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I am indeed getting on in years； and a helpmate would cheer my
declining days。 Time was when it might have been； but I have
left it too longI am an old fogy； now； am I not； my dear？ （to
Constance）a very old fogy； indeed。 Ha！ ha！ No； Mrs。 Partlet；
my mind is quite made up。 I shall live and die a solitary old
bachelor。
CONST。 Oh； mother； mother！ （Sobs on Mrs。 Partlet's bosom）
MRS。 P。 Come； come； dear one； don't fret。 At a more
fitting time we will try againwe will try again。
（Exeunt Mrs。 Partlet and
Constance。）
DR。 D。 （looking after them） Poor little girl！ I'm afraid
she has something on her mind。 She is rather comely。 Time was
when this old heart would have throbbed in double…time at the
sight of such a fairy form！ But tush！ I am puling！ Here comes
the young Alexis with his proud and happy father。 Let me dry
this tell…tale tear！
Enter Sir Marmaduke and Alexis
RECITATIVE
DR。 D。 Sir Marmadukemy dear young friend； Alexis
On this most happy； most auspicious plighting
Permit me as a true old friend to tender
My best； my very best congratulations！
SIR M。 Sir； you are most obleeging！
ALEX。 Dr。 Daly
My dear old tutor； and my valued pastor；
I thank you from the bottom of my heart！
（Spoken
through music）
DR。 D。 May fortune bless you！ may the middle distance
Of your young life be pleasant as the foreground
The joyous foreground！ and； when you have reached it；
May that which now is the far…off horizon
（But which will then become the middle distance）；
In fruitful promise be exceeded only
By that which will have opened； in the meantime；
Into a new and glorious horizon！
SIR M。 Dear Sir； that is an excellent example
Of an old school of stately compliment
To which I have； through life； been much addicted。
Will you obleege me with a copy of it；
In clerkly manuscript； that I myself
May use it on appropriate occasions？
DR。 D。 Sir； you shall have a fairly…written copy
Ere Sol has sunk into his western slumbers！
（Exit
Dr。 Daly）
SIR M。 （to Alexis； who is in a reverie） Come； come； my
sonyour fiancee will be here in five minutes。 Rouse yourself
to receive her。
ALEXIS 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 comes 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 ladythat affair with
Parisbut where is the family； other than my own； in which there
is no flaw？ You are a lucky fellow； sira 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 ecstasies。 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
〃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 delicatemuch more respectful。 But seeAline
approacheslet 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。）
（Enter Aline on terrace； 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！
May their love never cloy！
May their bliss me unbounded！
With a halo of joy
May their lives be surrounded！
Heaven bless our Aline！
RECITATIVEALINE。
My kindly friends； I thank you for this greeting
And as you wish me every earthly joy；
I trust your wishes may have quick fulfillment！
ARIAALINE。
Oh； happy young heart！
Comes thy young lord a…wooing
With joy in his eyes；
And pride in his breast
Make much of thy prize；
For he is the best
That ever came a…suing。
Yetyet we must part；
Young heart！
Yetyet we must part！
Oh； merry young heart；
Bright are the days of thy wooing！
But happier far
The days untried
No sorrow can mar；
When love has tied
The knot there's no undoing。
Then； never to part；
Young heart！
Then； never to part！
Enter Lady Sangazure
RECITATIVELADY S。
My child； I join in these congratulations：
Heed not the tear that dims this aged eye！
Old memories crowd upon me。 Though I sorrow；
'Tis for myself； Aline； and not for thee！
Enter Alexis； preceded by Chorus of Men
CHORUS OF MEN AND WOMEN
With heart and with voice
Let us welcome this mating；