Poems

by George Pope Morris

Scene IV.

The whole depth of the stage is made use of in this scene, which represents an open
country. A Camp and Soldiers at a distance. Music. Enter HANS, GERTRUDE, and
Peasantry: Lads and Lasses dancing.

CHORUS of PEASANTS.
Lads and lasses, trip away
to the cheerful roundelay!
At the sound of tambourine,
Care is banished from the scene,
And a happy train we bound,
To the pipe and tabour's sound.
Merrily, merrily trip away,
'Tis a nation's holiday!
Merrily, merrily, merrilie,
Bound with sprits light and free!
Let's be jocund while we may;
And dance—dance—dance—
And dance the happy hours away!

When the gleaming line shall come,
To the sound of trump and drum;
Headed by advancing steeds,
Whom the king in person leads—
Let us hail him in his state,
For the king's both good and great!
Merrily, merrily trip away,
'Tis a nation's holiday!
Merrily, merrily, merrilie,
Bound with sprits light and free!
Let's be jocund while we may;
And dance—dance—dance—
And dance the happy hours away!

(Immediately after chorus, a grand march is commenced in he distance, which becomes more and more distinct as the troops advance. The PEASANTS form in groups. HANS speaks during the first part of the march.)

HANS. Here we are, Gertrude, many miles from our own village—and all for vat? To please you—(aside) and to shell a few color to der artishes, vich I pring along mit me for der purpose; but I need not tell her dat.—Here, stand aside, and don't be looking after de sholders!

(GERTRUDE and HANS stand aside. Grand march. Enter a corps of Grenadiers and other troops, who form on the right of the stage. Roll of drums. The troops present arms. Enter FREDERICK, in a furious passion, followed by general and staff Officers, and Count LANISKA. The KING acknowledges the salute, lifts his hat, and puts it on again furiously. HAROLD and Corporal are in the ranks of the Grenadiers. Throughout the scene the KING speaks hurriedly.)

KING.
General!

FIRST GENERAL.
Your Majesty.

KING. How comes it there is such a lack of discipline in your division? Disband THAT regiment at once, and draft a few of the men from the right wing into other regiments ordered for immediate service! The sooner THEY are shot the better!

FIRST GENERAL.
Yes, sire. [Exit.

KING. Generals—most of you have served the greater part of your lives with me. We have grown gray-headed in the service of our country, and we therefore know best ourselves the dangers, difficulties, and glory in which we have shared. While we maintain the discipline of the army, we may defy any power that Europe can march against us—relax that, and we become an easy prey to the spoiler.

SECOND GENERAL.
Your majesty shall have no cause of complain in the future.

KING. Make sure of that!—Soldiers, I rely in my operations entirely upon your well-known zeal in my service, and I shall acknowledge it with gratitude as long as I live; but at the same time I require of you that you look upon it as your most sacred duty to show kindness and mercy to all prisoners that the fortunes of war may throw in your power.

SECOND GENERAL.
That duty, sire, you have taught us all our lives.

KING (taking snuff.)
Good!—Have any of my grenadiers anything to say to me before the parade is dismissed?

HAROLD (recovering arms.)
Your Majesty!

KING.
Speak out, Harold!

HAROLD. The grenadiers have noticed with deep regret that you fatigue yourself of late too much with the cares of the army. We protest against it—

KING.
Zounds and fury!—Here's rebellion! YOU protest against it?

HAROLD (bluntly.)
We do. You are getting to be an old man—a very old man—and are too much afoot.

KING.
I can do as I like about it, I suppose?

HAROLD. Certainly not; and you will, therefore, in future, be good enough to use your carriage more and your legs less.

KING.
What do the grenadiers FEAR?

HAROLD. We fear nothing but the loss of your health, the loss of your life, or the loss of your favor, sire.

KING.
Don't you fear the loss of my temper at your bluntness—eh, old comrade?

HAROLD.
No, sire; we know you like it.

KING. I do indeed. You are in the right, my brave compatriots—for my advanced age and increasing infirmities admonish me that I shall be under the necessity of following your advice. But on the day of battle, you shall see me on horseback—ON HORSEBACK—and in the thickest of the fight! (Crosses the stage, as a BURGOMASTER enters, kneels, and presents a petition.) What have we here?

BURGOMASTER. Sire—the common council has imprisoned a citizen, upon an accusation that he has sinned against heaven, the king, and the right worshipful the common council. We humbly beg to know what Your Majesty's pleasure is with regard to the punishment of so unparalleled and atrocious an offender?

KING. If the prisoner has sinned against heaven, and is not a fool or a madman, he will make his peace with it without delay. This is a Power (taking off his hat—all the characters make their obeisance) that kings themselves must bow to in reverential awe. (Resumes his hat.)

BURGOMASTER.
But he has also sinned against your high and mighty majesty—

KING.
Tush, tush, man!

BURGOMASTER (profoundly.)
On my official veracity, sire.

KING.
Well, well, for that I pardon him—

BURGOMASTER.
And he has likewise sinned against the right worshipful the common council.

KING.
The reprobate!—

BURGOMASTER.
It is most veritable, Your Majesty!

KING.
Well, for that terrible and enormous offence, it becomes my solemn duty to make an
example of so abominable a culprit and to punish him in a must exemplary manner.
Therefore—

BURGOMASTER.
Yes, Your Majesty—

KING.
Send him to the Castle of Spandau, to be imprisoned—

BURGOMASTER.
Your Majesty—

KING.
For at least—

BURGOMASTER.
Sire—

KING. Half an hour (PEASANTRY laugh;)—and afterward he is at liberty to go to the devil his own way; and the right worshipful the common council may go with him, if they like!

(Exit BURGOMASTER. As he goes out, shrugging his shoulders, all the PEASANTRY laugh, until checked by a look from the KING, who crosses the stage to the Grenadiers, and addresses the CORPORAL, who has his watch-riband suspended.)

KING.
Corporal! (He advances and recovers arms.)

CORPORAL.
Your Majesty!

KING. I have often noticed you in the field. You are a brave soldier—and a prudent one, too, to have saved enough from your pay to buy yourself a watch.

HAROLD (aside to CORPORAL.)
You remember what I told you about a hawk's eye.

CORPORAL.
Brave I flatter myself I am; but as to my watch, it is of little signification.

KING (Seizing and pulling out a bullet fastened to the CORPORAL's watch-riband.)
Why, this is not a watch!—It's a bullet!

CORPORAL. It's the only watch I have, Your Majesty; but I have not worn it entirely out of vanity—

KING.
What have you worn it for, then? It does not show you the time of day!

CORPORAL.
No; bit it clearly shows me the death I am to die in your Majesty's service.

KING. Well said, my brave fellow! And, that you may likewise see the hour among the twelve in which you ARE to die, I will give you my watch. Take it, and wear it for my sake corporal. (The KING gives the CORPORAL his watch.)

CORPORAL (with emotion.)
It will also teach me that at any moment Your Majesty may command my life.

HAROLD (enthusiastically.)
And the lives of us all. Long live the King!

(Flourish of drums. The KING acknowledges the salute.)

KING (to Grenadiers.) You, my brave fellows, are my own guards. I can rely upon YOU. There is no want of discipline here—eh, General? Notwithstanding all my annoyances, I am the happiest king in Christendom!

CHORUS
(Grenadiers and all the characters)
All hail the king!—Long live the king!
Our hope in peace and war!
With his renown let Prussia ring—
Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!
He is the pillar of the state!
Our sword and buckler he!
Heaven give to Frederick the Great
Eternal victory!

(The GRENADIERS cheer. The OFFICERS close about the KING. Flourish and tableau.
The act-drop descends on the picture.)

End of the First Act.