CROWD [nearing the Palace]
Call out the King and the Prince. Long live the King! He shall not
go. Hola! He is gone! Let us see him! He shall abandon Godoy!
[The clamour before the Royal Palace still increasing, a figure
emerges upon a balcony, whom GODOY recognizes by the lamplight
to be FERNANDO, Prince of Asturias. He can be seen waving his
hand. The mob grows suddenly silent.]
FERNANDO [in a shaken voice]
Citizens! the King my father is in the palace with the Queen. He
has been much tried to-day.
CROWD
Promise, Prince, that he shall not leave us. Promise!
FERNANDO
I do. I promise in his name. He has mistaken you, thinking you
wanted his head. He knows better now.
CROWD
The villain Godoy misrepresented us to him! Throw out the Prince
of Peace!
FERNANDO
He is not here, my friends.
CROWD
Then the King shall announce to us that he has dismissed him! Let
us see him. The King; the King!
[FERNANDO goes in. KING CARLOS comes out reluctantly, and bows
to their cheering. He produces a paper with a trembling hand.
KING [reading]
“As it is the wish of the people—-”
CROWD
Speak up, your Majesty!
KING [more loudly]
“As it is the wish of the people, I release Don Manuel Godoy, Prince
of Peace, from the posts of Generalissimo of the Army and Grand
Admiral of the Fleet, and give him leave to withdraw whither he
pleases.”