Page:The Sorcerer.djvu/8

8

Sir M.

(To Alexis, who is in a reverie.) Come, come, my son—your fiancée will be here in five minutes. Rouse yourself to receive her.

Alexis.

(Rising.) Oh, rapture.

Sir M.

Yes ; you are a fortunate young fellow, and I will not disguise from you that this union with the House of Sangazure realizes my fondest wishes. Aline is rich, and she cornea of a sufficiently old family, for she is the seven thousand and thirty-seventh in direct descent from Helen of Troy. True, there was a blot on the escutcheon of that lady that affair with Paris but where is the family other than my own, in which there is no flaw ? You are a lucky fellow, sir a very lucky fellow !

Alexis.

Father, I am welling over with limpid joy ! No sicklying taint of sorrow overlies the lucid lake of liquid love, upon which, hand-in-hand, Aline and I are to float into eternity !

Sir M.

Alexis, I desire that of your love for this young lady you do not speak so openly. You are always singing ballads in praise of her beauty, and you expect the very menials who wait behind your chair to chorus your ecstacies. It is not delicate.

Alexis.

Father, a man who loves as I love—

Sir M.

Pooh, pooh, sir ! fifty years ago I madly loved your future mother-in-law, the Lady Sangazure, and I have reason to believe that she returned my love. But were we guilty of the indelicacy of publicly rushing into each other's arms, exclaiming Recitative. " Oh my adored one ! " " Beloved boy ! " " Ecstatic rapture! " " Unmingled joy ! " which seems to be the modern fashion of love making? No! it was " Madam, I trust you are in the enjoyment of good health" "Sir, you are vastly polite : I protest I am mighty well" and so forth. Much more delicate much more respectful. (Crossing to r.) But see Aline approaches let us retire, that she may compose herself for the interesting ceremony in which she is to play so important a part.

Exeunt Sir Marmaduke and Alexis into house r. Enter Aline on terrace from l. and down c., preceded by chorus of girls.

Chorus of girls

With heart and with voice Let us welcome this mating: To the youth of her choice With a heart palpitating, Comes the lovely Aline !