SCENE 4
[Castle wall appears at extreme right of stage, as viewed by the spectators. Large, strong boxes are placed behind, on which the Maiden and two rivals are to stand, in order to look out of the window or over the wall. The stepladder, folded, is laid on the floor behind the castle wall. All the appliances for the leaping Cat are in readiness, also all the articles of the Maiden’s wardrobe. Rivals and Maiden stand in shadow behind the wall. When the light is thrown on the screen, the Lover is seen in center of stage, looking up at castle.]
Lover struts about, and swells his chest.
Maiden’s head appears, and she throws a kiss, to which he responds in same manner.
Without the castle wall there stood
The lover full of pride;
And at the window o’er his head,
Appeared his lovely bride.
Gesticulates wildly.
“Oh, maiden, haste,” he cried in fear,
“Our rivals will pursue;
Pray stop for nothing, we must run,
They will be after you!
Makes movements as if putting up ladder.
“See, I will put the ladder up,
’Tis easy to descend.
If we are caught, we forfeit all,
And this will be the end.”
Maiden makes gestures of pleading and distress.
“Oh, wait,” replied the maiden’s voice,
So full of sweet distress;
“My wardrobe,—I need many things,
And cannot go with less.”
Lover reaches up his arm, and maiden hands each article as it is named.
The articles she passed to him,
With hand that sadly shook,
Her combs and brushes, curling tongs,
Her bag and pocket book.
Lover tries on maiden’s hat, which is of a ridiculous shape.
Puts his finger through hole in slipper.
Her hat, of late Parisian style;
Her slippers, small and neat,
So nicely made, with stitches fine,
To dress her little feet.
Suddenly lover drops the articles and makes a gesture of despair.
Shakes his fist at maiden.
Her lover, wild with dread and fear,
Stood trembling by the wall.
“What are you thinking of?” he said,
“I cannot take them all!”
Maiden leans out of window, and drops a shower of pasteboard tears.
“Then go without me,” cried the maid;
“I will not be a fright!”
And bursts into stormy tears,
She wept with all her might.
Lover makes movements as if tying up a pack, but it is not necessary to do so literally.
Her lover’s heart relented then,
He bundled up his pack,
And tied it firmly with a rope,
Upon his manly back.
Draws out step ladder from behind screen, and stands it up.
Then putting up the ladder tall,
He waited for the maid;
She gave a cry, “The rivals come,
Oh, we have been betrayed!”
Maiden slowly, but with apparent flurry and haste, descends the ladder.
With trembling haste she hurried down,
The ladder groaned and shook,
Her lover watched the rash descent,
With strained and anxious look.
The two heads of the rivals suddenly appear.
She safely reached the ground below,
They had no time to spare,
For in the window just above,
Appeared the rival pair!
Shadow of small cat is revealed, and appears to be fighting with the rivals, who strike at it.
But to befriend the lovers true,
There came the Sacred Cat,
She seized the rivals, vain their cries,
In vain they halloed, “Scat!”
Cat suddenly slides down the cord to floor.
She fought until they both had fled,
She would not be defied,
Then leaping from the window sill,
She gained the lover’s side.
[Screen the Light]