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Princess： Alas！
All： The world is but a broken toy；
Its pleasure hollow false its joy；
Unreal its loveliest hue；
Alas！
Its pains alone are true；
Alas！
Its pains alone are true！
Florian： Unreal its loveliest hue；
3 Men： Unreal its loveliest hue；
Princess： Cyr。 & Flor： A… Hilarion： Un…
Un… las！ real its
loveliest hue
real… Alas！ Alas！
…
its loveliest hue
All： Alas！
Alas！
Its pains alone are true。
（Exit Princess。 The three Gentlemen
watch her off。
Lady Psyche enters； and regards them with
amazement）
Hilarion： I'faith； the plunge is taken； gentlemen！
For； willy…nilly； we are maidens now；
And maids against our will we must remain。
＇All laugh
heartily。＇
Psyche： （Aside） These ladies are unseemly in their mirth。
（The gentlemen see her； and； in confusion；
resume their
modest
demeanour。）
Florian： （Aside） Here's a catastrophe； Hilarion！
This is my sister！ She'll remember me；
Though years have passed since she and I have met！
Hilarion： （Aside to Florian） Then make a virtue of necessity；
And trust our secret to her gentle care。
Florian： （To Psyche； who has watched Cyril in amazement）
Psyche！ Why； don't you know me？ Florian！
Psyche： （Amazed） Why； Florian！
Florian： My sister！ （Embraces her）
Psyche： Oh； my dear！ What are you doing here and who are
these？
Hilarion： I am that Prince Hilarion to whom
Your Princess is betrothed。 I come to claim
Her plighted love。 Your brother Florian
And Cyril came to see me safely through。
Psyche： The Prince Hilarion？ Cyril too？ How strange！
My earliest playfellows！
Hilarion： Why； let me look！
Are you that learned little Psyche who
At school alarmed her mates because she called
A buttercup 〃ranunculus bulbosus〃？
Cyril： Are you indeed that Lady Psyche； who
At children's parties； drove the conjuror wild；
Explaining all his tricks before he did them？
Hilarion： Are you that learned little Psyche； who
At dinner parties； brought in to dessert；
Would tackle visitors with 〃You don't know
Who first determined longitude I do
Hipparchus 'twas B。 C。 one sixty…three！〃
Are you indeed that small phenomenon？
Psyche： That small phenomenon indeed am I！
But gentlemen； 'tis death to enter here：
We have all promised to renounce mankind！
Florian： Renounce mankind！？ On what ground do you base
This senseless resolution？
Psyche： Senseless？ No。
We are all taught； and； being taught； believe
That Man； sprung from an Ape； is Ape at heart。
Cyril： That's rather strong。
Psyche： The truth is always strong！
SONG （Lady Psyche； with Cyril； Hilarion and Florian）
〃A Lady Fair； of Lineage High〃
Psyche： A Lady fair； of lineage high；
Was loved by an Ape； in the days gone by。
The Maid was radiant as the sun；
The Ape was a most unsightly one；
The Ape was a most unsightly one
So it would not do
His scheme fell through；
For the Maid； when his love took formal shape；
Express'd such terror
At his monstrous error；
That he stammer'd an apology and made his 'scape；
The picture of a disconcerted Ape。
With a view to rise in the social scale；
He shaved his bristles and he docked his tail；
He grew mustachios； and he took his tub；
And he paid a guinea to a toilet club；
He paid a guinea to a toilet club
But it would not do；
The scheme fell through
For the Maid was Beauty's fairest Queen；
With golden tresses；
Like a real princess's；
While the Ape； despite his razor keen；
Was the apiest Ape that ever was seen！
He bought white ties； and he bought dress suits；
He crammed his feet into bright tight boots
And to start in life on a brand…new plan；
He christen'd himself Darwinian Man！
But it would not do；
The scheme fell through
For the Maiden fair； whom the monkey crav'd；
Was a radiant Being；
With brain far…seeing
While Darwinian Man； though well…behav'd；
At best is only a monkey shav'd！
3 Men： For the Maiden fair； whom the monkey crav'd；
All： Was a radiant being；
With a brain far…seeing
While Darwinian Man； though well…behav'd；
At best is only a monkey shav'd！
（During this； Melissa has entered
unobserved；
she looks on in
amazement。）
Melissa： （Coming down） Oh； Lady Psyche！
Psyche： （Terrified） What！ You heard us then？
Oh； all is lost！
Melissa： Not so！ I'll breathe no word！
（Advancing in astonishment to Florian）
How marvelously strange！ and are you then
Indeed young men？
Florian： Well； yes； just now we are
But hope by dint of study to become；
In course of time； young women。
Melissa： （Eagerly） No； no； no
Oh； don't do that！ Is this indeed a man？
I've often heard of them； but； till to…day；
Never set eyes on one。 They told me men
Wer