to that of "popping" a
champagne cork. The outlaw prays the tyrant not to kill him just now,
and says he will give him permission to do so at any future period.
"Here, sir," adds he, still addressing himself to the tyrant, "is a very
fine _cornet a piston_, allow me to present it to you with the
assurance, that whenever you wish to obtain my presence for the purpose
of exterminating me, you will merely be obliged to sound the note of B
flat, and I will unhesitatingly comply with your wishes." In the words
of the poet Tennyson,

"Leave me here, and when you want me,
Sound upon the bugle horn."

The tyrant accepts the present upon the accompanying condition, but
having no great confidence in the word of a man who has been associating
so long a time with bad company, he requires him to make oath to that
effect; which being done, both gentlemen call upon the chorus to follow
them immediately in pursuit of the king and his captive lady. These
cowardly rascals stand some five minutes and sing about their readiness
to depart, instead of marching off instantly, as they are requested to
do.

In the third act, the king hides himself in a grave-yard during the
election for emperor, probably out of fear that he may be defeated.
While wandering among the grave-stones he overhears some of his
political enemies, (among whom is the outlaw chieftain,) plotting his
assassination. The conspirators cast lots for the office of assassin,
and the lot _very naturally_ falls on the outlaw. The next moment the
report of cannon is heard, and the king's retinue come in, bringing with
them the heroine--who, we must confess, seems to have no real business
there,--and state that the polls have closed, and that the king has been
elected emperor. Thereupon the new emperor calls the conspirators up and
is about to have them killed, just as it might be expected an emperor
would do.

The heroine begs for the life of the miserable offenders, telling the
emperor that if he wishes to be considered a sovereign of
respectability, and not conduct himself like one who had "stolen a
precious diadem and put it in his pocket," he must pardon the
delinquents. The emperor relents, and pronounces a pardon for the
conspirators. He calls up the robber chieftain and the heroine, and
uniting their hands, expresses an ardent wish that they may, as the
libretto says, "love forever." The pleasure of the two lovers is
indescribable, and the whole company begin