L'Aiglon
Page 15
But that's all over.
Theresa.
How?
The Duke.
All hope is gone.
I wake from dreams.
Theresa.
You suffer?
The Duke.
Little Brooklet
Must give her murmuring freshness.
Theresa.
Here it is.
The Duke.
What if I trouble its waters?
Theresa.
Trouble them.
The Duke.
Come to the little house among the trees—
My hunting lodge—to-night!
Theresa.
I am to come—!
The Duke.
Say neither yes nor no.—I'll wait—
Theresa.
Alas!
The Duke.
Think how unhappy I shall henceforth be!
I've lost all hope of playing a great part;
I can but weep; I need a heart to weep on.
Away!
A Mask.
[Seeing a stout lady dressed as a shepherdess.]
That shepherdess has eaten her flock!
The Bear.
If you'll but love me—
The Chinese Woman.
You will sell your skin?
A Domino.
[Passing on Gentz's arm.]
The Viscount's here as Doge in grand dalmatic.
Gentz.
Then is the Baroness the Adriatic.
The Duke.
[Who has scribbled a note; to a Lackey.]
This for my lackeys. I shall not come in.
I'm sleeping at the hunting-lodge. Make haste!
Let me have word they've read and understood.
The Lackey.
Nought else, my Lord?
The Duke.
To-morrow the bay mare.
Fanny Elssler.
His uniform beneath a—
The Duke.
[Turning.]
Violet cloak.
Prokesch! I said your note was from a woman!
Fanny.
[Pointing to the Attaché, who has followed her.]
Let me get rid of this importunate mask.
And I'll come back.
The Duke.
I'll wait. 'Tis fate. I yield.
I'll love, with stormy April in my heart.
I'll love—like these—like all!
Bombelles.
[Who has come in with Maria Louisa. She sits on the stone bench.]
Was he in love?
Maria Louisa.
What! must you still be harping on him?
Bombelles.
Yes.
The Duke.
My mother and Bombelles—!
Bombelles.
Speak!
Maria Louisa.
I don't know.
He was intimidated in my presence.
Even on his throne, beneath his golden laurels,
He felt his inequality of birth;
And then, to keep a countenance, he'd call me
His "Good Louisa." Yes! such shocking taste!
For I love sentiment. I am a woman.
Bombelles.
And queen of all!
Maria Louisa.
A little thing I said
When Saint Aulaire came to my room at Blois
With news of his disasters, made them furious.
I was in bed. My naked foot peeped out,
And, lying on the polished wood, as if
Thomire had carved it, seemed at once to turn
The Medicean bed into an Empire bed.
And seeing the Envoy furtively look down,
I smiled and said, "You're looking at my foot."
And so he was. In spite of all misfortunes,
Indeed the man was looking at my foot.
Was this coquettish? Well, what of it? Heavens!
Where was the crime if I remained a woman?
For, after all, amid the crash of France,
The beauty of my foot had some importance!
The Duke.
Would I could fly! but I am glued to the spot!
Bombelles.
What's the grey pebble in your bracelet?
Maria Louisa.
That?
Ah, I can never see it without tears.
That is a fragment—
Bombelles.
Of the Pyramids?
Maria Louisa.
What nonsense! 'Tis a fragment of the tomb
Where Juliet sleeps beside her Romeo—
I had this souvenir—
Bombelles.
For pity's sake
Don't mention Neipperg!
Maria Louisa.
If he irritates you,
Why speak about the first?
Bombelles.
That's different,
But did you love him?
Maria Louisa.
Whom?
Bombelles.
The—first.
Maria Louisa.
Again?
Bombelles.
So great a man! You must—
Maria Louisa.
Oh, as for that,
No man is ever loved because he's great.
Let's talk of him no more: let's talk of us.
Will you like Parma?
Bombelles.
Tell me, was he jealous?
Maria Louisa.
So much so that he drove away Leroy,
Because the poor man-milliner cried out
With admiration when he saw my shoulders,
While trying on a peplum.
Bombelles.
Then Napoleon—
Maria Louisa.
Oh, hush!
Bombelles.
Would not have liked to hear me say
How fair they are? Would not have liked—
Maria Louisa.
Bombelles!
Bombelles.
To hear me whisper to your Majesty—
The Duke.
Father, forgive me for the things I hear!
Bombelles.
That you are like our own Arlesian maids
But, ah! how much more beautiful!—
Maria Louisa.
Oh, Charles!
Bombelles.
Would not have liked to see me bend and press—-
The Duke.
[Breaking in upon them.]
Not that! I will not have it! I forbid you!—
Thank God, I'm saved!
Maria Louisa.
Franz!
The Duke.
For this cry, this movement
Were not my own. Within me still remains
A reverence for my mother and her freedom!
'Twas he—'Twas he by whom my soul's possessed,
Who sprang upon you with this tragic force!
Thank God! I'm saved! The Corsican leapt out!
Bombelles.
Sir—!
The Duke.
Nothing, sir!
[To Maria Louisa.]
My humble duty, Madam!
Return to Sala, spend your days in peace.
The castle has two wings, as I am told:
One is a theatre and one a chapel.
Thus dwelling in the middle, you shall feel
Evenly balanced 'twixt the world and God.
My humble duty!
Maria Louisa.
Franz!
The Duke.
Why, truly, Madam,
It's your prerogative to be mere woman.
Go, be a woman in the Sala palace;
But tell yourself, Ah! tell yourself—and this
Shall be your sad atonement for his glory,
Widow who cast aside her widow's weeds!—
Tell yourself this: Men only gaze upon you
For the immortal fame he robed you in,
And only whisper praises of your beauty
Because of old he conquered all the wo
rld!
Maria Louisa.
I'll hear no more! Bombelles, let us begone!
The Duke.
Return to Sala. I am saved. Thank God!
Maria Louisa.
Farewell!
The Duke.
O hands, cold hands within the tomb,
Sad hands because the Imperial ring slipped from you,
Hands that have held her brow who years ago
Shed bitter tears that I was not her son,
Hands laid in blessing on my orphaned soul,
Weeping I kiss you, hands of Josephine!
Maria Louisa.
The Creole! Do you think at Malmaison—?
The Duke.
Silence! If it be true, all the more reason!
All the more reason why I should be faithful!
[Maria Louisa and Bombelles go out.]
[Enter Metternich and Sedlinzky.]
Metternich.
[To Sedlinzky.]
Yes, yes; I humbled that rebellious child!
[He sees the Duke.]
You here? And in this uniform? What means?
The Duke.
Were we not asked to come here in—disguise?
Sedlinzky.
The pride your Excellency broke last night
Even in its fragments keeps its insolence.
[To the Duke.]
What are you dreaming of, far from the ball,
My little Colonel?
The Duke.
Of my Little Corporal!
Metternich.
[On the point of breaking out.]
Oh, I—
[Mastering himself.]
But I must go to my despatches.
'Tis all to do again!
[He and Sedlinzky go out.]
[Enter Fanny Elssler.]
Fanny.
Prince!
The Duke.
No! that woman!
I will not—!
Fanny.
[Unmasking.]
Fly?
The Duke.
[Recognising her.]
Fanny!
Fanny.
The plot!
The Duke.
What's that?
Fanny.
I'm in it. Let me tell you—
The Duke.
Ah!
Fanny.
Look innocent.
Sit down. Pretend you're very much in love.
You on the rock. I on the Neptune's head.
[Speaking to the stone head.]
May I sit down, good Neptune?
The Stone Head.
If you like.
Only I warn you, it's all over ants.
Fanny.
Lord! Neptune's talking!
The Duke.
[Understanding and remembering.]
Ah! beneath the ivy!
Flambeau.
The entrance to my cavern through an ant-heap.
The Duke.
You! Flambeau!
Flambeau.
In the cave of Rob—
Masks.
Ho hi!
Fanny.
Hush! Masks!
Masks.
Oh, very funny!
[They pass out.]
Flambeau.
—inson Crusoe!
The Duke.
What! Since last night?
Flambeau.
Oh, yes; I smoke my pipe—
The Duke.
There in the hole?
Flambeau.
You copied from the beggar
Who first invented bearskins, so they say,
And had a funny Mameluke called Friday.
The Duke.
I cannot find the spot.
Flambeau.
It's on the right.
Here, where I blow a cloud out of my pipe.
Fanny.
The small Vesuvius!
The Duke.
You must be—
Flambeau.
Uncomfortable.
But then—I said you'd find me at the ball.
Fanny.
If they should catch us talking to a smoke!
Flambeau.
Ouch!
The Duke.
What's the matter?
Flambeau.
An attack of ants.
Since yesterday we've had the bloodiest battles.
Fanny.
But—
Flambeau.
They outnumber me, but I've tobacco,
I blow a blast—
The Duke.
You bring your heavy guns?
Flambeau.
May I lift up my rock a bit?
The Duke.
Yes.
Flambeau.
[Seeing Masks approaching.]
Nuns!
The Duke and Fanny.
Hush!
Flambeau.
Now I look as if I took the air
On the tomb's balcony.
The Duke.
And in the moon
Beside the urn, uplifting thus the stone,
You're rising to the ghostly night-review.
Flambeau.
I'm very hungry.
Fanny.
Hush!
The Duke.
[To some Servants who enter bearing dishes.]
What's that you carry?
[The Servants stop. The Duke takes a little of
everything.]
Thank you.
Fanny.
[Stopping them.]
One moment.
[She takes what is left. The Servants pass out.]
The Duke.
[Giving Flambeau the cakes.]
Take them.
Flambeau.
Enough.
My strength returns.
[To Fanny.]
Explain. We've little time.
Fanny.
[Nervously.]
Well, then—the Countess—she is here—the Countess—
That's how my nerve goes when I have to dance—
She wears beneath a russet cloak your uniform,
With which the Eaglet's turned into a sea-mew.
She was already like you in the face,
But since she's dyed her sable tresses fair
Your glass could not distinguish you from her.
So, while they play their "Michel and Christine,"
You'll change your mantle quickly with your cousin—
The Duke.
Put on a mask—!
Fanny.
And disappear like magic!
The Duke.
My double takes my place—
Fanny.
And openly
Leaves the assembly—
The Duke.
Sets me free of spies—
Fanny.
Goes home to Schönbrunn—
The Duke.
Locks the door with care—
Fanny.
Forgets to wake—