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Giuseppe； and Tessa。）
CHORUS。
Bridegroom and bride！
Knot that's insoluble；
Voices all voluble
Hail it with pride。
Bridegroom and bride！
We in sincerity
Wish you prosperity；
Bridegroom and bride！
SONGTESSA。
TESS。 When a merry maiden marries；
Sorrow goes and pleasure tarries；
Every sound becomes a song；
All is right； and nothing's wrong！
From to…day and ever after
Let our tears be tears of laughter。
Every sigh that finds a vent
Be a sigh of sweet content！
When you marry； merry maiden；
Then the air with love is laden；
Every flower is a rose；
Every goose becomes a swan；
Every kind of trouble goes
Where the last year's snows have gone！
CHORUS。 Sunlight takes the place of shade
When you marry； merry maid！
TESS。 When a merry maiden marries；
Sorrow goes and pleasure tarries；
Every sound becomes a song；
All is right； and nothing's wrong。
Gnawing Care and aching Sorrow；
Get ye gone until to…morrow；
Jealousies in grim array；
Ye are things of yesterday！
When you marry； merry maiden；
Then the air with joy is laden；
All the corners of the earth
Ring with music sweetly played；
Worry is melodious mirth；
Grief is joy in masquerade；
CHORUS。 Sullen night is laughing day
All the year is merry May！
（At the end of the song； Don Alhambra enters at back。 The
Gondoliers and Contadine shrink from him； and gradually go off；
much alarmed。）
GIU。 And now our lives are going to begin in real earnest！
What's a bachelor？ A mere nothinghe's a chrysalis。 He can't
be said to livehe exists。
MAR。 What a delightful institution marriage is！ Why have
we wasted all this time？ Why didn't we marry ten years ago？
TESS。 Because you couldn't find anybody nice enough。
GIA。 Because you were waiting for us。
MAR。 I suppose that was the reason。 We were waiting for
you without knowing it。 （Don Alhambra comes forward。） Hallo！
DON AL。 Good morning。
GIU。 If this gentleman is an undertaker it's a bad omen。
DON AL。 Ceremony of some sort going on？
GIU。 （aside）。 He is an undertaker！ （Aloud。） Noa little
unimportant family gathering。 Nothing in your line。
DON AL。 Somebody's birthday； I suppose？
GIA。 Yes； mine！
TESS。 And mine！
MAR。 And mine！
GIU。 And mine！
DON AL。 Curious coincidence！ And how old may you all be？
TESS。 It's a rude questionbut about ten minutes。
DON AL。 Remarkably fine children！ But surely you are
jesting？
TESS。 In other words； we were married about ten minutes
since。
DON AL。 Married！ You don't mean to say you are married？
MAR。 Oh yes； we are married。
DON AL。 What； both of you？
ALL。 All four of us。
DON AL。 （aside）。 Bless my heart； how extremely awkward！
GIA。 You don't mind； I suppose？
TESS。 You were not thinking of either of us for yourself； I
presume？ Oh； Giuseppe； look at himhe was。 He's heart…broken！
DON AL。 No； no； I wasn't！ I wasn't！
GIU。 Now； my man （slapping him on the back）； we don't want
anything in your line to…day； and if your curiosity's
satisfiedyou can go！
DON AL。 You mustn't call me your man。 It's a liberty。 I
don't think you know who I am。
GIU。 Not we； indeed！ We are jolly gondoliers； the sons of
Baptisto Palmieri； who led the last revolution。 Republicans；
heart and soul； we hold all men to be equal。 As we abhor
oppression； we abhor kings： as we detest vain…glory； we detest
rank： as we despise effeminacy； we despise wealth。 We are
Venetian gondoliersyour equals in everything except our
calling； and in that at once your masters and your servants。
DON AL。 Bless my heart； how unfortunate！ One of you may be
Baptisto's son； for anything I know to the contrary； but the
other is no less a personage than the only son of the late King
of Barataria。
ALL。 What！
DON AL。 And I trustI trust it was that one who slapped me
on the shoulder and called me his man！
GIU。 One of us a king！
MAR。 Not brothers！
TESS。 The King of Barataria！ ＇Together＇
GIA。 Well； who'd have thought it！
MAR。 But which is it？
DON AL。 What does it matter？ As you are both Republicans；
and hold kings in detestation； of course you'll abdicate at once。
Good morning！ （Going。）
GIA。 and TESS。 Oh； don't do that！ （Marco and Giuseppe stop
him。）
GIU。 Well； as to that； of course there are kings and kings。
When I say that I detest kings； I mean I detest bad kings。
DON AL。 I see。 It's a delicate distinction。
GIU。 Quite so。 Now I can conceive a kind of kingan ideal
kingthe creature of my fancy； you knowwho would be absolutely
unobjectionable。 A king； for instance； who would abolish taxes
and make everything cheap； except gondolas
MAR。 And give a great many free entertainments to the
gondoliers
GIU。 And let off fireworks on the Grand Canal； and engage
all the gondolas for the occasion
MAR。 And scramble money on the Rialto among the gondoliers。
GIU。 Such a king would be a blessing to his people； and if
I were a king； that is the sort of king I would be。
MAR。 And so would I！
DON AL。 Come； I'm glad to find your objections are not
insuperable。
MAR。 and GIU。 Oh； they're not insuperable。
GIA。 and TESS。 No； they're not insuperable。
GIU。 Besides； we are open to conviction。
GIA。 Yes； they are open to conviction。
TESS。 Oh！ they've often been convicted。
GIU。 Our views may have been hastily formed on insufficient
grounds。 They may be crude； ill…digested； erroneous。 I've a
very poor opinion of the politician who is not open to
conviction。
TESS。 （to Gia。）。 Oh； he's a fine fellow！
GIA。 Yes； that's the sort of politician for my money！
DON AL。 Then we'll consider it settled。 Now； as the
country is in a state of insurrection； it is absolutely necessary
that you should assume the reins of Government at once； and；
until it is ascertained which of you is to be king； I have
arranged that you will reign jointly； so tha