MARIE LOUISE [hiding her presages]
They ever take things thus phlegmatically:
The safe sea minimizes Continental scare
In their regard. I wish it did in mine!
But Wellington laughs not, as I discern.
NEIPPERG
Perhaps, though fun for the other English here,
It means new work for him. Ah—notice now
The music makes no more pretence to play!
Sovereigns and ministers have moved apart,
And talk, and leave the ladies quite aloof—
Even the Grand Duchesses and Empress, all—
Such mighty cogitations trance their minds!
MARIE LOUISE [with more anxiety]
Poor ladies; yea, they draw into the rear,
And whisper ominous words among themselves!
Count Neipperg—I must ask you now—go glean
What evil lowers. I am riddled through
With strange surmises and more strange alarms!
[The COUNTESS OF MONTESQUIOU enters.]
Ah—we shall learn it now. Well—what, madame?
COUNTESS OF MONTESQUIOU [breathlessly]
Your Majesty, the Emperor Napoléon
Has vanished from Elba! Wither flown,
And how, and why, nobody says or knows.
MARIE LOUISE [sinking into a chair]
My divination pencilled on my brain
Something not unlike that! The rigid mien
That mastered Wellington suggested it....
Complicity will be ascribed to me,
Unwitting though I stand!... [A pause.]
He’ll not succeed!
And my fair plans for Parma will be marred,
And my son’s future fouled!—I must go hence,
And instantly declare to Metternich
That I know nought of this; and in his hands
Place me unquestioningly, with dumb assent
To serve the Allies.... Methinks that I was born
Under an evil-coloured star, whose ray
Darts death at joys!—Take me away, Count.—You [to the ladies]
Can stay and see the end.
[Exeunt MARIE LOUISE and NEIPPERG. MESDAMES DE MONTESQUIOU and
DE BRIGNOLE go to the grille and watch and listen.]
VOICE OF ALEXANDER [below]
I told you, Prince, that it would never last!
VOICE OF TALLEYRAND
Well, sire, you should have sent him to the Azores,
Or the Antilles, or best, Saint-Helena.
VOICE OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA
Instead, we send him but two days from France,
Give him an island as his own domain,
A military guard of large resource,
And millions for his purse!
ANOTHER VOICE
The immediate cause
Must be a negligence in watching him.
The British Colonel Campbell should have seen
That apertures for flight were wired and barred
To such a cunning bird!
ANOTHER VOICE
By all report
He took the course direct to Naples Bay.