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The Dynasts: An Epic Drama Of The War With Napoleon, a play by Thomas Hardy |
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Part 3 - Act 6 - Scene 3. Charleroi. Napoleon's Quarters |
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_ PART THIRD. ACT SIXTH. SCENE III. [The same midnight. NAPOLEON is lying on a bed in his clothes. In consultation with SOULT, his Chief of Staff, who is sitting near, he dictates to his Secretary orders for the morrow. They are addressed to KELLERMANN, DROUOT, LOBAU, GERARD, and other of his marshals. SOULT goes out to dispatch them. The Secretary resumes the reading of reports. Presently MARSHAL NEY is announced He is heard stumbling up the stairs, and enters.]
Ah, Ney; why come you back? Have you secured
Not, sire, as yet.
My charge was this:
My reason, sire, was rolling from my tongue.--
Ney; O Ney!
Give me another opportunity
You soon will have one! . . .
We can afford to let him.
It is what such betokens, not their worth, Now, friend, downstairs you'll find some supper ready, NEY Till to-morrow, sire! [Exit NEY. NAPOLEON falls asleep, and the Secretary waits till dictation shall be resumed. BUSSY, the orderly officer, comes to the door.
Letters--arrived from Paris. (Hands letters.)
He shall have them
I can only say
And never will again! In my regard
All that they hear in Paris from her court
By "he" denoting me?
Just so, your Majesty.
What said the Empress?
She gave no answer, sire, that rumour bears.
Count Neipperg, whom they have made her chamberlain,
He did, your Majesty.
H'm. . . .You may go. [Exit BUSSY. The Secretary reads letters aloud in succession. He comes to the last; begins it; reaches a phrase, and stops abruptly.] Mind not! Read on. No doubt the usual threat,
The subscript is "The Duke of Enghien!"
Bah, man! A treacherous trick! A hoax--no more!
The last, your Majesty.
Then now I'll sleep. In two hours have me called.
I'll give the order, sire. [The Secretary goes. The candles are removed, except one, and NAPOLEON endeavours to compose himself.]
A little moral panorama would do him no harm, after that reminder of the Duke of Enghien. Shall it be, young Compassion?
What good--if that old Years tells us be true? [Thereupon a vision passes before NAPOLEON as he lies, comprising hundreds of thousands of skeletons and corpses in various stages of decay. They rise from his various battlefields, the flesh dropping from them, and gaze reproachfully at him. His intimate officers who have been slain he recognizes among the crowd. In front is the DUKE OF ENGHIEN as showman.]
Why, why should this reproach be dealt me now? [He jumps up in a sweat and puts out the last candle; and the scene is curtained by darkness.] _ |