Temporary, of course. Those impious Pigs, Who, by frequent squeaks, have dared impugn The settled Swellfoot system, or to make Irreverent mockery of the genuflexions Inculcated by the arch-priest, have been whipped Into a loyal and an orthodox whine. Things being in this happy state, the Queen Iona (A loud cry from the Pigs) She is innocent, most innocent! PURGANAX That is the very thing that I was saying, A BOAR (interrupting him) Does any one accuse her of? What PURGANAX Why, no one Makes any positive accusation; but There were hints dropped, and so the privy wizards 26 by frequent || by their frequent, Forman conj., Rossetti. Conceived that it became them to advise His Majesty to investigate their truth; If, by that sufferance, he could please the But then he fears the morals of the Swine, The Sows especially, and what effect It might produce upon the purity and Of sucking Pigs, if it could be suspected (A pause FIRST BOAR Well, go on; we long To hear what she can possibly have done. PURGANAX Why, it is hinted, that a certain Bull Thus much is known: the milk-white Bulls that feed Beside Clitumnus and the crystal lakes Of the Cisalpine mountains, in fresh dews Of lotus-grass and blossoming asphodel Sleeking their silken hair, and with sweet breath Loading the mourning winds until they faint With living fragrance, are so beautiful! And the enamoured sea grew calm beneath Iona's grandmother, but she is innocent! And that both you and I, and all assert. Scorpions are green, and water-snakes, and efts, PURGANAX Honorable Swine, In Piggish souls can prepossessions reign? She never can commit the like again; If innocent, she will turn into an angel And rain down blessings in the shape of com fits As she flies up to heaven. Now, my proposal Into an angel (as I am sure we shall do), I know that she is innocent; I wish FIRST BOAR Excellent, just, and noble Purganax! SECOND BOAR How glorious it will be to see her Majesty But like a standard of an admiral's ship, Or waterfall from a dizzy precipice FIRST BOAR Or a cow's tail, SECOND BOAR Or anything, as the learned Boar observed. PURGANAX Gentlemen Boars, I move a resolution, [A great confusion is heard, of the Pigs out of Doors, which communicates itself to those within. During the first strophe, the doors of the sty are staved in, and a number of exceedingly lean Pigs and Sows and Boars rush in. SEMICHORUS I No! Yes! SEMICHORUS II Yes! No! SEMICHORUS I A law! SEMICHORUS II A flaw! SEMICHORUS I Porkers, we shall lose our wash, Or must share it with the Lean-Pigs! FIRST BOAR Order! order! be not rash! AN OLD SOW (rushing in) I never saw so fine a dash Since I first began to wean Pigs. SECOND BOAR (solemnly) The Queen will be an angel time enough. |