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Dialogue following No. 1
| Selene. | Dear sisters, I bring news. Ere very
long Lutin, who, by the will of the great king To whom we all yield faithful suzerainty, Left Fairyland to join him in mid-earth, Will home return. He is the only one Of our immortal race Who has set foot upon that wicked world! |
| Zayda. | Lutin returning! He will set at rest Our wild and wondering theories, and reveal, In picture-painting words, the demon deeds Of all the goblin murder-mongers that Infest that sink of seething infamy! |
Enter ETHAIS, a male Fairy, followed by PHYLLON, another male Fairy.
| Ethais. | In truth, dear sister, if Man's face and form Were a true index to his character, He were a fearsome thing to look upon. But Man, alas! is formed as we are formed. False from the first, he comes into the world Wearing a smiling lie upon his face That he may cheat ere he can use his tongue! |
| Darine. | Darine. As we are formed? |
| Phyllon. | 'Tis so, in very truth. | |
| Dost thou not know that every soul
on earth Hath, in our ranks, his fairy counterpart? |
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| Darine. | His counterpart? | ||
| Selene. | Aye, on that wicked world | ||
| Thou, I, and all who dwell in Fairyland, May find a parallel identity — So perfect that, if it were possible To place us by those earthly counterparts, No man on earth, no fairy in the clouds Could tell which was the fairy - which the man! |
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| Zara. | Is there no shade of difference? | ||
| Phyllon. | Yes, one, | ||
| For we are absolutely free from sin While all our representatives on earth Are stained with every kind of infamy! |
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| Zayda. | Are all our counterparts so steeped in sin? | ||
| Selene. | All, in a greater or a less degree. | ||
| Zayda. | What, even mine? | ||
| Selene. | Alas! | ||
| Zayda. | Oh, no — not mine! | ||
| Selene. | All men and women sin! | ||
SELENE, ETHAIS and PHYLLON retire up and exit.
| Darine. | I wonder what | ||
| My counterpart is doing now! | |||
| Zayda. | Some deed | ||
| Detestable in its degeneracy! Best not enquire! See, Lutin comes at last! He'll tell thee — so prepare ye for the worst! |
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Page modified 13 August 2011