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Tails they may； but feet they cannot。
KATE： But what shall we do until Papa and the servants arrive
with the luncheon？
EDITH： We are quite alone； and the sea is as smooth as glass。
Suppose we take off our shoes and stockings and paddle？
ALL： Yes； yes！ The very thing！ （They prepare to carry； out
the suggestion。 They have all taken off one shoe； when
FREDERIC comes forward from cave。）
FREDERIC： （recitative）。 Stop； ladies； pray！
GIRLS： （Hopping on one foot） A man！
FREDERIC： I had intended
Not to intrude myself upon your notice
In this effective but alarming costume；
But under these peculiar circumstances；
It is my bounden duty to inform you
That your proceedings will not be unwitnessed！
EDITH： But who are you； sir？ Speak！ （All hopping）
FREDERIC： I am a pirate！
GIRLS： （recoiling； hopping） A pirate！ Horror！
FREDERIC： Ladies； do not shun me！
This evening I renounce my vile profession；
And； to that end； O pure and peerless maidens！
Oh； blushing buds of ever…blooming beauty！
I； sore at heart； implore your kind assistance。
EDITH： How pitiful his tale！
KATE： How rare his beauty
GIRLS： How pitiful his tale！ How rare his beauty！
SONGFREDERIC
Oh； is there not one maiden breast
Which does not feel the moral beauty
Of making worldly interest
Subordinate to sense of duty？
Who would not give up willingly
All matrimonial ambition；
To rescue such a one as I
From his unfortunate position？
From his position；
To rescue such an one as I
From his unfortunate position？
GIRLS： Alas！ there's not one maiden breast
Which seems to feel the moral beauty
Of making worldly interest
Subordinate to sense of duty！
FREDERIC： Oh； is there not one maiden here
Whose homely face and bad complexion
Have caused all hope to disappear
Of ever winning man's affection？
Of such a one； if such there be；
I swear by Heaven's arch above you；
If you will cast your eyes on me；
However plain you be； I'll love you；
However plain you be；
If you will cast your eyes on me；
However plain you be I'll love you；
I'll love you； I'll love； I'll love you！
GIRLS： Alas！ there's not one maiden here
Whose homely face and bad complexion
Have caused all hope to disappear
Of ever winning man's affection！
FREDERIC： （in despair） Not one？
GIRLS： No； no not one！
FREDERIC： Not one？
GIRLS： No； no！
MABEL： （enters through arch） Yes； one！
Yes； one！
GIRLS： 'Tis Mabel！
MABEL： Yes； 'tis Mabel！
RECITMABEL
Oh； sisters； deaf to pity's name；
For shame！
It's true that he has gone astray；
But pray
Is that a reason good and true
Why you
Should all be deaf to pity's name？
GIRLS： （aside）： The question is； had he not been
A thing of beauty；
Would she be swayed by quite as keen
A sense of duty？
MABEL： For shame； for shame； for shame！
SONGMABEL
MABEL： Poor wand'ring one！
Though thou hast surely strayed；
Take heart of grace；
Thy steps retrace；
Poor wand'ring one！
Poor wand'ring one！
If such poor love as mine
Can help thee find
True peace of mind…
Why； take it； it is thine！
GIRLS： Take heart； no danger low'rs；
Take any heart but ours！
MABEL： Take heart； fair days will shine；
Take any hearttake mine！
GIRLS： Take heart； no danger low'rs；
Take any heart…but ours！
MABEL： Take heart； fair days will shine；
Take any hearttake mine！
Poor wand'ring one！； etc。
（MABEL and FREDERIC go to mouth of cave and converse。 EDITH
beckons her sisters； who form a semicircle around her。）
EDITH
What ought we to do；
Gentle sisters； say？
Propriety； we know；
Says we ought to stay；
While sympathy exclaims；
〃Free them from your tether
Play at other games
Leave them here together。〃
KATE
Her case may； any day；
Be yours； my dear； or mine。
Let her make her hay
While the sun doth shine。
Let us compromise
（Our hearts are not of leather）：
Let us shut our eyes
And talk about the weather。
GIRLS： Yes； yes； let's talk about the weather。
Chattering chorus
How beautifully blue the sky；
The glass is rising very high；
Continue fine I hope it may；
And yet it rained but yesterday。
To…morrow it may pour again
（I hear the country wants some rain）；
Yet people say； I know not why；
That we shall have a warm July。
To…morrow it may pour again
（I hear the country wants some rain）；
Yet people say； I know not why；
That we shall have a warm July。
Enter MABEL and FREDERIC
。During MABEL's solo the GIRLS continue chatter pianissimo； but
listening eagerly all the time。
SOLOMABEL
Did ever maiden wake
From dream of homely duty；
To find her daylight break
With such exceeding beauty？
Did ever maiden close
Her eyes on waking sadness；
To dream of such exceeding gladness？
FREDERIC： Ah； yes！ ah； yes！ this is exceeding gladness
GIRLS： How beautifully blue the sky； etc。
SOLOFREDERIC
。During this； GIRLS continue their chatter pianissimo as before；
but listening intently all the time。
Did ever pirate roll
His soul in guilty dreaming；
And wake to find that soul
With peace and virtue beaming？
ENSEMBLE
FREDERIC