Ye sons of Freedom, wake to glory!
Hark! Hark! what myriads bid you rise!
Your children, wives, and grandsires hoary,
Behold their tears and hear their cries!
Shall hateful tyrants, mischief breeding,
With hireling hosts, a ruffian band,
Affright and desolate the land,
While peace and liberty lie bleeding?
To arms! To arms! ye brave!
The avenging sword unsheathe;
March on! March on! all hearts resolved
On victory or death.
Now, now the dangerous storm is rolling,
Which treacherous kings, confederate, raise;
The dogs of war, let loose, are howling,
And lo! our fields and cities blaze;
And shall we basely view the ruin,
While lawless force with guilty stride,
Spreads desolation far and wide,
With crimes and blood his hands imbruing?
O Liberty! can man resign thee,
Once having felt thy generous flame?
Can dungeons, bolts, or bars confine thee?
Or whips thy noble spirit tame?
Too long the world has wept bewailing
That falsehood’s dagger tyrants wield,
But freedom is our sword and shield,
And all their arts are unavailing.
(_While the chorus sing “The Marseillaise,”_ FRANCE _and_
BELGIUM _stand with unfurled flags_. FRANCE, _several steps
in front of_ BELGIUM, _appears to lead the music. Appropriate
pantomime during the singing will help._ BELGIUM, _too, shows
the effects of the music, first, by an awakened look, then by
advancing one step at a time, until she is shoulder to shoulder
with_ FRANCE _when the song ends_.)
_BELGIUM_:
Dare I, dare I believe?
_FRANCE_:
Believe? Believe the victory will be ours? Aye, never doubt it. Nor
shall we fight alone. Britain joins our cause.
_BELGIUM_:
Britain? Britain, the proud, the arrogant! Why think ye she will come?
_FRANCE_:
Because she hath promised.
_BELGIUM_:
Promised! Promised! Methinks I have heard that the promises of strong
nations are but “scraps of paper.”
_FRANCE_:
But not Britain’s promises! Proud, arrogant, and strong she may be, but
when was she known to break a treaty? She hath promised her fleets to
guard my shore and I rely on her word. Britain never shall be foresworn.
(_MUSIC: “Rule Britannia” heard as at a distance._)
_BELGIUM_:
Hark! What is that?
_FRANCE_:
There! it is she! Did I not tell you Britain would keep her word?