prevents her.]

PATIENCE Hold! Stay your hand!

ALL [uncovering their eyes]
What means this interference?
Of this bold girl I pray you make a clearance!

JANE Away with you, away with you, and to your milk-pails go!

BUNTHORNE [suddenly] She wants a ticket! Take a dozen!

PATIENCE No! If there be pardon in your breast
For this poor penitent,
Who with remorseful thought opprest,
Sincerely doth repent;
If you, with one so lowly, still
Desire to be allied,
Then you may take me, if you will,
For I will be your bride!
[She kneels to Bunthorne.]

CHORUS Oh, shameless one!
Oh, bold-faced thing!
Away you run--
Go, take your wing,
Oh, shameless one!
Oh, bold-faced thing!
Away you run--
Go, take your wing,
You shameless one!
You bold-faced thing!
[Bunthorne raises her.]

BUNTHORNE How strong is love! For many and many a week,
She's loved me fondly, and has feared to speak
But Nature, for restraint too mighty far,
Has burst the bonds of Art -- and here we are!

PATIENCE No, Mister Bunthorne, no -- you're wrong again;
Permit me -- I'll endeavour to explain!

True love must single-hearted be--

BUNTHORNE Exactly so!

PATIENCE From ev'ry selfish fancy free--

BUNTHORNE Exactly so!

PATIENCE No idle thought of gain or joy
A maiden's fancy should employ--
True love must be without alloy,
True love must be without alloy.

MEN Exactly so!

PATIENCE Imposture to contempt must lead--

COLONEL Exactly so!

PATIENCE Blind vanity's dissension's seed--

MAJOR Exactly so!

PATIENCE It follows, then, a maiden who
Devotes herself to loving you
Is prompted by no selfish view,
Is prompted by no selfish view!

MEN Exactly so!

SAPHIR [coming L. of BUNTHORNE]
Are you resolved to wed this shameless one?

ANGELA [coming R. of BU