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122 |
IDEAL HOME LIFE |
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The Prince.—A hundred kisses from your Highness is my
price. The Princess.—That is absurd: you are out of your senses.
(walks away followed by the Maids. The Prince takes up
the pot as if to enter the hut with it. He whistles same tune as
the pot.) The Princess (hearing it and coming back).—I will give you my
gold ball for it (Prince shakes his head), and my golden
casket, and my ring with the rubies. The Prince.—A hundred kisses. The Princess (as if thinking aloud).—Well, I suppose I must
be kind to the poor; I am the Emperor's daughter. (To the
Prince) I will give you ten kisses, and you may take the
rest from the ladies of the Court. The Maids.—No, no, we should not like that at all. The Princess (sharply).—What are you grumbling at? If I
can kiss him, surely you can. The Prince.—A hundred kisses from the Princess or I keep the
pot. The Princess.—No, you won't; I must have it. (To the Maids)
Stand round me, then, and spread out your dresses so that no
one may see. (They do so. The Prince kneels.) Now
count, and be sure you count rightly. The Maids.—One, two, three, four, etc.
(As the counting goes on, enter the Emperor. They are all
too busy to notice him.) The Emperor (stopping in surprise).—Whatever is all this
noise about? What are they doing near the pig-sties?
(goes closer on tiptoe.) The Maids.—Eighty-two, eighty-three, eighty-four, eighty-five,
eighty-six. The Emperor.—What is this? Well I never! (boxes the
Princess's ear with his slipper.) The Princess (with a cry).—O Papa! The Emperor (in a great rage).—Don't call me Papa again: I
won't have it. I never heard of such a thing ... an
Emperor's daughter kissing a Swineherd? Off with you
both, I shall have nothing more to do with you. |
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