Scene 7 - The throne room at
Buckingham Palace., the next morning. The queen, on her throne, receives her
poor, petitioning subjects and gives them money to help them out. One of her
ladies, BARBARA, is very depressed over the possibility of the queen
abdicating, but Virginia assures her she’ll have a good time living in America
as a commoner, or perhaps she’ll take a long sea voyage to raise her
spirits. Barbara points out that a great person like her couldn’t book
passage on an ordinary ship.
QUEEN
Then perhaps I will buy one. I saw a ship
advertised in
the newspaper the other day. Her name is the Sally
Forth.
The queen’s eyes fill with tears. Just then a GUARD enters with five sacks of mail containing marriage proposals, and five more begging her not to abdicate. Barbara sees the queen is not pleased and dares to ask if her majesty doesn’t already have some certain husband in mind.
QUEEN
Some certain husband? Perhaps. Perhaps.
I HAD OFTEN WONDERED
WHETHER I WOULD KNOW HIM
MY DESIRE SHOW HIM
IF OUR GLANCES CHANCED TO MEET,
AND SUDDENLY IT HAPPENED
THERE HE STOOD BEFORE ME
WANTING TO ADORE ME
AND MY HEART SAID I AM YOURS, AND
As the queen sings, Marlow is ushered into an adjoining room where he hears the singing and joins in, not knowing it is the queen.)
MARLOW
I HAD OFTEN WONDERED
WHETHER LOVE WOULD FIND ME
OR WAS IT BEHIND ME
HAD I PASSED IT LONG AGO
WHEN SUDDENLY IT HAPPENED
BY THE SILVER WATER
WHERE MY HEART HAD SOUGHT HER
ON A SUMMER AFTERNOON.
BOTH
NEVER HAD I KNOWN MY LOVE
TILL I SAW HIM (HER) THERE
BUT I KNEW HIM (HER) RIGHT AWAY
AND I BREATHED A PRAYER, FOR
I HAD OFTEN WONDERED
WHETHER LOVE WOULD FIND ME
OR WAS IT BEHIND ME
HAD I PASSED IT LONG AGO
WHEN SUDDENLY IT HAPPENED
BY THE SILVER WATER
WHERE MY HEART HAD SOUGHT HER (HIM)
ON A SUMMER AFTERNOON.
A GUARD enters, announcing Captain Marlow of the Sally Forth. The queen indicates that he may enter. Marlow enters and steps forward to greet her majesty, unbending.
BLACKOUT
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