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You see； you are considerably older than I。 A lad of
twenty…one usually looks for a wife of seventeen。
RUTH： A wife of seventeen！ You will find me a wife of a
thousand！
FREDERIC： No； but I shall find you a wife of forty…seven； and
that is quite enough。 Ruth； tell me candidly and
without reserve： compared with other women； how are
you？
RUTH： I will answer you truthfully； master： I have a slight
cold； but otherwise I am quite well。
FREDERIC： I am sorry for your cold； but I was referring rather to
your personal appearance。 Compared with other women；
are you beautiful？
RUTH： （bashfully） I have been told so； dear master。
FREDERIC： Ah； but lately？
RUTH： Oh； no； years and years ago。
FREDERIC： What do you think of yourself？
RUTH： It is a delicate question to answer； but I think I am a
fine woman。
FREDERIC： That is your candid opinion？
RUTH： Yes； I should be deceiving you if I told you otherwise。
FREDERIC： Thank you； Ruth。 I believe you； for I am sure you
would not practice on my inexperience。 I wish to do
the right thing； and if… I say if… you are really a
fine woman； your age shall be no obstacle to our union！
（Shakes hands with her。 Chorus of girls heard in the
distance； 〃climbing over rocky mountain；〃 etc。） Hark！
Surely I hear voices！ Who has ventured to approach our
all but inaccessible lair？ Can it be Custom House？ No；
it does not sound like Custom House。
RUTH： （aside） Confusion！ it is the voices of young girls！
If he should see them I am lost。
FREDERIC： （looking off） By all that's marvellous； a bevy of
beautiful maidens！
RUTH： （aside） Lost！ lost！ lost！
FREDERIC： How lovely； how surpassingly lovely is the plainest of
them！ What grace… what delicacy… what refinement！ And
Ruth Ruth told me she was beautiful！
RECITATIVE
FREDERIC： Oh； false one； you have deceived me！
RUTH： I have deceived you？
FREDERIC： Yes； deceived me！
（Denouncing her。）
FREDERIC： You told me you were fair as gold！
RUTH： （wildly） And； master； am I not so？
FREDERIC： And now I see you're plain and old。
RUTH： I'm sure I'm not a jot so。
FREDERIC： Upon my innocence you play。
RUTH： I'm not the one to plot so。
FREDERIC： Your face is lined； your hair is grey。
RUTH： It's gradually got so。
FREDERIC： Faithless woman； to deceive me；
I who trusted so！
RUTH： Master； master； do not leave me！
Hear me； ere you go！
My love without reflecting；
Oh； do not be rejecting！
Take a maiden tender； her affection raw and green；
At very highest rating；
Has been accumulating
Summers seventeen； summers seventeen。
Don't； beloved master；
Crush me with disaster。
What is such a dower to the dower I have here？
My love unabating
Has been accumulating
Forty…seven yearforty…seven year！
ENSEMBLE
RUTH FREDERIC
Don't； beloved master； Yes； your former master
Crush me with disaster。 Saves you from disaster。
What is such a dower to the Your love would be uncomfortably
dower I have here fervid； it is clear
My love unabating If； as you are stating
Has been accumulating It's been accumulating
Forty…seven year； forty…seven Forty…seven yearforty…seven year！
year！ Faithless woman to deceive me； I
who trusted so！
Master； master； do not leave Faithless woman to deceive me； I
me； hear me； ere I go！ who trusted so！
RECITFREDERIC
What shall I do？ Before these gentle maidens
I dare not show in this alarming costume！
No； no； I must remain in close concealment
Until I can appear in decent clothing！
（Hides in cave as they enter climbing over the rocks and through
arched rock）
GIRLS： Climbing over rocky mountain；
Skipping rivulet and fountain；
Passing where the willows quiver；
Passing where the willows quiver
By the ever…rolling river；
Swollen with the summer rain； the summer rain
Threading long and leafy mazes
Dotted with unnumbered daisies；
Dotted； dotted with unnumbered daisies；
Scaling rough and rugged passes；
Climb the hardy little lasses；
Till the bright sea…shore they gain；
Scaling rough and rugged passes；
Climb the hardy little lasses；
Till the bright sea…shore they gain！
EDITH： Let us gaily tread the measure；
Make the most of fleeting leisure；
Hail it as a true ally；
Though it perish by…and…by。
GIRLS： Hail it as a true ally；
Though it perish by…and…by。
EDITH： Every moment brings a treasure
Of its own especial pleasure；
Though the moments quickly die；
Greet them gaily as they fly；
Greet them gaily as they fly。
GIRLS： Though the moments quickly die；
Greet them gaily as they fly。
KATE： Far away from toil and care；
Revelling in fresh sea…air；
Here we live and reign alone
In a world that's all our own。
Here； in this our rocky den；
Far away from mortal men；
We'll be queens； and make decrees
They may honour them who please。
GIRLS： We'll be queens； and make decrees
They may honour them who please。
Let us gaily tread the measure； etc。
KATE： What a picturesque spot！ I wonder where we are！
EDITH： And I wonder where Papa is。 We have left him ever so
far behind。
ISABEL： Oh； he will be here presently！ Remember poor Papa is
not as young as we are； and we came over a rather
difficult country。
KATE： But how thoroughly delightful it is to be so entirely
alone！ Why； in all probability we are the first human
beings who ever set foot on this enchanting spot。
ISABEL： Except the mermaidsit's the very place for mermaids。
KATE： Who are only human beings down to the waist
EDITH： And who can't be said strictly to set foot anywhere。
Tails they may； but feet they cannot。
KATE： But what sha