Act 2, Scene 7
Act 2, Scene VII
Carchar:
Well, a nice mess you've got us into, with your gush of red and your reflexive muscle twitch!
Sauron:
Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
Carchar:
Corroborative detail indeed! Corroborative fiddlestick!
Sauron:
But how about your red maw? Yes, and your great teeth!
Carchar:
Well, well, never mind that now. There's only one thing to be done. Luthien hasn't entered Angband yet — she must come to life again at once.
Beren and Luthien enter. She is wearing her full vampire disguise again, and he is wearing a rough imitation of Carchar’s costume.
Carchar:
Here she comes. Here, Luthien, I've good news for you — you're reprieved.
Luthien:
Oh, but it's too late. You’ve killed me, and I'm off to Angband.
Carchar:
Nonsense! A terrible thing has just happened. It seems you're the child of the Elf Ruler.
Luthien:
Yes, but that happened some time ago.
Carchar:
Is this a time for airy persiflage? Your father is here, and with Celegorm!
Luthien:
My father! And with Celegorm!
Carchar:
Yes, he wants you particularly.
Sauron:
So does Celegorm.
Beren:
Oh, but she's with me now.
Carchar:
But, bless my heart! What has that to do with it?
Luthien:
Celegorm claims me in marriage, but I can't marry him because I've promised myself to Beren — consequently he will insist on my imprisonment, and if he captures Beren, he’ll kill him.
Beren:
You see our difficulty.
Carchar:
Yes. I don't know what's to be done.
Luthien:
There's one chance for you. If you could persuade Celegorm to leave with you, he would have no further claim on me, and in that case I could come to life without any fear.
Carchar:
I go with Celegorm!
Beren:
I really think it's the only course.
Carchar:
But, my good girl, have you seen him? He's something appalling!
Baragund:
(approaching cautiously) Ah! That's only his deeds. He has a remarkable way with animals.
Sauron:
He has table manners which people come miles to see!
Carchar:
My good sir, I decline to pin my hopes upon any Noldo's table manners.
Luthien:
It comes to this: While Celegorm is single, I prefer to be a disembodied spirit. When Celegorm is married, existence will be as welcome as the light of the stars.
Luthien:
The light that Queen Elbereth sends
Tra la,
Gives promise of joy and delight —
On that light each last Elda depends,
Tra la,
We welcome the hope that it lends,
Tra la,
And her favor by day and by night,
And her favor by day and by night.
And that's why a thing, we may say to our friends,
Is welcome as light that Queen Elbereth sends.
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la,
The light that Queen Elbereth sends.
Beren, Beregund and Luthien:
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la la!
Carchar:
The light that Queen Elbereth sends
Tra la,
Has nothing to do with the case.
To him I would be your amends,
Tra la,
A Noldo that deeply offends,
Tra la,
The most pestilent blight of his race,
The most pestilent blight of his race.
And that's what I mean when I say to my friends,
"Oh, bother the light that Queen Elbereth sends."
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la,
"Oh, bother the light that she sends."
Beren, Beregund and Luthien:
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la la!
Carchar:
Well, a nice mess you've got us into, with your gush of red and your reflexive muscle twitch!
Sauron:
Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
Carchar:
Corroborative detail indeed! Corroborative fiddlestick!
Sauron:
But how about your red maw? Yes, and your great teeth!
Carchar:
Well, well, never mind that now. There's only one thing to be done. Luthien hasn't entered Angband yet — she must come to life again at once.
Beren and Luthien enter. She is wearing her full vampire disguise again, and he is wearing a rough imitation of Carchar’s costume.
Carchar:
Here she comes. Here, Luthien, I've good news for you — you're reprieved.
Luthien:
Oh, but it's too late. You’ve killed me, and I'm off to Angband.
Carchar:
Nonsense! A terrible thing has just happened. It seems you're the child of the Elf Ruler.
Luthien:
Yes, but that happened some time ago.
Carchar:
Is this a time for airy persiflage? Your father is here, and with Celegorm!
Luthien:
My father! And with Celegorm!
Carchar:
Yes, he wants you particularly.
Sauron:
So does Celegorm.
Beren:
Oh, but she's with me now.
Carchar:
But, bless my heart! What has that to do with it?
Luthien:
Celegorm claims me in marriage, but I can't marry him because I've promised myself to Beren — consequently he will insist on my imprisonment, and if he captures Beren, he’ll kill him.
Beren:
You see our difficulty.
Carchar:
Yes. I don't know what's to be done.
Luthien:
There's one chance for you. If you could persuade Celegorm to leave with you, he would have no further claim on me, and in that case I could come to life without any fear.
Carchar:
I go with Celegorm!
Beren:
I really think it's the only course.
Carchar:
But, my good girl, have you seen him? He's something appalling!
Baragund:
(approaching cautiously) Ah! That's only his deeds. He has a remarkable way with animals.
Sauron:
He has table manners which people come miles to see!
Carchar:
My good sir, I decline to pin my hopes upon any Noldo's table manners.
Luthien:
It comes to this: While Celegorm is single, I prefer to be a disembodied spirit. When Celegorm is married, existence will be as welcome as the light of the stars.
Luthien:
The light that Queen Elbereth sends
Tra la,
Gives promise of joy and delight —
On that light each last Elda depends,
Tra la,
We welcome the hope that it lends,
Tra la,
And her favor by day and by night,
And her favor by day and by night.
And that's why a thing, we may say to our friends,
Is welcome as light that Queen Elbereth sends.
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la,
The light that Queen Elbereth sends.
Beren, Beregund and Luthien:
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la la!
Carchar:
The light that Queen Elbereth sends
Tra la,
Has nothing to do with the case.
To him I would be your amends,
Tra la,
A Noldo that deeply offends,
Tra la,
The most pestilent blight of his race,
The most pestilent blight of his race.
And that's what I mean when I say to my friends,
"Oh, bother the light that Queen Elbereth sends."
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la,
"Oh, bother the light that she sends."
Beren, Beregund and Luthien:
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la,
Tra la la la la la!
Subtitles