THIRD SERVANT [pulling something from his hat]
Then it is time for me to gird my armour on.
SECOND SERVANT
What hast there?
[Third servant holds up a crumpled white cockade and sticks it in
his hair. The firing gets louder.]
FIRST AND SECOND SERVANTS
Hast got another?
THIRD SERVANT [pulling out more]
Ay—here they are; at a price.
[The others purchase cockades of third servant. A military march
is again heard. Re-enter fourth servant.]
FOURTH SERVANT
The city has capitulated! The Allied sovereigns, so it is said,
will enter in grand procession to-morrow: the Prussian cavalry
first, then the Austrian foot, then the Russian and Prussian foot,
then the Russian horse and artillery. And to cap all, the people
of Paris are glad of the change. They have put a rope round the
neck of the statue of Napoléon on the column of the Grand Army, and
are amusing themselves with twitching it and crying “Strangle the
Tyrant!”
SECOND SERVANT
Well, well! There’s rich colours in this kaleidoscopic world!
THIRD SERVANT
And there’s comedy in all things—when they don’t concern you.
Another glorious time among the many we’ve had since eighty-nine.
We have put our armour on none too soon. The Bourbons for ever!
[He leaves, followed by first and second servants.]
FOURTH SERVANT
My faith, I think I’ll turn Englishman in my older years, where
there’s not these trying changes in the Constitution!
[Follows the others. The Allies military march waxes louder as
the scene shuts.]
SCENE IV
FONTAINEBLEAU. A ROOM IN THE PALACE
[NAPOLÉON is discovered walking impatiently up and down, and
glancing at the clock every few minutes. Enter NEY.]