Don Sallust. How, now, base slaves, is't thus you take your ease?
Here, Gudiel, stop this bad yell, if you please.
[Gudiel motions them all to be silent.
(Sarcastically.) I didn't know you sang — though I must say
I've found out, to my cost, that you could play!
Now, I'm not partial to the occupation
Which some folk call, I say, fo-cal-i-za-tion.
If you begin that "opening" agen,
'Twill be a bad one for some nice young men.

Gudiel. My Lord, may I request an explanation
Of this most unexpected emigration?
Now that Madrid is full, your leave to take,
Does seem a drid-ful sacrifice to make;
The almanacs proclaim the height of season,
Yet you depart — and all men ax the reason.
(Slyly.) Perhaps a lady's caused you to be sent to exile?

Sall. (aside) Humph ! Your guess is exile-ent

Gudiel.Or pr'aps you've robbed from Paul to square with Peter?

Sail. (impatiently) Turn off your guess and listen to my metre.

Gudiel. A breach of promise should be paid in fines,
But banishment!

Sall. Oh, Gudiel. it's hard lines!
The number of King Charles's foes I've killed,
The premiership I once so ably filled,
The jobs I've countenanced, the bosh I've spoken,
The promises for him I've made — and broken!
Yet, for King Charles's queen's entreaties scorning
I start from Charles' town, early in the morning.
All this, because I won't consent to wed
A girl who sweeps her floor, and makes her bed,
And lights her fire! This waiting-maid, you'll see,
Will "wait" a long time, if she waits for me.
Tho' we must fly like me before a tarrier
Unless I'm willing instantly to many her.
Think not that on my shoulders long will be
The yoke of this hard egg-sile. When I'm free
Like evil-omened birds well be behavin'.

Gudiel. (aside) It seems to me, already he's a ravin'!

Sall. There's nothing in a name, say many slow men
She'll find though there's a good deal in an omen.
When I return, to her 'twill carry sorrow.
Ha! ha! A thought! [Starts.

Guild. You start!

Sall. (recovering himself.) I do — to-morrow.

Sall. Ruy Blas! my crack-brain flunky! He most suffer —
A mazy, crazy, lazy, dazy duffer!
A poor romantic fool, without a brain,
Who loves — ha! ha! — Maria, Queen of Spain!
This state of things I wasn't long discoverin',
He's always hoverin' about his sovereign.
I'll clothe and fee him — introduce the man
As my lost cousin, Cæsar de Bazan.
And he shall wed her, for I'll plan it so,
Whedder she wants to marry him, or no.
But soft, he comes, and, very soft, I'll go.

Retires to back of stage on tiptoe.
Enter Ruy Blas, C., with Wellington boot an his left arm and a blacking-brush in his right hand. He comes down brushing the boot thoughtfully.

Maria! much desired better half!
I never told my love — for chaps might chaff —
But let concealment — there, you know the rest:
It's like my "damask cheek" to let my breast
Harbour a thought for one upon the throne —
A love that burns in secret — burns alone!
E'en if she knew how my unhappy fate
Deafens me to the call of tarnished plate,
Her wily councillors would still remind her
That I am socially so far behind her.
Absurd idea! Could an excuse be hollower?
If I'm behind her, I must be her follower!

Sall. Ruy Blas!

Ruy.                 Yessir!

Sall.                             Come here — attend to me.
I've often fancied, Ruy, that I could see,
In short, a sort of something in your eye,
Which said you were not born for liverye.
These liv'ried splendours, Ruy, you cannot love them?
These crested buttons —

Ruy. I've a soul above them!
A soul above my place. I feel, though poor,
Like Thaddius, that my birth is noble. You're
So precious careful that I'm neatly drest,
That I may add "unsullied is my crest"
[Showing his buttons, which are brightly polished.
The blood in torrents to my face will rush,
When I put on my powder and my plush,
My fellow-servants mock my weakness ivery,
And bait me so, because I stand at livery!

Sall. Ruy, I'll promote you to superior pay,
Be my amanuensis from to-day.         [Ruy starts.
Your rise in life from this affair commences:
In other words, Ruy Bias, a man you hence is.   [Ruy stands amazed.

Ruy. What! do I shed for aye these breeches fiery,
And drop your live-ry to keep year die-ary?

Sall. Yes; as the first act of your new estate,
Be good enough to write as I dictate.
[Ruy takes pen, ink, and paper, and prepares to write.
"I, Ruy Blas, flunkey, willingly agree
To serve Don Sallust, well and faithfully,
As waiting-man, for fifteen pounds a year,
My tea and sugar, and a pint of beer."

Ruy. But, I'm your secretary.

Sall.                                       Sign, sir, sign.
It's only just a curious whim of mine:
To give me thus your airs my temper tries,
If you don't mind, I wont give you your rise,
[Ruy signs the paper.
That's it. Now write "Madrid, June seventeen,
Maria, of my heart the only queen,
Drop in to tea, to-night at half-past eight,
Just a few friends you know — we shan't be late."
Now sign it "Cæsar."               [Ruy looks up amazed.
                                    How the fellow stares!
(Explains). The name I go by in my love affairs!
             [Ruy, satisfied, signs, and gives it to Sallust, who folds up both papers and puts them in his pocket.
There from this pocket neither note shall budge
Till I'm revenged — I owe the queen a grudge;
There'll be some use in this insidious letter,
Ven creditor is paid by this ven-detta!
[Trumpet heard without. The curtains at the back separate.
Here take this cloak — the Queen and all her train
Are passing through
[Ruy puts on a large cloak and a sombrero.

Enter Herald.

Herald. Maria, Queen of Spain!

The Queen appears in the portion of the stage which hitherto has been curtained off. Nobles advance and kiss her hand, in order to prolong her stay on the stage until Ruy's apostrophe is ended.

Ruy. Oh, beauteous Queen, how infinitely fairer
Than Jane or Emma, Mary, Anne, or Sairer!
So far excelling in her various graces
The various cooks at all my various places!
I'll write to her, though she's beyond my scope —
A letter she may send anon ve'll hope.
I wouldn't give her up for any sum;
No, no — I'll stick to that queen's head — by gum!
                        [Curtain falls as the Queen departs. During this speech Sallust has                                 watched Ruy closely.

Sall. Ruy Blas, you love that fine young woman!

Ruy.                                                                        Don't I?

Sall. You'll marry her, if she's agreeable?

Ruy.                                                              Wont I?

Sall. With such a Juno, you would like, proberbly,
To reign as Jupiter?

Ruy.                    In-jupiter-bly!
But can I, by the rules of orthodoxy?
For she is married!

Sall.                 Only wed by proxy.
The wedding's not confirmed by law — and still
She can dissolve it if she has the will.
I hate the Queen — and ere I beat retreat
I'll get you posted early to her suite,
And call you, say, Don Cæsar de Bazan,
My long lost cousin. Yes. you're like the man.

Ruy. But how will this your plan of vengeance meet?

Sall. No matter.

Ruy. (suddenly) Oh, I know — "revenge is suite!"
I'm but the engine of your wrath, it's plain.

Sall. An engine? yes: attached to the Queen's train!
Her person you'll approximate. I've stated
King Charles as yet has but a proxy mated!

DUET — SALLUST and RUY BLAS.

AIR — from Kermesse Scene in "Faust."

Sallust.		Come, come with me — Soon you, shall see —
	Off you shall carry her.
Ruy.	What, shall I marry her?
Sall.		Yes, yes, I vow, Come with me now —
Ruy.	No, no; I couldn't do it — no, no no no.
Sall. (wheedling)			Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do!
Ruy.		No. no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
Sall.		Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do!
Ruy.		No. no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Well, I don't much care-are!
			I'll prepare-are For ma chère-are Tho' I dare-are, For to swear-are, You're aware-are,
		That the dodge is very far from fair!
Both.		Well, I/he don't much care-are! I'll/he'll prepare-are, etc.

Comic Dance, preceded by a "Walk around," and exeunt, dancing off.

Page modified 22 August, 2011