I Once Was As Meek As a New-Born Lamb

(ACT II SCENE. – PICTURE GALLERY IN RUDDIGORE CASTLE. THE WALLS ARE COVERED WITH FULL LENGTH PORTRAITS OF THE BARONETS OF RUDDUGORE FROM THE TIME OF JAMES I - THE FIRST BEING THAT OF SIR RUPERT, ALLUDED TO IN THE LEGEND; THE LAST, THAT OF THE LAST DECEASED BARONET, SIR RODERIC. ENTER ROBIN AND ADAM MELODRAMATICALLY. THEY ARE GREATLY ALTERED IN APPEARANCE, ROBIN WEARING THE HAGGARD ASPECT OF A GUILTY ROUÉ; ADAM, THAT OF THE WICKED STEWARD TO SUCH A MAN. DUET – ROBIN AND ADAM.) (ROB.) I once was as meek As a new-born lamb, I'm now Sir Murgatroyd – Ha! ha! With greater precision (Without the elision), Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd – Ha! ha! (ADAM.) And I, Who was once his valley-de-sham, As steward I'm now employed – Ha! ha! The dickens may take him – I'll never forsake him! As steward I'm now employed – Ha! ha! (BOTH.) How dreadful when an innocent heart Becomes, perforce, a bad young Bart., And still more hard on old Adam, His former faithful valley-de-sham! Ha! ha!