_Mat._ Papa dear, don’t fret. Sure, I’m a poor penniless girl now; but ain’t I goin’ to marry a handsome and ginerous young gintleman of good fortune? (_Leaning on TOM’S shoulder._) And won’t he be a son to ye, and give ye a home for the rest of yer days? [_WHIPPLE appears to remonstrate with her. CAROLINE expresses indignation and clings to her mother._ _Tom._ But I protest! _O’Fi._ Tom Cobb, ye spake like a gintleman. Ye’re not a gintleman, but ye spake like one. I accept yer offer with pride and gratitude, my son! (_Seizes his hand._) _Tom._ Get out! (_Shakes him off._) Whipple, take this young lady. Matilda, go with the bills! (_Hands her to WHIPPLE, who takes her up, expostulating with her._) Caroline, you loved me as a penniless, but poetical major-general; can you still love me as a wealthy, but unromantic apothecary? _Car._ I can! I can love you as a wealthy anything! _Mrs. Eff._ We all can! _Bul._ All! [_They group about him, MR. and MRS. EFFINGHAM on each side, BULSTRODE behind, and CAROLINE at his feet; the COLONEL, WHIPPLE, and MATILDA seated at table, with their heads buried in their arms._ THE SORCERER. _AN ENTIRELY ORIGINAL MODERN COMIC OPERA_, IN TWO ACTS. _First produced at the Opera Comique Theatre, by MR. R. D’OYLY CARTE, on November 17, 1877._ DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. SIR MARMADUKE POINTDEXTRE, _an elderly Baronet_. ALEXIS, _of the Grenadier Guards_--_his Son_. DR. DALY, _Vicar of Ploverleigh_. JOHN WELLINGTON WELLS, _of J. W. Wells & Co., Family Sorcerers_. NOTARY. LADY SANGAZURE, _a Lady of ancient lineage_. ALINE, _her Daughter_--_betrothed to_ ALEXIS. MRS. PARTLET, _a Pew-Opener_. CONSTANCE, _her Daughter_. _Chorus of Peasantry._ ACT I. GROUNDS OF SIR MARMADUKE’S MANSION. [_Half an hour is supposed to elapse between Acts I. and II._] ACT II. MARKET-PLACE OF PLOVERLEIGH. TIME--THE PRESENT DAY. THE SORCERER. ACT I. SCENE.--_Garden of Sir Marmaduke’s Elizabethan mansion. The end of a large marquee, open, and showing portion of table covered with white cloth, on which are joints of meat, teapots, cups, bread and butter, jam, etc. To the back a raised terrace with steps. A park in the background, with spire of church seen above the trees._ CHORUS OF PEASANTRY. Ring forth, ye bells, With clarion sound-- Forget your knells, For joys abound. Forget your notes Of mournful lay, And from your throats Pour joy to-day. For to-day young Alexis--young Alexis Pointdextre Is betrothed to Aline--to Aline Sangazure, And that pride of his sex is--of his sex is to be next her, At the feast on the green--on the green, oh, be sure! Ring forth, ye bells, etc. [_At the end of chorus, exeunt the _Men_ into house._