Liaisons (Act One)

At the villa of the Baron De Signac,
 Where I spent a somewhat infamous year,
 At the villa of the Baron De Signac
 I had ladies in attendance,
 Fire-opal pendants...
 Liaisons!
 What's happened to them?
 Liaisons today.
 Disgraceful!
 What's become of them?
 Some of them
 Hardly pay their shoddy way.
 What once was a rare champagne
 Is now just an amiable hock,
 What once was a villa, at least,
 Is "digs."
 What once was a gown with train
 Is now just a simple little frock,
 What once was a sumptuous feast
 Is figs.
 No--not even figs--raisins!
 Ah, liaisons!
 Now, where was I?
 Where was I?
 Oh, yes...
 At the palace of the Duke of Ferrara,
 Who was prematurely deaf but a dear,
 At the palace of the Duke of Ferrara
 I acquired some position
 Plus a tiny Titian...
 Liaisons!
 What's happened to them?
 Liaisons today.
 To see them--indiscriminate
 Women, it
 Pains me more than I can say,
 The lack of taste that they display!
 Where is style?
 Where is skill?
 Where is forethought?
 Where's discretion of the heart?
 Where's passion in the art?
 Where's craft?
 With a smile
 And a will
 But with more thought,
 I acquired a chateau
 Extravagantly o-
 Verstaffed.
 Too many people muddle sex
 With mere desire,
 And when emotion intervenes
 The nets descend.
 It should on no account perplex,
 Or worse, inspire;
 It's but a pleasurable means
 To a measurable end.
 Why does no one comprehend?
 Let us hope this lunacy's just a trend.
 Now where was I?
 Where was I?
 Oh, yes...
 In the castle of the King of the Belgians,
 (We would visit through a false chiffonier)
 In the castle of the King of the Belgians
 Who, when things got rather touchy,
 Deeded me a duchy...
 Liaisons!
 What's happened to them?
 Liaisons today.
 Untidy!
 Take my daughter, I
 Taught her, I
 Tried my best to point the way.
 I even named her
 Desiree.
 In a world where the kings are employers,
 Where the amateur prevails
 And delicacy fails
 To pay,
 In a world where the princes are lawyers,
 What can anyone expect
 Except to recollect Lia...