SCENE VI
THE PYRENEES. NEAR THE RIVER NIVELLE
[Evening. The dining-room of WELLINGTON’S quarters. The table is
laid for dinner. The battle of the Nivelle has just been fought.
Enter WELLINGTON, HILL, BERESFORD, STEWART, HOPE, CLINTON, COLBORNE,
COLE, KEMPT [with a bound-up wound], and other officers.
WELLINGTON
It is strange that they did not hold their grand position more
tenaciously against us to-day. By God, I don’t quite see why we
should have beaten them!
COLBORNE
My impression is that they had the stiffness taken out of them by
something they had just heard of. Anyhow, startling news of some
kind was received by those of the Eighty-eighth we took in the
signal-redoubt after I summoned the Commandant.
WELLINGTON
Oh, what news?
COLBORNE
I cannot say, my lord, I only know that the latest number of the
Imperial Gazette was seen in the hands of some of them before the
capture. They had been reading the contents, and were cast down.
WELLINGTON
That’s interesting. I wonder what the news could have been?
HILL
Something about Boney’s army in Saxony would be most probable.
Though I question if there’s time yet for much to have been
decided there.
BERESFORD
Well, I wouldn’t say that. A hell of a lot of things may have
happened there by this time.
COLBORNE
It was tantalizing, but they were just able to destroy the paper
before we could prevent them.
WELLINGTON
Did you question them?
COLBORNE
Oh yes. But they stayed sulking at being taken, and would tell us
nothing, pretending that they knew nothing. Whether much were going
on, they said, or little, between the army of the Emperor and the
army of the Allies, it was none of their business to relate it; so
they kept a gloomy silence for the most part.
WELLINGTON
They will cheer up a bit and be more communicative when they have had
some dinner.
COLE
They are dining here, my lord?
WELLINGTON
I sent them an invitation an hour ago, which they have accepted.
I could do no less, poor devils. They’ll be here in a few minutes.
See that they have plenty of Madeira to whet their whistles with.
It well screw them up into a better key, and they’ll not be so
reserved.
[The conversation on the day’s battle becomes general. Enter as
guests French officers of the Eighty-eighth regiment now prisoners
on parole. They are welcomed by WELLINGTON and the staff, and all
sit down to dinner.
For some time the meal proceeds almost in silence; but wine is
passed freely, and both French and English officers become
talkative and merry.
WELLINGTON [to the French Commandant]
More cozy this, sir, than—I’ll warrant me—
You found it in that damned redoubt to-day?
COMMANDANT
The devil if ’tis not, monseigneur, sure!
WELLINGTON
So ’tis for us who were outside, by God!
COMMANDANT [gloomily]
No; we were not at ease! Alas, my lord,
’Twas more than flesh and blood could do, to fight
After such paralyzing tidings came.
More life may trickle out of men through thought
Than through a gaping wound.
WELLINGTON
Your reference
Bears on the news from Saxony, I infer?
SECOND FRENCH OFFICER
Yes: on the Emperor’s ruinous defeat
At Leipzig city—brought to our startled heed
By one of the Gazettes just now arrived.
[All the English officers stop speaking, and listen eagerly.]
WELLINGTON
Where are the Emperor’s headquarters now?
COMMANDANT
My lord, there are no headquarters.
WELLINGTON
No headquarters?
COMMANDANT
There are no French headquarters now, my lord,
For there is no French army! France’s fame
Is fouled. And how, then, could we fight to-day
With our hearts in our shoes!
WELLINGTON
Why, that bears out
What I but lately said; it was not like
The brave men who have faced and foiled me here
So many a long year past, to give away
A stubborn station quite so readily.
BERESFORD
And what, messieurs, ensued at Leipzig then?
SEVERAL FRENCH OFFICERS
Why, sirs, should we conceal it? Thereupon
Part of our army took the Lutzen road;
Behind a blown-up bridge. Those in advance
Arrived at Lutzen with the Emperor—
The scene of our once famous victory!
In such sad sort retreat was hurried on,
Erfurt was gained with Blücher hot at heel.
To cross the Rhine seemed then our only hope;
Alas, the Austrians and the Bavarians
Faced us in Hanau Forest, led by Wrede,
And dead-blocked our escape.
WELLINGTON
Ha. Did they though?
SECOND FRENCH OFFICER
But if brave hearts were ever desperate,
Sir, we were desperate then! We pierced them through,
Our loss unrecking. So by Frankfurt’s walls
We fared to Mainz, and there recrossed the Rhine.
A funeral procession, so we seemed,
Upon the long bridge that had rung so oft
To our victorious feet!... What since has coursed
We know not, gentlemen. But this we know,
That Germany echoes no French footfall!
AN ENGLISH OFFICER
One sees not why it should.
SECOND FRENCH OFFICER
We’ll leave it so.
[Conversation on the Leipzig disaster continues till the dinner
ends The French prisoners courteously take their leave and go
out.]
WELLINGTON
Very good set of fellows. I could wish
They all were mine!...Well, well; there was no crime
In trying to ascertain these fat events:
They would have sounded soon from other tongues.
HILL
It looks like the first scene of act the last
For our and all men’s foe!
WELLINGTON
I count to meet
The Allies upon the cobble-stones of Paris
Before another half-year’s suns have shone.
—But there’s some work for us to do here yet:
The dawn must find us fording the Nivelle!
[Exeunt WELLINGTON and officers. The room darkens.]