"Well, what I want to get at is, do you think Gay's words are up to it?"
"Nowhere near. I'd much rather sing some of yours, if that's what you're getting at.... They're not quite jeune fille, either; I just discovered that to-day."
"There's a great deal in this show that isn't. We've cut most of it, but there's a good bit left, only no one who hasn't studied the period can spot it.... You needn't tell any one that.—Well, let's see about some words. 'Can love be controlled by advice, will Cupid our mothers obey'—we'll keep that, I think ..."
He produced a scrap of paper from his pocket and scribbled rapidly on it. In a minute or two he had evolved the following stanzas, retaining the first four lines of Gay's original song:
Can love be controlled by advice?
Will Cupid our mothers obey?
Though my heart were as frozen as ice
At his flame 'twould have melted away.
Now love is enthroned in my heart
All your threats and entreaties are in vain;
His power defies all your art,
And chiding but adds to my pain.
Ah, mother! if ever in youth
Your heart by love's anguish was wrung;
If ever you thrilled with its truth
Too sweet to be spoken or sung;
If ever you've longed for life's best,
Nor reckoned the issue thereof;
If heart ever beat in your breast
Have pity on me—for I love!
"There!" said he, handing it to the prima donna; "see what you think of that."
"Oh ... much better! There'll be much more fun in singing it."
"It isn't much in the way of poetry," explained Harry, "but it gives a certain dramatic interest to the song, which is the main thing. You can change anything you want in it, of course; I daresay some of those words are quite unsingable on the notes of the song."
"No—I think they'll be all right. Thank you very much; it was hard to make anything out of the other words. Also, I shall be able to tell Mama that you've cut out some of Gay's naughty words and put in some innocent ones of your own instead. She's been just a little worried lately, I think; she seems to have an idea that 'The Beggar's Opera' isn't quite a nice play for a young lady to act in!"