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So on the next day Columbine awaits Arliquin at the River. Columbine's uncle has given her a fairy Queen disguise complete with a wonderful and cunning pair of glass slippers. The plan is to entice Il Dotttori and Il Capitano with the mysterious Lady who will disappear leavingbehind a slipper.
As we all know a gentle need only find a foot to fit the glass slipper in order to find the Lady, but no foot will fit the slipper for thier is a false bottom insert that converts it to an incredible small size. This impossible hunt will preoccupy Il Capitano and Il Dottori while disqualifying them from the conditions for Isabella's hand.
Columbine cannot wait to try on the wonderful slipper, but it isn't easy getting them on. She has Arliquin help her and with great effort they succeed. She stands up and takes a step only t find thaArliquin's finger is caught inside her shoe. Now they realize that the insert is actually in the shoe and they cannot get it off. Columbine cannot stand still and pacing back and forth as she thinks aloud she drags Arlinquin along humbe as she goes, his dignity further compremised when in frustration she stomps her foot.
What better time than now for Isabella to come join them. Unfaithful love and treacherous friend, for this moment frolick they would risk losing her to her Il Dottore. Totally misunderstading the situation Isabella falls violently onto Arliquin demanding he release her servants foot. With great effort Columbine cools her mistress and explaines the situation.p>They make one combined and desperate effort toremove the slipper only to fail. Then Isabella notes that Columbines foot is swelling in the tight shoe and suggest that unless she wades in the river to bring the swelling down all is lost.
Iabelle and Columbine comment immediately on the delightful effect of the magic river and begin chattering idly of thier plans as they walk along the current. This is in contrast to Arliquin who can only snatch quick breaths as Columbine raises her foot to take a step. He barely surfaces only to be dunked down again as Columbine places her foot back down.
Isabella and Columbine take no note of this as they walk back and forth, indeed they brush aside his feeble attempts to interrupt them. Columbine discribes the whole plan to Isabella while she in turn discribes the wonderful ball to be held tommorrow. At last they decide to remove the slipper.
They again make a valiant attempt and Columbine cries out in triump,,,,only to discover that rather than releasing Arliquin she has put her foot down on Isabella as well. Now both lover are trapped by her inflexable glass slippers.
Fine then, into the water once more. Now Isabelle discovers Arliquins former diffuculty as Columbine, speaking of the sad obstacles that seem to face human lovers. If only her Lady and her love could be as carefree as they seem now, like fish or dolphins swimming happy and free at her feet.
This thought reminds Columbine of a picture of Venus and she begins to daydream about being Venus as she wanders into deeper water. She assures her dolphin friends she will be safe. Finally Columbine brakes out into song and Dance.....(think this old man, he played..)
Venus is fair,
Venus is sweet,
dolphins frolick
at her feet
With a hip, hop, never stops hasn't slow down
yet
Happy are those who she has met.
To Her will
All will
bend
She and her little dolphin frineds
With a hip, hop,
never stops, hasn't slowed down yet
and none escape from her
fair net
Venus sings
Venus laughs
As she frolicks in her
bath, with a hip, hop, never stops, goes faster than before
As
all creatures cry for more.
With her final hop Isabelle is jarred free, standing up grasping for air. Columbine is overjoyed, her ladyis free, and she quickly asks where Arliquin is. Isabella hasn't the breath to speak but gasping for air points to where Arliquin is stillcaught by the slipper. Columbine suggest that Isabella quickly acts, pullin the slipper off to free him. Isabella's reaction is reluctance transending fear bordering on shear panic. Yet finally thier is no choice and Columbine sits on the bank and with one strong pull from Isabella the slipper is off.
No time to celebrate this victory, for listen Pantalone approaches seeking his niece. They can't be caught the three of them all breathless and soaking wet. Columbine tells them to go on while she will stall Pantalone and so she hides behind a rock. As Pantalone enters she greets him, and Pantalone turns as if he heard her voice from a differrent direction. She tells him she is the Fairy Queen and invites herself to his ball, Pantalone asks where she is and why he cannot see her and she explaines that in order to hide her nudity while she bathes the rivers magic makes the bathers invisible to all save those who bathe with her. She invites Pantalone to do just that and he takes the plunge. As he does Columbine departs, pausing first to remind us that she did say she could throw her voice at will. end scene iv
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