From Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance.
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Just when you though we were on our way to an early happy ending, the pirates attack. Yes, those pirates. Frederic tries to get the girls away safely, but they are caught. Fortunately, the Major-General happens along just then (who also happens to be the girls father), and saves the day. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
RECIT--FREDERIC
Stay, we must not lose our senses;
Men who stick at no offences
Will
anon be here.
Piracy their dreadful trade is
Pray you, get you hence, young ladies,
While
the coast is clear.
{FREDERIC and MABEL retire
GIRLS:
No, we must not lose our senses,
If they
stick at no offences
We should not be here.
Piracy their dreadful trade is--
Nice companions for young ladies!
Let us disappear.
{During this chorus the PIRATES have entered stealthily, and formed in a semicircle behind the GIRLS. As the GIRLS move to go off each PIRATE seizes a GIRL. KING seizes EDITH and ISABEL, SAMUEL seizes KATE.)
ALL:
Too late!
PIRATES:
Ha! Ha!
ALL:
Too late!
PIRATES:
Ha! ha!
Ha! ha! ha! ha! Ha! ha! ha! ha!
ENSEMBLE
(Pirates pass in front of (Girls pass in front of
Girls.) Pirates.)
PIRATES GIRLS
Here's a first-rate opportunity We have missed our opportunity
To get married with impunity, Of escaping with impunity;
And indulge in the felicity So farewell to the felicity
Of unbounded domesticity. Of our maiden domesticity!
You shall quickly be We shall quickly be
parsonified, parsonified,
Conjugally matrimonified, Conjugally matrimonified,
By a doctor of divinity By a doctor of divinity,
Who is located in this Who is located in this
vicinity. vicinity.
By a doctor of divinity, By a doctor of divinity,
Who resides in this vicinity. Who resides in this vicinity,
MABEL: (coming forward)
RECIT
Hold, monsters! Ere your pirate
caravanserai
Proceed, against our will, to wed us all,
Just bear in mind that we are
Wards in Chancery,
And father is a
Major-General!
SAMUEL:
(cowed)
We'd better pause, or danger may befall,
Their father is a Major-General!
GIRLS:
Yes, yes; he is a Major-General!
The MAJOR-GENERAL has entered unnoticed, on rock
GENERAL:
Yes, I am a Major-General!
SAMUEL:
For he is a Major-General!
ALL:
He is!
Hurrah for the Major-General!
GENERAL:
And it is -- it is a glorious thing
To be a Major-General!
ALL:
It is! Hurrah for the Major-General!
Song: I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General
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