I Hope You’ll Like It Here
HARTRIGHT
You must be Miss Halcombe-I’m so sorry-
MARIAN (interrupting him)
Thank God you have arrived
you’re fated to become
my drawing teacher
you poor creature
Our village is as dull
as it may first appear
a city mouse in Limm’ridge house
I hope you’ll like it here
You’re less than half the age
that we thought you might be
you’ll feed our hunger
for someone younger
so please unpack your bags
and please be of good cheer
I’m sure you’ll like where you reside
but with respect I must confide
I can’t abide the countryside
I hope you’ll like it here
You shall be the drawing master
to my sister and me
though she learns a little faster
a disaster I will be
We’re the product of one mother
but we come from diff’rent fathers
I think mine, for design
was completely talent free
Very soon you’ll meet my sister
well, she’s tech’nic’ly my half
but she’s my whole world-my sister
is the wheat and I’m the chaff
She’s kind and generous and fun
much younger, and the pretty one!
My father was quite poor
her father’s wealth was vast
so she’ll inherit and gladly share it
We’re close as two can get
Between us not one tear
perpetually in harmony
I hope you’ll like it here
Pretty soon you’ll meet my uncle
whose prognosis is quite grim
he will tell you that his chances
of recovery are slim
With his bed pan and his hanky he is terminally cranky
though no doctor around
found a thing that’s wrong with him
But how do I go on
I try to keep it short
then lose the battle and simply prattle
but getting to my point
my welcome is sincere
We’re thrilled that’s indisputable
I hope your rooms are suitable
your sentence is commutable
I hope you like it here
SERVANT:
Mr Walter Hartright
HARTRIGHT:
Mr Fairlie!
MR. FAIRLIE:
You’re younger than I thought
The young are mostly fools
The good time ceases with my nieces
Just go about your task
And Try to dissapear
(to the servant)
Don’t lurk about you oafish lout
(to Hartright)
I trust you’ll like it here
That’s a portrait of my brother….
Was the picture of good heath…
Now he’s dead and I am dying…
While I’m living…on his wealth
Up until he left for Hades
He was a catnip to the ladies…
But at least the deceased had a modicum of stealth
Well enough about my fam’ly
(to servant)
Would you please adjust my chair?
(to Hartright)
I should send you back to ripen
Like a proper camambert
Though I should find some other chap
I’d much prefer to take a nap
(to servant who reappears)
I told you to get out!
I simply can’t go on
My nerves are fraying…
What was I saying?
Oh, mostly I desire
A quiet atmosphere
As silent as a sepulchre
No utterance above a purr
Just nod you head
If you concur
I trust you’ll like it here.
Perspective
HARTRIGHT:
(softly) My God!
You must be Miss Fairlie?
I am Walter Hartright.
Forgive me if I scared you.
LAURA:
Not at all!
Welcome!
Your’re a very nice surprise.
MARIAN:
Is she not the way that I described her?
We’re as unalike as black and white
LAURA:
Still we are insep’rable
MARIAN:
Joined as day to night,
Very clearly of a diff’rent feather – We’re an odd but merry pair of birds!
She’d say I’m verbose and garrulous-
LAURA:
But in fewer words!
MARIAN: Laura!
LAURA:
I fear your journey here was tedious?
HARTRIGHT
My journey was filled with drama!
First I met the local Signal Man a strange and unearthly man.
He told me he’d had a vision that I would come and that I
would bring tragedy in my wake.
LAURA:
Heavens!
HARTRIGHT:
Indeed!
But he said: “You’ll mark my words!
When a year to this day
The dead lie on the tracks!
The dead lie on the tracks!”
MARIAN:
How strange!
HARTRIGHT:
What happened next was stranger still
A woman breathless and afraid
Appeared out of the night!
Completely dressed in white
She had a secret she would tell
Of one who had mistreated her
Her face and frightened gaze
My mind cannot erase
But then she ran from view
(to Laura)
She looked so much like you.
LAURA:
Perhaps you saw a ghost?
HARTRIGHT:
Ghost or not, she haunts me still.
She looked so much like you!
MARIAN:
We must clear up this mystery!
HARTRIGHT:
But first, ladies, we must take advantage of this wonderful light!
MARIAN:
Nothing’s duller than my
watercolouring
I’ve next to no technique at all
LAURA:
My pen and ink are passable
MARIAN:
My pen and ink appall.
All my sketching soon with have you wretching.
I’m a notch below a chimpanzee
LAURA:
But we’re highly trainable
MARIAN:
We shall wait and see.
HARTRIGHT:
You can capture shade and light
best of all perspective
MARIAN:
All I ever do is trite
HARTRIGHT:
Beauty is subjective
you’ll develop your own style
MARIAN:
He has such a winning smile
HARTRIGHT:
You will know when it feels right.
LAURA:
I could trust him at first sight.
HARTRIGHT:
Be observant, be a humble servent,
Stay dedicated to your art
LAURA:
I can hardly concentrate
MARIAN:
What a shaky start
HARTRIGHT:
Don’t conceal the things you think and feel
Get you emotion flowing through your brush
MARIAN:
If I follow your advice
You would surely blush
LAURA:
If I’d practice what you preach
I’d be more effective
HARTRIGHT:
She’s so clearly out of reach
Seen from my perspective
MARIAN:
He’s a beath of summer air
HARTRIGHT:
See the sunlight in her hair
LAURA:
I must disregard his charms
LAURA/MARIAN:
And his manly rugged arms
MARIAN:
Give me people not a tree or steeple
Not a slice of apple on a knife
Still life’s not as int’resting
A a slice of life
HARTRIGHT:
Your’re improving, this is very moving,
That’s a cocker spaniel clear and true.
MARIAN:
Thank you for the compliment
I was sketching you!
ALL THREE:
Whats the reason that I am here?
What is my objective?
What a strirring atmosphere!
But where is my perspective?
Can you get a dizzy thrill?
While the world is standing still?
Yet the summer’s drifting by
While these golden moments fly.
Trying Not to Notice
MARIAN:
Sweet tension fills the air
which I know I ought not dwell upon
I look away and still see him there
I’m trying not to notice him
yet I can’t help but stare
HARTRIGHT:
No gazing!
Know your place
words that I’d be wise to tell myself!
I close my eyes and I still see her face
I’m trying not to notice her
but I don’t stand a chance
LAURA:
I’m trying not to notice him
yet I return each glance
A thousand contradictions
are stirring in my soul
they seem to grow in me
overflow in me
HARTRIGHT:
In spite of my convictions
I’m losing my control
MARIAN:
I’m slightly shocked inside
keep it locked inside
ALL THREE:
Unspoken
Unexpressed
Still it’s louder than a symphony
Can no one hear what my heart seems to shout?
Perhaps they do not notice it
Though it’s as plain as day
I’m trying not to notice it
But it won’t go away
I Believe My Heart
HARTRIGHT:
Whenever I look at you
the world disappears
all in a single glance so revealing
you smile and I feel as though
I’ve known you for years
how do I know to trust what I’m feeling?
I believe my heart
what else can I do
when ev’ry part of ev’ry thought
leads me straight to you
I believe my heart
there’s no other choice
for now whenever
my heart speaks
I can only hear your voice
LAURA:
The lifetime before we met
has faded away
how did I live a moment without you?
You don’t have to speak at all
I know what you’d say
and I know every secret about you
I believe my heart
it believes in you
it’s telling me
that what I see
is completely true
I believe my heart
how can it be wrong
it says that what I feel for you
I will feel my whole life long
BOTH:
I believe my heart
and it believes in you
it’s telling me
that what I see
is completely true
And with all my soul
I belive my heart
the portrait that it paints of you
is a perfect work of art
(He takes the sketch that he has made of her and gives it to her)
HARTRIGHT:
I’m afraid it doesn’t do you justice
Lammastide
ALL:
Ripe golden fields and the
bounty the bring
Reason enough for to dance and to sing
Dance for who knows if we’ll live till its spring
Sing
For it’s Lammastide
(A young girl goes up to Laura and gives her a corn dolly)
ALL:
Winds of the winter
As sharp as a thorn
Soon will assault us
As sure as we’re born
GIRL:
Who will protect us?
A doll made of corn
ALL:
Dance!
For it’s Lammastide
MEN:
Please spend the season
Pressed in my arms
Rest in my arms
WOMEN:
Merrily, merrily
We’ll end the season
Wrapped in your arms
MEN:
Trapped in your arms
WOMEN:
Verily, verily
ALL:
Ripe golden fields and the v
bounty they bring
Reason enough for to dance and to sing
Dance for who knows if we’ll live till it’s spring
Sing
For it’s Lammastide
MEN:
Please end the season
Pressed in my arms
Blessed in my arms
WOMEN:
Verily, verily
Although we may protest in your arms
We’ll nest in your arms
ALL:
Merrily, merrily
After we harvest the fruits of the earth
Time for the home and a moment of mirth
MEN:
Time for a dance
WOMEN:
And the chance of rebirth
ALL:
Sing
For it’s Lammastide
Ripe golden fields and the bounty they bring
Reason enough for to dance and to sing
Dance for who knows if we’ll live till it’s spring
Sing
For it’s Lammastide!
Dance
For it’s Lammastide!
Sing
For it’s Lammastide!
(At the end of the song,
we see the same young girl being excluded from the festivities.
her mother scolds her and she does not enter the church with the others)
MOTHER (to little girl):
You’ll wait outside till you see sense, my girl
Gift for Living Well
FOSCO:
No, no, no!
I am a man
of medicine
no opera star,
my voice is thin
Though I play cards
and violin
at none of these do I excel
The talent that
I have in spades
Is one for fun
and escapades
A gift for living well
Atracted to the lively arts
Breaking bread, breaking hearts
Making love, when love has me spellbound
Italian food
the wines of France
I never walk when I can dance
A gift for living well
A one man band
I sing the lead
Always self-accompanied
I concede I’m probably hellbound
A bon vivant
As you can see
A lust for life as big as… me!
A gift for living well
But enough about me! Raise your glasses
(Fosco raises his glass to the bride and groom)
Sir Percival Glyde!
ALL: (Raising their glasses)
Oh what a joyous occasion this is
Sir Percival Glyde!
FOSCO:
Dolce vita to you and your Mrs!
GLYDE:
This is the moment I’ve longed for
MARIAN:
Everything’s for the best now
MR FAIRLIE:
I’ll have an empty nest now
ALL:
And here’s to the bride!
Cheers for the life they will lead now…
(Hartright suddenly interrupts the toast-addresses Sir Percival Glyde)
HARTRIGHT:
Please let me speak
and forgive my interruption
Please hear me out
On a very pressing matter
One that concerns a girl
Her name is Anne, Anne Cath’rick
She says you’ve done her wrong
Have you an explanation?
All for Laura
MARIAN:
Inner voices
Keeping me awake
Will I ever sleep again?
Reassessing-
Everything I’ve done
Choices that I can’t explain
All for Laura
This is what I prayed
All for Laura
Have I betrayed you?
With our old life
Ever out of reach
Look at what I’ve led you to
God forgive me
Look at what I’ve done
Look how I protected you.
All for Laura
Shouldn’t I have known?
I know one thing
We are alone now
I sent away the man
The man that we could trust
The only man that we both love
All for Laura
Was it really you,
Who I was thinking of?
All for Laura
But at the start
Were you foremost in my heart?
All for Laura
That’s how I’ll live
Till I save you
Till you forgive me
I’ll dedicate my life
I swear upon my soul
I’ll find a way to set you free
All for Laura
Till my dying breath
Long as you’re in need of me
I will somehow learn to be strong
I will live to right this wrong
If I Could Only Dream This World Away
LAURA:
If I could only dream this world away
I’d awake
In your arms
If I could keep this bitter life at bay
Wide awake
In your arms
The vow that keeps me from you
I cannot undo
I’m lost
Lost in a fantasy that can’t come true
If I could only dream this world away
I’d awake
In your arms
I long to sleep forever
Dreaming only of you
I’m lost
How many nights like this can I go through?
MARIAN:
I am sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Oh, Laura, you look so pale!
LAURA:
What are they doing?
MARIAN:
They have retired to the library
LAURA:
Stay here with me!
MARIAN:
We can’t just wait like victims
I’ll find out what they’re up to
LAURA:
I’m so frightened
Please don’t leave me
MARIAN:
We must know what their next move is.
LAURA:
No!
MARIAN:
Laura, they don’t scare me
Hush, now, go to sleep.
Evermore Without You
HARTRIGHT:
Ever on my mind
Evermore without you
I’ll never know a thought or feeling
That isn’t about you
Never more alone
Never to forget you
Not when my life was changed forever the first time I met you
You’re all I know
And though I’ve lost you, you’re someone I can’t let go of
Every living day
Ever filled with sorrow
How can I face a life without you
Or even tomorrow?
Evermore without you
Were we never meant to be?
Nevermore alone
Never to forget you
Not when my life was changed forever the first time I met you
You’re all I know
And though I’ve lost you you’re someone I can’t let go of
Every living day
Ever filled with sorrow
How can I face a life without you
Or even tomorrow?
Evermore without you
Were we never meant to be?
Every living day
Ever filled with sorrow
How can I face a life without you?
Evermore without you
We were never meant to be.
You Can Get Away With Anything
FOSCO:
Time to fly the coop, my doves!
Arriverderci, Londra! No tears, bambini.
You must learn to far la bella figura!
Put on a good show!
Always Count Fosco-he puts on a good show!
My little friends, you are all in this world
that I trust
Now we must find a new home and I see you’re non plussed
Now that we’ve won
and we have all the spoils
We must see that we don’t miss the boat
But you’ll forgive me if I take a moment to gloat
You can get away with anything
It all comes down to style
You’ll have a captive audience
As long as you beguile
Yes, you can have your cake and eat it
The love of those whom you betray
But you can’t get away with anything
If you don’t get away
I admit that I’m a criminal
obsessed with perfect crimes
But even one as good as I
can bungle it sometimes
Yes even one who is a genius
can now and then get in a scrape
But no endeavor’s a catastrophe
as long as you escape
And we are off! Out that door!
We’ll pack our bags my little friends
and leave the scene while we are winners
And long before the story ends
as wealthy unrepentant sinners
We all have got a spot of farce in us
but only some of us are larcenous
And few still the divine thrill in us
that comes from being truly villainous
You can get away with anything
to prove it is my sport
I live to push the boundaries
to break the rules, in short
One must be something of a bounder
if one intends to play this game
There’s only one thing that one has to have
one has to have no shame
Yes I can get away with everything because I
have no shame
Seduction
SERVANT:
Miss Marian Halcombe
FOSCO:
To what, Miss Halcombe, do we owe this honour?
Each successive day was getting duller
MARIAN:
Well I somehow thought you might be missing me
FOSCO:
I must tell you scarlet is your color
MARIAN:
I cannot spend all my life in mourning
Though in ev’ry way I miss my sister
FOSCO:
Truly you display a healthy attitude
MARIAN:
I’m for the first time on my own
FOSCO:
Really you need not be alone
One should explore on’es playful side
MARIAN:
You are a guide most qualified
FOSCO:
I leave in the morning for the continent
MARIAN:
In my provincial world I cannot be content
FOSCO:
We could lead a life that would be well mis-spent
MARIAN:
And I have no doubt that would be thrilling
But alas it seems my glass requires refilling
Delicious!
Sir if I remove my shoes would that be shocking?
FOSCO:
I’d be breathless as your buckles are undone
I would walk to Warsaw just to see your stocking
And to see your shapely ankle I would run
MARIAN:
You should know it took great courage for this visit
But I must admit that I am glad that I am here
FOSCO:
And that dress you’re falling out of is exquisite
MARIAN:
Though I’m trembling it is clearly not from fear
FOSCO:
It’s apparent we were made for one another
We’re each other’s moon and sun, we’re so well matched
Though my feelings aren’t remotely like a brother
We are over twenty-one and unattached
MARIAN:
I’ve been waiting all my life for an adventure
FOSCO:
What in truth you have been waiting for is me
Let us begin our minuette
MARIAN:
No looking back and no regret
Don’t I deserve a life of bliss?
FOSCO: (intimate)
Think of this as the precipice
(They kiss)
I can open up a world you’ve only heard of
MARIAN :
Introduce me to a life beyond your dreams
FOSCO:
We’ll share secrets that we’ll never breath a word of
And we’ll take pursuit of pleasure to extremes
BOTH:
You and I are willing to defy convention
You’re my equal both in joie de vivre and wit
We find another worthy of attention
we don’t care what others think of us one bit
FOSCO:
As a paramour I’m rather out of practicev
But I’ll rise to this occasion I embrace
MARIAN:
But that beard of yours is rather like a cactus
May I save, if not my virtue then my face?
Would you kindly shave it off
Do be a darling?
FOSCO:
Then I will fly back to your side just like a startling
MARIAN (sotto voce)
Think, think Marian. Where is it? Where is it?
Please! Yes!
FOSCO:
Now my chin is even softer than a baby
Let’s resume this tete a tete from where we were
MARIAN:
Though my heart says yes, my head’s now saying maybe
And my feet are growing colder and concur
FOSCO:
When I left this room were we both not on fire?
Weren’t we both about to give romance a whirl?
MARIAN:
On reflection I found out I’m
somewhat shy-er
And perhaps I’m not really that kind of girl
FOSCO:
It appears that you have lost your taste for kissing
So I’d appreciate if you’d return what’s missing
MARIAN:
Please. Please let me go. Please.
FOSCO:
This game is through
You think you win
But think about
What might have been
If you had let romance begin
Instead of hiding
In your shell
One day you’ll see
What you have spurned
My precious gift
That you returned
A gift for living well
Your every day
A great event
Living on the continent
Yes, it’s true
I would have you
spellbound
This game of hearts
You gladly trade
For solitaire
(with venom) and old maid
And so I say fare well
MARIAN:
Someday your past will catch you up
FOSCO:
Please don’t let me keep you
I can get away with ev’rything
Except the girl, perhaps
My epic charms have undergone
a temporary lapse
But when it’s time to make an exit
and I am halfway out the door
As long as one is leaving anyway
then leave them wanting more