Sab. The Cabinet resigned!
St. G.No, that's mere vapour!
You must say something, just to sell the paper.
In Mr. Burnand's version, which is the longer of the two, there is much more story, and there are many more puns. St. George has not so prominent a place in the action, which is more elaborate and varied; while the dialogue is in the writer's most rollicking mood. Take, for example, these, lines of Kalyba's, addressed to her sirens:—
1st Siren. Madame, there is a four-oared boat in view without a steerer.
Kalyba (using pince-nez). P'raps the Harvard crew.
No, they don't row half hard enough for that;
Take care! they'll go ashore upon the flat.
They don't row well, but with uncommon pluck;
The stroke wants art—p'raps he's a stroke of luck.
I wonder where they come from! maybe Dover!
A crab! as sure as eggs is eggs they're ova!
Attract them here; you must not let them pass;
Some visitors—give me my looking-glass (they offer telescope).
Not that (they give her a hand-mirror).
Now sing, as Sirens did before us;
We lure all here with tooral looral chorus.
To practise bathing arts we've our diploma.
(All have by this time produced the hand-mirrors and combs.)
To attitudes! (All pose themselves combing hair, etc.)
We're in a state of comber.
Here, again, is a specimen of daring pun-making:—
Vizier. Sultan of Egypt, this pathetic tear
Proves you've one faithful Vizier left—viz. here.
Sultan. My star is set.
Vizier (looking at star on Sultan's breast). With honour you have borne it.
Stop! if your star is set in diamonds, pawn it.
Sultan. The real one—this sham one's rather tasty—
Is gone: so requiescat—sir—in pastey.