Liaisons (Act One)

[00:10.45] At the villa of the Baron De Signac,
[00:14.97] Where I spent a somewhat infamous year,
[00:19.57] At the villa of the Baron De Signac
[00:24.94] I had ladies in attendance,
[00:26.77] Fire-opal pendants...
[00:30.47] Liaisons!
[00:32.29] What's happened to them?
[00:34.93] Liaisons today.
[00:39.53] Disgraceful!
[00:42.28] What's become of them?
[00:44.16] Some of them
[00:45.02] Hardly pay their shoddy way.
[00:49.57] What once was a rare champagne
[00:51.32] Is now just an amiable hock,
[00:55.26] What once was a villa, at least,
[00:57.00] Is "digs."
[00:59.77] What once was a gown with train
[01:02.43] Is now just a simple little frock,
[01:05.26] What once was a sumptuous feast
[01:07.96] Is figs.
[01:09.71] No--not even figs--raisins!
[01:13.49] Ah, liaisons!
[01:17.24] Now, where was I?
[01:20.02] Where was I?
[01:20.97] Oh, yes...
[01:21.82] At the palace of the Duke of Ferrara,
[01:26.33] Who was prematurely deaf but a dear,
[01:30.94] At the palace of the Duke of Ferrara
[01:36.33] I acquired some position
[01:39.19] Plus a tiny Titian...
[01:41.89] Liaisons!
[01:44.69] What's happened to them?
[01:47.36] Liaisons today.
[01:50.96] To see them--indiscriminate
[01:55.63] Women, it
[01:56.54] Pains me more than I can say,
[02:01.14] The lack of taste that they display!
[02:07.42] Where is style?
[02:10.27] Where is skill?
[02:12.08] Where is forethought?
[02:15.60] Where's discretion of the heart?
[02:18.54] Where's passion in the art?
[02:20.40] Where's craft?
[02:24.07] With a smile
[02:25.96] And a will
[02:27.87] But with more thought,
[02:32.57] I acquired a chateau
[02:35.33] Extravagantly o-
[02:37.10] Verstaffed.
[02:40.73] Too many people muddle sex
[02:43.41] With mere desire,
[02:45.22] And when emotion intervenes
[02:47.13] The nets descend.
[02:49.94] It should on no account perplex,
[02:52.74] Or worse, inspire;
[02:55.41] It's but a pleasurable means
[02:58.16] To a measurable end.
[03:02.68] Why does no one comprehend?
[03:07.26] Let us hope this lunacy's just a trend.
[03:13.59] Now where was I?
[03:14.57] Where was I?
[03:15.45] Oh, yes...
[03:17.28] In the castle of the King of the Belgians,
[03:21.94] (We would visit through a false chiffonier)
[03:27.32] In the castle of the King of the Belgians
[03:31.02] Who, when things got rather touchy,
[03:37.58] Deeded me a duchy...
[03:38.47] Liaisons!
[03:41.24] What's happened to them?
[03:43.06] Liaisons today.
[03:47.55] Untidy!
[03:50.34] Take my daughter, I
[03:52.10] Taught her, I
[03:53.06] Tried my best to point the way.
[03:57.51] I even named her
[03:59.37] Desiree.
[04:03.93] In a world where the kings are employers,
[04:12.18] Where the amateur prevails
[04:14.81] And delicacy fails
[04:16.64] To pay,
[04:20.32] In a world where the princes are lawyers,
[04:29.41] What can anyone expect
[04:32.17] Except to recollect Lia...
[04:39.37]