When Marietta arrives she is taken aback by the licence of the ball, and when Étienne steps in swiftly to claim her she asks to be taken home. Then she sees Dick arriving. He had said he would not attend, and she is sure that he has come to see Adah. She will not believe that he has come with the idea of protecting her and she proudly sweeps off to the dance floor on Étienne's arm. Lizette makes a play for the Governor in the hope of arousing Simon's jealousy but, although the Governor proves to be quite ready for a flirtation, the ploy fails when Simon refuses to take the bait. Etienne has more serious matters for his father's consideration. Since Marietta is undoubtedly the wealthy and titled Italian Contessa, it is imperative that he takes her as his wife. With the political and financial advantages thus achieved, their plan for a Louisiana republic will be greatly aided and their coffers filled. When he proposes marriage, Marietta asks him what he intends to do with Adah and she is appalled to hear Etienne declare that he will sell his slave to the highest bidder. Leaving him, she finds Dick, sad amongst the gaiety of the ball and aware that he is in the clutches of emotions which are new to him, but she has no time to answer him for Etienne appears and loudly announces to the assembled company that he is going to auction Adah. The broken-hearted quadroon, seeing that she is likely to be sold to an old and ugly Indian, appeals to Dick to help her and, to Marietta's jealous disbelief, Dick tops the auction. Taken by fury, Marietta leaves Dick and, announcing herself as the Contessa d'Altena, publicly plights herself to Etienne. Realising that her anger will pass, Étienne determines to make the most of the moment and demands that the marriage take place immediately. The quadroon girls hurry away to deck the bride out in suitable splendour but Adah remains. Dick tells her she is a free woman, and she gratefully returns his gift. She can stop the wedding. If he tears Étienne Grandet's right sleeve he will find his true name tattooed there — Bras Priqué. After Simon has entertained with an incidental song congratulating himself on his cushy new position, Dick goes into action. He exposes Etienne as the pirate but, to his amazement, finds himself unable to take the miscreant prisoner. Simon is the Grandet family's whipping boy and, by the law of the land, liable to punishment on behalf of the family for any of their misdeeds. The squealling servant is grabbed by the governmental guards and, with Lizette wailing in his wake, dragged away. Marietta appears, dressed for her wedding, and hears the truth of the situation from Adah. She refuses to wed Étienne and, in spite of the Governor's threat to enclose her in a convent, defies him. Locked in a room, pounding at the door, she suddenly hears a voice outside. It is her own dream song and the voice is Dick's. He appears at the window and soon the two are in each other's arms. Etienne discovers them but, before he can take any action, Captain Dick's infantry appear. They have released Simon from prison and they are hot on the trail of Étienne and his pirates. But the ball does not end in a battle. Étienne gives Dick best over Marietta and, as the lovers join in another reprise of their song, the pirates are allowed to escape. Adapted from Kurt Ganzl's Book of the Musical Theatre ISBN 0 370 31157 4 : CHARACTERS Principals -3 female, 7 male Captain Richard Warrington, an American Simon O'Hara, his servant Sir Harry Blake, an Irish adventurer Lieutenant Governor Grandet Étienne Grandet, his son Rudolfo, an Italian street musician, keeper of the marionette theatre Florenze, the Governor's secretary Marietta d'Altena Adah, a quadroon, slave of Étienne Lizette, a casket girl Manuele, Nanette, Felice, Fanchon, Graziella, Francesca, etc.
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