DRAGOONS [to each other] He hears plainly all they say,
Twenty love-sick maidens they!

SAPHIR [L. of BUNTHORNE] Though so excellently wise,
For a moment mortal be,
Deign to raise thy purple eyes
From thy heart-drawn poesy.
Twenty lovesick maidens see--
Each is kneeling on her knee!

[All kneel.]

MAIDENS Twenty love-sick maidens see--
Each is kneeling on her knee!

BUNTHORNE [going R.] Though, as I remarked before,
Any one convinced would be
That some transcendental lore
Is monopolizing me,
Round the corner I can see
Each is kneeling on her knee!

DRAGOONS Round the corner he can see
Each is kneeling on her knee!

Now is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous?
A thorough-paced absurdity -- ridiculous!
preposterous!
Explain it if you can.

MAIDENS DRAGOONS

In a doleful train Now is not this ridiculous,
Two and two we walk all day, and is not this preposterous?
A thorough-paced absurdity--
None so sorrowful as they explain it if you can.

For we love in vain! Instead of rushing eagerly
None so sorrowful as they to cherish us and foster us,
They all prefer this
melancholy literary man.

Who can only sigh and say, Instead of slyly peering at us,
Casting looks endearing at us,
Blushing at us, flushing at us,
Flirting with a fan;

Woe is me, alackaday! They're actually sneering at us,
fleering at us, jeering at us!
Pretty sort of treatment for
a military man!

Woe is me, alackaday! They're actually sneering at us,
fleering at us, jeering at us!
Pretty sort of treatment for
a military man!

Twenty love-sick maidens we, Now is not this ridiculous,
and is not this preposterous?
They all prefer this melanch