The Duke.
Till I am miles away.
Only—
Fanny.
What "only" is there?
The Duke.
Quite a big one.
Suppose the false Duke's spoken to?
Fanny.
Impossible.
It's all stage-managed like a ballet. Ladies
Will flutter round him, keep intruders off,
And as a ball from racket flies to racket
Hell pass from hand to hand until he's safe.
Masks.
[Running across at the back.]
Who is the wolf? Wow! Wow! Who is the bear? There! There!
Fanny.
You leave the Gardens—
The Duke.
By the Hietzing gate—
Fanny.
No.
The Duke.
Where, then?
Fanny.
Listeners. I fan myself.
Glance at your humble servant's pretty fan.
The Duke.
What for?
Fanny.
I've drawn a sketch-map of the park.
Observe the road; it's red; it makes a bend;
Do you see? The little squares of white are statues;
The little dots of apple-green are trees;
Thus you elude the evil-minded spies;
Turn to the left; pass by the pheasantry—
The Duke.
What are the scratches?
Fanny.
Where the hill goes up.
Then you go down again; pass by the Triton
And come out Emperor at this little gate.
All clearly understood?—I shut my fan.
The Duke.
Emperor!
Flambeau.
That's right. Get out your robes and crown!
Don't go so fast!
The Duke.
What's at the gate?
Fanny.
A cab.
The Duke.
A cab?
Fanny.
With spanking horses; have no fear.
The Duke.
Where does it take me?
Fanny.
To the rendezvous.
The Duke.
Where's that?
Fanny.
Out of your way, but so the Countess
Would have it:—Wagram.
The Duke.
What a Bonaparte!
Fanny.
Well? Are you pleased?
The Duke.
Dear little Tanagra,
I'll recompense your zeal—
Fanny.
Ungrateful monster!
The Duke.
And Prokesch?
Fanny.
He'll be waiting for you there.
The Duke.
The only man whose eye we had to fear—
Prince Metternich—has left. All will go well.
Flambeau.
Metternich gone! You never said a word!
The Duke.
Well—
Flambeau.
And you let me catch my death, beneath
This beastly urn—!
Fanny.
Masks coming!
Masks.
Sandor! Zichy!
It's Thalberg!—Never!—Thalberg is a Turk!
It's Cocica!—Not he!—He's fled!—Oh! catch him!
Flambeau.
Gone?
The Duke and Fanny.
Gone.
Flambeau.
[Emerging, dressed as in the previous act.]
Then—
The Duke and Fanny.
Are you mad?
Flambeau.
We'll shut the trap.
The Duke.
But if they see you—!
Fanny.
Vanish! This is frightful!
The Duke.
What will they say?
Flambeau.
I'll tell you what they'll say—
Masks.
[Seeing Flambeau.]
And this one! Oh! a veteran of the Empire!
Flambeau.
[To the Duke.]
Well, there you are, you see! That's what they'll say.
Masks.
Capital! Capital!
Flambeau.
I take my ease.
A Mask.
[To another.]
Come and admire the veteran!
The Other.
First rate!
Third Mask.
Look at his earrings!
Fourth Mask.
And his bushy eyebrows!
Flambeau.
But how shall I get out without a cloak?
Fanny.
Here's Gentz's ticket: such a handsome mantle.
A Mask.
Hail, Veteran!
Flambeau.
The honor's mine.
[The Usher enters, followed by Servants who
push on orange-trees, the boxes laid as tables.]
The Usher.
Make room!
The Lackey.
[Who took the Duke's note.]
They understand, my Lord. The hunting-lodge.
Fanny.
What's that?
The Duke.
I had forgotten. I gave orders—
I was to spend the night there. Warn the Countess.
Run! Run and say 'tis thither she must go!
[Fanny goes out quickly.]
A Mask.
[To Flambeau.]
Well, Sergeant? So you served—
Flambeau.
The gr-reat—
Several Masks.
[Laughing.]
The gr-reat!
Flambeau.
They didn't laugh when we were quartered on 'em!
Exclamations.
A picture by Raffet!—Charlet!—Vernet!
Several Masks.
How worn his coat is!—And how singed!—And dusty!—
Who's your costumier?—Tell us!
Flambeau.
They are ladies:—
The ancient firm of War and Victory Sisters.
A Mask.
That's good.
Flambeau.
It's not the firm you patronize.
First Mask.
I'll swear it's Zichy.
Offering his hand.]
Count, your hand.
Flambeau.
[Blowing a puff of smoke in his face.]
Get out.
First Mask.
[Going out, to the others.]
He's masked his language as he's masked his face.
Flambeau.
[Singing.]
When we marched to Krasnoï,
Cold and hungry, too, were we!
A Mask.
He's really excellent. In Russia, old 'un,
'Twas pretty cold?
Flambeau.
Yes; till we gave 'em hell.
[Sings.]
By Jingo, but it keeps you warm
Merely to see his uniform!
A Mask.
His uniform wants patching now, though; what?
Flambeau.
So did your breeches when he'd kicked you; what?
Several.
Ha! Very funny!
First Mask.
Natural.
Second Mask.
Exact.
Third Mask..
But doubtful taste.
The Usher.
The comedy's begun!
Fanny.
[To the Duke.]
I'm back again. The Countess understands.
Flambeau.
[To Theresa.]
Will you accept a veteran's arm?
Theresa.
No.
Flambeau.
Why?
Theresa.
I'm leaving, sir. Apart from that, I'm French,
And see no humor in a parody
Of heroes whom by chance you conquered.
You—
Ah! I adore you!
[She runs away. Just as she is disappearing the
Duke makes a movement toward her.]
The Duke.
Ah!—the tryst.
Theresa.
The tryst—?
The Duke.
No—nothing.
[Theresa passes on.]
She must keep it. She must show
Whether she would have been sublimely weak,
And given herself unthinking—without hope—
Only because she saw me sad to-night.
Fanny.
[To Flambeau.]
Watch where they've got to in the comedy.
[Flambeau goes to the entrance of the theatre.]
[To the Duke.]
The time has come.
Flambeau.
All eyes are running over
With grief for Stanislas, the mournful Pole.
Fanny.
Here is the Countess, Duke.
The Duke.
My very image!
I'm coming toward myself as in a glass.
[The Countess Camerata enters, dressed exactly
like the Duke, with the exception of her
cloak, which is brown.]
The Countess.
Well met, Napoleon!
The Duke.
And Napoleone!
The Countess.
I'm very calm—and you?
The Duke.
I see the risks
You'll run for my sake.
The Countess.
Not for your sake.
The Duke.
Ah?
The Countess.
No! For the name, the glory, and our blood!
The Duke.
You bravely clash your arms, fair Amazon!
The Countess.
The deed were nothing, were it done for love.
The Duke.
Speaking of love, if, when you've taken my place
In yonder hunting-lodge, by any chance
A woman came—
The Countess.
Ah! I felt sure of it!
The Duke.
Tell her about my flight—and swear to me—
Flambeau.
[At the entrance to the theatre, describing the play.]
The soldier holds his tongue!
The Countess.
Good.
Flambeau.
Doesn't murmur.
The Duke.
Swear you will tell me later if she comes.
The Countess.
Thinking of hearts, when Empire is at hand!
The Duke.
It is because I mount a throne to-morrow
I lay such value on a heart to-night.
O God! to feel respect in every kiss,
Snares in avowals, in embraces dread,
And in fair eyes, more dazzled than in love,
See laurel-wreaths about me as on coins!
I was to pluck my last real love to-night!
Flambeau.
[As before.]
He's telling them about his pocket-book.
The Duke.
I would she kept this white and spotless tryst,
She who has not yet studied to dissemble;
'Twere well she came, for nevermore, perchance,
Whatever later trysts I yet may keep,
Shall I be waiting with such eager love,
As at the tryst to-night I may not keep.
The Countess.
I find your Highness very deeply stirred.
The Duke.
Less than I shall be if you say "She came."
Flambeau.
[As before.]
We must make haste, for with his eyes turned up,
He's singing something to his colonel.
The Countess.
Change!
Flambeau.
Wait for the signal. Have no fear; I'm watching.
Attention! By the magic of my wand!
The Countess.
Think well! Perhaps you turn him into Cæsar!
Flambeau.
That's why my wand is fashioned of a ramrod.
[Noise of people leaving the theatre.]
They're coming! Now!
[The Duke and the Countess exchange cloaks.]
Masks and Dominos.
[Entering.]
They've dressed the orange-trees!
All.
Oh!
Fanny.
[To the Duke, pointing to the Countess.]
There's our swarm of women buzzing round him.
Ladies.
[Around the false Duke.]
Prince!—Duke—! My Lord—! Your Highness—!
Gentz.
No one else
Has any chance to-night!
Cries.
[From the tables.]
Sandor! Zichy! Mina!
The Domino Called Mina.
How did you know me?
A Mask.
By your opal necklace.
Another Mask.
We'll gather oranges for our dessert.
A Lady.
[To the false Duke.]
Duke—
Masks.
Danube sterlets! Caviar from the Volga!
[All are seated.]
Gentz.
[Rising, glass in hand.]
Ladies and gentlemen—
All.
Hear! Hear!
The Duke.
Now comes
The trying moment.
Gentz.
I have filled this bumper
In honor—
The Duke.
She is going—
Gentz.
Of our friend,
Who, having organized the feast, has left us
Amid the music, flowers, delicious ices,
To toil till dawn dictating his despatches.
Fanny.
How well she imitates your careless stride!
Gentz.
To the Prince-chancellor, Counsellor, Chamberlain,
Ladies and gentlemen, drain brimming glasses!
Metternich, Austrian Prince, Grandee of Spain,
Duke of Portella, Lord of Daruvar—
Fanny.
She's coming forward! Look how calm she is!
Gentz.
Knight of Saint Ann—
Fanny.
He helps us with his chatter,
And doesn't know it.
L'Aiglon Page 16