At this crisis, the King of Macedon appears, restored to power, and inquires after his daughters. St. George and the rest, with a use of the double negatives that would have shocked Lindley Murray, declare
“We never knew, nor saw no ladies here.”
The swans, however, soon take their pristine form, and the three daughters appear fresh from their plumes and their long bath upon the lake. Upon this follows the smart dialogue which we extract as a sample of how sharply the King of Macedon looked to his family interests, and how these champion knights were “taken in” before they well knew how the fact was accomplished.
Mac. Reverend knights, may we desire to know which of you are
unmarried?
Ant., Den., and Pat. We are.
Geo. Then here’s these ladies, take ’em to your beds.
Mac. George highly honors aged Macedon.
The three Knights. But can the ladies’ love accord with us?
The three Ladies. Most willingly!