut. (whistles.)
Go it!
Flor.
Be quiet in the gallery there.
Per.
I'm all impatience for this sight surprising.
Paul. (rings bell.)
Now then—slow music, for the curtain's rising.
(The curtain rises from the recess, and discovers Hermione as a statue on a circular table.
Flor. (looking through ege-glass.)
Not bad, 'pon honour!
Per.
Beautiful! divine!
Leon.
Wonderful!
Aut.
Stunning!
Polix.
Marvellous!
Flor.
Dem fine!
(statue revolves—music.
Leon. (L.)
Those eyes!—
Polix. (R.)
That nose!—
Leon.
That mouth!—
Polix.
That form!—
Leon.
That phiz
-- 37 --
Polix.
It can't be!
Leon.
Is it?
Polix.
Yes!
Leon.
No!
Polix.
'Tisn't!
Leon.
'Tis!
Perdita, 'tis the image of your mother.
Per.
My mother!
Polix.
Like as one pea to another!
(statue stops.)
Per.
Nay, then I'll speak to her.
(goes and kneels to statue.
Leon.
What's she about
Per.
Oh, mother, you but little know I'm out
Of all my troubles now.
(statue inclines its head.)
Flor.
It's very odd!
I could have sworn I saw the statue nod.
Paul.
Nod! This is madness! Shortly you'll be thinking
It winks as well.
Polix.
By heavens! it is winking.
(statue sneezes.
Leon.
There, there! It lives, it breathes, say what you please,
Where's the fine chisel that can cut a sneeze.
Flor.
What means this mystery, beauteous figure speak,
Are you a statue or a pose plastique?
If living, why up there still silent sticking?
(Music of the Grecian statues.—Hermione strikes various attitudes.
Leon.
See, see, she moves—she is alive.
Flor.
And kicking!
CONCERTED PIECE,—Florizel, Leontes, Perdita, Polixenes, and Hermione.
Air,—“College Hornpipe.”
Flor.
Well, of all queer sights that I ever did see,
This beats them all, to a certainty.
Leon.
The more I look the more I feel 'tis my Hermione,
That used to sew my strings and tapes and bobbins on.
Per. (to Paulina.)
Oh, madam, pray explain these things, of mystery so rife.
Polix. (to Leontes.)
Sir, take her to your heart, and no more doubts and strife.
-- 38 --
Leon.
But how, if it's my wife, did you bring her back to life?
Her.
Why I arn't been dead at all like Jack Robinson.
(she comes down from pedestal.
Her. (embracing Pedita.)
Kiss me, my pet—Leontes, how d'ye do?
(holds out her hand.)
Once more am I on speaking terms with you.
Leon.
Why not before?
Her.
I by a vow was bound
Never to see you till our child was found.
We've much to say.
Flor.
No doubt, but time is pressing,
So cut it short, and just give us your blessing.
(Perdita and Florizel kneel to Hermione, C.
Her.
Take it, my children—there! my daughter's thine.
Leon.
And take my blessing too.
Polix.
And mine!
Aut.
And mine!
Polix. (pulls Autolycus away. R.)
Be off.
Leon.
Then all is settled.
Enter Time, L.
Time.
Stop! allow
Time, who works wonders, just to work one now.
(to Leontes.)
You've found your wife.
(to Paulina.)
Your husband still you miss.
Behold!
Enter Antigonus, followed by the Bear, respectably dressed, L.
Paul.
'Tis be!
(runs across to embrace him.)
Flor.
It may be, but who's this?
A bear?
(Bear bows to the Company, and kisses Perdita's hand.
Per.
Good gracious! what extreme civility.
Flor.
You wouldn't think it a bare possibility.
Anti. (L.)
He took me home to dinner years ago,
I couldn't get away he pressed me so.
I tamed him—by degrees, his tastes advancing,
And finally instructed him in dancing.
Say, would you like to see him dance?
Flor.
I should?
-- 39 --
If you, kind friends, (to Audience.) would only be so good
As furnish music. (indicates clapping.) Poor the best of bands,
To the sweet sound of your applauding hands;
Let us hear that, with joy; we all will then dance,
And nightly on your pleasure dance attendance.
FINALE.—Time, Hermione, and Florizel.
Air,—“Pull away Cheerily,”—Russell.
Time.
Then let us hear from you kindly—one cheer from you,
Is all we want now our troubles to end.
Her.
Don't be too hard on us—all our faults pardon us—
Let us run on, p'raps in time we may mend.
Flor.
If we've made free with the Bard we all venerate,
'Tis that we prize him beyond all the rest,
Such is the way of the world, we, at any rate,
Ever make freest with those we love best.
Chorus.
Then let us hear from you kindly, &c.
CURTAIN.
