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No. 15b: DUET (with Dance). (Jaqueline & the Devil)

MIDI symbol

JACQUELINE (struggling against her drowsiness).
    Up and down,
And through the town,
  Out of the gate and across the meads,
    This love-sick weaver
He durst not leave her,
  He needs must follow wherever she leads.
    Yet, O, he sighed,
As ever she cried, —
  "Now say what magic hath made thee fair?"
    "In sooth, sweet dame,
How this beauty came,
  Though I fain would tell thee I may not dare."
(aping SAIDA and SIMON).
  Ah!
    Thou art he!
And I am she!
  For so she beckoned, and so he came;

DEVIL (aping SAIDA and SIMON).
    I am he!
And thou art she!
  For so she beckoned, and so he came;

BOTH.
    Through fire and water
He would have sought her,
  With jaws agape and with eyes aflame!
    Through fire and water
He would have sought her,
  With jaws agape and with eyes aflame!

JACQUELINE.
    On and on,
Till, one by one,
  The pale stars flicker'd and fled away;
    With eyes entrancing,
She led him dancing
  Beyond the river and through the hay!
    Yet still he sighed
As ever she cried, —
  "Whence came thy beauty, oh, tell me true?"
    "Nay, how it befell
I am loth to tell,
  For none may know how this wonder grew!"
(aping SAIDA and SIMON).
  Ah!
    Thou art he!
And I am she!
  For so he followed where'er she led;

DEVIL (aping SAIDA and SIMON).
    Thou art she,
And I am he!
  For so he followed where'er she led;

BOTH.
    She crooked her finger,
He dared not linger
  Though day was dawning and night had fled!
    She crooked her finger,
He dared not linger
  Though day was dawning and night had fled!

JACQUELINE.
    In and out,
And round about,
  She led him at last to that hidden bower;
    And there with pressing,
And soft caressing,
  She wooed him fondly for all an hour!
    But though she sighed,
Yet ever he cried, —
  "How came this beauty I may not say!"
    Then up she leapt,
And away she stept,
  "Enough, false lover! then go thy way!

JACQUELINE. DEVIL.
      Ah!
        I am he, and thou art she!
  Oh, let me be,      
The way from the valley is long and steep!     I am he, and thou art she!
        Nay, faster! faster! faster! faster!
Good my master, my feet are weary,     Nay, faster! faster! faster! faster!
I needs must sleep, must sleep!     Nay, faster! faster! faster! faster!

JACQUELINE sinks to the ground, overcome by slumber, while the DEVIL continues the dance.

DEVIL (aside) .
    Artful weaver,
Wouldst deceive her!
  Nay, but her beauty shall make thee moan,
    Till all forsaken,
Thy heart shall waken —
  And then the Devil shall claim his own.

DANCE.

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Page modified 15 October 2011