Punch or The London charivari (3.1842)

10

PUNCH, OK THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

Sct.NR T.— Bower of the Enchanted Sundial.—Chorus of Fay?.

Air.

Oh, hasten here my love,

Oh, hasten quick to save !
If from this tow'r I cannot move,

I shall sink in an early crave .
Enter Grombc.

Grombo. What! haughty fair one, wilt thou not yet consent to be mine ?
Flimsilena. Never!

Grombo. Ha, ha, ha ! When the clock strikes ten thou must be mine E

[ Clock strikes Ten.

Ha, ha ! Then thou heardest the mystic token ?

Titino rushes in.
Titino. I come ! I come !
Flimsilena. Alas ! 'Tis too late !
Grombo. Ha, ha ! I triumph !

Trio.

Flim.—Yes, yes, alas ! you come too late,
You cannot save me from my fate.
Tit.—I see, alas ! I come too late,

I cannot save you from your fate.
Grow.—Ha, ha, ha, ha ! you came too late.
You cannot save her from her fate !
(Gromeo is about to seize Flimsilena, when the enchanted Sun-
dial rises, with the Fairy Mintjtia upon it.)

Minulia. The Princess is saved. It is not yet the mystic hour of ten*
Thy clock was tco fast!

Grombo. Lost ! (Sinks through a Trap, through which Red Fire h
shining.)

Airy,

Fairy,

Skip it,

Trip it,

On the grass,

Smooth as glass.
Hither fairy, hither fly,
While the butterfly hops in the daisy's ej e.

Thus we bound,

Round and round,
Dancing to the echo's sound.
(Prompter sings last line in his hat, to imitate echo.)

Dancing to the echo's sou-ou-ou-ou-nd !
\sl Fairy.—But our queen,

Will soon be seen.

(Sundial opens and discovers Minutta—the other Fairies form a ring.)

Minutia (in a very shrill voice).
Flimsilena, lovely maid,
Flimsilcrm claims your aid ;
She is pining, at this hour,
In the cruel Grombo's power ;
So without delay I call,
One who her deliver shall.
(A great Shell rises, in which Titino and Quambo are asleep )
Open your eyes,

Awake—arise ! [ They awake.

Titino. What gorgeous vision do these bewildered eyes behold I
Quambo. Him berry fine, Massa !

Minutia. Know that a lovely princess is confined by a cruel magician
in yonder tower ; and that unless you reach there by ten o'clock, two
hours after Phoebus has kissed the rosy brink of Western Ocean, she
is lost for ever.

Titino. Thanks, generous elfin, for this aid. I fly ! [E.vit.
Quambo. Me so berry fat me can't fly—me walk ! [E.riL

Chorus.
Haste ! Oh haste !

No moment waste ' [Scene closr<.

Scene II.—Grombo's Mystic Towe- Tht Princess Flinsilena
ditcovered playing a I ut6

Titino and Flimsilena. Oh rapture !

(Minutia waves wand, and scene changes.)

Scene III__Palace of Punctuality, in the regions of Time. Time-piwes

of all sorts appear in different parts of the Scene, with their h*nds just
upon the stroke of Ten. All the Fays as in Scbnf. I,

Chorus.
Fairies trip an elfin measure,
All our pain is turned to pleasure.
Thus we dance, with fresh delight,—
Happy day, and happy night !
Hap-py-ni-i-i-ght !

(Curtain falls as all the docks strike Ten.)