"Suffices that, for this our Tale, Trim Waist, ripe Lips, bright Eyes, had she; Her Beauty made some local Stir; This Shepherdess Dorine adored. . . ." Implored, ignored, and soared, and poured (He's scrawled them here!) We'll sum in brief His fable on his second leaf. (Writes.) There, they shall know who 'twas that wrote: "L'ÉTOILE'S is but a mock-bird's note." THE ABBE (waking). [Exit. Implored's the word, I think. But where, Where is my paper? Ah! 'tis there! Eh! what? (Reads.) THE METAMORPHOSIS. (not in Ovid.) "The Shepherdess Dorine adored Our Abbe's Aid the Pair Implored; And changed to Goose and Gander, The Shepherdess Dorine adored The Shepherd-Boy Clitander!" L'ÉTOILE, — by all the Muses! Peste! He's off, post-haste, to tell the rest. THE SONG OUT OF SEASON. "Point de culte sans mystère." A Corridor in a Château, with Busts and SCENE. MONSIEUR L'ÉTOILE. Two VOICES. M. L'ÉTOILE (carrying a Rose). THIS is the place. MUTINE said here. 66 Through the Mancini room, and near The fifth Venetian chandelier. . ." The fifth? She knew there were but four; Still, here's the busto of the Moor. (Humming.) Tra-la, tra-la! If BIJOU wake, He'll bark, no doubt, and spoil my shake! (Sings softly.) "When Jove, the Skies' Director, First saw you sleep of yore, He cried aloud for Nectar, 'The Nectar quickly pour, (No sound. I'll tap once more.) (Sings again.) "Then came the Sire Apollo, 9.99 (A rustling within.) (Coquette! She heard before.) (Sings again.) "And urchin Cupid after (Now comes the last. 'Tis scarcely worse, I think, than Monsieur l'ABBÉ's verse.) "So waken, waken, waken, (That merits an encore.) "So waken, waken, waken! (An energetic Voice.) 'Tis thou, ANTOINE? Ah, Addle-pate! Ah, Thief of Valet, always late! Have I not told thee half-past eight A thousand times! (Great agitation.) But wait, but wait, M. L'ETOILE (stupefied). Just Skies! What lungs The infamous Soubrette! This is a turn I sha'n't forget: To make me sing my chansonnette (Retiring slowly.) And yet, and yet, it can't be she. They prompted her. Who can it be? (A second VOICE.) IT WAS THE ABBÉ TI-RI-LI ! |