DUCHESS OF RUTLAND [to the Prince of Wales]
What sort of aid shall we send, sir?
PRINCE OF WALES
We are going to vote fifty millions, I hear. We’ll whack him,
and preserve your noble country for ’ee, Senor Viscount. The
debate thereon is to come off to-morrow. It will be the finest
thing the Commons have had since Pitt’s time. Sheridan, who is
open to it, says he and Canning are to be absolutely unanimous;
and, by God, like the parties in his “Critic,” when Government
and Opposition do agree, their unanimity is wonderful! Viscount
Materosa, you and your friends must be in the Gallery. O, dammy,
you must!
MATEROSA
Sir, we are already pledged to be there.
PRINCE OF WALES
And hark ye, Senor Viscount. You will then learn what a mighty
fine thing a debate in the English Parliament is! No Continental
humbug there. Not but that the Court has a trouble to keep ’em
in their places sometimes; and I would it had been one in the
Lords instead. However, Sheridan says he has been learning his
speech these two days, and has hunted his father’s dictionary
through for some stunning long words.—Now, Maria [to Mrs.
Fitzherbert], I am going home.
LADY SALISBURY
At last, then, England will take her place in the forefront of
this mortal struggle, and in pure disinterestedness fight with
all her strength for the European deliverance. God defend the
right!
[The Prince of Wales leaves, and the other guests begin to
depart.]
SEMICHORUS I OF THE YEARS [aerial music]
Leave this glib throng to its conjecturing,
And let four burdened weeks uncover what they bring!
SEMICHORUS II
The said Debate, to wit; its close in deed;
Till England stands enlisted for the Patriots’ needs.
SEMICHORUS I
And transports in the docks gulp down their freight
Of buckled fighting-flesh, and gale-bound, watch and wait.
SEMICHORUS II
Till gracious zephyrs shoulder on their sails
To where the brine of Biscay moans its tragic tales.
CHORUS
Bear we, too, south, as we were swallow-vanned,
And mark the game now played there by the Master-hand!
[The reception-chamber is shut over by the night without, and
the point of view rapidly recedes south, London and its streets
and lights diminishing till they are lost in the distance, and
its noises being succeeded by the babble of the Channel and
Biscay waves.]