The Dynasts: An Epic-Drama of the War with Napoleon Part 95

She must be young.

SECOND SERVANT

Good. She must. The country must see to that.

FIRST SERVANT

And she must be strong.

SECOND SERVANT

Good again. She must be strong. The doctors will see to that.

FIRST SERVANT And she must be fruitful as the vine.

SECOND SERVANT

Ay, by G.o.d. She must be fruitful as the vine. That, Heaven help him, he must see to himself, like the meanest multiplying man in Paris.

[Exeunt servant. Re-enter NAPOLEON with his stepdaughter, Queen Hortense.]

NAPOLEON Your mother is too rash and reasonless-- Wailing and fainting over statesmans.h.i.+p Which is no personal caprice of mine, But policy most painful--forced on me By the necessities of this country's charge.

Go to her; see if she be saner now; Explain it to her once and once again, And bring me word what impress you may make.

[HORTENSE goes out. CHAMPAGNY is shown in.]

Champagny, I have something clear to say Now, on our process after the divorce.

The question of the Russian d.u.c.h.ess Anne Was quite inept for further toying with.

The years rush on, and I grow nothing younger.

So I have made up my mind--committed me To Austria and the Hapsburgs--good or ill!

It was the best, most practicable plunge, And I have plunged it.

CHAMPAGNY

Austria say you, sire?

I reckoned that but a scurrying dream!

NAPOLEON

Well, so it was. But such a pretty dream That its own charm transfixed it to a notion, That showed itself in time a sanity, Which hardened in its turn to a resolve As firm as any built by mortal mind.-- The Emperor's consent must needs be won; But I foresee no difficulty there.

The young Archd.u.c.h.ess is a bright blond thing By general story; and considering, too, That her good mother childed seventeen times, It will be hard if she can not produce The modest one or two that I require.

[Enter DE BAUSSET with dispatches.]

DE BAUSSET

The courier, sire, from Petersburg is here, And brings these letters for your Majesty.

[Exit DE BAUSSET.]

NAPOLEON [after silently reading]

Ha-ha! It never rains unless it pours: Now I can have the other readily.

The proverb hits me aptly: "Well they do Who doff the old love ere they don the new!"

[He glances again over the letter.]

Yes, Caulaincourt now writes he has every hope Of quick success in settling the alliance!

The Tsar is willing--even anxious for it, His sister's youth the single obstacle.

The Empress-mother, hitherto against me, Ambition-fired, verges on suave consent, Likewise the whole Imperial family.

What irony is all this to me now!

Time lately was when I had leapt thereat.

CHAMPAGNY

You might, of course, sire, give th' Archd.u.c.h.ess up, Seeing she looms uncertainly as yet, While this does so no longer.

NAPOLEON

No--not I.

My sense of my own dignity forbids My watching the slow clocks of Muscovy!

Why have they dallied with my tentatives In pompous silence since the Erfurt day?

--And Austria, too, affords a safer hope.

The young Archd.u.c.h.ess is much less a child Than is the other, who, Caulaincourt says, Will be incapable of motherhood For six months yet or more--a grave delay.

CHAMPAGNY

Your Majesty appears to have trimmed your sail For Austria; and no more is to be said!

NAPOLEON

Except that there's the house of Saxony If Austria fail.--then, very well, Champagny, Write you to Caulaincourt accordingly.

CHAMPAGNY

I will, your Majesty.