MADAME METTERNICH
What “worse luck” lies in that, your Majesty,
If severance from the Empress Joséphine
Be fixed unalterably?
NAPOLÉON
This worse luck lies there:
If your Archduchess, Marie Louise the fair,
Would straight accept my hand, I’d offer it,
And throw the other over. Faith, the Tsar
Has shown such backwardness in answering me,
Time meanwhile trotting, that I have ample ground
For such withdrawal.—Madame, now, again,
Will your Archduchess marry me of no?
MADAME METTERNICH
Your sudden questions quite confound my sense!
It is impossible to answer them.
NAPOLÉON
Well, madame, now I’ll put it to you thus:
Were you in the Archduchess Marie’s place
Would you accept my hand—and heart therewith?
MADAME METTERNICH
I should refuse you—most assuredly![17]
NAPOLÉON [laughing roughly]
Ha-ha! That’s frank. And devilish cruel too!
—Well, write to your husband. Ask him what he thinks,
And let me know.
MADAME METTERNICH
Indeed, sire, why should I?
There goes the Ambassador, Prince Schwarzenberg,
Successor to my spouse. He’s now the groove
And proper conduit of diplomacy
Through whom to broach this matter to his Court.
NAPOLÉON
Do you, then, broach it through him, madame, pray;
Now, here, to-night.
MADAME METTERNICH
I will, informally,
To humour you, on this recognizance,
That you leave not the business in my hands,
But clothe your project in official guise
Through him to-morrow; so safeguarding me
From foolish seeming, as the babbler forth
Of a fantastic and unheard of dream.
NAPOLÉON
I’ll send Eugène to him, as you suggest.
Meanwhile prepare him. Make your stand-point this:
Children are needful to my dynasty,
And if one woman cannot mould them for me,
Why, then, another must.
[Exit NAPOLÉON abruptly. Dancing continues. MADAME METTERNICH
sits on, musing. Enter SCHWARZENBERG.]