PATTER-TRIO. ñ ROBIN, DESPARD, AND MARGARET.



ROB.My eyes are fully open to my awful situation ñ

I shall go at once to Roderic and make him an oration.

I shall tell him I've recovered my forgotten moral senses,

And I don't care twopence-halfpenny for any consequences.

Now I do not want to perish by the sword or by the dagger,

But a martyr may indulge a little pardonable swagger,

And a word or two of compliment my vanity would flatter,

But I've got to die tomorrow, so it really doesn't matter!

DES.So it really doesn't matter ñ

MAR.So it really doesn't matter ñ

ALL.So it really doesn't matter, matter, matter, matter, matter!



MAR.If were not a little mad and generally silly

I should give you my advice upon the subject, willy-nilly;

I should show you in a moment how to grapple with the question,

And you'd really be astonished at the force of my suggestion.

On the subject I shall write you a most valuable letter,

Full of excellent suggestions when I feel a little better,

But at present I'm afraid I am as mad as any hatter,

So I'll keep 'em to myself, for my opinion doesn't matter!

DES.Her opinion doesn't matter ñ

ROB.Her opinion doesn't matter ñ

ALL.Her opinion doesn't matter, matter, matter, matter, matter!



DES.If I had been so lucky as to have a steady brother

Who could talk to me as we are talking now to one another ñ

Who could give me good advice when he discovered I was erring

(Which is just the very favour which on you I am conferring),

My existance would have made a rather interesting idyll,

And I might have lived and died a very decent indiwiddle.

This particularly rapid, unintelligible patter

Isn't generally heard, and if it is it doesn't matter!

ROB.If it is it doesn't matter ñ

MAR.If it is it doesn't matter ñ

ALL.If it is it doesn't matter, matter, matter, matter, matter!