The Dynasts: An Epic-Drama of the War with Napoleon Part 62

Of worth as candour, madame; not as gauge.

Your reach in rarity outsoars my scope.

Yet, do you know, a troop of my hussars, That last October day, nigh captured you?

QUEEN

Nay! Never a single Frenchman did I see.

NAPOLEON

Not less it was that you exposed yourself, And should have been protected. But at Weimar, Had you but sought me, 'twould have bettered you.

QUEEN

I had no zeal to meet you, sire, alas!

NAPOLEON [after a silence]

And how at Memel do you sport with time?

QUEEN

Sport? I!--I pore on musty chronicles, And muse on usurpations long forgot, And other historied dramas of high wrong!

NAPOLEON

Why con not annals of your own rich age?

They treasure acts well fit for pondering.

QUEEN

I am reminded too much of my age By having had to live in it. May Heaven Defend me now, and my wan ghost anon, From conning it again!

NAPOLEON

Alas, alas!

Too grievous, this, for one who is yet a queen!

QUEEN

No; I have cause for vials more of grief.-- Prussia was blind in blazoning her power Against the Mage of Earth!...

The embers of great Frederick's deeds inflamed her: His glories swelled her to her ruining.

Too well has she been punished! [Emotion stops her.]

ALEXANDER [in a low voice, looking anxiously at her]

Say not so.

You speak as all were lost. Things are not thus!

Such desperation has unreason in it, And bleeds the hearts that crave to comfort you.

NAPOLEON [to the King]

I trust the treaty, further pondered, sire, Has consolations?

KING [curtly]

I am a luckless man; And muster strength to bear my lucklessness Without vain hope of consolations now.

One thing, at least, I trust I have shown you, sire That _I_ provoked not this calamity!

At Ans.p.a.ch first my feud with you began-- Ans.p.a.ch, my Eden, violated and shamed By blushless tramplings of your legions there!

NAPOLEON

It's rather late, methinks, to talk thus now.

KING [with more choler]

Never too late for truth and plainspeaking!

NAPOLEON [blandly]

To your ally, the Tsar, I must refer you.

He was it, and not I, who tempted you To push for war, when Eylau must have shown Your every profit to have lain in peace.-- He can indemn; yes, much or small; and may.

KING [with a head-shake]

I would make up, would well make up, my mind To half my kingdom's loss, could in such limb But Magdeburg not lie. Dear Magdeburg, Place of my heart-hold; THAT I would retain!

NAPOLEON

Our words take not such pattern as is wont To grace occasions of festivity.

[He turns brusquely from the King. The banquet proceeds with a more general conversation. When finished a toast is proposed: "The Freedom of the Seas," and drunk with enthusiasm.]