PARIS. THE TUILERIES [An antechamber to the EMPRESS MARIE LOUISE’S bedroom, at half-past eleven on a December night. The DUCHESS OF MONTEBELLO and another lady-in-waiting are discovered talking to the Empress.]

MARIE LOUISE I have felt unapt for anything to-night, And I will now retire. [She goes into her child’s room adjoining.]

DUCHESS OF MONTEBELLO For some long while There has come no letter from the Emperor, And Paris brims with ghastly rumourings About the far campaign. Not being beloved, The town is over dull for her alone. [Re-enter MARIE LOUISE.]

MARIE LOUISE The King of Rome is sleeping in his cot Sweetly and safe. Now, ladies, I am going. [She withdraws. Her tiring-women pass through into her chamber. They presently return and go out. A manservant enters, and bars the window-shutters with numerous bolts. Exit manservant. The Duchess retires. The other lady-in-waiting rises to go into her bedroom, which adjoins that of the Empress. Men’s voices are suddenly heard in the corridor without. The lady- in-waiting pauses with parted lips. The voices grow louder. The lady-in-waiting screams. MARIE LOUISE hastily re-enters in a dressing-gown thrown over her night-clothes.]

MARIE LOUISE Great God, what altercation can that be? I had just verged on sleep when it aroused me! [A thumping is heard at the door.]

VOICE OF NAPOLÉON [without] Hola! Pray let me in! Unlock the door!

LADY-IN-WAITING Heaven’s mercy on us! What man may it be At such and hour as this?

MARIE LOUISE O it is he!

[The lady-in-waiting unlocks the door. NAPOLÉON enters, scarcely recognizable, in a fur cloak and hood over his ears. He throws off the cloak and discloses himself to be in the shabbiest and muddiest attire. Marie Louise is agitated almost to fainting.]

SPIRIT IRONIC Is it with fright or joy?

MARIE LOUISE I scarce believe What my sight tells me! Home, and in such garb! [NAPOLÉON embraces her.]

NAPOLÉON I have had great work in getting in, my dear! They failed to recognize me at the gates, Being sceptical at my poor hackney-coach And poorer baggage. I had to show my face In a fierce light ere they would let me pass, And even then they doubted till I spoke.— What think you, dear, of such a tramp-like spouse? [He warms his hands at the fire.] Ha—it is much more comfortable here Than on the Russian plains!

MARIE LOUISE [timidly] You have suffered there?— Your face is thinner, and has line in it; No marvel that they did not know you!

NAPOLÉON Yes: Disasters many and swift have swooped on me!— Since crossing—ugh!—the Beresina River I have been compelled to come incognito; Ay—as a fugitive and outlaw quite.

MARIE LOUISE We’ll thank Heaven, anyhow, that you are safe. I had gone to bed, and everybody almost! what, now, do require? Some food of course? [The child in the adjoining chamber begins to cry, awakened by the loud tones of NAPOLÉON.]

NAPOLÉON Ah—that’s his little voice! I’ll in and see him.

MARIE LOUISE I’ll come with you. [NAPOLÉON and the EMPRESS pass into the other room. The lady-in- waiting calls up yawning servants and gives orders. The servants go to execute them. Re-enter NAPOLÉON and MARIE LOUISE. The lady- in-waiting goes out.]

NAPOLÉON I have said it, dear! All the disasters summed in the bulletin Shall be repaired.

MARIE LOUISE And are they terrible?

NAPOLÉON Have you not read the last-sent bulletin, Dear friend?

MARIE LOUISE No recent bulletin has come.

NAPOLÉON Ah—I must have outstripped it on the way!

MARIE LOUISE And where is the Grand Army?

NAPOLÉON Oh—that’s gone.

MARIE LOUISE Gone? But—gone where?

NAPOLÉON Gone all to nothing, dear.

MARIE LOUISE [incredulously] But some six hundred thousand I saw pass Through Dresden Russia-wards?

NAPOLÉON [flinging himself into a chair] Well, those men lie— Or most of them—in layers of bleaching bones ’Twixt here and Moscow.... I have been subdued; But by the elements; and them alone. Not Russia, but God’s sky has conquered me! [With an appalled look she sits beside him.] From the sublime to the ridiculous There’s but a step!—I have been saying it All through the leagues of my long journey home— And that step has been passed in this affair!... Yes, briefly, it is quite ridiculous, Whichever way you look at it.—Ha, ha!

MARIE LOUISE [simply] But those six hundred thousand throbbing throats That cheered me deaf at Dresden, marching east So full of youth and spirits—all bleached bones— Ridiculous? Can it be so, dear, to— Their mothers say?

NAPOLÉON [with a twitch of displeasure] You scarcely understand. I meant the enterprise, and not its stuff.... I had no wish to fight, nor Alexander, But circumstance impaled us each on each; The Genius who outshapes my destinies Did all the rest! Had I but hit success, Imperial splendour would have worn a crown Unmatched in long-scrolled Time!... Well, leave that now.— What do they know about all this in Paris?

MARIE LOUSE I cannot say. Black rumours fly and croak Like ravens through the streets, but come to me Thinned to the vague!—Occurrences in Spain Breed much disquiet with these other things. Marmont’s defeat at Salamanca field Ploughed deep into men’s brows. The cafes say Your troops must clear from Spain.

NAPOLÉON We’ll see to that! I’ll find a way to do a better thing; Though I must have another army first— Three hundred thousand quite. Fishes as good Swim in the sea as have come out of it. But to begin, we must make sure of France, Disclose ourselves to the good folk of Paris In daily outing as a family group, The type and model of domestic bliss [Which, by the way, we are]. And I intend, Also, to gild the dome of the Invalides In best gold leaf, and on a novel pattern.

MARIE LOUISE To gild the dome, dear? Why?

NAPOLÉON To give them something To think about. They’ll take to it like children, And argue in the cafes right and left On its artistic points.—So they’ll forget The woes of Moscow. [A chamberlain-in-waiting announces supper. MARIE LOUISE and NAPOLÉON go out. The room darkens and the scene closes.]