Aria.

With a sense of deep emotion
I approach this painful case,
For I never had a notion
That a man could be so base.
Or deceive a girl confiding,
Vows, et caetera, deriding!

All. – He deceived a girl confiding
Vows, et caetera, deriding!

Counsel. – See my interesting client,
Victim of a heartless wile,
See the traitor all defiant
Wear a supercilious smile:
Sweetly smiled my client on him,
Coyly woo’d and gently won him!

All. – Sweetly smiled the plaintiff on him,
Coyly woo’d and gently won him!

Counsel. – Swiftly sped each honied hour
Spent with this unmanly male,
Camberwell became a bower,
Peckham an Arcadian vale;
Breathing concentrated otto!
An existence á la Watteau!

All. – Bless us, concentrated otto!
An existence á la Watteau!

Counsel. – Picture, then, my client naming
And insisting on the day,
Picture him excuses framing,
Going from her far away,
Doubly criminal to do so
For the maid had bought her trousseau!

All. – Doubly criminal to do so
For the maid had bought her trousseau!

Judge. – See her sinking on her knees
In the Court of Common Pleas –
Place your briefs upon the shelf
I will marry her myself!

(He throws himself into her arms.)

All. – Ah! Sly dog!

Recitative.

Judge. – Come all of you – the breakfast I’ll prepare –
Five hundred and eleven, Eaton Square!

Final Chorus.

Trial la law! Trial la law!
Singing so merrily, Trial la law!

CURTAIN.