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Scene 3. A space of uneven ground lying between the Castle and the North Gate of Mirlemont. On the right a road runs up to the castle, which is seen perched upon an eminence, and on the left stand the gate and a portion of the town-wall. Across the scene, in the middle distance, runs a ridge of rocky earth broken, on the left by the opening to a pathway; and beyond the ridge is shewn a wide expanse of country. It is dawn. The DEVIL, squatting upon the ridge, is looking out into the open country. JACQUELINE, with weary steps, comes along the pathway.
Ha! welcome, little Jacques! Hast kept thy watch? 
JACQ.Oh, yes, master; (faintly) all the night through. DEVIL. Come! account! JACQ. Well, as thou didst bid me, I did go after the lady Saida, and the poor youth - DEVIL. Youth! ho, ho, ho! They did not perceive thee? JACQ. Not they; I cared for that. DEVIL. Whither went they? JACQ. Through the town, she enforcing him by a crook o' the finger, he following with fixed eyne and open mouth like one planet-struck. And at last came they to the south gate; and there she did link her arm with his, and did lead him forth into the meadows, until she espied a pent-house under the east wall, warm and dry and overborne with climbing flowers. And when she had made him sit therein she did creep close to him, first bidding him, then entreating him, to yield his secret. DEVIL. His secret? JACQ. "Render me thy secret," cried she, "oh, render me thy secret"' And again, when he refused her with tears, still she cried, "Give me up thy secret!" and so the black hours grew grey, and the dawn showed rose-yellow; whereupon, unsatisfied, she left him, and I ran hither to thee. Prithee let me to bed, dear master. DEVIL. Bed! JACQ. Why, thou didst promise me an easy life. DEVIL. Shalt sleep anon, lazy-bones, when this merry coil is ended. (Catching her as she staggers from fatigue.) What! nay, sing, dance, drink, guzzle, (pinching her arm) but keep thine eyes open at need an' ye would please me. JACQ. Oh, thy nails! I - I will please thee, dear master. NOTE: This song does not appear in the vocal score that we used to prepare this Web Opera. Thus, we are presenting the lyrics only without any accompanying music. DUET (with Dance). - JACQUELINE and the DEVIL. JACQUELINE. (struggling against her drowsiness).
Up and down, And through the town, Out of the gate and across the meads, Hither and thither He recks not whither; He needs must follow where'er she leads. Yet, O, he sighed, As ever she cried, - "Now say what magic hath made thee fair?" "In sooth, sweet dame, How this beauty came, Though I fain would tell thee I may not dare." JACQUELINE and DEVIL. (aping SAIDA and SIMON) Thou art he! And I am she! For so she beckoned, and so he came; Through fire and water He would have sought her, With jaws agape and with eyes aflame. JACQUELINE. On and on,
Till, one by one, The pale stars flickered and fled away; With eyes entrancing, She led him dancing Beyond the river and through the hay! Yet still he sighed As ever she cried, - "Whence came thy beauty, oh, tell me true?" "Nay, how it befell I am loth to tell, For none may know how this wonder grew!" JACQUELINE and DEVIL. I am he!
And thou art she! For so he followed where'er she led; She crooked her finger, He dared not linger Though day was dawning and night had fled. JACQUELINE. In and out,
And round about, She led him at last to that hidden bower; And there with pressing, And soft caressing, She wooed him fondly for all an hour! But though she sighed, Yet ever he cried, - "How came this beauty I may not say!" Then up she leapt, And away she stept, "Enough, false lover! then go thy way! JACQUELINE and DEVIL. Thou art she!
Oh, let me be; The way from the valley is long and steep! Nay, faster! faster! Good my master, My feet are weary - I needs must sleep! JACQUELINE sinks to the ground, overcome by slumber, while the DEVIL continues the dance. DEVIL. (aside) Artful weaver,
Wouldst deceive her? Nay, but her beauty shall make thee moan, Till all forsaken, Thy heart shall waken - And then the Devil shall claim his own. SAIDA appears, entering by the pathway. The sun has now got up, brightening the landscape. DEVIL. Sweet lady? SAIDA. The fool is obstinate. DEVIL. Alack! SAIDA. He doth whine and moan, and declare that to confess his secret would put him into danger of losing the very gift that procured him my favour. My favour! my hate! DEVIL. Nay, hide you that. Take him to the castle, give him further appetite for your kisses, yet starve him by persistent denial. And ere a week has sped - well, I have oft heard what women can do in my country. SAIDA. To the castle? DEVIL. Aye. SAIDA. Sir Count, forget ye the lord Philip? DEVIL. Ah, you know not - From the castle comes the sound of a prolonged blast of trumpets. SAIDA. Why do the trumpets sound? GUNTRAN, decked for war, some Knights who are also in armour, and a Standard-bearer with a standard, enter from the road leading to the castle and cross to the town-gate, where they knock violently. JACQUELINE wakes, rises, and creeps away up to the castle. SAIDA. Guntran! what is't? GUNTRAN. What is't, madam! why, naught but that Philip of Mirlemont hath of a sudden lost his taste for lollipops and is a man once more. SAIDA. Sir - ! GUNTRAN. (knocking) Ho, gate-keeper! rub the sleep from thine eyes! (To the Standard-bearer.) Unfurl thy standard, knave! (To SAIDA.) Yea, by St. Luke, we are for charging all true citizens to throw down their tools of trade and follow their new-wakened lord. What, keeper! The clank of chains is heard, and the sound of the lifting of the portcullis. SAIDA. Follow! whither? GUNTRAN. To Maestricht, to do battle for the Prince Bishop. (To the Knights.) Cry Philip! Philip of Mirlemont! (seizing the standard) the Lion of Flanders! KNIGHTS. Philip of Mirlemont! the Lion of Flanders! Philip of Mirlemont! DEVIL. (to SAIDA) See ye now? what is to hinder thee from holding a new lover snug to thy side? SAIDA. To Maestricht! Philip! DEVIL. Aye, and when he returns, warm with victory, 'tis thy beauty, freshened by the magic charm the weaver shall yield ye, will draw him to thee again. The town-bells ring out. SIMON enters from the path-way, and stands gazing at SAIDA. SAIDA. (lightly) Ah! (Plucking a flower and giving it to him.) For thee, Simon. The morning dew lies upon it, and upon me. SIMON. Lady, you pardon me? SAIDA. That do I. SIMON. And will count me thy slave and leman? SAIDA. Nay, that cannot be, for I have perceived thou lovest me not. SIMON. Dearer that I do love this earth that springs anew beneath my feet. SAIDA. Why then, to love is to yield; therefore give me up thy secret. SIMON. I cannot - I cannot. SAIDA. Quit my side then, and knock no more at my heart. I knew not man could be so cruel. JOAN and LAINE enter, through the gate, searching for SIMON. JOAN. (to LAINE) He is here. (Approaching SIMON.) Husband! LAINE. (going to SIMON) Father! SIMON. (waving them from him) Away! JOAN. I am thy wife. LAINE. I thy daughter. SIMON. Get ye gone, I say! The trumpets sound near at hand, and PHILIP enters, from the castle, accompanied by the rest of his Knights and the Lords of Sirault, Velaines, and St. Sauveur and their Knights. All are in war array. SAIDA. (intercepting PHILIP - speaking into his ear). Philip! PHILIP. Farewell. SAIDA. Nay, not farewell. PHILIP. I have said it, Saida. Beauty and Love have held me in soft embrace overlong. No more! Farewell! SAIDA. But a little while and thou shalt kiss that word from my memory. Philip, thou dost deceive thyself. PHILIP. I! SAIDA. I tell thee thou hast not wearied of beauty, wilt never weary of it; for the nonce, 'tis beauty that hath fled from my side. (Clutching his arm.) List! when thou return'st I will show thee such beauty in myself as will make thy innermost soul drunk with love again. PHILIP. Saida! SAIDA. By all thy Saints, I swear it!
There are cries of "Philip of Mirlemont!" and GUNTRAN and his companions return. A crowd of townspeople follow, headed by NICHOLAS and the Aldermen.
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