Or a younger grace shall please; Till the coming of the crows' feet, And the backward turn of beaux' feet, 'Belle Marquise !'.

Till your frothed-out life's commotion Settles down to Ennui's ocean,

Or a dainty sham devotion,

'Belle Marquise !'

No: we neither like nor love you,
'Belle Marquise !'

Lesser lights we place above you,
Milder merits better please.

We have passed from Philosophe-dom
Into plainer modern days,
Grown contented in our oafdom,
Giving grace not all the praise;
And, en partant, Arsinoé, —

Without malice whatsoever,-
We shall counsel to our Chloë
To be rather good than clever;
For we find it hard to smother

Just one little thought, Marquise! Wittier perhaps than any other, You were neither Wife nor Mother, 'Belle Marquise!'

If I were you, when ladies at the play, sir,
Beckon and nod, a melodrama through,
I would not turn abstractedly away, sir,
If I were you!

FRANK.

If I were you, when persons I affected,

Wait for three hours to take me down to Kew, I would, at least, pretend I recollected,

If I were you!

NELLIE.

If I were you, when ladies are so lavish,

Sir, as to keep me every waltz but two, I would not dance with odious Miss M'Tavish, If I were you!

FRANK.

If I were you, who vow you cannot suffer

Whiff of the best, the mildest honey-dew,

I would not dance with smoke-consuming Puffer, If I were you!

NELLIE.

If I were you, I would not, sir, be bitter,
Even to write the Cynical Review;

FRANK.

No, I should doubtless find flirtation fitter,

If I were you!

NELLIE.

Really! You would? Why, Frank, you're quite de

lightful,

Hot as Othello, and as black of hue;

Borrow my fan. I would not look so frightful,

If I were you.

It is the cause.

FRANK.

I mean your chaperon is

Bringing some well-curled juvenile. Adieu! I shall retire. I'd spare that poor Adonis,

If I were you!

NELLIE.

Go, if you will. At once! And by express, sir!
Where shall it be? To China

- or Peru?

Go. I should leave inquirers my address, sir,
If I were you!

No,

FRANK.

- I remain. To stay and fight a duel Seems, on the whole, the proper thing to do Ah, you are strong, I would not then be cruel, If I were you!

NELLIE.

One does not like one's feelings to be doubted,

FRANK.

One does not like one's friends to misconstrue,

NELLIE.

If I confess that I a wee-bit pouted?

FRANK.

I should admit that I was piqué, too.

NELLIE.

Ask me to dance. I'd say no more about it,

--

If I were you!

[Waltz-Exeunt.]

SCENE.

'GOOD NIGHT, BABETTE!'

'Si vieillesse pouvait ! —'

A small neat Room. In a high Voltaire Chair sits a white-haired old Gentleman.

Day of

M. VIEUXBOIS (turning querulously) my life! Where can she get? Babette! I say! Babette! Babette !!

BABETTE (entering hurriedly)

Coming, M'sieu'! If M'sieu' speaks

So loud he won't be well for weeks!

April! Ville-d'Avray!- Ma'am'selle Rose!

M. VIEUXBOIS

Ah! I am old, - and I forget.

Was the place growing green, Babette?

BABETTE

But of a greenness !—yes, M'sieu'!
And then the sky so blue! so blue!
And when I dropped my immortelle,

How the birds sang!

(Lifting her apron to her eyes.)

This poor Ma'am'selle!

M. VIEUXBOIS

You're a good girl, Babette, but she,

She was an Angel, verily.

Sometimes I think I see her yet

Stand smiling by the cabinet;

And once, I know, she peeped and laughed

Betwixt the curtains

Where's the draught?

(She gives him a cup.)

Now I shall sleep, I think, Babette;—
Sing me your Norman chansonnette.

M. VIEUXBOIS (drowsily)

'She was an Angel'—' Once she laughed'.

What, was I dreaming?

Where's the draught?

BABETTE (showing the empty cup)

The draught, M'sieu'?

M. VIEUXBOIS

'How I forget!'

'I am so old!'

But sing, Babette !

BABETTE (sings)

'One was the Friend I left

Stark in the Snow;

One was the Wife that died

Long, long ago;

One was the Love I lost.

How could she know?'