(Enter CHORUS, MAYOR, CLOWN, WITCHES and SALLY.)
ALL. Gentles, whether lady or man,
Perchance you wonder at our land?
Come with us, and you will see
This our town of Hallond Eve.
We know our home in this town,
And its praises we note in song.
Hither and hence we sing our song
Thither and thence to e'ry man.
At this night we leave our town
And go forth, athwart the land,
For but once does Hallond Eve
Come each year for all to see.
If you convey, you shall then see
Wherefore we require a song.
In our home of Hallond Eve
We admire but one man:
Skeleton Jack rules our land,
And is lov'd by all the town.
You will think, when in this town,
"What surprise shall we next see?"
Be not afeared within our land,
Sing you, rather, a merry song;
For now each and every man
Must enjoin to Hallond Eve.
At this place of Hallond Eve,
All who dwell within the town,
Be they spirit, fiend, or man;
It is certain that all will see
The pumpkins sing their song:
So may it be throughout the land!
Whether here or in your land,
Everyone from Hallond Eve
Knows full well they sing their song
To honor the head of town:
And so King Jack you soon shall see,
That you may praise the man.
Throughout our land and in our town,
Callèd Hallond Eve, as you now see,
The song of the pumpkin; hail each man!
(Enter JACK.)
CLOWN. Now it is all over and completed.
MAYOR. 'Twas a noted Hallond Eve, for certain.
JACK. I will credit hitherto it was
The most horrible. Thanks, everybody.
MAYOR. Yet not one deserving thanks but you, Jack.
JACK. No, no, Lord Mayor.
1st WITCH. Y'are the best, I deem,
And, all the more, a witch's fondest dream.
2nd WITCH. Ay, by your power, you could make a wall
Crumble at a glance, collapse, and fall.
1st WITCH. Merely make a wall fall? Ay, alack!
Nay, you could make the very mountains crack, Jack!
(Enter DOCTOR.)
DOCTOR. The deadly nightshade that thou slippèd me,
Upon this early morning, now is spent.
I gathered from thy foolish asks to see
That out parading is where thou had went.
SALLY. Release mine arm, I beg to thee, good sir!
DOCTOR. Thou art not prepared to join such an event.
SALLY. But that I am!
DOCTOR. Thou shalt come along.
SALLY. I will not, upon my truth, I tellest!
(She removes her arm and hides.)
MAYOR. Come hence, gentles, and let us now proclaim
The honors and the trophies of this night.
The fearfulest and foulest be named;
And then we will confer the gifts upon
Those, our soon-sworn champions of fright.
(Exit MAYOR, WITCHES, CLOWN, and CHORUS. Exit DOCTOR, to his own house.)
JACK. Ay me. Have I been cursèd, that each passing year
Will hence resolve itself as did the last?
This once was special land, but now I fear
It keeps itself in semblance of the past.
It worsens more this melancholy curse,
That my talents are renowned awide.
With mere a mote of effort it occurs
That even the most brave do run and hide.
Yet now it happens that, within my bones,
So heavy-made with woe through happy-need,
A pain, an empty sense, in languor moans,
For fell is my misfortune here indeed;
And that same moan doth put this in my mind:
My grief lies onward, and my joy behind.
(Exit JACK.)
SALLY. Alas! Sweet Jack, I know your sorrows well.
But, already, he has gone from here.
And, now, must I hasten home -- for my limb,
Of pallid hue and stitchèd in its make,
Alone there lies, abandoned by her dame.
But stay! Methinks I see my herb. And yes, I do indeed:
That deadly nightshade, from the ground grown green.
As I am low of it, I shall collect
A nosegay for the Doctor to suspect. (She picks nightshade)
The Venetians call thee "belladonna"
And I will gladly flatter you by that,
For thou art but my only hope to scape
So I might gaze upon fair Jack again.
(She goes to her house. DOCTOR enters by answering the door.)
DOCTOR. Sally, thou art come back to me once more.
SALLY. I discovered it was necessary.
DOCTOR. Ay, because of this. (He holds up the arm.)
SALLY. That is certain fact.
DOCTOR. It is twice now in this single month
That thou hast made my drink bespicèd well
With deadly nightshade, and in treachery
Fled your maker's home without concern.
SALLY. 'Tis thrice.
DOCTOR. Thou knowest thou art property:
I fashioned thee myself with mine own hand!
SALLY. Wherefore dost thou not another fashion?
I suffer from disquiet, sigh and moan,
And would a divers life, for I've no peace;
And even if I would, I could not turn it.
DOCTOR. It is but your posture, merely passing
Through a circumstance. It shall subdue,
But if only thou wilt repose and act with patience.
SALLY. But even that request offends my will.
(Exeunt.)
SCOENA SECUNDA.
(Enter MAYOR.)
MAYOR. 'Tis time anew for Hallond Eve's devices,
Constructed all afresh for this next year.
But where is Jack? He must be in his house. (He knocks on the door)
Holla, Jack, hereout with you, I pray!
The Hallond Eve designs need work today.
He answers not; I'll try another time.
Good Jack, pray, sir, make answer me!
Your aidance hence is needed here! O Speak!
He yet remaineth dumb; and for what cause?
Speak, speak! King Jack! I beg to thee! Confirm!
And nothing still! Ay, what emergence here?
Be he not at home? If so, where might he be?
A council must form, so that we soon may see.
(Exit MAYOR.)