Mother:  Is it that you begrudge me my recollection?  Ha!  I have it in spite of you. (Sings.)

  “Oft in the stilly night
  Ere slumber’s chain hath bound me
  Fond memory brings the light
  Of other days around me. 
  The smiles, the tears, of childhood’s years,
  The words of love then spoken—­
  The eyes that shone, now dimmed and gone,
  The cheerful hearts now broken.

  “Thus in the stilly night—­ere slumber’s chain
    hath bound me
  Fond memory brings the light
  Of other days around me!”

Celia:  (Bursting in.) Where is Conan?

Conan:  What do you want of me?

Celia:  I have got the hair brush.

Conan:  Let you not come near me!

Celia:  And the comb!

Conan:  Get away from me!

Celia:  And the scissors.

Conan:  Will you drive me out of the house or will I drive you out of it!

Celia:  Ah, be easy!

Conan:  I will not be easy!

Celia:  (Pushing him back in a chair.) It will delight the world to see the way I’ll send you out!

Conan:  Is the universe gone distracted mad!

Celia:  Be quiet now!

Conan:  Leave your hold of me!

Celia:  One stir, and the scissors will run into you!

(Sings “With a snippet, a snippet, a snippet.")

CURTAIN

ACT III

ACT III

The two Cats are looking over the settle.

Music behind scene:  “O Johnny, I hardly knew you!"

1st Cat:  We did well leaving the bellows for that foolish Human to see what he can do.  There is great sport before us and behind.

2nd Cat:  The best I ever saw since the Jesters went out from Tara.

1st Cat:  They to be giving themselves high notions and to be looking down on Cats!

2nd Cat:  Ha, Ha, Ha, the folly and the craziness of men!  To see him changing them from one thing to the next, as if they wouldn’t be a two-legged laughing stock whatever way they would change.

1st Cat:  There’s apt to be more changes yet till they will hardly know one another, or every other one, to be himself! (Sings.)

  “Where are your eyes that looked so mild,
    Hurroo!  Hurroo! 
  Where are your eyes that looked so mild
  When my poor heart you first beguiled,
  Why did you run from me and the child? 
    O Johnny, I hardly knew you!

  “With drums and guns and guns and drums,
  The enemy nearly slew you! 
  My darling dear you look so queer,
    O Johnny, I hardly knew you!

  “Where are the legs with which you run,
  When you went to carry a gun. 
  Indeed your dancing days are done,
    O Johnny, I hardly knew you!”